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300x600 Vivid Audio Kaya 45 (202204)
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2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide

Anthony Gallo Acoustics Classico CL-2 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

Gallo Classico CL-2Price: $795 per pair

Website: www.roundsound.com

Ron said: Anthony Gallo Acoustics’ Classico CL-2 is a reasonably priced, well-made bookshelf loudspeaker that, while requiring a bit more tweaking than I’m accustomed to, gave a very good account of itself, presenting a wide, spacious soundstage with very good to excellent imaging cues. Though not a detailmeister, it was quite pleasant to listen through, finding the “good” in even questionable recordings.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Classic round sound from a box speaker.

Aperion Audio Intimus 5T Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

Aperion Audio Intimus 5TPrice: $790 per pair

Website: www.aperionaudio.com

Hans said: It’s an attractive and thoughtfully designed package that purports to be nothing other than what it is. It forgoes deep bass to focus on producing an expansive, evenhanded sound with admirable imaging. And with its ten-year warranty on drivers and 30-day guarantee, with free shipping both ways, the interested listener can sample a pair without risk. Bearing in mind Aperion’s return rate of less than 5%, the odds heavily favor the 5T making only a one-way trip.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Very nice little floorstander for the money.

Audioengine 5+ Active Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

Audioengine 5+Price: $399 per pair

Website: www.audioengineusa.com

Hans said: In juggling many considerations in its 5+, Audioengine has contrived to not drop one. As well executed as it is well designed, this attractive bookshelf speaker is a thoroughly practical product that worked, and worked well, practically right out of the box. You could spend the same amount of money on a pair of passive bookshelf speakers and perhaps get better sound. You could invest in an identically priced pair of active speakers and get similar sound. But the 5+ combines quality sound with an attractiveness and remote-controlled, multiple-input convenience that separates it from its competitors. Emphatically recommended.

Great Buy

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: The powered monitor to beat at its price.

Definitive Technology BP-8080ST SuperTower Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice

Definitive Technology BP-8080STPrice: $2998 per pair

Website: www.definitivetech.com

Roger said: When I reviewed the Definitive Technology Mythos STS SuperTower loudspeaker, I was impressed by how good it sounded, especially considering its slim, good looks. I was even more impressed by the excellent performance of Definitive’s new BP-8080ST SuperTower. By any standard, both are exceptional speakers. Those who might dismiss the Mythos STS because of its “lifestyle” look will miss out on a great speaker. Those who might dismiss the BP-8080ST because of its bipolar design or other reasons will miss out on an even better one.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Big speaker, big sound, not-so-big price.

Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 45 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

Definitive Technology SM45Price: $398 per pair

Website: www.definitivetech.com

Roger said: The Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 45 is an excellent combination of performance and value in an entry-level loudspeaker. It offers a clean midrange, and smooth high frequencies that provide a high level of performance and musicality. It also has enough bass and power-handling capability to play loud enough when my listening sessions get a bit rowdy. All of this is packaged in an attractive bookshelf design at the ridiculously low price of $199 each.

Great Buy

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Ridiculous value for money.

Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 55 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice

Definitive Technology SM55Price: $598 per pair

Website: www.definitivetech.com

Philip said: If you like solid bass, clear-cut imaging, and a clean, open midrange, but don’t have the room and/or the money for bigger speakers, Definitive Technology’s StudioMonitor 55 could be what you’ve been waiting for. It does many things well for the audiophile on a budget, and doesn’t take a back seat to speakers costing even multiples of its price.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Sound quality unheard of at this price just a few years ago.

Dynaudio Focus 110 A Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

Dynaudio Focus 110 APrice: $2450 per pair

Website: www.dynaudio.com

Brooke said: I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Dynaudio Focus 110 A. It offered a beguiling combination of smoothness, accuracy, and transient speed with low-end extension and dynamic capabilities that belied its small size. The price of $2450/pair is reasonable for what the Focus 110 A does, but the fact that the speaker includes four channels of amplification tailor-made for the drive-units they’re connected to makes them a relative bargain.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Very good all-around powered monitor from a speaker-making powerhouse.

Dynaudio Focus 260 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

Dynaudio Focus 260Price: $4900 per pair

Website: www.dynaudio.com

Aron said: It has proven to be a highly dynamic, emotive model that offers a great deal of innovative technology and quality engineering in a compact package. The combination of uncanny bass control, velvety midrange, and top-end sweetness is as addictive as melted chocolate on a New York cheesecake.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Maybe Dynaudio’s greatest strength is in their mid-sized floorstanders.

Dynaudio Xeo 3 Wireless Powered Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice

Dynaudio Xeo 3Price: $2300 per pair

Website: www.dynaudio.com

Jeff said: The Xeo 3 system is about functionality. It’s also an impressive technology whose time seems to have come. Dynaudio has combined excellent sound quality, good build quality, good looks, and versatility with the technical demands of the day. Listeners now have a viable option for ridding themselves of all those components and tangles of cable cluttering their entertainment centers. The Xeo 3 is a standard-setting system.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Powered, wireless, and really good.

Elemental Designs EL8.3t Floorstanding Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

Elemental Designs EL8.3tPrice: $2200 per pair

Website: www.edesignaudio.com

Ron said: The Elemental Designs EL8.3t impresses both visually and sonically, should earn additional points by some for having the temerity to be made here in the good ol’ US of A, is constructed with environmentally friendly materials, and is large enough that even non-audiophile friends won’t doubt that a pair is worth its eminently reasonable price of $2200.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: A good basic floorstander.

Fluance XL7F Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice

Fluance XL7FPrice: $469 per pair

Website: www.fluance.com

Thom said: The Fluance XL7F is an incredible value that’s worth every cent of $469.99/pair -- and far more. In fact, Fluance could easily raise the speaker’s price by quite a bit and still be offering the deal of the year.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Just a stupid-good-value Internet-direct speaker.

Focal Chorus 807 W Prestige Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

Focal Chorus 807 W PrestigePrice: $1599 per pair

Website: www.focal.com

Philip said: The pair of them sounded wonderful with all varieties of music, and did a very good job of extracting detail without sounding too dry or analytical. If you’re in the market for new speakers and want something that will make a bold visual statement while bringing your music collection to life, listen to a pair of Focal’s Chorus 807 W Prestiges.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Trickle-down loudspeaker technology at its best.

Focal Chorus 836 W Prestige Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

Focal Chorus 835 W PrestigePrice: $4499 per pair

Website: www.focal.com

Doug said: Focal’s Chorus 836 W Prestige is a distinctively styled, wonderfully voiced speaker that offers plenty of performance for its price. It’s a very good deal.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Focal’s version of the high-value floorstander.

GoldenEar Technology Aon 3 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice

GoldenEar Aon 3Price: $999.98 per pair

Website: www.goldenear.com

Doug said: Through clever engineering, the GoldenEar designers have created a speaker that plays bigger than its compact enclosure suggests, and sounds far more natural, detailed, and refined than most would think possible, given the low price and disparate drivers. I could praise many of the Aon 3’s qualities -- its effortless highs and ample bass, its finely detailed and natural midrange, its astonishingly spacious soundstage -- but what bowled me over was how well the outputs of its tweeter, midrange-woofer, and passive radiators integrated to create a big yet sophisticated sound that can compare with those of well-designed speakers at much higher prices.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: An affordable stand-mount speaker that sounds like something larger and more expensive.

GoldenEar Technology Triton Three Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

GoldenEar Technology Triton ThreePrice: $2000 per pair

Website: www.goldenear.com

Hans said: With a peach of a folded-ribbon tweeter and a powered bass section that should obviate the need of a subwoofer for all but the most depraved bass junkies, the Triton Three is as forgiving of low-powered amps as of harsh recordings. It won’t move heaven and earth in quite the manner that some other reviewers have claimed, but for $2000/pair, I’m not sure you can buy a more complete loudspeaker.

Great Buy

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Solid-value speakers for two grand.

KEF R500 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice

KEF R500Price: $2599.98 per pair

Website: www.kef.com

Doug said: The KEF R500 is a great-sounding loudspeaker by any measure. The fact that its price is so low simply makes it all that much better.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Profound performance for the price.

MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESLPrice: $2195 per pair

Website: www.martinlogan.com

Hans said: The ElectroMotion ESL is the gateway product to MartinLogan’s more expensive electrostatic designs, and it’s easy to hear why they’ve stubbornly stood by the design, much in the way Mazda stood by its idiosyncratic rotary engine. Like the Wankel, the ElectroMotion isn’t perfect, but its qualities are manifest to my ears. There is no other product like it at or near its $2195/pair price. I suspect that many listeners who hear it will then find more traditional speaker designs to be irrelevant.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: If you can’t afford a larger ‘Logan.

MartinLogan Motion 40 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

MartinLogan Motion 40Price: $1900 per pair

Website: www.martinlogan.com

Philip said: The Motion 40 is an exciting speaker, due in no small part to its upfront sound, meaty bass, and clear highs. While some listeners might not appreciate that kind of character, others will enjoy the fact that it holds nothing back, and has an amazing ability to grab the attention with its more in-your-face sound. Combine that with its wonderful fit and finish and nice attention to detail, and I expect MartinLogan’s new Motion 40 will generate considerable interest in the under-$2000 market.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Gateway-into-MartinLogan-sound-type product.

Monitor Audio Gold GX100 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice

Monitor Audio GX100Price: $2195 per pair

Website: www.monitoraudiousa.com

Philip said: Not only does the GX100 look like a piece of fine furniture, it sounds superlative from top to bottom. Based on my experience, it is a true reference product; that is, someone will have to spend significantly more for only small improvements in performance. I found its sound highly engaging, and capable of holding my interest. I was able to sustain my utter enthusiasm for its sound for long periods without ever getting fatigued.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Superbly finished ribbon-based minimonitor.

Orb Audio Mod1 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

Orb Audio Mod1Price: $239 per pair

Website: www.orbaudio.com

Rad said: If you don’t spend that much time at the computer, the Classic One might entice you to do so. You can’t judge Orb speakers by their sizes. They have a lot to offer, and at prices most people can afford. It’s champagne on a beer budget. A big thumbs up!

Great Buy

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Better than your average computer speaker.

Paradigm Millenia CT Powered 2.1-Channel Loudspeaker System

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice

Paradigm Millenia CTPrice: $699.99

Website: www.paradigm.com

Hans said: For one who abhors hyperbole, I’m left with only one conclusion: Paradigm’s Millenia CT is exceptional. This conveniently sized and carefully conceived system doesn’t merely hint at high-end sound -- it actually provides it. If what I’ve written thus far isn’t convincing enough, then perhaps my actions will speak more clearly: I’m buying my review sample.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Compact yet powerful 2.1 system that’s priced right.

Polk Audio LSiM703 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

Polk Audio LSiM703Price: $1499.90 per pair

Website: www.polkaudio.com

Roger said: With the LSiM703, Polk has rediscovered their audiophile roots. Not only does it sound very good; it’s also well built, its curved cabinet is attractive in its real-wood veneer, and it’s available at a reasonable price for all that it offers. If you’re in the market for a high-quality, full-size bookshelf loudspeaker, the Polk LSiM703 deserves your consideration.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: New-generation Polk line is their best yet.

Polk Audio LSiM705 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

Polk LSiM705Price: $2999.90 per pair

Website: www.polkaudio.com

Ron said: The Polk LSiM705 is a very good loudspeaker that, at $2999.90/pair, is also a high-value bargain, especially in terms of craftsmanship, build quality, and pleasing visual design. I found it also to be, more often than not, a very good-sounding speaker

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: New-generation Polks may be the best from them yet.

PSB Imagine Mini Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice

PSB Imagine MiniPrice: $760 per pair in Walnut, Dark Cherry, and Black Ash veneers; $830 per pair in High Gloss Black and High Gloss White

Website: www.psbspeakers.com

Roger said: Supremely refined sound at a reasonable price: the PSB Imagine Mini is an incredible audio bargain.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Little guy with a big heart.

PSB Imagine T2 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice

PSB Imagine T2Price: $3500-$3850 per pair, depending on finish

Website: www.psbspeakers.com

Doug said: Don’t let the Imagine T2’s modest cabinet size fool you: In my large room, the PSBs had a big, spacious, fleshed-out sound that belied their size, along with bass reach that could put to shame larger speakers at much higher prices. I was also taken with their superb imaging and the vast soundstage. But what most impressed me was the T2’s supersmooth midrange, in conjunction with very extended and airy highs that never sounded fatiguing.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: A class-leading small floorstander at a very fair price.

Silverline Audio Minuet Supreme Plus Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

Silverline Audio MinuetPrice: $699 per pair

Website: www.silverlineaudio.com

Sathyan said: With their faithful midrange reproduction, accurate imaging, and small size, the little Minuet Supreme Pluses could easily find a niche as hi-fi replacements for computer speakers, as well as in traditional stereo, multichannel, and home-theater systems.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Another good monitor speaker.

Tyler Acoustics Decade D4M Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

Tyler Decade D4MPrice: $2400 per pair

Website: www.tyleracoustics.com

Jeff said: The D4M was superlative with tubed and entry-level solid-state amplification, with CDs and with lossless digital files. I heard no flaws: It managed to retrieve the maximum amount of information from each recording, and deliver music with a flowing, nonfatiguing continuity, song after song after song.

Great Buy

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Big monitor, factory direct, really good sound.

EgglestonWorks Fontaine Signature Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers $5,000-$10,000

EgglestonWorks FontainePrice: $8500 per pair

Website: www.egglestonworks.com

Tim said: I’ve heard excellent speakers that would please any obsessive-compulsive audiophile, and others that make such beautiful music that they can bring grown men to tears. The EgglestonWorks Fontaine Signature is that rarity among loudspeakers: It does both, and without dominating your room while doing so. Growing up does have its advantages.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Can't afford but want an Andra? Get these and add a sub.

Monitor Audio Gold GX300 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers $5,000-$10,000

Monitor Audio Gold GX300Price: $5500 per pair

Website: www.monitoraudio.com

Aron said: The more time I spent with the Gold GX300s, the more I came to appreciate their distinctive tonal purity and dynamic range, and their uncanny ability to breathe life into pretty much any recording. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Gold GX300. I can’t help but give it my highest recommendation.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: This ribbon-based speaker is a real contender at its price.

PMC twenty.24 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers $5,000-$10,000
  • Reviewers Choice

PMC twenty.24Price: $5999 per pair

Website: www.pmc-speakers.com

Doug said: My first impressions of the PMC twenty.24’s appearance and sound were positive, and throughout the course of the review I grew to like them even more. I ended up liking them enough that if I were in the market for yet another pair of speakers, these are the ones I’d buy; partly for the way they look, but mostly for how they sound. Once I had the twenty.24s set up correctly, I was rewarded with a well-balanced, near-full-range sound that made long-term listening a joy. I suspect that if you audition the twenty.24s and like what you hear from the outset, you probably won’t tire of them in the long run. I didn’t.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: A speaker that marks 20 years in business for PMC must be special.

Vandersteen Audio Treo Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers $5,000-$10,000
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Select Component

Vandersteen TreoPrice: $5995 per pair

Website: www.vandersteen.com

Doug said: As I wrap up this review, I’m listening to Stars and Satellites, the latest album from Trampled by Turtles. I’m mesmerized by how natural the banjo sounds. It’s as if I’m listening to my own banjo being played by someone else. This doesn’t happen very often -- it takes a loudspeaker that gets everything right to sound this convincing.

I love the sound of the Vandersteen Treo.

Select Component

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Reasonably priced high end lives on.

Von Schweikert Audio VR-35 Export Deluxe Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers $5,000-$10,000
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Select Component

VSA VR-35Price: $10,000 per pair

Website: www.vonschweikert.com

Uday said: Von Schweikert Audio’s VR-35 Export Deluxe is a remarkable loudspeaker. It performed wonderfully, handling all musical genres with aplomb. I recently heard VSA’s new VR-44 model at T.H.E. Show in Newport Beach, California, and the VR-35 definitely has the DNA and house sound of the company’s other models: carefully executed engineering resulting in little sonic compromise, to achieve a sound worthy of any audiophile’s expectations.

Select Component

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: If room placement is an issue, this could be the speaker for you.

Artos Audio Sunrise Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000

Artos Audio SunrisePrice: $23,000 per pair

Website: www.artos-audio.de

Michael said: The competition for speakers at that price level is fierce. The Artos Sunrise is not only beautiful to look at and built to a demanding standard, it’s a joy to listen to. Those facts alone mean that it should provide its owner with pride of ownership and musical enjoyment for years to come.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Another nice Accuton-based loudspeaker.

Bowers & Wilkins 802 Diamond Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000
  • Reviewers Choice

Bowers & Wilkins 802 DiamondPrice: $15,000 per pair

Website: www.bowers-wilkins.com

Aron said: You absolutely must hear the 802 Diamond before you buy anything. Once you’ve seen it, you won’t be able to deny the amount of R&D, technology, manufacturing, quality, and refinement you get for only $15,000/pair. And when you’ve heard it, there will be no question that the 802 Diamond competes not only with its peers, but with loudspeakers costing as much as 50% more.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Another classic value in this flagship series from B&W.

Crystal Cable Arabesque Mini Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000

Crystal Cable Arabesque MiniPrice: $25,000 per pair including stands

Website: www.crystalcable.com

Pete said: Crystal Cable’s three core principles are technical proficiency, fanatical attention to musicality, and elegant, attractive visual design. My time with the Arabesque Mini proved to me that Gabi van der Kley continues to succeed in imbuing her products with all three. Content to maximize the inherent strengths of a compact two-way speaker, Crystal Cable exudes confidence in its Arabesque Mini. They’ve neither tried to squeeze a full-range speaker into a small cabinet, nor pretended to fill large spaces with unrealistic SPLs. Instead, they focused their attention on superb musicality, and the composure and coherence such a focus requires. Mission accomplished. The Arabesque Mini is a beautiful success.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: A jewel-like monitor for the discriminating listener.

Dynaudio Confidence C2 Signature Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000

Dynaudio Confidence C2Price: $15,000 per pair

Website: www.dynaudio.com

Jeff said: Dynaudio’s Confidence C2 Signature occupies an interesting place in the high-end marketplace. But as I said at the outset, it is a Dynaudio, and that means something. The Danish firm has long been a pioneer in the loudspeaker industry -- the Esotar tweeter alone, in all its iterations, has seen to that -- and its followers are legion. My listening experience of it in the Music Vault revealed not one thing that would tarnish that reputation.  

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Souped-up version of a very well-regarded loudspeaker.

Magico Q1 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Select Component

Magico Q1Price: $26,500 per pair including stands

Website: www.magico.net

Pete said: In reducing Magico’s Q series to its essence in a two-way stand-mount, the Q1 performs its own magic trick, unfolding what in lesser monitors remains miasma. Almost shocking in its ability to exceed expectations, it left agape the mouths of a string of visitors to my listening room. The visceral results ranged from tormenting to thrashing to unexpected, beckoning depths, but were most notable when the Q1s reproduced bass passages, from orchestral crescendos to hard-rock drum kits. My time with the Magico Q1s is over, but they are not forgotten. They have left on my ears an indelible mark.

Select Component

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Perhaps the best stand-mount speaker in the world.

Magico Q7 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Select Component

Magico Q7Price: $165,000 per pair

Website: www.magico.net

Jeff said: For right now, we all have to live with these facts: The Q7 is very expensive. It’s very big. It comes only in black. And it’s the best loudspeaker available today.

Select Component

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: If you want the best, buy these.

Raidho Acoustics C2.1 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000

Raidho Acoustics C2.1Price: $28,000 per pair

Website: www.raidho.dk

Jeff said: The Raidho Acoustics C2.1 is a high-resolution, maximum-articulation transducer that delivered sound in a wholly digestible way that will suit more people than not. It could wow me with its ability to resolve fine detail, but it never fatigued me over the long haul. And its great sound comes in a handsome package that will nicely suit most rooms in which the C2.1s might be placed.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Excellent small floorstander perfect for hi-rez music.

Vivid Audio Giya G2 Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000
  • Reviewers Choice

Vivid Audio Giya G2Price: $50,000 per pair

Website: www.vividspeakers.com

Doug said: The Giya G2 is not only the best loudspeaker I’ve ever reviewed, it’s the best loudspeaker I’ve ever heard. It may be the best loudspeaker in the world.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Cleary one of the top loudspeakers available at any price.

YG Acoustics Kipod II Signature Loudspeakers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Select Component

YG Acoustics Kipod IIPrice: $49,000 per pair

Website: www.ygacoustics.com

Howard said: In most real-world applications -- i.e., those that don't require stupid SPLs -- the Kipod II Signature will redefine what the buyer thinks is possible in the art of reproducing music. It may even convince some that YGA's claim that it's the best speaker on Earth is not as audacious as it may seem. It's just that good. Period. And exclamation mark!

Select Component

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: He bought them.

Axiom Audio Epic 60•500 Home-Theater Speaker System

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Home-Theater Loudspeakers
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

Axiom Epic systemPrice: $3406.70

Website: www.axiomaudio.com

Kevin said: The Epic 60•500 isn’t something you’ll like for a while, then start finding nits to pick about. It’s a keeper. If you audition this system, I don’t think you’ll even dream of taking advantage of Axiom’s 30-day return offer -- and I suggest you audition the Epic 60•500 system as soon as possible, if not sooner.

Great Buy

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: All about all-around HT performance.

Fluance SXHTB+ Home-Theater Speaker System

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Home-Theater Loudspeakers
  • Reviewers Choice

Fluance SXHTB+Price: $374.99

Website: www.fluance.com

Kevin said: The Fluances are lovely to look at, sound terrific, and redefine the notion of affordable audio. And if you don’t like ’em, Fluance offers a full refund: a 30-day, no-questions-asked guarantee. But you’ll like them -- that’s my guarantee.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Is that price right? Yes!

Paradigm Series 7 Monitor 11 / Center 3 / Surround 3 / Sub 12 Home-Theater Speaker System

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Home-Theater Loudspeakers
  • Reviewers Choice

Paradigm Monitor groupPrice: $3994

Website: www.paradigm.com

Vince said: Paradigm’s Monitor Series 7 home-theater system is a step up in performance from the previous Monitor Series, with improvements that include new and better drivers, a new configuration for the surround speakers, and surprising subwoofer performance from a small package.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: If you value performance over style in your HT.

Paradigm Series 7 Monitor Sub 12 Subwoofer

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Subwoofers
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

Paradigm Monitor Sub 12Price: $999

Website: www.paradigm.com

Vince said: On its own, without the Perfect Bass Kit or the PT-2 Wireless Transmitter, Paradigm’s Series 7 Monitor Sub 12 was a reasonably good subwoofer that performed as well as other subs in its price range; I have no reason to dissuade you from buying one. But two Sub 12s with PBK and PT-2 made an exceptional combo. The depth of bass, the transient performance, and all the features such as wireless transmission and room correction put it in a higher class, and that makes it one of the best options at the price available today.

Great Buy

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: A good sub made even better with great accessories.

Densen Audio Technologies DP-Drive Phono Stage

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Analog Source Components

Densen DP-DrivePrice: $1350

Website: www.densen.dk

Michael said: If you’re not ready to take a big leap into high-priced analog sound, the DP-Drive is an affordable alternative. It’s a minimalist design, it sounds good, and it’s well built -- a good value that should find a home in many mid-priced analog rigs.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Solid but not extravagant basic phono stage.

Musical Fidelity M1ViNL Phono Stage

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Analog Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

Musical Fidelity M1ViNLPrice: $1199

Website: www.musicalfidelity.com

S. Andrea said: I was thoroughly impressed with the performance of the Musical Fidelity M1ViNL. It’s the cleanest, clearest phono preamplifier I’ve heard in my system. Those qualities allowed me to hear more fine detail than I could have imagined from records I thought I knew well. If you’ve ever had any doubts about vinyl’s potential for being a high-resolution medium, the M1ViNL should help to dispel them.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Excellent phono-stage performance and an even better value.

Parasound Zphono.USB Phono Stage/Analog-to-Digital Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Analog Source Components

Parasound Zphono.USBPrice: $349.99

Website: www.parasound.com

Ron said: With the Zphono.USB Parasound has created a niche product that, for audiophiles and music collectors of a certain age -- or any age, for that matter -- may prove supremely useful. As a phono stage it hits way above average, and if offered alone would be exceptional value for the price. Actually, it is offered alone, in the form of the original Zphono (still available for $200). Consider the inclusion of the flexible, high-quality A/D converter as almost a gift. This is a smart, sensible, well-made product that makes it fun to be in this hobby.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Analog to digital done right and cheap.

Simaudio Moon Evolution 810LP Phono Stage

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Analog Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Select Component

Simaudio Moon Evolution 810LPPrice: $12,000

Website: www.simaudio.com

Graham said: At $12,000, the Moon Evolution 810LP phono preamplifier is not the cheapest way to create an entirely convincing musical event in my listening room, but to my ears it’s the best way. In it, Simaudio has created an effortlessly musical and utterly transparent window through which audiophiles can listen to and, more important, connect with their music. The word reference may continue to relentlessly rain down, but for me, the Moon Evolution 810LP will continue to be the parade.

Select Component

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: As good as it gets for analog.

Arcam FMJ D33 Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

Arcam FMJ D33Price: $3299

Website: www.arcam.co.uk

Hans said: It’s a chameleon of a digital-to-analog converter, lending no personality of its own to the signals it decodes, and going on to reproduce sound of not only exceedingly high resolution, but sound that is exceedingly musical. Its modest chassis conceals first-rate levels of performance, and I suspect it will hold its own against much more expensive components from the industry’s top names. Highly, highly recommended.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: State-of-the-art DAC in a modest chassis.

Audio Research DSPre Preamplifier-DAC

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

ARC DSPrePrice: $7495

Website: www.audioresearch.com

Vade said: The DSPre did full justice to ARC’s reputation for superb sound, and did so without using tubes. It sounded fantastic, looked great, and was easy to use. Equally important, it would save space and money over separate components. If I didn’t need a separate DAC and line stage to pursue my reviewer’s craft, I’d gladly live with the ARC DSPre. Easily a Reviewers’ Choice.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: An excellent DAC and preamp that happens to be in one box.

Audioengine D2 Wireless Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

Audioengine D2Price: $599

Website: www.audioengineusa.com

Doug said: The Audioengine D2 is not only one of the most innovative products I’ve reviewed in a long time, it’s also one of the best. The fact that it’s so affordably priced makes this game-changing DAC all that much easier to buy. Highly recommended for those who want excellent sound quality and the convenience of wireless transmission.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Yes, you can get great performance and wireless connectivity all in the same DAC.

Calyx Audio Femto Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

Calyx Audio FemtoPrice: $6850

Website: www.calyxaudio.com

Doug said: Another word that seems to describe the Femto’s sound is pure. All told, there was never anything objectionable about that sound, and its extreme resolution allowed me to simply hear more of what my recordings already contained. In fact, every piece of music I played through the Femto sounded better than it ever had before -- which is why I have to say that this is the best-sounding (and best-looking) DAC I’ve ever heard.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: A $20,000 DAC for $6850.

Calyx DAC 24/192 Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components

Calyx DAC 24/192Price: $1950

Website: www.calyxaudio.com

Doug said: Calyx’s DAC 24/192 is a beautifully built, elegantly styled digital-to-analog converter that sounded exceedingly neutral and utterly clean in my system. It’s also capable of very high resolution that’s just shy of the very best -- I wouldn’t hesitate to partner it with some of the finest equipment out there, regardless of price.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Maybe the DAC to match your Mac Mini.

Cambridge Audio Azur DacMagic Plus Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

Cambridge DacMagic PlusPrice: $650

Website: www.cambridgeaudio.com

Vince said: For only $650 you get a digital preamp, a headphone amp, and a truly excellent DAC -- and being able to listen to 24-bit/192kHz tracks through the DacMagic Plus was a mesmerizing experience. If you’re looking for a DAC, even if only to add a USB connection to your system, it would be worth your while to check out the Swiss Army Knife of DACs: the Azur DacMagic Plus. It may get you thinking up new ways to configure your audio system and listen to music -- always a good thing.

Great Buy

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Heck-of-a-value DAC with tons of flexibility.

Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6 Network Music Player

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

Cambridge Stream Magic 6Price: $1149

Website: www.cambridgeaudio.com

Vince said: The Stream Magic 6 occupies a unique position in the audio world in being three components in one: a DAC, a streamer, and a digital preamp. Usually, when a component is designed to do so much, it falls flat on its face by not doing anything particularly well. Not so the Stream Magic 6 -- it fulfills its promise as a high-quality DAC, a high-quality digital preamp, and a high-quality streamer by sounding phenomenal in all three functions.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Jack-of-all-trades and master of many.

Hegel Music Systems HD20 Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components

Hegel HD20Price: $2000

Website: www.hegel.com

Philip said: If you’ve got the money to even consider buying the HD20, you should do just that: consider it. Its simple, unassuming appearance conceals a veritable tour de force of DAC design whose unerring musicality may elevate the sound of your system.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: There's something about that Hegel sound . . .

High Resolution Technologies Music Streamer II+

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

HRT MS II+Price: $350

Website: www.highresolutiontechnologies.com

Thom said: Do I like the Music Streamer II+? Let’s put it this way: I dare anyone to try to pry it from my system. For me, it’s a nearly perfect audio component: It’s unobtrusive, it offers high performance, it can play digital resolutions up to 24-bit/96kHz, and it’s a steal of a deal at $350.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Streaming 24/96 for a song.

Meitner Audio MA-1 Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

Meitner MA-1Price: $7000

Website: www.meitner.com

Uday said: When a SoundStage! Hi-Fi reviewer evaluates an exceptional component, it receives the accolade of Reviewers’ Choice. I love the Meitner MA-1 so much that I’m putting my money down and making it my choice for my new digital reference.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Awesome DAC from a certified digital guru.

Musical Fidelity M1DAC Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components

Musical Fidelity M1DACPrice: $749

Website: www.musicalfidelity.com

Hans said: The M1DAC offers a compelling amalgam of connectivity, technical performance, and musicality. A multitude of D/A converters are available for less than $1000, and while many of them are adept, the pedigree and dulcet nature behind the M1DAC’s faceplate make it a worthy contender for the budget conscious.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Another nice DAC among the multitudes.

NAD Masters M51 Direct Digital Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components

NAD Masters M51Price: $1999

Website: www.nadelectronics.com

S. Andrea said: What the Masters M51 offers is a sound that’s smooth, laid-back, and always pleasant, no matter what you throw at it. Its slight favoring of the midrange imbues the sound with just a hint of extra warmth. For many listeners, such a combination is a recipe for audio bliss.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Unique sound that some, if not all, will find just right.

NuForce DAC-9 Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Select Component

NuForce DAC-9Price: $1695

Website: www.nuforce.com

Graham said: The NuForce DAC-9 is one of those all-too-infrequent products that is a true giant-killer, and whose performance must have put a collective smile on the faces of those who designed and built it. At its full retail price of $1695, I think NuForce offers consumers a stonking good deal.

Select Component

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: A great DAC need not cost five grand.

NuForce Icon uDAC-2 Digital-to-Analog Converter/Headphone Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components

NuForce Icon uDAC-2Price: $129

Website: www.nuforce.com

Vince said: I highly recommend the NuForce uDAC-2 as a travelling companion for you and your laptop -- it will give hours of pleasant headphone listening, and, in a pinch, will also serve as a smooth-sounding D/A converter, albeit with limitations in terms of resolution and detail retrieval. I found its overall sound quality to be satisfying and nonfatiguing. And the fact that the uDAC-2 is USB-powered and fits in the palm of the hand makes it ideal for music on the go.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Shouldn’t every audiophile have one?

Resonessence Labs Invicta Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components

Resonessence Labs InvictaPrice: $3995

Website: www.resonessencelabs.com

S. Andrea said: The result is a sound that is very clean and hi-rez without ever feeling forced. More than any of its other virtues, it is this smooth, relaxed character that sets the Invicta apart from its competition, and that I believe will win it a large following.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: DAC with adjustable sound and a good built-in headphone amp.

Simaudio Moon Evolution 650D DAC-Transport

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

Simaudio Moon 650DPrice: $9000

Website: www.simaudio.com

Doug said: What sets the 650D apart isn’t so much its build quality or features (though those are very good) as its distinctive sound, which is like nothing else I’ve heard. The 650D was able to resolve the finest details -- it’s hyper-revealing -- with the most musical and nonfatiguing sound I’ve heard from any digital source. The 650D’s soul is as analog as it is digital.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: A modern digital reference.

TEAC UD-H01 Digital-to-Analog Converter

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components

TEAC UD-H01Price: $399

Website: audio.teac.com

Hans said: The UD-H01’s sound quality is commensurate with its price. And when you consider that it also offers an asynchronous USB input, XLR outputs, and a headphone amplifier, and that its Swiss Army Knife flexibility makes it suitable for a wide variety of applications, the overall package becomes much more compelling. The UD-H01 could prove to be a product that will grow along with listeners as their listening habits evolve. In that sense, it’s an ideal gateway product to high-fidelity audio.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: Pretty good DAC for the money.

WideaLab Aurender S10 Music Server

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

WideaLab Aurender S10Price: $6990

Website: www.aurender.com

Vade said: A Reviewers’ Choice award for the Aurender is a no-brainer, but I think it deserves to be a Recommended Reference Component. In my view, the Aurender S10 advances the state of the digital art.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Best of breed.

Wyred 4 Sound MS-1 Music Server

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Digital Source Components
  • Reviewers Choice

Wyred 4 Sound MS-1Price: $1999

Website: www.wyred4sound.com

Vade said: Wyred 4 Sound continues its tradition of bringing the latest technology to market at extremely reasonable prices. I wouldn’t call their products cheap, but their value-to-dollar ratio is off the scale. The MS-1 music server sounded superb, was user-friendly, and wouldn’t look out of place in the priciest audio system -- which pretty much checks all the boxes on my list.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: High-value all-around-good music server.

Bel Canto Design e.One C5i Digital-to-Analog Converter/Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

Bel Canto Design e.One C5iPrice: $1895

Website: www.belcantodesign.com

Roger said: For $1895, this is a sweet little component that I won’t hesitate to recommend for its excellent combination of price, performance, and convenience in a compact, well-thought-out package.

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: All-in-one high-end sound.

Esoteric I-03 Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

Esoteric I-03Price: $13,000

Website: www.esoteric.teac.com

Uday said: Esoteric’s Master Sound Works I-03 is a solid performer with excellent build quality and ergonomics and enough power to drive all but the most power-hungry speakers. It does many things very well and has no glaring weaknesses.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Expensive integrated amp that delivers the sound of separates.

Hegel Music Systems H300 Integrated Amplifier-DAC

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

Hegel H300Price: $5500

Website: www.hegel.com

Hans said: Quiet, deeply resolving, thoughtfully connective and functional, and operated with a remote control that looks and feels as if designed specifically for it -- a rarity, in my experience -- its performance is almost as impressive as its price. The H300’s evolved neutrality of sound and unified design pay full homage to the philosopher for which it’s named. Simply put, the H300 is superb in every way. Consider the bar raised.

Great Buy

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: One of the very best deals in high-end electronics.

Musical Fidelity M6 500i Integrated Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice

Musical Fidelity M6 500iPrice: $6999

Website: www.musicalfidelity.com

Hans said: In aggregate, the M6 500i has qualities that I think would appeal to an array of listeners: superfluous power, musicality and warmth, resolution befitting a $6999 asking price, a proud lineage. Really, there’s a lot to like.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Beast of an integrated.

NAD C 375DAC Integrated Amplifier-DAC

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Great Buy

NAD C375DACPrice: $1599

Website: www.nadelectronics.com

Sathyan said: The C 375DAC breathed new life into my speakers, headphones, and recordings. The DAC is a welcome addition that will allow many to forgo the expense of a standalone DAC. As the audio industry seems to be moving toward computer-based playback of hi-rez audio, the NAD C 375DAC should find a place in many listeners’ audio racks.

Great Buy

Read the SoundStage! Access review.

The gist: A good foundation for a high-end system.

T+A Elektroakustik E-Series Music Receiver

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
  • Reviewers Choice

T+A Elektroakustik E-SeriesPrice: $4200

Website: www.taelektroakustik.de

Howard said: The T+A Elektroakustik E-Series Music Receiver is a chef of the future that will propel you into the new digital age of computer and streaming Internet audio. It’s also a chef of the past, allowing you to indulge in such traditional audio pastimes as playing a CD, listening to FM radio, or hooking up a tape deck or phono stage and turntable. It’s a fairly small, extremely well-made product that not only sounds fantastic, but is one of the coolest components to pass through my listening room in some time.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Audiophile receiver with German engineering.

Blue Circle Audio BC109 Preamplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Preamplifiers

Blue Circle Audio BC109Price: $4275

Website: www.bluecircle.com

Michael said: Its construction is attractive and solid, and it performed flawlessly during the time it was in my system. It worked well with tubed and solid-state amplifiers, and was not cable dependent. Likewise, the BC109 performed consistently well with all recordings. Compared to other preamps in its price range, the BC109 is a solid performer.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: More madness from the mind of Gilbert Yeung.

SMc Audio VRE-1C Reference Preamplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Preamplifiers

SMc Audio VRE-1CPrice: $16,950

Website: www.smcaudio.com

Ryan said: Anyone considering spending $16,950 on a line stage can be certain that the SMc Audio VRE-1C Reference is among the quietest, most resolving preamplifiers on the market, able to achieve those qualities without committing sins in tonality. The VRE-1C never failed to provide me with an enjoyable listening session.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Ultra-expensive magnum opus from Steve McCormack.

Audio Research Reference 250 Mono Amplifiers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Select Component

ARC Ref 250Price: $25,990 per pair.

Website: www.audioresearch.com

Peter said: Ultimately, and as good as I know the sound of my reference amplifiers to be, I must conclude that the sound of Audio Research’s Reference 250s is finer. If I had air-conditioning, and if my primary reference system were dedicated solely to me and my music, I would have been more than tempted to buy them.

Select Component

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Peter was smitten.

Ayre Acoustics VX-R Stereo Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers
  • Reviewers Choice

Ayre Acoustics VX-RPrice: $14,950

Website: www.ayre.com

Doug said: The Ayre Acoustics VX-R is that rare component: a luxury audio component in every way, a reference-caliber performer, and a very good value at its high price. It’s not only one of the best products of any kind I’ve ever reviewed, it’s the very best power amplifier I’ve ever heard.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: A reference stereo amp in a class-leading package.

Blue Circle Audio NSL Stereo Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Select Component

Blue Circle Audio NSLPrice: $19,500

Website: www.bluecircle.com

Michael said: I can say with confidence that if you have speakers that it can drive, the NSL will be a revelation of just how wonderful music can sound, rewarding you with making your music sound special in ways you probably haven’t heard from your system. The NSL was one of the best-sounding power amplifiers I have ever heard. I give it my highest recommendation.

Select Component

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: One look and you know this thing is different.

Boulder Amplifiers 1060 Stereo Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers

Boulder 1060Price: $25,000

Website: www.boulderamp.com

Ryan said: This is a component for mature listeners who are getting to the finish line and aren’t trying to use their amps to re-edit the signal. Built to last a lifetime, and with a mix of capabilities to match, the Boulder 1060 is an easy component to recommend for listeners looking for their final power amplifier.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: That good, that expensive, and it's not even their top-of-the-line amp.

Esoteric A-02 Stereo Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers
  • Reviewers Choice

Esoteric A-02Price: $17,600

Website: www.esoteric.teac.com

Howard said: The A-02 has brawn, tough-to-beat sound, museum-quality looks, and Esoteric’s reputation for rock-solid reliability. You don’t typically find all of those qualities in one amplifier. If your system would benefit from high power and is good enough to reveal what the Esoteric A-02 can do, look no further.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Expensive beauty and brawn from Esoteric.

Eximus S1 Stereo/Mono Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers

Eximus S1Price: $2500

Website: www.aprilmusic.com

Doug said: The S1 has several attributes that will make it the ideal amp for someone. It has plenty of stiff competition in and around $2500, but more than holds its own with a refined, appealing, distinctive sound that’s highly listenable over the long term and is worth the price. It’s a compact, high-style, audiophile-grade masterpiece of visual design for those who want their products to blend beautifully and discreetly into their surroundings.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Compact, powerful, and super cool looking.

First Watt J2 Stereo Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers

First Watt J2Price: $4000

Website: www.firstwatt.com

Vade said: The J2 is one of the best amplifiers I’ve heard, regardless of the type of circuit used, and it provides an opportunity to own a product from audio master Nelson Pass at a moderate cost. I thought I was a hopeless tubeaholic, but I think I’ve just been cured.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Solid-state circuit, tube-like sound.

JE Audio VS70.1 Stereo Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers
  • Reviewers Choice

JE Audio VS70.1Price: $3000, $3300 with Gold Lion small-signal tubes

Website: www.je-audio.com

Vade said: JE Audio’s VS70.1 offers an attractive set of features: excellent sound, gorgeous looks, and a fair price.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Distinctively styled tube amplifier from China.

Jones Audio PA-M300 Series 2 Mono Amplifiers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers

Jones Audio PA-M300 Series 2Price: $24,000 per pair

Website: www.jones-audio.com

Jeff said: The PA-M300 S2 amplifier competes solidly with models by many established brands, most of which have been making solid-state power amps a whole lot longer than Sam Jones has. Ultimately, you’ll have to decide if you want to take a chance on the new players in town. At least let them in the game and give them a listen. Me? I’d have these amplifiers on my audition list without a doubt.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: New player gets it right, right out of the gate.

McIntosh Laboratory MC452 Stereo Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers
  • Reviewers Choice
  • Select Component

McIntosh MC452Price: $7500

Website: www.mcintoshlabs.com

Jeff said: It’s super-quiet in operation, immensely powerful, gorgeous to look at, built like a tank, and sounds like silk. If you buy one, you can be assured that you’re getting a long-lasting component from a company that has been making power amplifiers for longer than many of us have been alive.

Select Component

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Super amp for the real-world audiophile.

Rogue Audio Medusa Stereo Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers
  • Reviewers Choice

Rogue Audio MedusaPrice: $3995

Website: www.rogueaudio.com

Tim said: Rogue Audio’s Medusa seems to be a great idea implemented with great insight and skill, and with outstanding results.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: This hybrid yields the best of both worlds.

Vitus Audio Signature SM-010 Mono Amplifiers

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Power Amplifiers

Vitus Audio Signature SM-010Price: 45,000 per pair

Website: www.vitusaudio.com

Daniel said: My listening sessions never lacked for anything, and I never wanted more. I always heard and enjoyed the music, not the electronics. I played everything I could get my hands on through the Vitus SM-010s, and they reproduced all of it beautifully. Could you ask for more? It’s one of the most complete, most natural-sounding amplifiers I have heard.

Read the Ultra Audio review.

The gist: Expensive monos from Denmark hit the mark.

Anthem AVM 50v 3D Audio/Video Processor

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Home-Theater Components
  • Reviewers Choice

Anthem AVM 50v 3DPrice: $6500

Website: www.anthemav.com

Aron said: Fully configured, it generated the best picture and the most holistic soundstage I’ve seen or heard in my room. The levels of performance, engineering, and outright value that Anthem offers for $6500 scream "Benchmark product!"

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: One of the best A/V processors on the market.

NAD T 787 A/V Receiver

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Home-Theater Components
  • Reviewers Choice

NAD T 787Price: $3999.99

Website: www.nadelectronics.com

Wes said: I can tell you this. The T 787 is a magnificent surround-sound receiver. NAD’s design team has another winner on its hands.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Powerhouse receiver with sound that an audiophile would love.

Onkyo TX-NR5010 A/V Receiver

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Home-Theater Components
  • Reviewers Choice

Onkyo TX-NR5010Price: $3000

Website: www.onkyousa.com

Wes said: Bottom line: Onkyo has a real winner here, one capable of standing proudly between two winners of the coveted SoundStage! Network Reviewers’ Choice award. The TX-NR5010 deserves that award as well. A job well done by all involved.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Big, bad HT receiver with all the bells and whistles.

Beyerdynamic Tesla T 70 Headphones

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Headphones and Related

Beyerdynamic Tesla T 70Price: $595

Website: www.beyerdynamic.de

S. Andrea said: Their greatest strengths are levels of focus, clarity, and detail that are rare among dynamic headphones. Their closed-back design only augments that sense of detail, and seems to have no adverse consequences. If you strive to hear everything that's on your recordings, the Beyerdynamic T 70s should definitely be on your audition list.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: For the discriminating classical listener.

Bowers & Wilkins P3 Headphones

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Headphones and Related

B&W P3Price: $199

Website: www.bowers-wilkins.com

S. Andrea said: If you come to the P3s from a pair of earbuds or the average small headphones, you’ll likely be amazed at how much bigger and more open they sound. And when you turn up the volume, they won’t complain -- they’ll just get more enveloping. Bowers & Wilkins’ P3 headphones offer a very satisfying sound wrapped up in a stylish, go-anywhere package.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: 801s wrapped around your ears?

HiFiMAN Express HM-601 Portable Audio Player

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Headphones and Related

HiFiMAN Express HM-601Price: $249

Website: www.head-direct.com

Vade said: Overall, the HiFiMAN HM-601 has definite pluses that will need to be weighed carefully to determine whether it’s the right audiophile-quality portable player for you.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Pretty good portable player but then there's the iPod to consider.

HiFiMAN HE-400 Headphones

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Headphones and Related
  • Reviewers Choice

HiFiMAN HE-400Price: $399

Website: www.head-direct.com

Vade said: With the lowest price of any current planar-magnetic headphone, and with sound rivaling or surpassing that of many other headphones in its price range, the HiFiMAN HE-400s are flaming bargains. I have no trouble giving them a Reviewers’ Choice award. 

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Electrostatic headphones at an ambitious price point.

Kinivo BTH220 Bluetooth Wireless Headphones

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Headphones and Related

Kinivo BTH220Price: $44.99

Website: www.kinivo.com

Rad said: The Kinivo BTH220s offered very exciting, very good sound, as well as the freedom of wireless Bluetooth. (Warning: Once you’ve experienced this freedom, you maybe never want to be wired again!) And they cost amazingly little. Amazon sells them for $29.95, but you can probably find them for less. At that price they’re a true bargain, and high on my value-for-dollar list. I’m happy to have rediscovered them.

Read the SoundStage! Xperiencereview.

The gist: Good sounding wireless ‘phones for a pittance.

Logitech UE 9000 Wireless Headphones

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Headphones and Related

Logitech UE 9000Price: $399

Website: www.logitech.com

Rad said: Logitech’s UE 9000s have a lot going for them. They’re solidly built, have a shiny, gleaming appearance, provide excellent sound whether used wired or wireless, and come with a practical carrying case and a better-than-usual warranty. What’s not to like?

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Wireless and neutral 'phones.

MartinLogan Mikros 70 Earphones

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Headphones and Related

MartinLogan Mikros 70Price: $149 per pair

Website: www.martinlogan.com

S. Andrea said: The Mikros 70s’ detail and clarity are excellent with small- to medium-scale music. Though they won’t substitute for studio headphones for more complex fare, they won’t discourage you from listening to such recordings. The Mikros 70 delivers a sonic balance that strives to please, regardless of musical selection or driving equipment. Tastes varying as they do, there’s no guarantee that you’ll like the flavor of sound offered by the Mikros 70s -- but I sure did.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: The vaunted speaker company makes a pretty good earphone.

Polk Audio UltraFit 2000 Sports Headphones

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Headphones and Related

Polk Audio UltraFit 2000Price: $69.95

Website: www.polkaudio.com

Rad said: They’re comfortable, durable, and intuitive to use. Polk provides different earpads to fit different folks and situations, and the ’phones provide solid, evenly balanced sound with great overall clarity.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Designed to enhance your workout experience.

Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000 Active Noise-Canceling Headphones

Details
Parent Category: 2012 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2012) Headphones and Related

Polk UltraFocus 8000Price: $349.95

Website: www.polkaudio.com

Rad said: Polk Audio’s UltraFocus 8000 active noise-canceling headphones offer much. They sounded better than any of the commuter headphones I’ve auditioned, and are easy to operate. They’re smartly and simply designed, with superior build quality.

Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.

The gist: Knockout headphones from the venerable loudspeaker company.

Subcategories

(2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999

(2012) Stereo Loudspeakers $5,000-$10,000

(2012) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000

(2012) Home-Theater Loudspeakers

(2012) Subwoofers

(2012) Stereo Analog Source Components

(2012) Stereo Digital Source Components

(2012) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers

(2012) Preamplifiers

(2012) Power Amplifiers

(2012) Home-Theater Components

(2012) Headphones and Related

(2012) Interconnects and Speaker Cables

(2012) Power Conditioners and Cords

(2012) Accessories, Stands and Other Products

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