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Buying Guides
- 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
The 2018 SoundStage! Network Buying Guide features summaries of all stereo and home-theater products reviewed in the calendar year across all of our publications. The Buying Guide is subdivided by product and price, with each article including pricing details, a review summary, a full-review link, and product-award indicators.
All prices are in US dollars unless indicated otherwise.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $968-$1474 per pair, depending on finish
Website: www.axiomaudio.com
Philip said: A speaker like Axiom’s M5HP is proof that you can get incredible sound, superb engineering, and fantastic build quality at a reasonable price.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Re-evaluate what you think great speakers cost.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $2500 per pair
Website: www.bowers-wilkins.com
Hans said: No, the smallest tower model in B&W’s new 700 Series is a beautiful, well-built loudspeaker that sounded sensational with the right material, and never failed to keep me engaged, whether as reviewer or as listener. It’s not for everyone, but I suspect that for certain listeners it will be enduringly satisfying.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Not flat, but good-sounding speaker if you like what it offers.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: AU$1795
Website: www.definitivetechnology.com
Edgar said: In fact, Definitive Technology’s engineering chops have produced somewhat of a rare freak: a truly affordable, high performing, beautifully finished, constructed and styled speaker that possesses the indisputable inherent cachet a sizable speaker-producing concern can provide.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Edgar was super impressed with the sound, especially for the price.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $749 per pair
Website: www.definitivetechnology.com
Hans said: Definitive Technology’s Demand D9 is a bona fide bargain. Partner it with some high-quality electronics and you’ll be rewarded with sound quality usually obtainable only at two or even three times its price of $749/pair.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Right up there with the benchmark: KEF’s LS50.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $2999 per pair
Website: www.dynaudio.com
Doug said: I had a bit of a rough start with the Special Forty, but it wound up being one of the most transparent-sounding two-way speakers I’ve ever heard.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: If anyone can make a great stand-mounted two-way, it’s Dynaudio.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $299.99
Website: www.edifier.com
Hans said: Edifier’s S350DB is a killer little system.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Maybe no better 2.1-channel speaker system for the price.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $199.95
Website: www.harmankardon.com
Brent said: When and if Microsoft decides to get serious about making Cortana a digital assistant for the home, the Invoke could be a compelling product.
Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.
The gist: Sound was good, but needs better software to truly compete.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: KEF Q150 Loudspeakers ($550 per pair); KEF Kube12b Subwoofer ($700 each)
Website: www.kef.com
Kevin said: Music is meant for stereo, and the Q150s and Kube12b delivered music in heaping bucketsful of stereo sound.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Affordable-yet-refined sub/sat system for the music lover.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $1499.98 per pair
Website: www.kef.com
Hans said: It’s one of the most neutral transducers I’ve ever heard, and for the money offers staggeringly transparent sound. I fed it a steady diet of male and female singer-songwriters, and was always satisfied with the authenticity of what I heard. It’s not exactly a looker, but it’s well engineered, and sounds far more expensive than its price suggests.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: What Hans would buy with 1500 bucks in his pocket for speakers.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $1599 per pair
Website: www.martinlogan.com
Al said: It conveys music in a detailed manner, with pinpoint imaging and surprisingly powerful bass for its size.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Great sub-$2k speaker choice for rock music.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $1500 per pair
Website: www.monitoraudiousa.com
Philip said: If you’ve been considering bookshelf speakers but want the additional fullness of sound that towers can offer, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t audition the Silver 200.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Nice little floorstander for bookshelf money.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $2000 per pair
Website: www.monitoraudiousa.com
Hans said: It’s a loudspeaker for the listener who values dynamics more than sterling neutrality, and who wants to move rather than sit and listen with stern solemnity. While it may be impossible for any $2000/pair speaker to “do it all,” the Silver 300 comes admirably close, and looks damn good doing it.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Speaker for everyman.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $1598 per pair
Website: www.paradigm.com
Jeff said: In the Prestige 15B, Paradigm has built a speaker that looks fantastic. But in hi-fi, looks are secondary to sound, and the sound of the 15B is second to no other bookshelf speaker I’ve heard near its price point.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Sophisticated sonically and aesthetically.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Up to $4,999
Price: $2650 per pair
Website: www.totemacoustic.com
Jason said: The Totem is a winner in large part due to its extremely refined treble, which strokes the ear rather than poking at it in the name of detail. Add in the million-mile depth of the Signature Ones’ soundstages, their tight and authoritative bass, and their disappearing-act imaging, and your $2650 buys you a lot of speaker in two little boxes.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Worthy successor to the venerable Totem Acoustic Model 1.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers $5,000-$10,000
Price: AU$6500 per pair
Website: www.m8audio.com
Tom said: I believe you will find that their resolution, articulation, imaging and transparency will have you gleefully playing music you’d long forgotten about as you delve through your library.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Clarity and openness are there, but bass is limited.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers $5,000-$10,000
Price: $9750 per pair
Website: www.rethm.com
Garrett said: Maarga is Sanskrit for path; the word is often used in the context of seeking the path to enlightenment. Is the Rethm Maarga your path to audio nirvana? I’ve found it to be mine. A must-listen for the music lover with worthy amplification.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: High efficiency and powered bass for sublime sound.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers $5,000-$10,000
Price: AU$5999
Website: www.triangle-fr.com
Tom said: I quite enjoyed my time with them and found myself exploring all musical genres. They are most definitely speakers that offer excellent value for money and excellent performance. That they look good to boot is just icing on the cake.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: The looks are as good as the sound with these.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000
Price: $14,700-$15,350 per pair, depending on finish
Website: www.muraudio.com
Doug said: Muraudio’s latest isn’t just one of the best-sounding speakers at the price -- I’d wager it can knock the socks off many speakers costing considerably more.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Don’t let the weird look fool you – this speaker is the real deal.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000
Price: $41,600 per pair
Website: www.raidho.dk
Jeff said: I think that, in the XT-5, Raidho Acoustics has produced a loudspeaker that will appeal to many listeners, and that seems to have fewer limitations than their past speakers -- for instance, it will play plenty loud.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: An evolutionary improvement to the Raidho design brief.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000
Price: $39,900
Website: www.tidal-audio.com
Aron said: Yes, there are other speakers on the market that offer more in terms of deep-bass extension and utter neutrality for less money. But, as with a Bugatti, what you pay $39,900 for is not the highest sound quality alone. You pay for a bespoke visual and aural experience by way of musical seduction, and Tidal’s Piano G2 has seduced me as has no other speaker.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Aron thought the world of these.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000
Price: AU$16,995 in standard colours
Website: www.wilsonaudio.com
Edgar said: From the midrange on up to the highest treble, it performs an extraordinary imitation of the larger Wilson Audio designs, the last few generations of which have been outstanding in balancing precision and musicality.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: The Wilson sound and experience in a smaller package.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Loudspeakers Over $10,000
Price: AU$19,999 per pair
Website: www.yamaha.com
Josh said: The Yamaha NS-5000s are unusual yet beguiling speakers, clearly successful in their tribute to the original NS-1000s. Packed with modern technology and contrasted by the traditional yet exquisitely finished aesthetic, they are a definitive departure from the design brief of most mainstream high-end loudspeakers.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Yamaha is ready to rumble again.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Home-Theater Loudspeakers
Price: $2619.90
Website: www.svsound.com
Vince said: The SVS Prime home-theater surround-sound array gets my highest recommendation.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Go Atmos with the SVS Primes!
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Portable Speakers
Price: $1099
Website: www.dynaudio.com
Al said: This is among the best, if not the best, all-in-one Wi-Fi speakers I’ve tested, with a detailed, effortless, natural sound that goes far beyond the boundaries of its single cabinet to create a convincing stereo soundstage with music.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: The highest of high-end all-in-ones.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Portable Speakers
Price: $499.98
Website: www.elac.com
Al said: With the arrival of the Discovery Z3, we have yet another reason to keep paying attention to Elac.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: Roon endpoint with good looks and above-average sound for an all-in-one.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Portable Speakers
Price: $199.99
Website: www.gracedigital.com
Rad said: Let’s praise the Mondo+ for what it is: a superb, fun-to-use Internet radio with enough options to last a lifetime, and new ones being added via Wi-Fi at a rapid pace.
Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.
The gist: Just another good Wi-Fi radio among many.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Portable Speakers
Price: $399.95
Website: www.jbl.com
Al said: If you’re looking for a compact speaker with room-filling sound, and the ability to answer your questions and do what you tell it to, the Link 500 could be an excellent fit.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: Would you like good sound with your digital assistant?
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Portable Speakers
Price: $499
Website: www.klipsch.com
Al said: If you want a Wi-Fi speaker that can also play LPs and has a cool, vintage look, look no further than the Three.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: Maybe not a mini Klipschorn, but a real Klipsch nonetheless.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Subwoofers
Price: AU$5300
Website: www.bowers-wilkins.net
Edgar said: The DB2D offers excellent build quality, superb driver engineering, generous high-tech features via comprehensive DSP and App control, a pedigree based on the world’s largest speaker manufacturer (alongside a high resale value) and, of course, extraordinary low frequency sound quality.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Complete subwoofer package from a giant in the industry.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Subwoofers
Price: $2499
Website: www.elac.com
Brent said: Elac’s Adante SUB3070 is a beautifully designed, technically sophisticated subwoofer with the most capable and friendly control app I’ve ever encountered in a sub. It has the smooth, well-defined sound a subwoofer needs to blend well with a high-end music system, and its app allows it to be tuned to near perfection, even in situations in which the optimal subwoofer position must be compromised for the sake of visual aesthetics.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Sub for you connoisseurs of fine bass.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Subwoofers
Price: $1299.98
Website: www.elac.us
Brent said: The Elac IW-S10EQ is a very well thought-out and reasonably priced solution for those who want deep bass but lack the space for a subwoofer -- or who don’t want to listen to complaints about their sub taking up too much space.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: The nifty app is the main selling point.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Subwoofers
Price: $1299.99
Website: www.monoprice.com
Brent said: If you value precise pitch and definition over toe-tapping groove, this is your sub. If you value awesome punch over couch shake, this is your sub.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Sub that puts bass quality before quantity.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Subwoofers
Price: AU$6499
Website: www.rel.net
Edgar said: Given the 212/SE’s powerful set of attributes, I have to say that I was rather smitten… and will indeed miss this most superbly engineered and thought-out product.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Getting this sub integrated properly is a key strength.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $2995
Website: www.europeanaudioteam.com
Jason said: EAT has managed to use vacuum tubes -- that century-old technology -- as the gain devices of a great-sounding, thoroughly modern phono preamplifier.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Modern phono stage with a hint of tube lushness.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $1600
Website: www.je-audio.com
Oliver said: I found that its combination of inherent musicality and a smooth, open midrange communicated the music in a way that reminded me of a good tube preamp. Furthermore, its low noise floor and compatibility with a wide swath of phono cartridges mean that it will work well in a variety of systems. I could live with the HP20 as part of my system, and contentedly, too.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Midrange-centric phono stage is a good value, too.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $499
Website: www.nadelectronics.com
Thom said: In all, the NAD C 558 is a great turntable that’s far above entry level. I could see myself using one for years to come. I recommend it to anyone returning to the vinyl fold, or coming aboard for the first time. It’s simple, it’s elegant, it works marvelously well.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Priced right and with sound that’s a cut above.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $149.99
Website: www.nagaoka.eu
Thom said: It’s a solid performer with many pluses, only a few minuses, and it’s compatible with many current and vintage turntables. If you want a cartridge with extended but not overblown bass, a midrange that favors the higher side, and mostly silky highs, the MP-110H might just be the ticket.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Low-cost but high-performing cartridge.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: AU$5495
Website: www.shelter-audio.co.jp
Edgar said: In my relatively new analogue playback system, the Shelter Audio Harmony MC cartridge most definitely stays as the last piece of the puzzle in what I’m sure will be a long, utterly rewarding and, umm… harmonious vinyl journey.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Checked off all the boxes to make Edgar’s new vinyl setup.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $149
Website: www.sumikoaudio.net
Thom said: I think Sumiko might have a hit on its hands. The Oyster Rainier offered a lovely, warm sound with a wide range of recordings, but could still kick up its heels as required.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Sumiko hits a low point . . . in price, that is.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $1899
Website: www.sumikoaudio.net
Jason said: The Reference Starling slapped me in the face. While I know that Sumiko has been in the cartridge business forever, and obviously should know by now how to make a good cartridge, I hadn’t expected this level of performance for a (pretty much) affordable price.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: If you’re in the budget cartridge market, Jason thinks you should spend a bit more and get this.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $12,500
Website: topwing.jp
Jason said: What a firecracker of an audio component.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Jason was convinced this cartridge is worth the tall asking price.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Analog Source Components
Price: $4395
Website: www.zyx-audio.com
Garrett said: I encourage anyone looking for sophistication, a wide timbral palette, and evenhandedness throughout the audioband to seriously consider it. Its merits don’t leap out at you, but its rewards are rich, deep, and lasting.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Garrett’s favorite cartridge at this price point.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Digital Source Components
Price: $49.99
Website: www.benjie-tx.com
Rad said: It’s a perfect entry-level music player, and its small size, solid construction, and ease of operation are big pluses that make it a perfect gym buddy -- you can toss it in your bag without fear of injuring it. All of that, and it plays hi-rez files! What’s not to like?
Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.
The gist: Cheapest decent portable Rad has experienced.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Digital Source Components
Price: AU$2400
Website: www.chordelectronics.co.uk
Barry said: Sonically, the Qutest is further confirmation of Rob Watts’ prowess as one of the preeminent digital audio designers on the planet today. Aesthetically, it’s the sort of device I would want to put in a prominent position within my equipment rack.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Beat his Perreaux hands down.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Digital Source Components
Price: $26,000
Website: www.esoteric-usa.com
Howard said: Spend some time with the Esoteric Grandioso G1 master clock generator and you’ll likely never go back. It not only uncovers in recordings of music levels of detail, precision, and tonal richness previously unsuspected, it also reveals aspects of performances, including those of the recording venue itself, that are missed by less accurate digital pendulums.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: If you’ve got the money to spend . . .
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Digital Source Components
Price: AU$5990
Website: www.luminmusic.com
Barry said: Investing $6000 in a source component is a substantial commitment, however considering the simplicity and the level of performance the T1 delivers, in my opinion it’s one that is easily justified.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Network playing made easy.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Digital Source Components
Price: AU$990 each
Website: www.redgumaudio.com
Edgar said: For an easy to set-up just-about-all-in-one solution that performs very well both technically and sonically, the RGDAC8 DAC and RGMP8 Music Player ‘Aggregata Stack’ is highly recommended.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: One-stop file-based sound from Down Under.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Digital Source Components
Price: $2399; Analog 2 upgrade for original Yggdrasil, $550
Website: www.schiit.com
Erich said: The Yggdrasil provided beautiful, musical sound even when fed challenging recordings from digital’s early days. Clear imaging, large and solid soundstaging, linear frequency response, and a particularly fabulous midrange all make the Schiit Yggdrasil an excellent DAC at any price.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Uncommon DAC architecture produces sound that belies the low price.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Digital Source Components
Price: $2399; Analog 2 upgrade for original Yggdrasil, $550
Website: www.schiit.com
Erich said: In its Analog 2 version, the Yggdrasil DAC marries affordability to exceptional sound quality courtesy a bespoke DAC architecture from one of hi-fi’s most pioneering digital designers.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Uncommon DAC architecture produces sound that belies the low price.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Digital Source Components
Price: $4450
Website: www.ta-hifi.de
Erich said: T+A Elektroakustik’s philosophy of high science and engineering, as evidenced in their most reasonably priced DAC, has resulted in a highly capable and flexible audio component built to an exacting standard. With its excellent soundstaging, clear imaging, and neutral overall sound, the DAC 8 DSD is an accomplished modern DAC.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Highly competent German DAC in a small form factor.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Digital Source Components
Price: $8000 (Ethernet module, $600; other modules, $400 each)
Website: www.waversa.com
Vade said: The Waversa Systems WDAC3 Mk.II is beautifully designed and built, and as jewel-like as any hi-fi component I’ve seen. It has many advanced operating features, and a front-panel display that can be read from the other side of a large room. I’d heard that using an Ethernet input for your DAC could sound much better than the ubiquitous USB input, and the WDAC3 proved that to be true. Through its Ethernet input in particular, the WDAC3 Mk.II sounded as good as it looks: spectacular. Its glitches were minor and easily fixed. Easily and strongly recommended.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Competitive with any under-$10k DAC today.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: AU$46,650
Website: www.absolare.com
Josh said: While it may be considered for some to be expensive, its performance capabilities in so many areas frankly exceed what could be achieved in preamplifier-amplifier separate combinations at far loftier price points, therefore making it an attractive proposition as a statement amplifier for those slightly short of space or for those demanding electronics capable of the very highest standards.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Sound that is said to strike a near perfect balance between tube and solid state.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $4499
Website: www.anthemav.com
Roger said: I can’t overstate how impressed I was by the execution of its overall design. In my years as an audio reviewer, the STR Integrated is one of the most impressive examples of a fully fledged audio product I’ve come across.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Anthem Room Correction puts this powerful integrated over the top.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $1995
Website: www.cocktailaudio.com
Al said: Cocktail Audio’s Swiss-Army-knife approach to designing the X35 music system has resulted in a winning proposition for those looking to reduce their systems’ footprints without compromising their performance.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: A list of features a mile long.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $700
Website: www.control4.com
Al said: The Triad One is an affordable way to enter the world of Control4, a leading platform for home automation and A/V system control.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: Enter the world of the Smart-home hi-fi amplifier.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $15,450
Website: www.gryphon-audio.dk
Uday said: Ayre’s AX-5 Twenty has long been my favorite integrated amplifier. But unless there’s a plan to include an optional DAC module in the Ayre, I now have to recommend the Diablo 120. “Our higher goal is to bring to the listener a ‘You-Are-There’ sensation”? Mission accomplished, Gryphon.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: The smallest beast from Denmark’s Gryphon.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $2000
Website: www.hegel.com
Sathyan said: Including the SoundEngine technology of upmarket Hegel models, the H90 punches well above the level you might expect from a DAC-integrated at its price -- Hegel’s attention to dynamics, detail, and transparency shone through. The Hegel H90 is well worth hearing.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Solid way to spend two grand on your hi-fi.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $10,000
Website: www.mcintoshlabs.com
Jeff said: When the fit’n’finish that McIntosh has lavished on the MA9000 is factored in, the result is the most easily recommendable product I’ve reviewed in years -- a Reviewers’ Choice with a bullet, and an early leader in our 2018 race for Product of the Year.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Retro looks, super sound, and impressive functionality . . . and it has blue meters.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $5999
Website: www.musicalfidelity.com
Al said: The main attraction of Musical Fidelity’s M6 Encore 225 is its outstanding sound quality -- in this case, performance lives up to price. And with built-in CD ripping, Tidal and Spotify streaming, and a pledge from Musical Fidelity to introduce future software updates and enhancements, the M6 Encore 225 is a solid bet for an all-in-one music system.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: Audiophile-oriented all-in-one-type product.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $399
Website: www.nadelectronics.com
Brent said: Its sound is comparable to that of the far more expensive and powerful gear I normally use, and it’s so refreshingly simple to operate that the mere lack of frustration on the user’s part has to be worth something.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Values sound over features, and costs a pittance.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $549
Website: www.nadelectronics.com
Thom said: If you’re not someone who fiddles with tone controls, if your listening room is of reasonable size and your speakers are of at least moderate sensitivity, I recommend the NAD C 328. It’s a superb integrated amplifier-DAC.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Unbelievable amount of quality for the money.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $399
Website: www.nadelectronics.com
Sathyan said: As was its ancestor the 3020, the D 3020 V2 is an affordable entry to the audio hobby, and is well suited to powering a small system for very little outlay.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: Adds Bluetooth and phono capabilities to a classic design.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $2499
Website: www.nadelectronics.com
Vince said: NAD’s T777 V3 is an excellent audio/video receiver that includes most of the features you’d want in a centerpiece for your home theater.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: The Dirac room correction and strong amp are the selling points here.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $1199
Website: www.peachtreeaudio.com
Al said: Peachtree Audio’s decco125 Sky is packed with useful features, including a built-in phono stage and Wi-Fi streaming. It also offers impressive sound quality for an $1199 integrated amplifier-DAC, sounding great with everything I played, from LPs and streamed playlists to “sad church music” on CD.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: A few operational quirks keep it from being a knockout product.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $2100
Website: www.simaudio.com
Philip said: Simaudio’s Moon 240i is set apart by the high level of quality you get for its low price of $2100.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Add to good sound lots of features and a ten-year warranty and you have a winner.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: AU$25,000
Website: www.soulution-audio.com
Edgar said: The Soulution 330 is a superb example of the integrated amplifier craft. I'm expecting big things from Soulution in the future and am very curious to see what's next from this Swiss wizard.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Very engaging sound from this expensive integrated amp.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $23,500
Website: www.ta-hifi.de
Jeff said: Not only did I really enjoy my time with the PA 3100 HV -- I could easily envision my no-compromise self living with one long term. I bet you’d feel the same way.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Big, expensive, great integrated amplifier.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: $999
Website: www.technics.com
Al said: With the Ottava f SC-C70, Technics has created a sleek-looking all-in-one system that combines wired and wireless streaming with CD playback.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: Technics is something cool again!
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: Base unit AU$4495, as tested AU$16,355
Website: www.vinnierossi.com
Edgar said: LIO is an exceptional performer through all the configurations tested. It’s natural, smooth yet resolving, capable of great transient attack, pleasingly – and only marginally – mellow-sounding through the midrange and highs while being a strong walloper with its tight and fast bass. Its tonal accuracy and harmonic decay is exemplary too.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Literally make it exactly what you want it to be.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: AU$22,000
Website: www.vitusaudio.com
Edgar said: Along with a handful of ultimate integrated amplifiers, the Vitus Audio RI-101 commands a recalibration of what an integrated amplifier is capable of achieving in terms of performance. Consequently, it would make for a thoroughly satisfying entry into the ranks of the very best amplification available.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Competes with some of the best amplification regardless of cost.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Stereo Integrated Amplifiers and Receivers
Price: AU$22,000
Website: www.vitusaudio.com
Edgar said: the Vitus Audio RI-101 is a stupendous sonic performer, excelling at the vividness and life of music while sustaining its tonal beauty, midrange purity and exerting tight-fisted control over its prodigious output in terms of dynamics and its low frequencies output
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Monster integrated that hangs with big separates.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Preamplifiers
Price: $14,995
Website: www.balanced.com
Aron said: If you’re in the market for a top-spec tubed preamplifier, I strongly recommend that you take the time to listen to it -- it might just be love at first listen.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Warmish-sounding tube amp that’s built really well.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Preamplifiers
Prices: Pictor, $18,000; DC filter, $5000
Website: www.constellationaudio.com
Doug said: The sound of the Pictor-Taurus-DC filter combination wasn’t just special -- to my ears, its spaciousness, resolution, and smoothness were spectacular enough to be considered the state of the art.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Pair it with a Constellation power amp for SOTA sound.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Preamplifiers
Price: $399.95
Website: www.martinlogan.com
Wes said: As far as I can tell, it offers the least expensive way to get a clear- and clean-sounding preamplifier and a fine-sounding DAC married to one of the top room-correction softwares available.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: Cheapest way to get great room correction.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Preamplifiers
Price: $10,000
Website: www.trinnov.com
Al said: If you have a troublesome room, or just want to hear how good your system can sound when problematic room/speaker interactions are removed from the equation, Trinnov’s Amethyst is well worth a listen.
Read the SoundStage! Simplifi review.
The gist: Clean up your room, clean up your sound.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Power Amplifiers
Price: $8995
Website: www.balanced.com
Aron said: The sound of BAT’s VK-255SE is therefore not quite my cup of tea -- but if tube-like warmth, buttery textures, and arresting dynamics are what you find most inviting, then this amplifier deserves to be on your audition list.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Will fit some listeners better than others.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Power Amplifiers
Price: $1499 each
Website: www.psaudio.com
Roger said: PS Audio says that the Stellar M700 is one of the most extraordinary monoblocks ever sold for less than $5000/pair. I have to agree. The Stellar M700 is my new favorite entry-level high-end power amplifier.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Lots of power and goo sound quality in a compact, affordable package.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Power Amplifiers
Price: $118,888 per pair
Website: www.simaudio.com
Aron said: Is a pair of Moon 888s worth $118,888? Only your bank account and conscience can tell you. What I can tell you is that my last few months of listening have turned up a new musical masterpiece. It’s called the Simaudio Moon 888.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: First super amp from this Canadian company.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Headphones and Related
Price: $599.99
Website: www.acousticresearch-hifi.com
Brent said: What I love about them is that there’s nothing spectacular or exaggerated about their sound -- just as there’s nothing spectacular or exaggerated about the sound of a great violin, tenor saxophone, or singer. If you want something spectacular, that’s fine -- but if you want headphones you can enjoy day after day with all kinds of music, I strongly recommend the AR-H1s.
Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.
The gist: One of an elite group according to Brent.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Headphones and Related
Price: $299.95
Website: www.akg.com
Rad said: The more I listened, the less I liked AKG’s N60 NC Wireless noise-canceling headphones.
Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.
The gist: These pretty much sucked.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Headphones and Related
Price: $399
Website: www.bowers-wilkins.com
S. Andrea said: The Bowers & Wilkins PX headphones are a bit of a mixed bag. Whether or not you’ll be satisfied with them will likely come down to how much you value a neutral frequency response. With their noise canceling turned off, the PXes were at or near the top of their class for producing an enveloping soundscape with vivid images, but the midrange was just too recessed to sound natural with acoustic instruments.
Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.
The gist: Not quite neutral, but meets many other expectations.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Headphones and Related
Price: $1500
Website: www.focal.com
Brent said: They sounded terrific, worked great with any kind of music, and exhibited no annoying flaws or colorations.
Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.
The gist: No beryllium, but Focal sound quality nonetheless.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Headphones and Related
Price: $1199
Website: www.klipsch.com
Brent said: If you want a great set of audiophile headphones you can easily carry with you and use with any source device you happen to have in your bag, the HP-3s, in my opinion, have no serious competition.
Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.
The gist: The HP-3s are Klipsch’s best headphones ever.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Headphones and Related
Price: $99
Website: www.massdrop.com
Brent said: The Massdrop x NuForce EDC3s delivered the best sound I’ve heard for under $100 -- not just from earphones, but from any audio product I can think of.
Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.
The gist: Best way to spend 100 bucks on audio.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Headphones and Related
Price: AU$799.95
Website: www.sennheiser.com.au
Barry said: If you’re looking for an awesome-sounding and accurate set of headphones while, at the same time, wanting to retain the girth of your wallet you could just go ahead and stop at the HD 660 S.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Natural and lifelike, but not for bassheads.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Headphones and Related
Price: $79
Website: www.sonarworks.com
Brent said: In most cases, Sonarworks’ True-Fi substantially improved the sound of the headphones I used it with.
Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.
The gist: Make your headphones sound better with this software.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Interconnects and Speaker Cables
Prices: $1750 per 4’ pair for speaker cables and 766 per 0.5m pair for interconnects
Website: www.analysis-plus.com
Roger said: You could spend even more on cables from some other manufacturers, but in my system, Analysis Plus’s Silver Apexes provided absolutely stellar sound.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Competes with the best for less.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Interconnects and Speaker Cables
Price: Interconnect AU$22,000, Digital AU$18,000, USB AU$19,000, Power AU$25,000, Speaker AU$52,000
Website: www.zensati.com
Edgar said: So, while other cable designs I’ve carefully auditioned, or had in-house, have come very close to equalling it, the sILENzIO loom achieves the very highest status within my cable universe experience.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: In Edgar’s opinion, these are the top dogs.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Interconnects and Speaker Cables
Price: AU$9990 for 1m RCA & XLR, AU$17,150 for 2.4m speaker cables
Website: www.taralabs.com
Edgar said: This cable loom is neutral and allows for stunning dynamic expression while communicating the music in a pacey, enjoyably rhythmic way. Low-level detail is easily discerned but without introducing artificiality, in other words, the excellent standard of resolution maintains the integrity of the musical message.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Elevated Edgar's system to a higher level.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Power Conditioners and Cords
Price: $4600 per 6’ cord
Website: www.audience-av.com
Garrett said: If you’re looking for peak performance in a power cable, I strongly urge you to audition the Au24 SX powerChord.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Garrett’s new go-to reference power cord.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Power Conditioners and Cords
Prices: La Potenza Six USA Version AU$4000, La Potenza AC Cable AU$5500, Grounding Box AU$7000
Website: www.faberpower.com
Josh said: The Faber’s Power equipment brought a very appreciated increase in refinement and musicality to my reviewing and reference systems, without (in most cases) leading to any detrimental effects.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Luxurious power conditioning.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Power Conditioners and Cords
Price: AU$4295
Website: www.nordost.com
Peter said: It offers a high quality solution for reasonable cost and it may well function more predictably and more reliably than many far more expensive aftermarket AC power cords. It is also part of the flexible, modular QRT system which makes for sequential improvement and less risk of “instant karma” product obsolescence.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: No doubt Nordost knows how to clean your power.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Power Conditioners and Cords
Price: $4000
Website: www.shunyata.com
Doug said: If you’ve already done all you can to improve the delivery of power to your audio system -- e.g., by installing dedicated lines -- the Denali D6000/S is one of a very small number of power products I strongly recommend that you try.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Made a small but important improvement to the sound of Doug’s system.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Power Conditioners and Cords
Price: $20,000 per 5’ cord
Website: www.synergisticresearch.com
Howard said: If you choose to forgo the kids’ college educations for the silver-laden SR25, be prepared to experience what could very well be the state of the art of power delivery.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Crazy expensive, but if you want the best power cord . . .
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Accessories, Stands and Other Products
Price: $350
Website: www.furutech.com
Brent said: Kudos to Furutech for inventing the NCF Booster, a new and very effective type of tweak and a solution to the long-neglected problem of heavy audiophile power cords becoming misaligned with, or even straining or breaking, IEC outlets.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Solution to a problem you may not have realized your system had.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Accessories, Stands and Other Products
Price: AU$210 each
Website: www.nordost.com
Edgar said: Ranging from the subtle in some areas to the easily distinguishable in others, the Sort Kone BCs nevertheless made an overall undeniable improvement to my system’s levels of transparency, harmonic decay, detail retrieval and soundstage presentation.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: This tweak was a positive change for Edgar’s system’s sound.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Accessories, Stands and Other Products
Price: AU$1190
Website: www.redgumaudio.com
Edgar said: This baby stays solidly embedded within the context of my reference system. Bonza!
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Edgar says this phono stage is a “screaming bargain.”
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Accessories, Stands and Other Products
Price: AU$4200/level
Website: www.sgraudio.com
Edgar said: The SGR Audio Model V Statement Hi-Fi racks are a winner of a design and the #0001s are now staying in situ as an essential component within the context of SoundStage! Australia HQ’s reference system.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Topflight engineering, build quality, and yes, sound, too.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2018 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2018) Accessories, Stands and Other Products
Price: $1200
Website: www.vpiindustries.com
Jason said: While $1200 might seem a bit stiff, once you consider the fact that the Cyclone will likely last a literal lifetime, it begins to feel like a bargain. I can’t recommend this thing highly enough.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Gotta take care of that precious vinyl, and this will do it.
