In this post, I’m recognizing more outstanding products that deserve to be on my “Best of 2018” list. If you missed Part One of this list, take a look here.
Again, these awards go to products I’ve actually had the opportunity to hear and, with the exception of one, wrote a review on this past year. I am not giving out awards in every category, but I think the products listed here legitimately deserve “best of” recognition.
Best Speaker -Legacy Audio Calibre
These little Legacy Audio Calibre speakers were as beautiful a pair of stand-mounted speakers as I have ever seen at any price. In fact, they were so good that I had to write a review with my video system and a second review with them in my analog system. The pair I reviewed was finished in what they call cabernet and black, and simply put, I was so impressed with them in Part One of my review I listened to them in my video system I concluded this part saying “it is safe to say I have never enjoyed music on videos like I did with the Calibre speakers, but now it was time to try them out in my analog system.”
In Part Two, I listened to them in my analog reference system and was equally pleased concluding, “You get an extremely musically involving and satisfying speaker. It’s not just a great speaker for its size, it’s a stunningly great speaker, and if not a great bargain, it is an incredible value. I could not recommend a speaker more highly for a two-channel stereo system or a home theater system.”
Best Real-World Priced Vinyl Playback System
In my review, ‘The Affordable Vinyl Project Part Two; Reviewing a $3,500 System,” I combined the Clearaudio Concept turntable with a Satisfy Black Tonearm, and a Hana SL moving coil cartridge with Musical Surroundings’ Phenomena II+ phono preamp. For pictures of all of the components, click on the link to my review.
All of these products are available at both brick and mortar stereo stores and online for purchase. The Clearaudio/Hana importer and manufacturer, Musical Surroundings, is located here in the San Francisco Bay area, and that’s where I got my review samples.
There’s practically no limit to how much money you can spend on a vinyl setup, but I’m really pleased to say that for $3,500 this system can give you a good taste of why people love listening to vinyl, and you may even have some money left to buy a few more LPs.
Budget Product of the Year – NEAT Acoustics Iota Alpha Speaker
In some ways this little speaker from NEAT Acoustics was the most exciting speaker that I have ever reviewed. It was simply amazing how much musical satisfaction I got from this tiny floor-standing speaker. I had been impressed with it at shows, but when I got it in my home, I was amazed.
I love this speaker in part for its ability to get so much sound for the size and the buck, but mostly I love it for its ability to challenge my opinion of what small speakers can do. There is a “you have got to be kidding me!” sense of shock that everyone gets when hearing how much sound comes out of these tiny boxes. And, it’s an incredibly lifelike sound! If you want
Debut Product of the Year – VAC Statement 450i iQ Integrated Amplifier
I have never given a Best of Year award for a product that I have not heard in my home, and I probably won’t ever do so again. I will also
Kevin Hays has been working on this product for many years, and with its fruition, it is the most well-thought out audio product I have ever seen. Kevin says one of the secrets of this amp’s performance is the vertical layout that allows its form to follow its function. This was done with optimal placement of circuit elements for the purest, most direct routing of signals. I wish we had made a video of Kevin demonstrating how things were arranged in the amp from the bottom to the top to keep the components that create noise as far away as possible from those that amplify the noise.
Not only does the amp sound incredible (and yes, we had a very long, private listening session at RMAF), it is also the most beautiful amplifier I have ever seen by a long shot. I
Product of the Year – First Watt SIT-3
I really don’t know what more can be said about the First Watt SIT-3 from Pass Labs First Watt division. In my introduction and review of the SIT-3 back in June, I concluded, “The SIT-3 amplifier is the real thing, and it brings you a taste of a real performance. If you have never heard a well-executed SIT or VFET amplifier, you really have no idea how good a transistor amp can sound. Yes, Sony and Yamaha made some VFET transistor amps that sounded very special, and they are very hard to find used. These amps, however, didn’t have the bass impact of the three SIT amps designed by Nelson Pass.”
The SIT-3, designed by Nelson Pass, may be the most seductive amplifier I have ever heard, and it is equally excellent at the frequency extremes. All of the First Watt amps are special, but the SIT-3 is very special indeed, and this may be your last chance to own a SIT/VFet amp.
Since my review, I have read reviews by Jeff Day, Srajan Ebaen, and over at TONEAudio Magazine they titled their review, “World’s Best Amplifier?” I don’t think I’m the only one who fell in love with this amplifier.
