The Entry Level #25 SM's 15 Favorite Records of 2012

Sidebar: SM's 15 Favorite Records of 2012

15) Dope Body: Natural History (LP, Drag City DC513)
14) Eric Chenaux: Guitar & Voice (LP, Constellation CST088)
13) XX: Coexist (LP, XL 46-080)
12) Laurel Halo: Quarantine (LP, Hyperdub HDB014)
11) Dan Deacon: America (LP, Domino DNO319)
10) Atom(tm): Winterreise (CD, Raster-Noton R-N140)
9) David Byrne & St. Vincent: Love This Giant (LP, 4AD 3231)
8) Mohn: Mohn (LP, Kompakt 258)
7) Lorn: Ask the Dusk (LP, Ninja Tune ZEN187)
6) Grizzly Bear: Shields (LP, Warp WARP229)
5) Flying Lotus: Until the Quiet Comes (LP, Warp WARP230)
4) Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland: Black Is Beautiful (LP, Hyperdub HBD012)
3) Drake: Take Care (LP, Universal Republic 001613502)
2) Frank Ocean: Channel Orange (CD, Def Jam 001578802)
1) Swans: The Seer (LP, Young God YG45)

COMMENTS
earwaxxer's picture

Great article! - I think we 'audiophiles' are seeing some recent trends in audio, thanks to the recession, China, advances in technology, aging baby boomers, global warming, increasing waistlines - well you get the idea.

The point is, audio manufacturers are finally getting the point (except for maybe Klipch). We want kit that sounds good, and we dont want to pay huge sums for it. Figure that out and you have a business model.

There will always be th mega bux kit, and those who will pay for it. For the rest of us there is Emotiva, Schiit, Magnepan MMG, Dayton, Crown, Peachtree, W4S, M2Tech, PSB and hundreds of others. Great time to be an 'audiophile'!

smargo's picture

Makes me want to go out and purchase these speakers - great to see some passion in your writing - thats how it should be!

keep feeding the passion pipeline

R Browne's picture

If a hi-fi makes you think about music, it's good.

If it makes you think about sound, not so good.

That's it for me, pure and simple.

coruja's picture

It's always a pleasure to read your posts, Stephen.

You keep unearthing these wonderful pieces of equipment that help us 'weirdly normal' people to enjoy music within a reasonable budget.

I guess there a variety of 'audiophiles', some focusing on music and others more on technical aspects/equipment. Each gets their buzz different ways.

For me, there is so much music I want to listen to - and own, physically own! (how very perverse and 20th century of me) - that most of my money is spent on that.

stella's picture

For under $1,000 I have the best sounding system I've owned in 20 years. I sold my Rega rBrio, DAC and Amp and bought all this and had a lot of money left for music.

Now if I could just buy a turntable. But not willing to pay the cost for the new vinyl.

GearMe's picture

Seems to be a ground swell of support for this little speaker...

Steve Guttenberg wrote a similar review last year in his Audiophiliac 'column'.  Guess I'll have to buy pair with the Lepai amp for our upstairs PC.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-57439115-47/build-your-own-desktop-stereo-for-under-$70/

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