Products of the Year

Accessory of 1993

Lexicon CP-3 THX surround-sound processor ($2995; reviewed by J. Gordon Holt, Vol.15 No.12, December 1992)

This is the most heterogeneous group of products featured. The Combak Harmonix "magic dots" actually got the highest number of nominating votes, but when it came time for the writers to cast their votes for real, the CP-3 became the well-deserved winner. It could be argued that the Lexicon more properly belongs in the "Amplification" category, due to its preamplifier-like nature, or in the "Digital Source" category, as it performs its Dolby Pro-Logic decoding functions in the digital domain. (Perhaps next year we'll add a "Home Theater" category as we review more products in that area.) But "Accessory" was settled upon for the Lexicon. J. Gordon Holt felt that the CP-3 lacked ultimate transparency, but that's a minor quibble. Expensive it may be, but for those setting up a Home Theater, Lexicon's CP-3 is the most versatile surround-sound processor available. To gild the lily, it adds a full range of ambient synthesis and extraction modes. And full remote control.

Runners-Up (in alphabetical order)

Bright Star Big Rock Isolation Platform ($149–$175; reviewed by Dick Olsher, Vol.16 No.5, May 1993)
Combak Harmonix RF-56 Tuning Bases ($220/8; reviewed by Martin Colloms, Vol.16 No.7, July 1993)
Ensemble Tubesox ($58/pair; reviewed by Jack English & Dick Olsher, Vol.16 Nos.2 & 5, February & May 1993)
HAVE (Canare) DFlex Gold digital datalink ($35/3'; reviewed by Corey Greenberg, Vol.16 No.7, July 1993)
Kimber PBJ interconnect ($62/1m pair; reviewed by Corey Greenberg, Vol.16 No.7, July 1993)
Koss ESP/950 electrostatic headphones ($799; reviewed by Thomas J. Norton, Vol.15 No.12, 1992 Review)
Microscan D-8/TM-8 vibration damper ($120/pair; reviewed by Jack English & John Atkinson, Vol.16 Nos.8 & 10, August & October 1993)
RoomTune JustaRack ($279–$559; reviewed by Steven Stone, Vol.16 No.10, October 1993)