Recommended Components

Recommended Components: Fall 2020 Edition How to Use the Listings

Sidebar: How to Use the Listings

The classes each cover a wide range of performance. Carefully read our descriptions here, the original reviews, and (heaven forbid) reviews in other magazines to put together a short list of components to choose from. Evaluate your room, your source material and front-end(s), your speakers, and your tastes. With luck, you may come up with a selection to audition at your favorite dealer(s). "Recommended Components" will not tell you what to buy any more than Consumer Reports would presume to tell you whom to marry! Heaven forbid.

Class A
Best attainable sound for a component of its kind, almost without practical considerations; "the least musical compromise." A Class A system is one for which you don't have to make a leap of faith to believe that you're hearing the real thing. With Super Audio CD, DVD-Audio, and Hi-Rez PCM and DSD files now available, we have created a new Class, A+, for the best performance in those digital categories. Class A now represents the best that can be obtained from the conventional 16/44.1 CD medium. We also created Class A+ categories for headphones, turntables, and phono preamps.

Class B
The next best thing to the very best sound reproduction; Class B components generally cost less than those in Class A, but most Class B components are still quite expensive.

Class C
Somewhat lower-fi sound, but far more musically natural than average home-component high fidelity; products in this class are of high quality but still affordable.

Class D
Satisfying musical sound, but these components are either of significantly lower fidelity than the best available, or exhibit major compromises in performance-limited dynamic range, for example. Bear in mind that appearance in Class D still means that we recommend this product-it's possible to put together a musically satisfying system exclusively from Class D components.

COMMENTS
partain's picture
Submitted by partain on September 26, 2020 - 7:21am

I can't stand it !
Please review the new & improved KEF LS50s.
The things I've read are titillating , to say the least.

John Atkinson's picture
Submitted by John Atkinson on September 26, 2020 - 8:29am
partain wrote:
Please review the new & improved KEF LS50s.

There is a pair of the new KEF LS50 Meta on its way to me.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

Link's picture
Submitted by Link on September 27, 2020 - 4:34pm

Awesome, looking forward to the review. Wireless or passive? Just curious what to expect. Thanks.

John Atkinson's picture
Submitted by John Atkinson on September 28, 2020 - 11:00am
Link wrote:
Awesome, looking forward to the review. Wireless or passive?

Passive.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

rk11's picture
Submitted by rk11 on November 19, 2020 - 1:54am

Auditioned the KEF R3s, Polk Legend L200s and the KEF LS 50 Metas a few days ago with 5 tracks of my choosing and thus far my rank ordering of these speakers is as noted. Personally, I found the Metas a bit bright and their bass response was the most lacking - not surprising given the size of the speaker cabinet. Never been a fan of the Polk speakers till the Legend series. The 200s were every bit as good as the R3s EXCEPT in the vocals. I am sure that JA's review will be under a much better controlled environment.

marlie's picture
Submitted by marlie on May 5, 2021 - 3:54pm

I feel the same when went to the auditing room of a store to audit, that the bass response of LS 50 Meta is lacking compare to R3, feels more tin-ish to me.

Shangri-La's picture
Submitted by Shangri-La on September 26, 2020 - 11:44am

In the written review, the Ares II was preferred over the Chord Qutest. Yet the Qutest is rated Class A and Ares II is Class B. Interesting...

LinearTracker's picture
Submitted by LinearTracker on September 26, 2020 - 1:51pm

BD gave the Duo an “A” rating and deservedly so, but I am listening to the new Duo with the linear power supply and believe it to be a game changer.
I hope to see an update soon.

Link's picture
Submitted by Link on October 6, 2020 - 7:18pm

I have been able to compare the BRXs to a true class A speaker in my system, and I do now agree with the class B rating. Thanks again for the great reviews.

Glotz's picture
Submitted by Glotz on September 28, 2020 - 1:33pm

with explanation...

Link's picture
Submitted by Link on October 6, 2020 - 7:24pm

Comparisons having been done, the BRXs are nothing to shake a 1M interconnect at. Although they are not quite up there in terms of transparency, detail, and air - they sure do get the timbre, neutrality, and imaging right.

thyname's picture
Submitted by thyname on October 3, 2020 - 2:15pm

You butchered the name of T+A MP 3100 HV. Please fix it. There is no such thing as “ T+A MD 3001 HD SACD/CD player: $21,000”

Robin Landseadel's picture
Submitted by Robin Landseadel on October 10, 2020 - 4:29pm

The "A" rated Sennheiser HD 650 headphones have been reissued at a lower price [with a couple of changes that don't affect the sound] as the Drop HD 6XX. Drop is an online only operation, sells for $220 + shipping & tax. It's one of the cheapskate audio high points of the season along with Topping Headphone amps and DACS.

Ali's picture
Submitted by Ali on November 25, 2020 - 4:19am

Thanks but for whatever reason, I cant find AR new REF 6SE preamp here.

John Atkinson's picture
Submitted by John Atkinson on November 25, 2020 - 4:33am
Ali wrote:
Thanks but for whatever reason, I cant find AR new REF 6SE preamp here.

The Audio Research Ref6 SE was reviewed in the November issue, after this edition of Recommended Components was published. It is eligible for inclusion in the April 2021 edition.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

ygbae's picture
Submitted by ygbae on January 9, 2021 - 6:14am

I don't know whether anyone has noticed or not, but the header of PS Audio DirectStream Power Plant is hiding next to "See Interconnects." of Nordost Valhalla 2 AC power cord.

Jim Austin's picture
Submitted by Jim Austin on January 11, 2021 - 1:02pm

Jim Austin, Editor
Stereophile

Link's picture
Submitted by Link on January 24, 2021 - 5:21pm

I know that there have already been several follow-ups on this DAC, but am wondering if you have any plans to review the latest firmware, Windom. Thanks!

Kunst des Fugue's picture
Submitted by Kunst des Fugue on February 25, 2021 - 8:15pm

(No idea why I'm shouting into the void.) Stereophile discusses equipment without accurately describing the context. Most vexing is the cavalier references to devices that can be connected by balanced or unbalanced lines. Stereophile might mention that devices are connected by a balanced line, but they never mention whether the balanced line is at "consumer" level (~2V) or standard professional level (+10dBu). The subsequent SNR are never addressed. Furthermore, incompatibility between devices is never addressed. For example, the Benchmark LA4 has pro-level outputs and their AHB2 accepts pro-level input. Does Stereophile bother to mention which other devices are compatible with these? I find no evidence of that.

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