So I stopped by Kinokuniya (a Japanese equivalent of Barnes & Noble) near the NYPL, to kill some time. Went to the magazine rack and saw what is perhaps the most gorgeous looking stereo mag anywhere. It's a quarterly, so it's THICK. But as can be expected from a Japanese aesthetic, the magazine looked impressive, with lots of great pics. Some of the most droolworthy audio-porn I've ever seen in my life. The reviewers looked appropriately austere & discerning 
Stereo Sound comes out quarterly, so each issue seemed just packed to the gills with reviews. The best of all were showcases of reader systems. Japanese people really know something about interior design, & aesthetic. Each system looked unique and different, and made some of the photos of reader systems on our shores look depressingly amateur-night in layout & concept.
Anyway, Kinokuniya had back issues, and there was the 2007 annual Grand Prix issue. I'm listing them here b/c I thought it was interesting what Japanese audiophiles are into. (BTW: Stereo Sound had a separate magazine just for tubes, etc., which is why the list for amps is solely for solid state... anyway the Stereo Sound mag for tubes was called Tubes Kingdom or something, and seemed very L'Audiophile/Sound Practices, only prettier!) There was also the 40th Anniversary issue with the Grand Prix lists going way back into the 80s or late 70s? Very cool.
Loudspeakers
1. B&W Signature Diamond speakers (won the "Golden Sound")
2. Kef Muon speakers
3. TAD Reference One speakers
4. Corona No. 4.1 speakers
5. Snell Illusion A7 speakers
6. Audio Machina Pure System speakers
7. Revel Ultima Salon 2 speakers
8. Piega CL90X speakers
9. Sonus Faber Elipsa speakers
10. Elac FS609X-PI speakers
11. ATC SCM100SL PT speakers
12. JBL S4600 speakers
13. Esoteric MG20 speakers
14. Bolero Nuvo speakers
Digital Source
1. dCS Scarlatti
2. Esoteric P05/D05
3. Accuphase DP700
4. Nagra CDC
Preamp
1. C.A.T. SL1 Legend
2. Luxman C800F
3. Accuphase C2410
Poweramp
1. Soulution 710
2. Krell Evolution 302
3. Hegel H4A
4. Goldmund Telos 150L
Analog Source
1. Spiral Groove SG1/Phantom
2. Linn Sondek LP12SE
Obviously, this list looks very different from what we're used to seeing. (I think Continuum Caliburn got some kind of an honorable mention, didn't make the list! It was called "critic's applause" or something.)
The magazine also has subsections called "Best Buys," and in these sections, some of these components ranked in the Grand Prix list get re-ordered... I don't know how the rubric works. Later, if you guys are more curious, I'll list the top-10 "Best Buys" in each category in appropriate sections.
So I stopped by Kinokuniya (a Japanese equivalent of Barnes & Noble) near the NYPL, to kill some time. Went to the magazine rack and saw what is perhaps the most gorgeous looking stereo mag anywhere. It's a quarterly, so it's THICK. But as can be expected from a Japanese aesthetic, the magazine looked impressive, with lots of great pics. Some of the most droolworthy audio-porn I've ever seen in my life. The reviewers looked appropriately austere & discerning
Stereo Sound comes out quarterly, so each issue seemed just packed to the gills with reviews. The best of all were showcases of reader systems. Japanese people really know something about interior design, & aesthetic. Each system looked unique and different, and made some of the photos of reader systems on our shores look depressingly amateur-night in layout & concept.
Anyway, Kinokuniya had back issues, and there was the 2007 annual Grand Prix issue. I'm listing them here b/c I thought it was interesting what Japanese audiophiles are into. (BTW: Stereo Sound had a separate magazine just for tubes, etc., which is why the list for amps is solely for solid state... anyway the Stereo Sound mag for tubes was called Tubes Kingdom or something, and seemed very L'Audiophile/Sound Practices, only prettier!) There was also the 40th Anniversary issue with the Grand Prix lists going way back into the 80s or late 70s? Very cool.
Loudspeakers
1. B&W Signature Diamond speakers (won the "Golden Sound")
2. Kef Muon speakers
3. TAD Reference One speakers
4. Corona No. 4.1 speakers
5. Snell Illusion A7 speakers
6. Audio Machina Pure System speakers
7. Revel Ultima Salon 2 speakers
8. Piega CL90X speakers
9. Sonus Faber Elipsa speakers
10. Elac FS609X-PI speakers
11. ATC SCM100SL PT speakers
12. JBL S4600 speakers
13. Esoteric MG20 speakers
14. Bolero Nuvo speakers
Digital Source
1. dCS Scarlatti
2. Esoteric P05/D05
3. Accuphase DP700
4. Nagra CDC
Preamp
1. C.A.T. SL1 Legend
2. Luxman C800F
3. Accuphase C2410
Poweramp
1. Soulution 710
2. Krell Evolution 302
3. Hegel H4A
4. Goldmund Telos 150L
Analog Source
1. Spiral Groove SG1/Phantom
2. Linn Sondek LP12SE
Obviously, this list looks very different from what we're used to seeing. (I think Continuum Caliburn got some kind of an honorable mention, didn't make the list! It was called "critic's applause" or something.)
The magazine also has subsections called "Best Buys," and in these sections, some of these components ranked in the Grand Prix list get re-ordered... I don't know how the rubric works. Later, if you guys are more curious, I'll list the top-10 "Best Buys" in each category in appropriate sections.