Budget Component of 1997
Epos ES12 loudspeaker ($1095/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson, Vol.20 No.4, April 1997 Review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order):
Acarian Alón Petite loudspeaker ($995/pair; reviewed by Wes Phillips & Robert J. Reina, Vol.19 No.1, January 1996; & Vol.20 No.2, February 1997 Review)
B&W DM302 loudspeaker ($250/pair; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.20 No.10, October 1997 Review)
Mission 731i loudspeaker ($249/pair; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, Vol.19 No.11, November 1997)
NAD 515 CD changer ($499; reviewed by Robert Harley, Vol.20 No.3, March 1997)
Parasound HCA-1000A power amplifier ($595; reviewed by Barry Willis, Vol.20 No.8, August 1997)
Platinum Audio Studio 1 loudspeaker ($995/pair; reviewed by Sam Tellig, Vol.20 No.7, July 1997)
PSB Alpha Mini loudspeaker ($199/pair; reviewed by Lawrence B. Johnson, Stereophile Guide to Home Theater, Vol.3 No.3, Fall 1997)
Rega Planar 3 turntable ($695; reviewed by Sam Tellig & Michael Fremer, Vol.7 No.1, January 1984; Vol.8 No.6, October 1985; & Vol.19 No.12, December 1996 Review)
Shure V15VxMR phono cartridge ($300; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.20 No.7, July 1997 Review)
The Parts Connection Assemblage DAC-2 D/A processor ($499–$648; reviewed by Muse Kastanovich, Vol.20 Nos.1, 6, & 7, January, June, & July 1997) It may seem odd to call an $1100/pair loudspeaker our "Budget Component of 1997," but, as we stated last year, we've always felt it takes more than a low price to define a bargain. The Epos ES12 qualifies because of its "unexaggerated sense of musical communication," as JA put it. A small but definitely not unambitious design, the ES12 made fans out of listeners at both HI-FI '96 and HI-FI '97—as well as at WCES '97 in between. At each of those events, wherever two Stereophile writers met, a conversation about this amazing performer ensued. Granted, it doesn't have truly deep bass, and will protest extreme spls—but where it counts, it delivers. The ES12 charted votes at a rate nearly twice that for its nearest competitor. Ignore the sticker price; the Epos deserves its designation of "Budget Component of 1997."
Acarian Alón Petite loudspeaker ($995/pair; reviewed by Wes Phillips & Robert J. Reina, Vol.19 No.1, January 1996; & Vol.20 No.2, February 1997 Review)
B&W DM302 loudspeaker ($250/pair; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.20 No.10, October 1997 Review)
Mission 731i loudspeaker ($249/pair; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, Vol.19 No.11, November 1997)
NAD 515 CD changer ($499; reviewed by Robert Harley, Vol.20 No.3, March 1997)
Parasound HCA-1000A power amplifier ($595; reviewed by Barry Willis, Vol.20 No.8, August 1997)
Platinum Audio Studio 1 loudspeaker ($995/pair; reviewed by Sam Tellig, Vol.20 No.7, July 1997)
PSB Alpha Mini loudspeaker ($199/pair; reviewed by Lawrence B. Johnson, Stereophile Guide to Home Theater, Vol.3 No.3, Fall 1997)
Rega Planar 3 turntable ($695; reviewed by Sam Tellig & Michael Fremer, Vol.7 No.1, January 1984; Vol.8 No.6, October 1985; & Vol.19 No.12, December 1996 Review)
Shure V15VxMR phono cartridge ($300; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.20 No.7, July 1997 Review)
The Parts Connection Assemblage DAC-2 D/A processor ($499–$648; reviewed by Muse Kastanovich, Vol.20 Nos.1, 6, & 7, January, June, & July 1997) It may seem odd to call an $1100/pair loudspeaker our "Budget Component of 1997," but, as we stated last year, we've always felt it takes more than a low price to define a bargain. The Epos ES12 qualifies because of its "unexaggerated sense of musical communication," as JA put it. A small but definitely not unambitious design, the ES12 made fans out of listeners at both HI-FI '96 and HI-FI '97—as well as at WCES '97 in between. At each of those events, wherever two Stereophile writers met, a conversation about this amazing performer ensued. Granted, it doesn't have truly deep bass, and will protest extreme spls—but where it counts, it delivers. The ES12 charted votes at a rate nearly twice that for its nearest competitor. Ignore the sticker price; the Epos deserves its designation of "Budget Component of 1997."
