Products of the Year

Conrad-Johnson ART preamplifier ($14,995; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.21 No.5, May 1998 Review)
Mark Levinson No.33H monoblock power amplifier ($19,950/pair; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.21 No.1, January 1998 Review)
VTL MB-1250 Wotan monoblock power amplifier ($27,500/pair; reviewed by Jonathan Scull, Vol.19 No.10, October 1996, and Vol.21 No.6, June 1998 Review)

Finalists (in alphabetical order):
Ayre K-3 preamplifier ($3250; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.21 No.7, July 1998 Review)
Boulder 2050 monoblock power amplifier ($59,000/pair; reviewed by Jonathan Scull, Vol.21 No.9, September 1998 Review)
Bryston B-60R integrated amplifier ($1495; reviewed by Lonnie Brownell, Vol.21 No.7, July 1998; Sam Tellig, Vol.20 No.5, May 1997, and Vol.21 No.10, October 1998 Review)
Cary Audio Design CAD-805C monoblock power amplifier ($8995/pair; reviewed by Sam Tellig, Vol.21 No.3, March 1998 Review)
Conrad-Johnson CAV50 integrated amplifier ($2495; reviewed by Martin Colloms, Vol.21 No.8, August 1998; Sam Tellig, Vol.21 No.10, October 1998 Review)
Krell FPB 250M monoblock power amplifier ($10,000/pair; reviewed by Larry Greenhill, Vol.21 No.6, June 1998)
Linn Linto phono preamplifier ($1500; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.21 No.6, June 1998 Review)
Nagra PL-P preamplifier ($9500; reviewed by Jonathan Scull, Vol.21 No.1, January 1998 Review)
Pass Labs Aleph 1.2 monoblock power amplifier ($14,000/pair; reviewed by Steven Stone, Vol.20 No.11, November 1997 Review)
Sutherland PH2000 phono preamplifier ($6800; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.20 No.12, December 1997)

No category was more packed with great candidates than Amplification Component of 1998; this three-way tie honors three superlative—and very different—products.

Conrad-Johnson's ART preamplifier is a limited-edition, two-chassis, remote-controlled zero-feedback design that links the outputs of five small triode tubes to construct a single high-transconductance triode, thus neatly eliminating the need for a buffer stage. The result is a preamplifier that sounds supremely involving, remarkably transparent, and staggeringly immediate. The downside? Only 250 very well-heeled audiophiles will get a chance to own one.

VTL's MB-1250 Wotan monoblock is enormous, boasting 24 output tubes per side, and is specified as delivering up to 1200W in pentode mode and 600W in triode (though Tom Norton's measurements of the earlier samples revealed that this was at a higher-than-usual distortion limit). But the Wotan is capable of reproducing the most delicate music with convincing nuance when called on to do so, as well as responding to the call for sheer power and utmost control. Tight deep bass and an astounding lack of apparent effort in the most challenging passages convinced our crew that this was one of 1998's best.

The solid-state Mark Levinson No.33H monoblock is also physically massive, even though it's rated at a modest 150Wpc—however, that output is absolutely unshakable. Deep, holographic soundstaging, phenomenal low-level detail, and pure, natural tonal balance are the hallmarks of this amplifier, but they tell only part of the story. This amp's most striking characteristic is its very lack of distinguishing characteristics. WP declared "it was practically nonexistent—except that it did what it did better than anything I've ever heard."