Editors' Choices of 2017
Audiodesksysteme Gläss Pro Vinyl Cleaner ($4199)
Without playing a note, the Audiodesksysteme Gläss Pro Vinyl Cleaner rocked my listening world. This wonderfully designed car wash for LPs accomplishes far more than I expected: reduction in noises of all kinds, and a magical lifting of yet another veil from the music. Brilliant!—Sasha Matson
Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 90 loudspeaker & Kii Audio Three loudspeaker (Joint Award) ($84,990/pair & $13,255/pair)
These remarkable products prove that the traditional loudspeaker paradigm has a successor. While not indisputably superior to all passive or powered speakers, they compel all speaker designers to consider the acoustical advantages of DSP or risk being surpassed by those who do. Both are outstanding, but the Kii is more so, simply because it's much smaller and costs far less than the B&O.—Kalman Rubinson
Bryston BDA-3 D/A processor ($3495)
While it was frustrating not to be able to decode MQA files, that didn't stop the Bryston BDA-3 from being the most versatile and the best-sounding DAC I've heard in my listening room. It delivered superbly effortless, delicate, subtly revealing, tube-like output from a wide variety of digital formats, including, via its HDMI input, DSD64 datastreams from SACDs. Its unusual flexibility makes it an ideal reviewer's tool for evaluating other high-end gear. I had no choice but to buy the review sample.—Larry Greenhill
CH Precision P1 phono preamplifier ($31,000)
Aside from thoroughly enjoying the P1's sound (or lack thereof) and exceptional background quiet, its multiple inputs one based on current amplification and one based on voltage amplification, make a reviewer's life so much easier. Owning the solid-state P1 and the tubed/LCR-based Ypsilon VPS-100 gives me the best of all phono-preamplifier worlds.—Michael Fremer
Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems Progression monoblock power amplifier ($38,000/pair)
Even amid outstanding new products from dCS, Mytek, and Wilson, Dan D'Agostino's Progression monoblocks stand out for their superb bass control, imaging, detail, and musical authority. They are truly "Master Audio Systems" achievements that, in my system, bring me closer to the source of artistic creation and inspiration than ever before.—Jason Victor Serinus dCS Rossini D/A processor ($23,999)
The dCS Rossini D/A processor is one of the two finest-sounding DACs I've heard.— Michael Lavorgna
DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96 loudspeaker ($12,000/pair)
The Orangutan O/96 is not what you'd expect, given its old-school morphology. Its midrange is its best feature, as you might expect. But, in contrast to its vintage shape, its highs are punchy and extended, and its lows are natural and relaxed, but not tubby. Unorthodox, but a complete and satisfying package.—Jim Austin KEF Reference 5 loudspeaker ($19,000/pair)
It was difficult choosing a personal product of 2017, as I have reviewed several superb-sounding loudspeakers and some wonderful DACs in the past 12 issues. But by a small margin I'll go for KEF's Reference 5, which, in the three months the review samples lived in my listening room, continually seduced me into wanting to play just one more album before I went to bed.—John Atkinson
MartinLogan Masterpiece Renaissance ESL 15A loudspeaker ($24,995/pair)
This speaker can truly hang with the high-end crowd, but at a fraction of the price. No speaker is perfect for everyone—some may not like the outright honesty of a panel speaker like this—but here in a single package are powered subs, soundstage for miles, life-size imaging, and a midrange as clear as a bell. Flat-out gorgeous, too.—Jon Iverson
Monitor Audio Platinum PL300 II loudspeaker ($14,495/pair)
"Let those that play your clowns speak no more than is set down for them." Hamlet's Advice to the Players can be applied to loudspeakers. The ideal speaker would reproduce recorded music without adding any sound of its own. Of all the speakers I've reviewed over the years, the Monitor Audio Platinum PL300 II came closest to this ideal. So I had to buy them.—Robert Deutsch
Mytek HiFi Manhattan II D/A processor ($5995)
I had no choice but to nominate the Mytek HiFi Manhattan II as my personal Product Of 2017. More than any other 21st-century audio component, the Manhattan II changed how I perceive the relative merits of headphones, of digital, of streaming, and of MQA.— Herb Reichert
Shindo Laboratory Monbrison preamplifier ($12,500)
A 6.5"-tall monument to the idea that the best hi-fi products are the ones that have a point of view, and a bearer of not-so-mute testimony to the endurance of Shindo Laboratory following the death of its founder, the new Shindo Monbrison preamp is a thing of beauty—and it's here in my system to stay.—Art Dudley
Sutherland Engineering Duo phono preamplifier ($4000/pair)
My choice of Ron Sutherland's Duo phono preamp as my personal Product of 2017 was an easy one to make. The Duo was beyond excellent, beyond superb or sublime. It was perfect. Every aspect, every detail, everything about it was exactly as it had to be.—Brian Damkroger
Volti Audio Rival loudspeaker ($7900/pair)
In no uncertain terms, the Volti Audio Rival loudspeakers created a personal audio revolution that continues to echo around my cranial orb to this day. The Volti Rival's superior traits are many, and form a singular whole that I found intoxicating. Allying horn purity, sensitivity, and projection to midrange transparency and a low end that I at first thought was lacking but soon realized was exceptional, these large speakers "disappeared" from my small listening space, and defined every strain of the audioband with ease and lovely clarity. For the base asking price of $7900, a pair of Rivals constitute one of today's great audio bargains.—Ken Micallef
Without playing a note, the Audiodesksysteme Gläss Pro Vinyl Cleaner rocked my listening world. This wonderfully designed car wash for LPs accomplishes far more than I expected: reduction in noises of all kinds, and a magical lifting of yet another veil from the music. Brilliant!—Sasha Matson
Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 90 loudspeaker & Kii Audio Three loudspeaker (Joint Award) ($84,990/pair & $13,255/pair)These remarkable products prove that the traditional loudspeaker paradigm has a successor. While not indisputably superior to all passive or powered speakers, they compel all speaker designers to consider the acoustical advantages of DSP or risk being surpassed by those who do. Both are outstanding, but the Kii is more so, simply because it's much smaller and costs far less than the B&O.—Kalman Rubinson
Bryston BDA-3 D/A processor ($3495)While it was frustrating not to be able to decode MQA files, that didn't stop the Bryston BDA-3 from being the most versatile and the best-sounding DAC I've heard in my listening room. It delivered superbly effortless, delicate, subtly revealing, tube-like output from a wide variety of digital formats, including, via its HDMI input, DSD64 datastreams from SACDs. Its unusual flexibility makes it an ideal reviewer's tool for evaluating other high-end gear. I had no choice but to buy the review sample.—Larry Greenhill
Aside from thoroughly enjoying the P1's sound (or lack thereof) and exceptional background quiet, its multiple inputs one based on current amplification and one based on voltage amplification, make a reviewer's life so much easier. Owning the solid-state P1 and the tubed/LCR-based Ypsilon VPS-100 gives me the best of all phono-preamplifier worlds.—Michael Fremer
Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems Progression monoblock power amplifier ($38,000/pair)Even amid outstanding new products from dCS, Mytek, and Wilson, Dan D'Agostino's Progression monoblocks stand out for their superb bass control, imaging, detail, and musical authority. They are truly "Master Audio Systems" achievements that, in my system, bring me closer to the source of artistic creation and inspiration than ever before.—Jason Victor Serinus dCS Rossini D/A processor ($23,999)
The dCS Rossini D/A processor is one of the two finest-sounding DACs I've heard.— Michael Lavorgna
DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/96 loudspeaker ($12,000/pair)The Orangutan O/96 is not what you'd expect, given its old-school morphology. Its midrange is its best feature, as you might expect. But, in contrast to its vintage shape, its highs are punchy and extended, and its lows are natural and relaxed, but not tubby. Unorthodox, but a complete and satisfying package.—Jim Austin KEF Reference 5 loudspeaker ($19,000/pair)
It was difficult choosing a personal product of 2017, as I have reviewed several superb-sounding loudspeakers and some wonderful DACs in the past 12 issues. But by a small margin I'll go for KEF's Reference 5, which, in the three months the review samples lived in my listening room, continually seduced me into wanting to play just one more album before I went to bed.—John Atkinson
MartinLogan Masterpiece Renaissance ESL 15A loudspeaker ($24,995/pair)This speaker can truly hang with the high-end crowd, but at a fraction of the price. No speaker is perfect for everyone—some may not like the outright honesty of a panel speaker like this—but here in a single package are powered subs, soundstage for miles, life-size imaging, and a midrange as clear as a bell. Flat-out gorgeous, too.—Jon Iverson
Monitor Audio Platinum PL300 II loudspeaker ($14,495/pair)"Let those that play your clowns speak no more than is set down for them." Hamlet's Advice to the Players can be applied to loudspeakers. The ideal speaker would reproduce recorded music without adding any sound of its own. Of all the speakers I've reviewed over the years, the Monitor Audio Platinum PL300 II came closest to this ideal. So I had to buy them.—Robert Deutsch
Mytek HiFi Manhattan II D/A processor ($5995)I had no choice but to nominate the Mytek HiFi Manhattan II as my personal Product Of 2017. More than any other 21st-century audio component, the Manhattan II changed how I perceive the relative merits of headphones, of digital, of streaming, and of MQA.— Herb Reichert
Shindo Laboratory Monbrison preamplifier ($12,500)A 6.5"-tall monument to the idea that the best hi-fi products are the ones that have a point of view, and a bearer of not-so-mute testimony to the endurance of Shindo Laboratory following the death of its founder, the new Shindo Monbrison preamp is a thing of beauty—and it's here in my system to stay.—Art Dudley
Sutherland Engineering Duo phono preamplifier ($4000/pair)My choice of Ron Sutherland's Duo phono preamp as my personal Product of 2017 was an easy one to make. The Duo was beyond excellent, beyond superb or sublime. It was perfect. Every aspect, every detail, everything about it was exactly as it had to be.—Brian Damkroger
Volti Audio Rival loudspeaker ($7900/pair)In no uncertain terms, the Volti Audio Rival loudspeakers created a personal audio revolution that continues to echo around my cranial orb to this day. The Volti Rival's superior traits are many, and form a singular whole that I found intoxicating. Allying horn purity, sensitivity, and projection to midrange transparency and a low end that I at first thought was lacking but soon realized was exceptional, these large speakers "disappeared" from my small listening space, and defined every strain of the audioband with ease and lovely clarity. For the base asking price of $7900, a pair of Rivals constitute one of today's great audio bargains.—Ken Micallef
