Joint Overall Components of the Year
Benchmark DAC3 HGC DAC/headphone amplifier ($2195; reviewed by Jim Austin & Herb Reichert, November 2017, September & October 2018, Vol.40 No.11, Vol.41 Nos. 9 & 10 review)
Sonus Faber Aida loudspeaker ($130,000/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, October 2018, Vol.41 No.10 review)
Wilson Audio Specialties Alexia Series 2 loudspeaker ($57,900/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson & Jason Victor Serinus, July & August 2018, Vol.41 Nos. 7 & 8 review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order)
Audeze LCDi4 in-ear headphones ($2495; reviewed by John Atkinson, December 2017, Vol.40 No.12 review)
Audio Research Reference 160M monoblock power amplifier ($30,000/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus, October 2018, Vol.41 No.10 review)
dCS Vivaldi D/A processor ($35,999; reviewed by Michael Fremer, John Atkinson & Jason Victor Serinus, January 2014 & December 2017, Vol.37 No.1 & Vol.40 No.12 review)
Focal Clear headphones ($1500; reviewed by Herb Reichert, June 2018, Vol.41 No.6 review)
GoldenEar Technology Triton Reference ($8498/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson, January 2018, Vol.41 No.1 review)
Mark Levinson No.534 power amplifier ($20,000; reviewed by Larry Greenhill, May 2018, Vol.41 No.5 review)
MBL Noble Line N31 CD player/DAC ($15,400; reviewed by John Atkinson, February 2018, Vol.41 No.2 review)
MoFi Electronics UltraDeck turntable ($1799, including tonearm; reviewed by Herb Reichert, February 2018, Vol.41 No.2 review)
Moon by Simaudio 888 mono power amplifier ($118,888/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, August 2018, Vol.41 No.8 review)
Pass Laboratories XA60.8 mono power amplifier ($13,500/pair; reviewed by Jim Austin, December 2017, Vol.40 No.12 review)
Pass Laboratories XA200.8 mono power amplifier ($42,000/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus, August 2018, Vol.41 No.8 review)
TAD Micro Evolution One loudspeaker ($12,495/pair; reviewed by Thomas J. Norton & John Atkinson, February & March 2018, Vol.41 Nos. 2 & 3 review)
Vivid Audio Giya G1 Spirit loudspeaker ($93,000 /pair; Reviewed by Jon Iverson, January 2018, Vol.41 No.1 review)
Perhaps because large loudspeakers with similarly large price tags are reliably good at capturing the attention of reviewers and consumers alike, this year's Overall Product of the Year victories by the Sonus Faber Aida and Wilson Audio Alexia Series 2 come as no surprise. In the last ten years alone, expensive floorstanders we voted in as Loudspeaker of the Year also won as Overall Product of the Year on four occasions: the Wilson Sasha W/P in 2010, the Vivid Giya G3 in 2014, the KEF Blade Two in 2015, and the Wilson Sabrina in 2016. This year's surprise appearance in our winner's circle is that of Benchmark's DAC3 HGC, a D/A processor and headphone amplifier that's among the 20 least-expensive of this year's finalists in any category.
Notes on the Votes
Given a closer look at the voting, a number of things stand out. Perhaps most interesting is that the relatively affordable Benchmark DAC won just as many first-place votes as the Sonus Faber Aida loudspeaker, the latter being the most expensive product among all of this year's PotY finalists. The Wilson Alexia Series 2 loudspeaker earned one fewer first-place votes than either of the above, but tied them on the strength of a higher number of second-place votes. Also interesting is the strong Overall Product of the Year showing by a finalist for Loudspeaker of the Year that earned few votes in that category: Vivid Audio's Giya G1 Spirit, which tied the TAD Micro Evolution One loudspeaker for second place. Less startling is the joint third-place win by the Analog Product of the Year, MoFi Electronics' UltraDeck turntable, and the Joint Amplification Product of the Year, the Audio Research Reference 160M mono amplifier.
Sonus Faber Aida loudspeaker ($130,000/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, October 2018, Vol.41 No.10 review)
Wilson Audio Specialties Alexia Series 2 loudspeaker ($57,900/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson & Jason Victor Serinus, July & August 2018, Vol.41 Nos. 7 & 8 review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order)
Audeze LCDi4 in-ear headphones ($2495; reviewed by John Atkinson, December 2017, Vol.40 No.12 review)Audio Research Reference 160M monoblock power amplifier ($30,000/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus, October 2018, Vol.41 No.10 review)
dCS Vivaldi D/A processor ($35,999; reviewed by Michael Fremer, John Atkinson & Jason Victor Serinus, January 2014 & December 2017, Vol.37 No.1 & Vol.40 No.12 review)
Focal Clear headphones ($1500; reviewed by Herb Reichert, June 2018, Vol.41 No.6 review)
GoldenEar Technology Triton Reference ($8498/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson, January 2018, Vol.41 No.1 review)
Mark Levinson No.534 power amplifier ($20,000; reviewed by Larry Greenhill, May 2018, Vol.41 No.5 review)
MBL Noble Line N31 CD player/DAC ($15,400; reviewed by John Atkinson, February 2018, Vol.41 No.2 review)
MoFi Electronics UltraDeck turntable ($1799, including tonearm; reviewed by Herb Reichert, February 2018, Vol.41 No.2 review)
Moon by Simaudio 888 mono power amplifier ($118,888/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, August 2018, Vol.41 No.8 review)
Pass Laboratories XA60.8 mono power amplifier ($13,500/pair; reviewed by Jim Austin, December 2017, Vol.40 No.12 review)
Pass Laboratories XA200.8 mono power amplifier ($42,000/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus, August 2018, Vol.41 No.8 review)
TAD Micro Evolution One loudspeaker ($12,495/pair; reviewed by Thomas J. Norton & John Atkinson, February & March 2018, Vol.41 Nos. 2 & 3 review)
Vivid Audio Giya G1 Spirit loudspeaker ($93,000 /pair; Reviewed by Jon Iverson, January 2018, Vol.41 No.1 review)
Perhaps because large loudspeakers with similarly large price tags are reliably good at capturing the attention of reviewers and consumers alike, this year's Overall Product of the Year victories by the Sonus Faber Aida and Wilson Audio Alexia Series 2 come as no surprise. In the last ten years alone, expensive floorstanders we voted in as Loudspeaker of the Year also won as Overall Product of the Year on four occasions: the Wilson Sasha W/P in 2010, the Vivid Giya G3 in 2014, the KEF Blade Two in 2015, and the Wilson Sabrina in 2016. This year's surprise appearance in our winner's circle is that of Benchmark's DAC3 HGC, a D/A processor and headphone amplifier that's among the 20 least-expensive of this year's finalists in any category.
Notes on the VotesGiven a closer look at the voting, a number of things stand out. Perhaps most interesting is that the relatively affordable Benchmark DAC won just as many first-place votes as the Sonus Faber Aida loudspeaker, the latter being the most expensive product among all of this year's PotY finalists. The Wilson Alexia Series 2 loudspeaker earned one fewer first-place votes than either of the above, but tied them on the strength of a higher number of second-place votes. Also interesting is the strong Overall Product of the Year showing by a finalist for Loudspeaker of the Year that earned few votes in that category: Vivid Audio's Giya G1 Spirit, which tied the TAD Micro Evolution One loudspeaker for second place. Less startling is the joint third-place win by the Analog Product of the Year, MoFi Electronics' UltraDeck turntable, and the Joint Amplification Product of the Year, the Audio Research Reference 160M mono amplifier.
