Products of the Year

Amplification Component of the Year

CH Precision L1 preamplifier
($34,500; optional X1 supply costs $21,500; reviewed by Jim Austin in Vol.47 No.11, November 2024 review)

FINALISTS (in alphabetical order)

Air Tight ATM-1 2024 Edition power amplifier
($14,975; reviewed by Ken Micallef in Vol.47 No.12, December 2024 review)

Boulder 1151 monoblock power amplifier
($47,000/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus in Vol.48 No.6, June 2025 review)

Quad 303 power amplifier
($1599; reviewed by Martin Colloms in Vol.48 No.7, July 2025 review)

Soulution 727 preamplifier
($77,975; optional phono module costs $11,975; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus in Vol.48 No.2, February 2025 review)

Unison Research S6 Black Edition integrated amplifier
($6999; reviewed by Ken Micallef in Vol.48 No.5, May 2025 review)

The Swiss CH Precision L1 is a fully discrete, fully balanced, fully symmetrical, complementary solid state pure class-A design. The review sample's topology was dual-mono, with separate boards for the left and right channels. An unusual feature is called "Input Calibration." A process run during setup detects DC offset at each input and compensates for it. "Once you start it, it continues until it achieves stability, then it preserves those values," CH told Jim Austin. The preamp can be controlled with an Android app; an iOS app is currently in beta testing. JCA noted that the L1 enhanced the soundstage presentation with every recording he played. Stereo imaging was tangible.

Although the L1 has an internal power supply, JCA also auditioned the L1 with the optional X1 supply. He found the sonic influences of the X1 and the Input Calibration feature nearly identical, except that the X1's was greater. "Images became meatier and more precise (less fuzzy or grainy)," he wrote. "The soundstage was more concretely laid out, easier to parse, and deeper. Musical flow seemed improved; individual instruments had more drive." He concluded that he would happily live forever with the CH Precision L1, especially when paired with the X1.

Notes on the vote
The numbers were initially very close, but as the ballots continued to arrive, the CH Precision preamplifier pulled ahead of the other finalists to score a decisive win. And I must give a shoutout to the new version of Quad's classic 303 power amplifier, which costs a fraction of the other contenders' prices.