Joint Overall Products of the Year
dCS Varèse D/A processor
($267,500; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus in Vol.48 No.5, May 2025 review)
Magico S5 2024 loudspeaker
($74,500/pair–$83,000/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson in Vol.48 No.8, August 2025 review) FINALISTS (in alphabetical order) Ampsandsound Red October & Red October XL headphone amplifiers
($14,000 & $18,000; reviewed by Alex Halberstadt in Vol.47 No.11, November 2024 review) Boulder 1151 monoblock power amplifier
($47,000/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus in Vol.48 No.6, June 2025 review) CH Precision L1 preamplifier
($34,500; optional X1 supply costs $21,500; reviewed by Jim Austin in Vol.47 No.11, November 2024 review)
J.Sikora Standard Max Supreme turntable with KV9 Max Zirconium tonearm
($41,250 in standard finish; reviewed by Ken Micallef in Vol.48 No.4, April 2025 review) MoFi Electronics SourcePoint 888 loudspeaker
($5495/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson in Vol.48 No.3, March 2025 review) Voxativ Hagen2 Monitor loudspeaker
($7900/pair; reviewed by Herb Reichert in Vol.48 No.4, April 2025 review) Wattson Audio Madison LE D/A processor
($4995; reviewed by Herb Reichert in Vol.48 No.4, April 2025 review) Wilson Audio Specialties The WATT/Puppy loudspeaker
($39,500/pair–$45,700/pair; reviewed by Martin Colloms in Vol.48 No.2, February 2025 review)
Woo Audio 20th Anniversary WA24 headphone amplifier
($12,999; reviewed by Herb Reichert in Vol.48 No.7, July 2025 review) As you can read in both the individual categories and in the Editor's Choice section, the dCS Varèse and Magico S5 2024 respectively set new performance standards. That's all that needs to be said. Notes on the vote
Given the margins by which the dCS and Magico won in their individual categories, it came as no surprise that the magazine's reviewers weren't able to agree on which should win in the overall product of 2025 category—the two products got the same number of votes!
dCS Varèse D/A processor($267,500; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus in Vol.48 No.5, May 2025 review)
Magico S5 2024 loudspeaker($74,500/pair–$83,000/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson in Vol.48 No.8, August 2025 review) FINALISTS (in alphabetical order) Ampsandsound Red October & Red October XL headphone amplifiers
($14,000 & $18,000; reviewed by Alex Halberstadt in Vol.47 No.11, November 2024 review) Boulder 1151 monoblock power amplifier
($47,000/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus in Vol.48 No.6, June 2025 review) CH Precision L1 preamplifier
($34,500; optional X1 supply costs $21,500; reviewed by Jim Austin in Vol.47 No.11, November 2024 review)
($41,250 in standard finish; reviewed by Ken Micallef in Vol.48 No.4, April 2025 review) MoFi Electronics SourcePoint 888 loudspeaker
($5495/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson in Vol.48 No.3, March 2025 review) Voxativ Hagen2 Monitor loudspeaker
($7900/pair; reviewed by Herb Reichert in Vol.48 No.4, April 2025 review) Wattson Audio Madison LE D/A processor
($4995; reviewed by Herb Reichert in Vol.48 No.4, April 2025 review) Wilson Audio Specialties The WATT/Puppy loudspeaker
($39,500/pair–$45,700/pair; reviewed by Martin Colloms in Vol.48 No.2, February 2025 review)
($12,999; reviewed by Herb Reichert in Vol.48 No.7, July 2025 review) As you can read in both the individual categories and in the Editor's Choice section, the dCS Varèse and Magico S5 2024 respectively set new performance standards. That's all that needs to be said. Notes on the vote
Given the margins by which the dCS and Magico won in their individual categories, it came as no surprise that the magazine's reviewers weren't able to agree on which should win in the overall product of 2025 category—the two products got the same number of votes!
