Recommended Components 2025 Edition

Recommended Components 2025 Edition

Every product listed here has been reviewed in Stereophile. Everything on the list, regardless of rating, is genuinely recommendable. Occasionally we get complaints from manufacturers who object to being included in, say, Class B. That's their error: Inclusion in Class B is something to be proud of.

Within each category, products are listed by class; within each class, they're in alphabetical order, followed by their price, a review synopsis, and a note indicating the issues in which the review, and any subsequent follow-up reports, appeared. "Vol.48 No.3" indicates our March 2025 issue, for example. "WWW" means the review is also posted online.

High-End Bliss: Scott Walker Audio, Acora Acoustics, VAC, VPI, Cardas Cable

High-End Bliss: Scott Walker Audio, Acora Acoustics, VAC, VPI, Cardas Cable

Valerio Cora, Scott Walker, and Kevin Hayes—Acora Acoustics, Scott Walker Audio, and VAC—consistently deliver high-quality audio. Their setup in the ballroom and adjacent rooms at the Sheraton’s entrance showcased this. Don’t want to tangle with four floors of audio gear? These rooms offered an exceptional listening experience—no stairs required.

In Full Flow: Odeon Audio, Gold Note, Innuos, Air Tight, Western Electric, Cardas Cable at Supreme Acoustic Systems

In Full Flow: Odeon Audio, Gold Note, Innuos, Air Tight, Western Electric, Cardas Cable at Supreme Acoustic Systems

Gary Lea of Supreme Acoustic Systems graciously allowed me into his room pre-show, because he knows I am a horn-loaded loudspeaker fanatic. After one look at Odeon Audio’s German-made Semper loudspeakers ($49,900/pair), I had to contain myself.

Inside Victor’s World: Hana, VPI Industries, VK Music, Sparkler, Stenheim, Sun Valley, and Elekit Unveil Musical Magic

Inside Victor’s World: Hana, VPI Industries, VK Music, Sparkler, Stenheim, Sun Valley, and Elekit Unveil Musical Magic

Victor Kung was my virtual mom in Tampa, feeding me Ritz crackers, bananas, Cheerios, Kind bars, and delicious instant coffee when my energy flagged. Victor’s generosity was also on display in the lovely, tubed components he brought to his small room, easily one of my favorites of the show.

Liquid HiFi’s Sonic Alliance: Wadax, CH Precision, Stenheim, Arya Audio, Nordost, Reiki Audio, Aardvark, Harmonic Resolution Systems, and Vicoustic

Liquid HiFi’s Sonic Alliance: Wadax, CH Precision, Stenheim, Arya Audio, Nordost, Reiki Audio, Aardvark, Harmonic Resolution Systems, and Vicoustic

Ron Buffington’s Liquid HiFi was a chance to hear excellent orchestral music and learn something in the process.

Formula for Fidelity: Oneiros Loudspeakers Channel Racing Excellence

Formula for Fidelity: Oneiros Loudspeakers Channel Racing Excellence

At an exclusive event hosted by Manhattan Motorcars in New York City, I had the chance to speak with Walter Schofield, a consultant representing Oneiros loudspeakers. Surrounded by luxury automobiles, our conversation explored why these ultra-high-end speakers fit perfectly into a dealership known for its selection of rare, exclusive, and exotic vehicles.

Revinylization #63: The Three-Horned Vinyl Rhino

Revinylization #63: The Three-Horned Vinyl Rhino

Rhino Records started in 1978 as an eclectic indie label specializing in compilations and offbeat reissues. Its emblem was a scowling rhinoceros-human hybrid with a record spinning on the tip of its horn. Time Warner acquired the label during the 1990s, and today Warner Music uses it as its chief nonclassical reissue vehicle.

As a back-catalog label, Rhino was active early in the vinyl revival—and it continues to be. Rhino quickly learned that a popular older album, when released as a high-quality physical artifact—whether it's an LP, a CD box, a multichannel Blu-ray audio disc, or a combination of formats—engages fans more than merely dropping a new remaster onto streaming. I spoke with Rhino's president, Mark Pinkus, about the company's three-tier vinyl strategy soon after the company announced the third of those tiers, a new, lower-priced all-analog vinyl line called Rhino Reserve.

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