The system I use for audition of components is one which has given me much listening pleasure over the years and has not stressed my rather limited budget. The front end consists of the Systemdek IIX turntable to which is attached a vintage Infinity Black Widow II tonearm. This unit sits on Tiptoes, which, in turn, rest upon a solid birch shelf. The preamplifier is the much admired PS Audio Model 4.5, used in its Straightwire mode with the MM/MC switch set to MC. This configuration gave me more than enough gain to listen at realistic volume levels, even…
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This is the fourth year Stereophile has named a select few components as "Products of the Year." By doing so, we intend to give recognition to those components that have proved capable of giving pleasure beyond the formal review period.
There are six individual categories: Loudspeakers (including subwoofers); Amplification Components (preamplifiers, power amplifiers, etc.); Digital Sources (CD players, transports, processors); Analog Sources (phono cartridges, turntables, tonearms, FM tuners, etc.); Home Theater Components (other than video); and Accessories (everything else).
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Loudspeaker of 1995
Wilson Audio Specialties X-1/Grand SLAMM ($67,500/pair; reviewed by Martin Colloms, Vol.17 No.12, December 1994 Review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order):
Audio Physic Virgo ($4995/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.18 No.9, September 1995 Review)
Cello Stradivari Master ($30,000/pair; reviewed by Lewis Lipnick, Vol.18 No.7, July 1995)
Energy Veritas v2.8 ($6000/pair; reviewed by Thomas J. Norton, Vol.18 Nos.6 & 10, June & October 1995 Review)
Infinity Composition Prelude P-FR ($3000/pair; reviewed by Robert Harley, Vol.18 No.9, and…
Amplification Component of 1995
Pass Labs Aleph 0 monoblock power amplifier ($7000/pair; reviewed by Dick Olsher, Vol.18 No.3, March 1995)
Finalists (in alphabetical order):
Cary Audio Design CAD-300SEI integrated amplifier ($3395; reviewed by Robert Harley, Vol.18 No.9, September 1995 Review)
Conrad-Johnson Premier Eight monoblock power amplifier ($15,990/pair; reviewed by Jack English, Vol.17 No.12, December 1994)
Conrad-Johnson Premier Eleven A power amplifier ($3495; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.18 No.8, August 1995; and John Atkinson, Vol.18 No.9, September 1995…
Digital Source of 1995
Spectral SDR-2000 Professional HDCD D/A processor ($8895; reviewed by Robert Harley, Vol.18 No.5, May 1995; and Thomas J. Norton, Vol.18 No.11, November 1995 Review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order):
Audio Alchemy DTIPro ($1295, since replaced by the Audio Alchemy DTIPro 32; reviewed by Robert Harley, Vol.17 No.11, November 1994, and Vol.18 No.3, March 1995 Review)
Krell KPS-20iL CD player/digital control center ($11,000; reviewed by Martin Colloms, Vol.18 No.10, October 1995 Review)
Mark Levinson No.30.5 HDCD D/A processor ($15,950; reviewed…
Analog Source of 1995
Graham 1.5-T/C tonearm ($2900; reviewed by Dick Olsher, Vol.14 No.3, March 1991; Thomas J. Norton, Vol.14 No.8, 1991; and Steven Stone, Vol.18 No.6, June 1995 Review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order):
Kuzma Stabi turntable and Stogi tonearm ($3150; reviewed by Guy Lemcoe, Vol.18 No.5, May 1995 Review)
Symphonic Line RG-8 Gold phono cartridge ($5000; reviewed by Dick Olsher, Vol.16 No.2, February 1993; and Jack English and Jonathan Scull, Vol.18 No.2, February 1995)
van den Hul Grasshopper IV phono cartridge ($5000; reviewed by Jonathan Scull,…
Joint Accessories of 1995
Audio Power Industries Power Wedge 112 & 116 AC-line conditioners ($389 & $639, respectively; reviewed by Dick Olsher, Vol.17 No.12, December 1994)
Stax SR-Omega headphones ($4000–$4500 with dedicated tube amplifier; reviewed by Thomas J. Norton, Vol.18 No.3, March 1995)
Finalists (in alphabetical order):
Dynaclear Postman Binding-Post Wrench ($7.95; reviewed by John Atkinson, Vol.17 No.11, November 1994)
Etymotic Research ER-4S headphones ($330; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.18 No.7, July 1995 Review)
HeadRoom Traveler Bag ($129…
Joint Home Theater Components of 1995
Audio Research SDP1 Multichannel Music Processor ($2995; reviewed by J. Gordon Holt and John Atkinson, Vol.18 No.8, August 1995 Review)
Meridian Digital Home Theatre ($16,325–$34,785/system; reviewed by J. Gordon Holt and Thomas J. Norton, Vol.18 No.6, June 1995 Review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order):
B&W Cinema THX loudspeaker system ($7000/system; reviewed by Thomas J. Norton, Vol.17 No.10, October 1994; and Stereophile Guide to Home Theater, Vol.1 No.1, December 1994)
Energy Reference Video Loudspeaker System ($2250/…
Joint Budget Components of 1995
Audio Alchemy VAC-in-the-Box phono preamplifier ($259; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.18 No.8, August 1995; and Steven Stone, Vol.18 No.9, September 1995)
Dunlavy Audio Labs SC-I loudspeaker ($995–$1195/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson, Vol.17 No.12, December 1994 Review)
The Parts Connection Assemblage DAC-1 D/A processor ($449; reviewed by Wes Phillips, Vol.18 No.4, April 1995 Review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order):
Audio Alchemy DDE v3.0 HDCD D/A processor ($799; reviewed by Robert Harley, Vol.18 Nos.7 & 9, July &…
1995 Component of the Year
Wilson Audio Specialties X-1/Grand SLAMM loudspeaker
Finalists (in alphabetical order):
Conrad-Johnson Premier Eight monoblock power amplifier
Krell KPS-20iL CD player/digital control center
Mark Levinson No.30.5 HDCD D/A processor
Pass Labs Aleph 0 monoblock power amplifier
Sonic Frontiers SFL-2 preamplifier
Spectral SDR-2000 Professional HDCD D/A processor
The Wilson Audio Specialties X-1/Grand SLAMM dominated this category almost as resoundingly as it did the loudspeaker voting. There were some powerful contenders…