But 1998 is a year to remember because, on June 1, ownership of Stereophile, Stereophile Guide to Home Theater, and the HI-FI Show passes from Stereophile, Inc., the corporation jointly owned by Larry…
search
1998: December 1, 1997 is a portentous date in Stereophile's history, because on that day the magazine's website emerges from the darkness. The result of months of work by webmaster Jon Iverson, www.stereophile.com begins with weekly news updates, a poll and a " Soapbox," and in 1998 adds a links database and begins making Stereophile's archive of reviews and articles available online.
For the tenth consecutive year, Stereophile recognizes components that have proved capable of giving musical pleasure beyond the formal review period by naming its "Products of the Year."
There are five 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.), and Accessories (everything else).
The two most important categories, however, are the "Product of the Year" itself—the best of…
2001 Joint Loudspeakers
MartinLogan Prodigy (review) ($10,995/pair; reviewed by Larry Greenhill, Vol.24 No.7, July 2001)
Revel Ultima Studio (review) ($10,995-$11,995/pair; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson & John Atkinson, Vol.23 No.12 & Vol.24 No.1, December 2000 & January 2001)
Runners-Up (in alphabetical order):
Audio Physic Avanti III (review) ($10,995/pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.24 No.8, August 2001)
JMlab Micro Utopia ($5000/pair; reviewed by Sam Tellig, Vol.24 No.1, January 2001)
Joseph RM33si Signature ($7499/pair; reviewed by Chip Stern,…
2001 Amplification Component
TacT RCS 2.0 digital equalizer/preamplifier (review) ($2950-$4248; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson, Vol.24 No.9, September 2001)
Runners-Up (in alphabetical order):
Balanced Audio Technology VK-40 preamplifier ($4000; reviewed by Robert Deutsch, Vol.24 No.7, July 2001)
Classé CAM 350 monoblock power amplifier (review) ($7000/pair; reviewed by Brian Damkroger, Vol.24 No.1, January 2001)
Conrad-Johnson Premier 17LS preamplifier (review) ($4495; reviewed by Brian Damkroger, Vol.24 No.5, May 2001)
Creek 5350SE integrated amplifier (review) ($…
2001 Joint Digital Sources
Accuphase DP-100/DC-101 SACD transport/processor (review) ($27,990; reviewed by Jonathan Scull, Vol.24 No.2, February 2001)
Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 3D CD player (review) ($4995; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.24 No.10, October 2001)
dCS Purcell D/D processor (review) ($5995; reviewed by Jonathan Scull, Vol.24 No.1, January 2001)
Runners-Up (in alphabetical order):
47 Laboratory PiTracer CD transport (review) ($25,000; reviewed by Jonathan Scull, Vol.24 No.9, September 2001)
Perpetual Technologies P-1A D/D processor (review) ($1099;…
2001 Analog Source
SME Model 10 turntable (review) ($5995 with tonearm; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.23 No.4 & Vol.24 No.1, April 2000 & January 2001)
Runners-Up (in alphabetical order):
Acoustic Signature Final Tool turntable ($2000; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.24 No.9, September 2001)
Audio Note Kondo IO-J/silver MC phono cartridge ($15,000; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.23 No.11, November 2000)
Clearaudio Discovery phono cartridge ($3300; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.24 No.3, March 2001)
Fanfare FT-1A FM tuner ($1595; reviewed by Larry…
2001 Joint Accessories
ELAC CARA 2.0 room acoustics computer program (review) ($49.95; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson, Vol.24 No.9, September 2001)
Stax SR-007 Omega II headphone system ($6140-$6265; reviewed by Jonathan Scull, Vol.24 No.7, July 2001)
Runners-Up (in alphabetical order):
Alpha-Core Micro-Purl interconnect ($78-$127/m; reviewed by Brian Damkroger, Vol.24 No.10, October 2001)
Mondial MAGIC ground isolator ($99; reviewed by Donald A. Scott & Chip Stern, Vol.15 No.2 & Vol.24 No.6, February 1992 & June 2001)
PS Audio Lab Cable AC Cord (review…
2001 Editor's Choice
Bel Canto EVo 200.2 power amplifier (review) ($2395; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson, Vol.24 Nos.3 & 11, March & November 2001)
As described in the introduction, voting for Products of the Year is a two-stage process, with reviewers being asked to first nominate products, then vote for products that had received sufficient nominations. I was shocked that the Bel Canto EVo 200.2 amp did not make it through to the final ballot for "Amplification Component of 2001," JA saying that it failed to win enough votes in the preliminary rounds. How is it that this…
2001 Joint Budget Components of the Year
Creek 5350SE integrated amplifier (review) ($1500; reviewed by Robert J. Reina & Sam Tellig, Vol.24 Nos.3 & 4, March & April 2001)
Perpetual Technologies P-3A D/A processor (review) ($799; reviewed by Robert Deutsch, Vol.24 Nos.1 & 10, January & October 2001)
Polk RT25i loudspeaker (review) ($320/pair; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, Vol.24 No.9, September 2001)
Runners-Up (in alphabetical order):
Acoustic Energy AEGO2 loudspeaker ($599/pair with active subwoofer; reviewed by Michael Fremer, Vol.24 No.3, March…
2001 Joint Products of the Year
MartinLogan Prodigy loudspeaker (review)
Revel Ultima Studio loudspeaker (review)
Runners-Up (in alphabetical order):
47 Laboratory PiTracer CD transport (review)
Accuphase DP100/DC-101 SACD transport/processor (review)
dCS Purcell D/D processor (review)
Hovland HP-100 preamplifier (review)
JMlab Micro Utopia loudspeaker
Joseph RM33si loudspeaker
Magnum Dynalab MD 208 receiver (review)
Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 3D CD player (review)
Perpetual Technologies P-1A D/D processor (review)
Red Rose…