CA Readers Choice Awards 2017

[sgr]

Ultrarendu 

Lampizator DACs 

Uptone Audio LPS-1

Uptome iso REGEN 

[intensemojo]

1. Tidal MQA - moving away from storing music to streaming exclusively 

2. Mytek Brooklyn DAC + - up there with the best ive heard

3. ATC SCM-40 - brilliant 3-way towers

[auricgoldfinger]

3 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Your caught them. It was SOtM creating fake accounts to vote for its own products. 

 

Just curious...how can you be certain SOtM was the culprit?  Anyone can use a VPN with S. Korean servers.

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 minute ago, auricgoldfinger said:

 

Just curious...how can you be certain SOtM was the culprit?  Anyone can use a VPN with S. Korean servers.

 

I have much more information than just an IP address.

[Ralf11]

makes me want to avoid their products

[colorsquid]

I'm sure we are all influenced by what we may have implemented into our systems this year. Personally:

 

1. Roon annual membership.

2. Allo USBridge

3. Schiit Gen 5 USB

 

Damn, that looks so simple in retrospect. However, the path sure took a lot of turns to get here.

[jhwalker]

1) MrSpeakers Aeon Flow (Closed)

2) Roon

3) Sonore microRendu

4) UpTone Audio UltraCap LPS-1

[struts]

21 hours ago, #Yoda# said:

Is it just my impression or are there some manufacturers trying to push their products? A lot of Newbies voted for the same three products. ?

Cause or effect?  You choose.

[Radiotron]

1. Roon
2. Chord Hugo 2
3. MrSpeakers Aeon Flow Closed-Back

[#Yoda#]

2 hours ago, struts said:

Cause or effect?  You choose.

If effect, there are a lot of lemmings here.

[mozes]

6 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Your caught them. It was SOtM creating fake accounts to vote for its own products. 

You may have a strong evidence, but to me it looks like a retaliatory act!

[Apesbrain]

1. Logitech Media Server 7.9.1 - free

2. piCorePlayer 3.22 - free

3 (tie). Allo BOSS/DigiOne - $60/$100

5. HiFiBerry Digi+ Pro - $40

6. Raspberry Pi 3 Model B - $35

[rickca]

10 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Your caught them. It was SOtM creating fake accounts to vote for its own products. 

Really?  Is anyone dumb enough to actually do that?  How many fake accounts did they create?  If it was only a few, maybe they need some help from Wells Fargo.

[macmarty]

1. Roon

2. Mytek Brooklyn+

3. Meicord Ethernet Cables, as they are a bang for the buck

4. Audeze new ISines

[Forehaven]

1.  Alex's LT3045

2.  LPS 1

3.  JSSG Wrap

[Cornan]

Here is the things that made the biggest impact on SQ in my setup during 2017:

 

1. ATL Hi-Fi balanced IT with floating center-tap

2. Aqvox switch-8

3. Alexey's LT3045 in series

4. Luckit BluWave USB to Spdif together with ISO Regen and USPCB

5. ATL Hi-Fi starquad ac mains cables

6. ATL Hi-Fi star-earthed and starquad wired power distributor

7. Ghent ET02 Ethernet cable with JSSG 

8. Ghent DC cables with JSSG

9. JSGT (John Swenson Ground Tweak)

10. ATL DC Blocker trap filter

11. Mytek Brooklyn DAC 

12. ALT Hi-Fi 8 conductor starquad USB cable with JSSG

13. Forza Audioworks Noir Hybrid HPC MK2 (for my Fostex TH900)

 

A very special thanks to @JohnSwenson! ?

[jake18aa]

1. Mytek Manhattan II

2. Sonore ultraRendu with UpTone Audio UltraCap LPS-1 power supply

3. Roon

[geraldc]

1. Roon

2. Sonictransporter i7 and SSD

3. Ultrarendu and Sonore Signature Power Supply

4. Esoteric D1

[tedwoods]

I am not sure if software can be a 'product", but I gather that since it does influence S.Q. it definitely is, so my number one vote would go to HQPlayer with SOtM sCLK-EX products and the sPS-500 power supply, a close second.

[Hoytamundo]

Hardware:

1. sonic Transporter i5

2. microRendu

3. Dragonfly Red

4. Parasound Zdac v2

 

Software:

5. Roon (for server)

6. VOX (for desktop/files)

7. Spotify Premium (my music discovery tool)

[Hoytamundo]

I submitted my nominations.

May I just add, I am a fan of Spotify Premium. Then, after a trial, I subscribed to Tidal because the SQ was better. Well, I cancelled Tidal last month. The WORST software application user interface (UI) I have ever encountered. Spotify UI is the best and makes up for slightly diminished SQ. WAKE UP, Tidal..!  

Spotify has a bullet-proof UI and I know they are working to improve SQ. Right, Spotify?  Hello.......???

Thanks for listening, CA. I feel better now.

PS: the best sounding music I have is DSD (any rate) files played on VOX on my iMac, with a mid-range DAC. What a great app for local files. Great SQ and UI. Go, VOX.

[1967]

Sonore Ultrrendu and

Shittt Yggy

[zettelsm]

I already voted for Sonore's ultraRendu but I just got done with a TeamViewer session with Jesus R of Sonore. He fixed an issue in my ultraRendu firmware that was keeping native DSD playback from working with my Playback Designs Merlot DAC. Jesus, Andrew G of Small Green Computer and Andreas Koch of Playback Designs all took the time to collaborate and fix what had to be a glitch that must have only affected a very, very small number of users. Maybe just me. I can't say enough what kind of superb customer service this is from everyone involved, and special thanks to Jesus for taking the time to install the patch when he could have just as easily waited until the next firmware update to be issued.

 

Steve Z

[FredM]

1. Further maturity of NAA's. From SOtM, Sonore, Allo,..

2. Break true of clock importance. This is of course related to the NAA, but it really stood out this year

3. My personal favourite: the new Metrum Acoustics DAC line up (Onyx, Jade), astonishing quality for a fraction of costs (of the respected Pavane/Adagio). This will probably get more attention later on, Product of the year 2018?

4. Personal wish for 2018: Roon to introduce an 'Artist timeline', where  the development/phases of an artist are put in context with milestones (i.e, dead of a band member, political influences, relationships (David Bowie), religios period (Bob Dylan), etc..) Some kind of timelines artist biography with background information which has influenced the style of the artist.

[bobfa]

I am rebuilding my music systems this year and the things that have brought the most amazement to me are as follows:

 

Hardware:

1. Hubbell hospital grade outlet.  Best $18 I have spent on hardware.

2. Mytek Brooklyn DAC: new to me in 2017 but what a great sounding “Swiss army knife”

 

Software:

1. Roon 1.3 software upgrade.  The Best free software update I have ever gotten.

2. Sonic orbiter 2.5 software; really a software update improved sonic quality....  Great $20

3. Audirvana 3.1 software update: MQA for my desktop system and much more.

 

Something I have spent many hours listening to but did not buy yet. (I used to work at a high end audio store that closed in September so I got the listen to a LOT of gear)

 

Neat Acoustics Iota Alpha speakers !!  Get them placed right and wow. 

 

I have a bunch of hardware on order that I hope will take things further but since it is not here and setup I can only “Hope for now” and will report back in 2018!