Members Products of the Decade

[Summit]

Chris has already acknowledged the Audiophile Style Products of the Decade for Hardware, Software, and Music. I believe he has judged wisely, at least on hardware and software. However the Audiophile Style Products of the Decade has been selected by Chris (if I am not mistaken) and I thought, why not ask the members of AS what products they think should be acknowledged as the Products of the Decade if they had the opportunity to decide.

 

There is not going to be an award as they already have been declared. This is just for fun, but also an opportunity for everybody to acknowledge audio gear that they think should be specially remembered. I have changed the categories so they are different to the Audiophile Style Products of the Decade.

 

Please only select one product per category.

 

• Value digital product of the decade
• Value analogue product of the decade
• High End digital product of the decade
• High End analogue product of the decade

 

[Norton]

Value digital product of the decade:  not strictly one product but I’d say the Oppo95/105/205 series, for offering great value in diverse and successively more sophisticated forms of digital replay to many consumers throughout the decade.

 

Value analogue product of the decade: Townshend Rock 7 TT (value not being the same as cheap).

 

I don’t have enough experience of the “high end” to suggest in those categories.

[marce]

I presume by high end you mean something above a price point...

[Summit]

Value digital product of the decade – UltraRendu (streamer/endpoint)

 

Value analogue product of the decade – Hifiman HE6 (headphone)

 

High End digital product of the decade - Linn Klimax DSM (DAC +preamp)

 

High End analogue product of the decade - Avantgarde Acoustic Trio (Speaker)

[StephenJK]

High End Digital product - Devialet Expert Pro 440 monoblocks. 
 

I traded in a Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 800 integrated amplifier, Nu-Vista phono preamp, PS Audio DSJ DAC and sold off a Bryston BDP-2 and a Korg MR-2000S digital recorder.

 

The sound quality is stunning, they’ve done a great job with the Class A/Class D hybrid amplifier section. 
 

The amplifiers are also a full DSP and where inputs can be configured for digital, analog or phono input. Phono is further expanded with selection of RIAA curve and selected loading for MM or MC cartridges. 
 

You use an online configuration tool that can set everything from sleep time to display brightness and then download the file to an SD card.  That, installed in the back of the amp programs the unit to do what you want. 
 

Being an analog oldtimer, I was initially sceptical of a fully digital unit, but as Mitchco and Chris have detailed with their writing, DSP can be a very powerful and effective tool.
 

Having that capability in a terrific sounding and powerful amp makes for a sound foundation to any system.  It certainly also fit well into my downsizing plans as retirement approaches. 

[Summit]

5 minutes ago, marce said:

I presume by high end you mean something above a price point...

 

It’s up to you to determine which product you want to select in each category. You don't have to pick any pricey gear in the High End category if the same result can be had for much less.

[JoeWhip]

The value digital product for me is the Schiit Yggy2. Stunning performance for a very modest price at least in the audiophile world.

[jcbenten]

Value digital: Squeezebox Touch (April 2010)

Value Analog: Etymotic er4 (though mine bit the dust)

High End stuff I do not participate...

[Ajax]

Great thread, always interested in opinions of others on gear, and I encourage other members to participate.

 

Value Digital = Auralic Mini at a cost of about US$350.

 

I'm not sure why Auralic discontinued the Mini because it delivers great sound with excellent flexibility at a ridiculously low price. If you can find a unit second hand I highly recommend purchasing one. I have three and use them in several different configurations including: 

 

1. individual streamer utilising the DAC inside a Devialet 220 in my Living Room

2. individual streamer feeding a Benchmark DAC 2 into Nord Hypex NC500 Digital power amp in my Home Office

3. Standalone streamer/DAC with a booster SB linear power supply into a Marantz PM 5005 Integrated AMP at my Beach house

 

I have installed a 500G SSD hard drive in each machine and have content provided by own "best off" albums as local files as well as Spotify Connect and Tidal while using the excellent free Lighting DS software. The unit is very small and light (size of the gen 3 Apple TV) and therefore easy to travel with .... just add powered monitors or simply plug it into the RCA inputs of an integrated amp or area amp. Brilliant!

 

see Chris's review here 

 

 

Value Analogue - Rega Planar 3 turntable with Elys cartridge

 

High End Value = Devialet 220, as described above by SJK this is a wonderful piece of electronics that provides incredible sound and flexibility in a very WAG friendly package. I bought it as an Ensemble with OTHM G1 speakers and added 2 x SVS SB 2000 subs, which I configure with the internal DSP crossover.

 

By chance I have a French friend coming over next week (currently dating my wife's bestie) who is a lighting guru and travelled with Pink Floyd for 4 years and also did several Rolling Stones concerts. He is now responsible for the lightning of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on NYE. During his time lighting concerts he also learnt a lot about acoustics and is going to help me EQ my room as I have just completed a renovation. Should be great fun.

 

High End Analogue = Linn LP12 turntable

 

If I was allowed another product I would add the Benchmark DAC / ABH2 power amp combination but as we are only allowed one product per category I won't.

 

All the best,

 

Ajax

 

[mansr]

4 hours ago, marce said:

I presume by high end you mean something above a price point...

Since the other category is "value," I assume "high end" here means overpriced.

[sphinxsix]

@mansr You've just made me think about value (and) high end. The cheapest (bookshelf) speakers I wouldn't hesitate to call high end cost about $1.5k (a high end amp could IMO cost even less) at the same time I regard my 15x more expensive floorstanders also as 'value high end'. Strange isn't it.? 

For me the term 'high end' is connected with sound quality, not the price.

[esldude]

I think product of the decade would have to be some of the excellent playback software available.  Probably Roon or maybe Jriver. 

 

Also would think about some of the Room correction software as the other important product of the decade.  Maybe Dirac because it is rather widespread though some of the others might be better. 

[Ralf11]

Kii3 or Dutch et Deutsch - in speaker DSP

 

consider what has the greatest effect on SQ...

[sphinxsix]

In my case as for (value) high end that would be Devialet amps.  

As for value product - Kef LS50.

[Richard Dale]

7 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

In my case as for (value) high end that would be Devialet amps.  

As for value product - Kef LS50.

I was trying to think of anything I’ve got that would qualify as a product of the decade and you’ve just reminded me. I would nominate the LS50 wireless speakers. Value for money is off the scale as they are a complete system for not much more than the passive LS50. Combine them with subwoofers in a well treated room like I have, and they are the basis of a really quite high end full range sounding system.

[crenca]

9 hours ago, Summit said:

 

 

Please only select one product per category.

 

• Value digital product of the decade
• Value analogue product of the decade
• High End digital product of the decade
• High End analogue product of the decade

 

 

Not really a proper answer to your question but I like how DAP's of both "value" and "high end" became widely available.  They traded the mp3 for 16/44 or >, and combine the digital/analogue into one product.  Throw in the fact that at the same time a wider variety of value + high fidelity HP's became available at the same time, and you have market "revolution" instead of just "evolution"...

[loop7]

I only have a High End digital product of the decade because I don't really feel in the know enough to list the other categories.

 

For me, like many others, it is Roon. I wish I could be more unique and name another product but nothing has impacted nor improved my music consumption as much as Roon has.

 

[loop7]

2 hours ago, Richard Dale said:

I would nominate the LS50 wireless speakers. Value for money is off the scale as they are a complete system for not much more than the passive LS50. Combine them with subwoofers in a well treated room like I have, and they are the basis of a really quite high end full range sounding system.

 

As an owner of the LS50W, I can really see your point on this. I didn't list them because I've only had them for 4-5 months but they seriously having me wonder if crossovers between amps and speaker drivers is flawed on many levels.

[Richard Dale]

12 minutes ago, loop7 said:

 

As an owner of the LS50W, I can really see your point on this. I didn't list them because I've only had them for 4-5 months but they seriously having me wonder if crossovers between amps and speaker drivers is flawed on many levels.

They’re active, but it’s more than that - they also have a built in streamer and DAC. Plus they have an option to output to subwoofers with a user controlled cross over point and level.

 

I use KEF R400b subwoofers which are active, but they don’t have their own DSP. I think subs like the Martin Logan Dynamo 800x with built in DSP room correction might be better if I was starting again.

[AudioDoctor]

Value digital product of the decade:  Wavelength Cosecant DAC that started the Asynchronous USB DAC off and running

 

Value analogue product of the decade:  Technics SL1200G

 

High End digital product of the decade:  

 

High End analogue product of the decade:  

[Ajax]

3 hours ago, Richard Dale said:

I was trying to think of anything I’ve got that would qualify as a product of the decade and you’ve just reminded me. I would nominate the LS50 wireless speakers. Value for money is off the scale as they are a complete system for not much more than the passive LS50. Combine them with subwoofers in a well treated room like I have, and they are the basis of a really quite high end full range sounding system.

 

Hi Richard,

 

I helped my nephew set up his system for his smallish townhouse and after a lot of research we selected the passive LS50s driven by a NuPrime IDA-8, that has its own internal DAC. Sounds great and the LS50 are certainly one of the best book shelf speakers I have heard. Combine that with a well implemented DAC, digital amplification and adding a pair of SUBs and it is easy to see why the wireless version it is such a revered product. I don't know what would compare with it $ vs sound quality for a small listening area except maybe a secondhand Benchmark DAC 2 into a pair of active speakers such as the ADAM A7xs.

[Ralf11]

Razzberry Pi ??

 

Squeezebox Touch ??

[One and a half]

Valued digital

- Lumin streamers

after fluffing about with USB for too long, Ethernet streaming is sonically superior, wins hands down.

- Roon 

for the RAAT protocol

 

Valued analog

- Technics 1200GR (have one)

- KEF LS50

- Sony WH-1000MX3 headphones

 

high end 

No comment

 Thought police are stifling commentary.

[marce]

20 hours ago, Summit said:

 

 

Value analogue product of the decade – Hifiman HE6 (headphone)

 

 

 

High End analogue product of the decade - Avantgarde Acoustic Trio (Speaker)

I wouldn't say no to either of them, especially the speakers.

It interesting to look further at some of the kit mentioned, both value and high end, and the more focused views on what is best will give a better consensus of what people think really matters in modern audio, so it should be an interesting thread. That is if people participate in the spirit of the thread...

My initial vote is probably a SBT for budget digital. The rest I am still pondering.

[marce]

Looking back through at comments and products, I would also agree that on the digital side DSP and what it offers is probably going to have the most influence going forward, room correction and the ability to tailor the sound to your preference or flat as wanted. Going forward this is where I shall focus my attention, minimum boxes, minimal impact, best sound.