HiFi+ Awards 2010

[murali]

A few weeks back, venkatcr had posted some award-winning "affordable" gear from Stereophile. Now, from Hifi+ (though Brit published, owned now by TAS, I believe), here is another list (I have chosen to mention the winner of the year first and only those priced less than 5000 pounds as "highly recommended" with prices in pounds next to their names):

CD player: Wadia 781i (14,999)
DAC: Ayre QB-9 (1,995), HRT Streamer II+ (329), Naim DAC (1950), Weiss Dac 2 (1950).
Turntable: Bergmann Sindre (11,995), Origin Live Resolution/Illustrious (4,070).
Phono stage: Audio Research Reference Phono 2 (10,726), Conrad Johnson Tea 2 (2,459), Music First Audio Moving Coil Step-up (1,675), Rogue Audio Stealth (850).
Integrated amplifier: Devialet D-Premier (10,000), Musical Fidelity M6i (2,500), Fonel Emotion (5,525), Quad II Classic (4,500).
Preamplifier: Conrad Johnson ET3 (2,450), Electrocompaniet EC4.8 (2,590), Pure Sound L300 (4,795).
Power amplifier: Almarro A340A (5,895), Consonance Cyber 880 (2,895), Unison Research Unico DM (2,880).
Standmount loudspeaker: Cabasse Bora (2,200), Eclipse TD712z Mk-2 (4,995), KEF Reference 201/2 (3,500), Von Schweikert Unifield One (4,995).
Floorstanding loudspeakers: Magico Q5 (65,000!!!), Focal 1028Be (4,700), PMC Fact 8 (4,600).

And the list goes on.

Lucky ones owning some of these???

cheers.
murali

 

[ukjeyaraj]

I first read the price in INR, then I noticed they are all in Pounds. Oops...

 

[murali]

Good that you didn't read it in "paise"!

I used to enjoy reading the Hifi+ magazine in the past but of late, they are becoming unbelievable. The previous issue carried reviews called "Speakers spectacular" and want to know the list reviewed? Sonus Faber Fenice (Euro 140,000+), Magico Q5 (Pounds 65,000), Dynaudio Consequence Ultimate Edition (Pounds 45,000), Nola Baby Grand (Pounds 42,995). The only encouraging sign is that these are prices per pair and not single!

Of course, to satisfy the less fortunate souls, the reviews included Eclipse TD712z Mk2 (Pounds 4,995), Epose Encore 50 (Pounds 4,995), and KEF Reference 201/2 (Pounds 3,500).

Our world of audio gear is funny indeed. Someone once asked whether anyone bought such speakers and the answer was, "unless there is someone to buy, how can they make them???" Valid answer.

Good luck and cheers.
murali

 

[moktan]

I first read the price in INR, then I noticed they are all in Pounds. Oops...

to make those pound prices look like peanuts and to give you the satisfaction of not being able to own far more expensive stuff than what you earlier thought you couldn't..

Magico Loudspeaker Systems

 

[ajinkya]

It is exactly such stupid and outrageous prices that cause 'normal' folk to look at audiophiles as a community of idiots and obsessives. Nothing justifies the atrocious cost of these components...and while I don't want to enter into a debate of how one spends one's hard-earned money...there is a line after which any expenditure is just wasteful extravagance and more for the snob/impression value than for any musical qualities of the said equipment. Or else...there are just a lot of foolish people in our world.