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2000 Awards
hi-fi+
Product of the Year Awards 2000
Magazines are very fond of giving away awards. It helps inflate their
own sense of self-importance, as well as giving them something else to
sell to (or reward) their advertisers. There are those people who try
to tell you that the awards they give out are voted for by the public
(as if they've heard all the products in question, as well as their competition,
and done so under controlled circumstances). There are those who tell
you that they represent the "best" products of the year. There are those
who simply use it as an excuse to print an extra issue, and massage the
circulation figures.
Cynical? You bet! Whilst What Hi-Fi? Award
fever might have subsided somewhat in the last few years, I well remember
being besieged by customers wanting the "Awards System", a disparate collection
of bits and bobs in which the whole represented considerably less than
the sum of the parts. Not a "system" at all; not a good idea; not good
for the victim's long term interest in hi-fi.
In fact, all awards are simply an extension
of whatever agenda the awards committee, whoever they may be, are choosing
to follow. And like all committees, their decision will be made by the
member with the loudest voice. Why then bother with awards?
Simple really. In the course of a year
reviewing, there are certain products that stand out from the crowd as
special. Its well worth recognising that fact, but to do so without creating
some kind of Frankenstein's monster you need to adopt a very specific
approach. Understand then, what these awards represent.
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As a
bunch of hardened audio cynics, these are the products that got us really
excited. They aren't sub-divided or limited by category or number of awards,
we've simply given them to the products that we, personally feel deserve
them. And that's the key word - personal. I poled the writers individually,
and collated their views. The results were, in fact, extremely predictable.
Dealing with these guys on an almost daily basis its very easy to tell
what they think are the stand-out products, the ones they continue to
talk about, long after they've gone. The ones in many cases, that they
buy. You'll notice also that some of the awards are identified as Editor's
Choice. These are wholly personal choices (this job has to have some perks),
but more importantly they reflect the fact that I carry a heavy burden
of reviewing duty. Including many products that no one else gets to hear.
That and that alone is the significance of the distinction.
In fact, the only false boundary 'hemming'
in these awards is the time span. These are products that we reviewed
in the first three issues that would have been genuine contenders Lavardin
IT, DNM PA3/S, Final Music and SAP amplifiers, the Shahinian Starter,
Revel Ultima Gem and KEF Maidstone speakers to name a few.
Likewise, within the year in question
no digital product has won award. The Wadia 860x would have been a cert,
but its been replaced by the 861, and we haven't heard that yet, and Naim's
CDS 11 (owned by both PM and CT) arrived too early. So circumstances have
their effect, as well as a products performance.
But at the end of the year, trying to
be too adamant about the rules simply makes the whole process meaningless.
Take these awards for what they are. A recognition of the products that
we've really enjoyed, and which have helped us enjoy our music.
Roy Gregory
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 Tom
Evans Audio Design
"The Groove" Phono Stage
Price: £1595
Reviewed in Issue 4
Manufacturer: Tom Evans Audio Design
Tel. (44)(0)1443-833570
The latest in a long line of superb and affordable phono stages from the
prolific pen of Tom Evans, "The Groove" advances the state of the phono
art dramatically in terms of access to the recorded event and its overall
intelligibility. It has found its way into no fewer than three of our
permanent systems, displacing some pretty exotic hardware along the way.
It quite literally places you closer to the original musical event, which
is after all, the essence of high fidelity reproduction.
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2001 awards | hi-fi+ 2002 awards | hi-fi+
2003 awards | hi-fi+ 2004 awards | hi-fi+
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Issue
4 |
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Nordost
Valhalla Mono-filament Cables
Price: Various depending on type and length.
Reviewed in Issue 9
Distributor: Nordost (UK) Ltd
Tel. (44)(0)1352-730251
Net. www.nordost.com
Nordost's SPM cables had already forced a serious re-evaluation of the
importance of the cable loom in system performance. But if we were already
looking in the right direction we were totally unprepared for the shocking
improvements offered by the Valhalla cables. Ruinously expensive (the
more so because you can't mix and match them with other cables and expect
anything like their full performance) the mono-filament designs (Valhalla,
Quattrofil, Silver Shadow digital and El Dorado mains leads) make a mockery
of both conventional cable budgets and expectations of cable performance.
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2001 awards | hi-fi+ 2002 awards | hi-fi+
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Issue
9
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Lyra
Helikon
Price: £1095
Reviewed in Issue 9
Distributor: Path Premier
Tel. (44)(0)1844-219000
The cartridge that finally put an end to CB's long march in search of
a replacement for his Alpha Genesis 2000, the Helikon steps firmly into
the shoes of its predecessor, the Clavis, establishing the benchmark against
which all moving-' coils are measured. With more presence, energy, drive
and output than the Clavis, and no loss of detail, it offers a much better
performance that is easier to realise. The Helikon represents the most
that many people are prepared to spend on a cartridge that, after all,
wears out. You can easily pay a great deal more, and human nature dictates
that these super expensive exotics receive a lot of attention, but the
Lyra's confident balance and musicality mean that potential purchasers
can forget fears of slumming it and simply enjoy their records.
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Issue
9
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CIearAudio
Master Reference Record Replay System
Price: £12055 (incl. Tonearm)
Reviewed in Issue 9
Distributor: Audio Reference
Tel. (44)(0)1483-575344
Net. www.audioreference.co.uk
Big, complex and unmistakably German, the Master Reference breaks just
about every taboo in British turntable lore. It lacks a sprung suspension,
it uses a parallel tracking tonearm of dubious rigidity, and most damning
of all, it costs an absolute mint. Lt also offers superb transparency,
dynamic range, delicacy, speed stability and overall neutrality. It's
capacity to bring the music, live and unobstructed into the room surpasses
anything else I've heard, and in combination with the Insider Reference
cartridge it represents a new (and mind boggling though the concept is)
relatively affordable version of the state of the art when it comes to
record replay.
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Issue
9
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Hovland
HP100 Pre-amplifier
Price: From £4450 (Line only)
Reviewed in Issue 8
Distributor: Zentek Music
Tel. (44)(0)1892-539595
Net. www.hovlandcompany.com
If CB's quest for a cartridge represents a marathon quest, then mine for
a pre-amp matches it. The answer has arrived in the shape of the Hovland
HP 100, a valve design of so little intrinsic character that it sounds
neither solid-state nor tube, but simply like the music that it plays.
Beautifully styled and built, it offers functional flexibility and the
option of an excellent phono stage (MM or MC), but above all it provides
fuss-free and unobtrusive musical excellence. The fact that it is also
realistically priced compared to the competition is just a welcome bonus.
Pre-amps that actually work are pearls indeed.
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Issue
8
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Lavardin
PE Pre-amp and MAP Monoblocks
Price: £8500
Reviewed in Issue 7
Distributor: Audiocraft
Tel. (44)(0)1895-253340
Lavardin's IT integrated (reviewed in Issue 2) was one of the revelatory
products of '99, redefining what was possible from an affordable solid-state
design. The PE/MAP combination builds on that performance, addressing
the IT's few weaknesses, and providing a slightly less hair-shirt quota
of facilities - at a price. But whilst the PE/MAP might be expensive,
and they're certainly not the steal that the IT represents, compared to
the opposition they're still a huge monetary and musical bargain.
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Issue
7
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Sim
Audio Moon I-5 Integrated Amplifier
Price: £2500
Reviewed in Issue 5
Distributor: Red Stripe
Tel. (44)(0)131-226-1981
CB was very pleasantly surprised by the solid build and performance of
this Canadian design. The I-5 is a supremely competent and fuss free all-rounder:
it plays most things and will drive just about anything. A beautifully
judged balance of capability and facilities, the Moon lets you simply
sit back and concentrate on the music rather than the system. A new, and
rather more sedate black finish dispenses with the massive gold badge
and the only jarring note, although the original finish is still available
to order.
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Issue
5
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Living
Voice Avatar Loudspeaker
Price: £2500
Reviewed in Issue 8
Manufacturer: Living Voice
Tel. (44)(0)1159-733222
Net. www.livingvoice.co.uk
The middle model in Living Voice's conventional (ie. non horn-loaded)
range, the Avatar is a near perfect balance of size, bandwidth, efficiency
and tonal refinement. Its slim lines and small footprint deliver a genuine
94dB sensitivity, and excel when it comes to delivering the scale, vibrance
and colour of the music. It's unobtrusive quality allows it to cut straight
to the heart of a performance, unlocking the music trapped in the recording,
whilst its refinement makes it equally at home with both basic and surprisingly
expensive amplification.
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Issue
8
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Naim
5 Series Electronics
Price: From £650
Reviewed in Issue 9
Manufacturer: Naim Audio
Tel. (44)(0)1722-332266
Net. www.naim-audio.com
Naim's replacement for their ageing Slimline Series is possibly their
most accomplished product range to date. Combining superb style with the
lessons learnt from the monster NAP 500, the result is a system whose
musical performance matches its visual sophistication. More balanced and
refined performers than the designs they replace, the 5 Series manage
to address the weaknesses whilst retaining their traditional strengths.
Altogether less obvious in presentation, they place Naim right at the
centre of the separates market, burying once and for all the hair-shirt
image (and sound).
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Issue
9
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Spectral
DMC-12 Pre-amplifier and DMA-1005 Power Amplifier
Read it
online here!
Price: From £8500 (incl. Cables)
Reviewed in Issue 4
Distributor: RT Services
Tel. (44)(0)1235-810455
Net. www.spectralaudio.com
Flawless finish and musical virtues define the performance of this, the
cheapest pairing from the American high-end old-stagers. In fact, both
Spectral's longevity and clarity of vision suggest parallels with Naim
Audio. Perhaps it's no surprise then that the DMC-12/DMA-100S seduced
a smitten CT's hand out of his wallet. The poor boy's never looked back.
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Issue
4
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Russ
Andrews Mains Accessories
Price: From £40
Reviewed in Issue 9
Manufacturer: Russ Andrews
Tel. (44)(0)1539-825500
Net. www.russandrews.com
How can something so fundamental be so comprehensively overlooked? When
we listen to our systems we are actually hearing the mains, yet the vast
majority of us take the quality of our electricity supply very much for
granted. Big mistake. Huge! A well-sorted mains supply is the biggest
and most cost effective upgrade you can make to any system. The Russ Andrews
products offer all the hardware you need, unique and effective solutions
as well as a clear and logical approach. Essential to realising the full
potential of the system you already own.
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Issue
9
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Clearlight
RDC Products
Prices: From £25, Turntable £3345
Reviewed in Issue 5
Distributor: Hi-Fi For Sale
Tel. (44)(0)870-241-2469
Net. www.hififorsale.com
What started out as a range of accessories and OEM components has matured
into a series of equipment supports and a high-end turntable. The wonder
material came winging in from leftfield, unexpected and unannounced, and
promptly proceeded to convince all comers. From its simplest form (support
cones) to its most complex (the Recovery turntable), RDC breathes natural
colour and expression into a system.
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Issue
5
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Ringmat
Record Support System
Read it online
here!
Price: From £50
Reviewed in Issue 9
Manufacturer: Ringmat Developments
Tel. (44)(0)1277-200210
Net. www.ringmat.com
Ringmat Developments' range of eclectic and effective accessories are
perhaps best typified by their Record Support System. A genuinely clean
sheet approach, the basic Ringmat optimises disc support, while the complete
Support System allows precise adjustment of VTA/SRA (a vitally important
aspect of vinyl replay which has been shamefully neglected by UK tonearm
manufacturers for years). Add the thoughtful approach to turntable set-up
outlined in the accompanying booklet and you've got a package that will
breath new life into virtually any deck.
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Issue
9
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Morgan
Audio Deva System
Price: From £600/unit
Reviewed in Issue 6
Manufacturer: Morgan Audio Systems Ltd
Tel. (44)(0)151-255-0946
Net. www.morgan-audio.co.uk
Svelte and stylish midi separates that deliver true hi-fi performance
from their compact dimensions. Their clean fascias conceal thoughtfully
designed circuitry that provides a musically satisfying and muscular performance,
with dynamic range and drive to belie both their size and price. Capable
of embarrassing full width units at many times their modest price, the
Devas are easily overlooked because they're just so cute. Don't be fooled
by their pretty face.
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Issue
6
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