FutureAudiophile.com 2024 Gear of the Year Awards 

FutureAudiophile.com offers affiliate links and the money that we make from them helps pays for our content.
Reading Time: 11 minutes

It is awards time again. FutureAudiophile.com has been cranking out more, highly sought-after audiophile component reviews than any other online publication, print magazine, “influencer” or YouTube “expert.” You’ve told us you want lots of reviews of the absolute best gear (in all price categories) and we hear you. 

In 2024, we had a few categories that we didn’t cover as much as others, so we didn’t give out an award for Headphones (wired or wireless) or Accessories this year. We reserve the right to bring those categories back for next year and the 104 reviews that we are already working on. With that said, we did add a new award for Streamers and Endpoints, which is a component sub category that we’ve been all over in 2024. 

Lastly, please note (for skeptics, forum folks, Reddit readers, etc. …) that we don’t seek out gear to trash, thus anything that we review is going to be a hand-curated selection. Our awards are for the elite, best of the best audiophile products. Forget ad spends or who will give us $5,000 to use our logo (no joke, there are some AV publications that charge for awards). We just pick out the best gear for you every year. 

With all of that said … let’s get down to the categories, the runners-up, and the winners!

Gear We Love 2024 Award Winners
Gear We Love 2024 Awards are Now Love

Best Digital Audiophile Product of 2024 (Cost No Object)

And the winner is: Bricasti’s M3 DAC

There was some debate about whether anybody can hear the differences above a good Chi-Fi DAC like the Topping D90. Unless you are missing most of your high-frequency hearing, you can hear where a high-end DAC makes a difference. The Bricasti M3 is a great example of that performance in a $6,000 DAC that can deliver that master tape-like sound from your digital rig, even when fed by a modest BlueSound Node. 

The Benchmark DAC3 B is an audiophile DAC, with pro audio roots, that punches way above its weight. The Bricasti M19 is the most wonderfully over-engineered spinner of silver discs. The Weiss Helios DAC was so good that Jim Swantko bought it to go with his Pass Labs XP-22 preamp and CH Precision M1.1 amp. The T+A DAC 200 is one of the coolest, most fantastically engineered products from Germany. There were so many worthy candidates for Best Digital of 2024. 

The Topping D90 III Sabre with its matching stereo preamp.
The Topping D90 III Sabre with its matching stereo preamp.

Best Affordable Digital Component of 2024 (Sub-$1,000)

And the winner is: Topping D90 III DAC

Can most audiophiles hear the difference between a top-performing, affordable DAC and an expensive one? They sure can. The question is: should they spend the big bucks to get the small sonic improvement? If they were going to save some money, the Topping D90 at $899 is about as good a DAC as you will find anywhere near the price. 

The Cambridge Audio CXN100 is a really strong option at around $1,100. The Chord QUTEST is a great play for people who are working with smaller physical components, as well as smaller digital audiophile budgets. The Eversolo is a highly-touted DAC that we ended up buying to review so that we could hear what the forum guys were raving about. We like the Topping best, but the Eversolo is a strong performer in its own right. 

A top-down view of the Bluesound Node audiophile streamer.
A top-down view of the Bluesound Node audiophile streamer.

Best Music Streamers of 2024 

And the winner is: BlueSound Node

Here’s the crazy part about the BlueSound Node … We just got the new version in for review and, for the same money, you get DIRAC room correction and more in the 2024 edition. With that said, the BlueSound Node is the reference standard for digital music sources in the audiophile world. You can spend more, and we finally found some streamer/endpoints that sound better but they don’t have the user interface or the vast streaming options. The BlueSound Node is like a better Sonos Port that you can use to run your entire audiophile system. 

The Bricasti M5 is the component that we were looking for over years, in that it is designed to get music files to your DAC with the minimum amount of noise. And you can absolutely hear why the $2,500 is well invested in the M5. The PS Audio AirLens streamer had the same impact on Greg Handy, who did many of our streamer reviews. The WiiM Pro Plus is an excellent option on the low end, thus being worthy of consideration in these here awards. 

The MoFi UltraDeck turntable with its distinctive yellow belt
The MoFi UltraDeck turntable with its distinctive yellow belt

Best Audiophile Turntable/Analog

And the winner is: MOFI Electronics UltraDeck Turntable

The MOFI UltraDeck is a great mid-to-higher-end table that Paul Wilson had a blast with and his reference analog rig is pretty fantastic. The Pass Labs XP-27 is a total audiophile gem that Paul wrote a check for over the also wonderful one-chassis Pass Labs XP-17, which we also reviewed. The Rega P3 is a killer performer at its price, as is the Pro-Ject X1 B. The fact that the Victrola is a modern-looking and forward-thinking turntable from a 100-plus-year-old company has us loving on it, too.  

SPL Director MK2 Preamp/DAC
SPL Director MK2 Preamp/DAC

Best Stereo Preamplifier 

And the winner is: SPL Director DAC/Preamp

The SPL Director is possibly the most exciting audiophile component that we’ve seen or heard in a decade. This preamp sounds like the $6,000 Pass Labs XP-12 for about half the price, while also having the same general DAC chipset of the Topping D90 that we also love. The German build quality is epic. The gauges are beyond cool. The preamp even comes in colors. Our publisher, Jerry, bought the preamp-only version (with no DAC, the Elector preamp is $3,000 retail!!!) in red, and is loving it, as it visually “pops” in his rack with all of the other black and silver gear. 

The Rotel Michi preamp doesn’t get enough love, as it is in the same neighborhood as NAD’s Master Series products. The Pass Labs XP-22 is so amazingly good at $10,000 that Jerry Del Colliano lent it to Greg Handy with hopes of getting it back, but Greg bought it as an upgrade to his Pass Labs XP-12. That second power supply really makes a big difference. At $4,000, the PS Audio Stellar Preamp is a badass option that is really well-built at a key price point. The Boulder 812 has the same DAC chipset as the Topping and SPL, but at its under-$10,000 price point you get truly amazing sound, and a handmade audiophile product that easily could cost twice the price, as well as perhaps the best metal work that we’ve ever seen at any price. 

No brand since Halcro has come on to the very high end market like CH Precision has.
No brand since Halcro has come on to the very high end market like CH Precision has.

Best Audiophile Power Amp (Cost No Object) 

And the winner is: CH Precision M1.1

Swiss components are all the rage with the establishment Boomer-oriented print magazines these days. One of the reviewers at TAS told us about CH Precision, and we got a chance to hear what a $57,000 amp sounds like (hint: it is pretty damn good). This is a “cost no object” category, so we aren’t going to talk value here, just performance, and the CH Precision gear delivers, big time. So much so that Jim Swantko cut the massive check. 

The Boulder 861 might have some of the best metal work that we’ve ever seen, and that Boulder control of the bass that we love at a price we can hope to afford. The Pass Labs X250.8 is a Class-AB masterpiece by Nelson Pass that is an instant classic for any and all audiophiles with the means. The 600-watt BHK monoblocks from PS Audio are a little strange, very powerful and quite compelling. The T+A A200 is a more affordable way to get into what this German company is doing in the high-end amplifier world without bucking up for the HV series of reference products. The SPL Performer 1200S is a total Class-AB sleeper that runs cool, has boatloads of power, and isn’t going to break the bank. All of these audiophile power amps are fantastic. 

Buckeye Amps Hypex NCx500 Stereo Amplifier Reviewed
Don’t be fooled by the generic look or very low price of the under $1,100 Buckeye Amps Hypex NCx500 Stereo Amplifier.

Best Audiophile Power Amp (Affordable) 

And the winner is: Buckeye Amps Hypex NCx500

Power, finesse, headroom, control – these are all things that audiophiles demand from in the cost no object category above. When you get this all for under $1,200, we take notice, as we did with the Buckeye Amps Hypex NCx500. You get a lot of power for your audiophile dollar and lots more in terms of headroom, finesse and beyond. 

The Peachtree Audio GaN 1 is a killer for its price. Orchard Audio’s Starkrimson Mono Premium amps are likely all any audiophile would ever need, even if he had a big budget for amps. The ADCOM GFA-555 SE is an updated version of one of the most famous (Nelson Pass-designed, btw) amps ever. 

The HiFi Rose RS520 integrated amp dressed sharply in black
The HiFi Rose RS520 integrated amp dressed sharply in black.

Best Audiophile Integrated Amp

And the winner is: HIFI Rose R520

There are many all-in-one audiophile options in the integrated amp world, but few do it better and with more style than the GaN powered HIFI Rose R520. Dollar for dollar, it is hard to beat such a killer value proposition in the audiophile world. 

The Pass Labs INT-250 is another Nelson Pass and Wayne Colburn collaboration that is the best of both worlds, all in one very heavy component. The Anthem STR integrated is a similar concept that brings ARC room correction, big power and much more for a very, very fair price. The Chord Anni is a physically small unit but very capable for its price and size. 

Best Audiophile Headphones 2024

There are no awards given in 2024 for wired or wireless headphones, as we simply didn’t review enough to have the contenders for said categories. In 2025, we almost assuredly will have this section back, as we’ve got some very good headphones in for review now and slated to publish in 2025.

         Winner: No Award Given in 2024

The The MartinLogan XTB100 speakers with the grills off.
The The MartinLogan XTB100 speakers with the grills off.

Best Audiophile Speaker (Bookshelf)

And the winner is: MartinLogan XTB100

Every audiophile knows what ESL (those big, tall and visually transparent floorstanding) speakers are, but MartinLogan isn’t just about ESL speakers. They are using AMT tweeters to bring that ultra-open sound to more traditional form factor bookshelf speakers and, for $1,600 a pair, the MartinLogan XTB100 are hard to beat. 

The Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4s are almost all of a pair of 802s or 800s, including the incredible drivers, the stunning finish and dynamic sound. Masimo’s recent mishandling of the brand does give us concern, as we hope they find a good home for the legendary speaker company, as they’ve messed things up quite badly in 2024. The ELAC Solano 2.0s are a killer value and fall in with the MartinLogan XTB100s in terms of very open-sounding small bookshelf speakers. The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 come with a somewhat silly name, but much better sound than most expect. The SVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf speakers are CRAZY good for the money and basically overall. The JBL L52s are one of the best examples of a retro-looking speaker with all modern design under the “egg crate” grilles. 

The SVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf speakers in white with the grill off.
The SVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf speakers in white with the grill off.

Best Audiophile Speaker (Under $2,500 Floorstanding)

And the winner is: SVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf

The amazing thing about the SVS Ultra Evolution Bookshelf speakers is that their bigger brothers at twice the price are perhaps an even better value, and that’s just mind-blowing to consider. These medium-sized bookshelf speakers output big bass, as you would expect from SVS, but they can image, too. Basically, they do it all for a price that nearly every audiophile can afford. 

The Kanto TUK powered speakers bring an affordable solution to powered speaker customers, which have that resolute sound that audiophiles love. The openness of the ELAC and MartinLogan F2s are award-worthy, without question. The Bowers & Wilkins 606 is a true classic updated for an S3 version that is quite refined. 

The SVS Prime Evolution speakers in Piano Black finish
The SVS Prime Evolution speakers in Piano Black finish

Best Audiophile Speaker (Floorstanding)

And the winner is: SVS Evolution Pinnacle Speakers

The SVS Evolution Pinnacle Speakers are impossibly priced at $5,000 per pair. The amount of bass, the imaging, the finish – everything screams double that, if not more. Jerry Del Colliano just raved about these speakers, having reviewed (now) award-winning speakers at $20,000 and $23,000 from Estelon and Stenheim right before. The SVS Evolution Pinnacle Speakers are special, and perhaps the best value in audiophile speakers today.

The aforementioned Estelon Auras are lust-worthy for their remarkably open sound, dynamic bass and super-cool form factor. The Stenheim speakers from Switzerland are more rectangular in shape, but the least boxy-sounding, traditional form factor speaker that we’ve ever heard. The Paradigm Founders 80Hs are just stone-cold audiophile killers for the price. The Rockport Avior II speakers represent what you should expect when writing a very big check for audiophile loudspeakers. They are a stunning option in the more cost-no-object world. 

REL Classic 99 Subwoofer
REL Classic 99 Subwoofer

Best Audiophile Subwoofer

And the winner is: REL

REL looks at subwoofers from a purely audiophile perspective. They calibrate their woofers, often without digital EQ or room correction. They are finished fantastically. They sonically plunge deeper than nearly every instrument that you might listen to, other than a Roland 808 or a pipe organ. They are very cool subwoofers that even can be used in tandem or even more than two per system. 

The Monitor Audio Anthra W15 is a large subwoofer with massive bass output. There’s nothing you are missing from this large-format, audiophile-grade subwoofer. 

Best Audiophile Accessory

And the winner is: No Award Given in 2024

SVS Ultra Evolution
SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle Speakers

Best Audiophile Value Component 2024

And the winner is: SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle Speakers

The most expensive option on the Value Component Award ends up being the winner? Yes, that is the case, as these SVS speakers are big, badass and very audiophile-worthy. 

The BlueSound Node is a killer. It is likely all of the source component that you will ever need, with access to all of the best streaming platforms, unlike the many-times-higher-priced, more audiophile options. The SPL Director is an absolute favorite, but they make a preamp-only model that is an even better value at $3,000 retail. The Topping D90 III is the best DAC dollar for dollar that you likely can find. The Buckeye Hypex amp is amazingly great-sounding for the price. 

SPL Director MK2 DAC Preamp
SPL Director MK2 DAC Preamp

FutureAudiophile.com Audiophile Component of the Year

And the winner is: SPL Director MK2 DAC/Preamp       

The SPL preamp made its way around to a number of FutureAudiophile.com reviewers after Jerry Del Colliano’s review. He was just blown away by the open sound, transparency, the super-cool gauges, the Topping-like internal DAC and the optional finish colors – all at a price that is quite aspirational for audiophiles. They even make a version of the preamp without the DAC for $3,000 that is in for review and is also getting a lot of staff love. 

We want to hear from you now. Do you agree with our picks? Would you have picked something different? Comment below and we will approve your posts ASAP. 

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x