An overview of the 2021-2022 hi-fi system products that won the prestigious Eisa awards, in which the best products received nominations: speakers, amplifiers, turntables and headphones.
Here are the hi-fi systems that won awards in 2021-2022:
Floor speakers Monitor Audio Silver 500 7G
The seventh generation of Monitor Audio's Silver Series delivers a wide range of acoustic innovations, all showcased in the superb floorstanding flagship Silver 500 7G . The C-CAM metal/ceramic tweeter features a new motor and housing for clearer sounds and more subtle treble. The RST II mid-range and woofers are constructed from an improved ceramic-coated alloy for increased housing strength. Add a sleek crossover and an impressive enclosure where the turntables are bolted in, and you've got a speaker with the finest details to create a massive and powerful musical experience.
System Audio's elegant active speaker is not only slim, but also equipped with many technologies that allow you to achieve optimal sound and customize it according to your needs. Use it with the optional Wireless Stereo Hub and you can choose between automatic and manual tuning to tailor the speaker to your space. System Audio offers a wide selection of pick 'n' mix DSP connections, including downloadable RAM Tweaks to reconfigure the sound balance. Most impressive, however, is the excellent sound of this wireless speaker, which focuses on punch, bass power and precise rhythm.
Based on the original LS50W design, using the same metamaterial absorption technology found in the LS50 meta model, it's more than just a pair of speakers. Indeed, it's a complete wireless Hi-Fi system that can play music from portable devices, local network storage and streaming services, all controlled by a cleverly designed app. Setup and configuration is simple, meaning you'll have minutes of music playing, and the combination of KEF's Uni-Q turntable and internal amplifier power delivers accurate and immersive sound that exceeds expectations for such a small speaker. They can handle hi-res music or be used via Bluetooth on your phone. The speakers look great both on the shelf and in their dedicated stands, and of course emit special hi-fi without any boxes.
The original EISA award-winning LS50 speaker was widely acclaimed, but KEF engineers have taken it to a new level with a number of detailed improvements, including the use of metamaterial absorption technology to further control unwanted turntable resonances. It may seem like a minor internal upgrade, but the result is a great compact speaker that can deliver powerful sound, rich bass and great looks. Now the speaker has become something truly special, best in class for its price. If you don't have a lot of space, we recommend you to get this great speaker, whose stunningly attractive appearance will further increase their appeal.
Wilson Audio's Sabrina has long been known as an excellent compact high-end speaker, but for this X model, the company has made some major changes to increase performance even further. The changes started with the attractive housing, which is now made of the inert X material after which the speaker is named, and the colors chosen by WilsonGloss. The tweeter is modeled after the company's flagship models for better detail and liveliness. While the midrange is retained as the original Sabrina technology, the new woofer produces clearer and faster bass sounds. The result? Wider sound and bass that creates a spacious sound in a free-breathing atmosphere, whatever you play.
Compact, smart and able to use even the most demanding speakers to deliver great room-filling sound, whether it's coming from your phone, computer or streaming service, the EVO 150 is the system many have wanted or needed . It's stylish and incredibly flexible, including balanced inputs and background stage, but its standout feature is that it's easy to set up and control for breathtaking performance. Cambridge Audio engineers have thought through everything from the way the EVO 150 is installed to the excellent control of the StreamMagic program, making it a system that delivers best-in-class sound for the whole family to enjoy.
With a choice of two integrated amps in Rotel's revived Michi, the price may be more affordable, but it's definitely a sweetie, combining confidence with speed or warmth with the ability to go from turntable driver to cobweb. There's no shortage of power, but the Michi X3 delivers massive power with ease, speed and plenty of detail with the right controls, making it even more rewarding. With flexibility, quality and style, you'll have an amplifier that will replace and outperform most of the super integrated amplifiers out there today.
NAD began developing its legendary amplifiers and has been researching and perfecting this technology for nearly half a century. All this is revealed in the great-looking C 298 power amplifier, designed for use everywhere from conventional hi-fi and home theater systems to hidden conventional installations. It features single-ended balanced inputs for flexibility and a switchable signal sensor for remote control, while Purifi's energy-efficient Eigentakt amplification technology lets you use almost any speaker without any problems. The sound is impressive and upgradable - switch it to bridge mode and you have a 600W+ monoblock!
Bluesound's first multi-room wireless system was a real revolution, and its BluOS platform was designed to play high-resolution music, improving and improving it. This latest version of the NODE music player is an easy way to connect your multi-room device to your system using Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Apple AirPlay 2, aptX HD Bluetooth and USB-A to access audio content from streaming services , internet radio and your music library. The new NODE now also features HDMI ARC for audio from TVs and gaming systems, all controlled via the intuitive BluOS Controller app or popular voice assistants.
Cambridge Audio has been making DACs since 1994. All this can be seen in the latest addition to the DacMagic line, the 200M. It lives up to its renowned predecessors by attractively combining robust construction, ease of use and performance with wide compatibility of file formats up to 768 kHz/24-bit and DSD512 (e.g. via USB input). Not only is it an easy-to-use great desktop audio device that delivers a good effect to headphones, but it also takes a mainstream audio system by storm with expressive, detailed and sophisticated sound.
Created to celebrate the company's 30th anniversary, this highly improved version of Pro-Ject's entry-level player features a number of improvements, not the least of which is a new one-piece alloy/carbon fiber pickup. The plate has a smaller swing range and is non-magnetic, with improved suspension for both the arm and motor, and the new Pick it Pro cartridge is pre-installed for almost immediate setup and use. The description “the ultimate expression of the Debut concept” sounds confident and appealing – it's an absolute knockout and a new entry-level champion.
It may have been discontinued more than half a century ago, but the Thorens TD 124 has retained its legendary status and is still highly sought after. Although the latest version may look like the original, the letters "DD" in the model number indicate that this is now a direct turntable construction with a new and highly adjustable pickup, retaining the retro look, especially when equipped with the SPU 124 pickup. There's even a pop-up adapter for turntables, but no matter what you play, the TD 124 DD will delight you with its speed, rhythm and weight. Although it may look ancient, the sound is truly innovative.
The latest design variation of Ortofon's long-lasting 2M moving magnet cartridge pays tribute to Beethoven on the 250th anniversary of his birth by displaying the composer's image on the body. It is suitable for conveying soft, sophisticated melodies, and especially for classical, jazz and acoustic music. Refined and perfectly composed, it uses the nib and cantilever version of the Cadenza Black moving coil cartridge. All of this, combined with the new suspension, contributes to a sound that is robust, with excellent stereo focus and depth, as well as a smooth, rich rendition of strings and other acoustic instruments.
Other models in the SVS 3000 series use a single large subwoofer in a sealed or portable enclosure. The US woofer has introduced its smallest woofer disc (an 8-inch aluminum cone) and packed two of them into a new rugged enclosure measuring less than 30cm in all directions. The 3000 Micro is therefore designed for space-constrained home theaters and living spaces, while delivering the performance that fans of the brand have come to expect. The built-in 800W Sledge DSP amplifier keeps performance tight, so this sidekick can combine control and finesse with brute force when needed. It is sold at an affordable price, making it a real winner in its category.
Sometimes it is difficult to relate the equipment in front of you to the sound you hear. Let's take the excellent KEF KC62 subwoofer as an example - it is small, just 25 cm in diameter, and the drivers are only 16.5 cm in diameter. But the seemingly magical speaker delivers massive, fast and precisely controlled bass all the way to the subterranean depths. The KC62 is so small you can hide it almost anywhere, but its performance depends on its clever design - similar drives use Uni-Core power, each powered by a 500W amplifier and controlled by digital signal processing. Want to make it even more fun? Try using two of them!
One-part Dolby Atmos/DTS:X soundbars, one-part full-fledged HEOS multi-room speaker, the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 provides efficient sound quality for movie and music playback, and the ability to expand into a home theater multi-channel system with optional wireless surround and subwoofer loudspeaker. Remote control is simple and intuitive, but the HEOS app experience is even more seamless when you can stream music, subscribe to services, or use internet radio or your own network. You don't even have to "lift a finger" to use Amazon Alexa functions through the built-in microphones. Proximity touch controls, HDMI switching with Dolby Vision passthrough, and great design and construction complete this smart package.
The JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam packs a lot of technological talent into its compact chassis. The living room-specific one-box system does not include an additional subwoofer, instead connecting the five active drivers of the soundbar to four passive radiators for tangible, well-integrated bass. For a cinematic sound experience, Virtual Dolby Atmos DSP combined with JBL's automatic multi-beam calibration creates sound with width, height and superb effects placement. Deep dialogue comes from the dedicated center channel, and music playback (using the Chromecast's built-in Bluetooth or the Bar 5.0 Multibeam's HDMI and optical audio inputs) is perfectly balanced.
To create the Reserve Series, Polk Audio has drawn on its top-of-the-line Legend speaker technology, including eye-catching Pinnacle tweeters and Turbine Cone drivers, and introduced its first wall/cabinet-mount height modules. A special offering from the system builders, the line comes with nine options, including a slim center channel and three different timbre-matched stands for tuning and selection options. The voice features a welcome neutral tone, excellent detail reproduction and a smooth balanced bass response, enhanced by Polk's Power Port 2.0 ventilation technology, all of which only heighten the home theater fan's senses. The Reserve Series' understated design helps the speakers blend into any space, while its performance ensures you'll enjoy the sounds you're listening to.
Whether you choose SVS's ultra-expensive SB-1000 Pro in a standard ash black finish or a premium gloss white or black finish, the end result is the same – performance that surprises with speed, tact and depth, emanating from a body that stronger sounds from the subwoofer are heard from the forward-facing 12-inch disc. Inside, a DSP amplifier rated at 325 W delivers the powerful and powerful sounds that the listener expects. In an incredible update to SVS's entry-level model, the company's Bluetooth control and EQ program, which has been retained as the flagship 16 Ultra series, is ready to adjust the volume of sounds in space. Looking for a great and affordable bass speaker? Take a look here.
Other models in the SVS 3000 series use a single large subwoofer in a sealed or portable enclosure. The US woofer has introduced its smallest woofer disc (an 8-inch aluminum cone) and packed two of them into a new rugged enclosure that measures less than 30cm in all directions. The 3000 Micro is therefore designed for use in space-constrained home theaters and living spaces, while delivering the efficiency that fans of the brand expect. A built-in 800W Sledge DSP amplifier keeps proceedings tight, so this sidekick can combine control and subtlety with brute force when needed. It is sold at an affordable price, making it a real winner in its category.
Yamaha's seven-channel network AV receiver will add to your set-top box with a stunning all-new design philosophy and seven/one-output HDMI cascade for advanced game consoles and 8K video sources in the future. While implementing a number of smart features, including the ability to use MusicCast's multi-room speakers as wireless surround sound effects, Yamaha hasn't forgotten to take care of the device's performance as well. Built with advanced high-speed amplification and proprietary Cinema DSP, the RX-V6A creates spacious, detailed and immersive sound fields with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X sources, with full 'smoothing' applied to stereo and multi-channel material. It's a great, forward-thinking addition to the brand's AVR fleet.
Reavon's UBR-X200 offers a versatile approach to home theater entertainment, playing back Ultra HD Blu-ray, DVD, CD, SACD and DVD-Audio discs, as well as high-resolution music files from a USB or network device. Externally, the player has the strongest feel thanks to the build quality and style of the full-width steel body, while on the inside the eight-channel Burr-Brown DAC and MediaTek SoC (System On a Chip) offer a feature package including balanced stereo audio via XLR and Dolby Vision HDR from a 4K plate. On-screen menus allow full control of setup and customization, and the remote control makes the equipment perfect for use in the movie theater. It's a great choice for fans of physical media channels.