Products of the Year

Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx V loudspeaker ($135,000–$151,000/pair depending on finish; reviewed by Jim Austin in December 2021, Vol.44 No.12 review)

Finalists (in alphabetical order)
dCS Rossini Apex D/A processor ($32,800; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus in October 2022, Vol.45 No.10 review)
Genelec G Three loudspeaker ($1590/pair; reviewed by Herb Reichert in August 2022, Vol.45 No.8 review)
KEF Blade Two Meta loudspeaker ($28,000/pair; reviewed by Kal Rubinson in September 2022, Vol.45 No.9 review)
Mola Mola Tambaqui D/A processor ($13,400; reviewed by Herb Reichert and Ken Micallef in January & June 2022, Vol.45 Nos.1 & 6 review)

"I felt like I was floating in a sea of ambient sound," I wrote about the experience of listening to Selected Ambient Works (85–92) by Aphex Twin via the big Wilson Alexx V. "Explicit clarity. Spatial separation. Profound full-rangeness." On a piano recording by Víkingur Ólaffson, "The lower notes were satisfyingly round and full, and all the notes floated in space as if emerging from a realistically sized concert grand."

In the end, what surprised me about the Wilson Alexx V "was not how good it was but how it was good."

"The Alexx V is distinguished not by any special warmth, approachability, or friendly coloration but, rather, by its evenness and consistency of tone, its ability to excavate detail effortlessly and without emphasis, and its clarity, accuracy, and naturalness of musical expression," I concluded. "My experience as a reviewer has taught me that those are difficult things to achieve all at once.

"The Alexx V is the work of a disciplined, experienced, serious designer."

About the Vote
It's surprising how often a product wins the overall award despite not winning its category. This year, the Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx V won by six votes over the KEF Blade Two Meta, which won the Loudspeaker category. Two digital sources—the dCS Rossini Apex and the Mola Mola Tambaqui—tied for third.