Budget Component of the Year
NAD D 3020 integrated amplifier ($499; reviewed by Stephen Mejias, November & December 2013, Vol.36 Nos.11 & 12 Review)
Here's the least surprising surprise of this year's balloting: NAD's D 3020 integrated amplifier coasted to an easy win for Budget Component of 2014. Hell, even I saw that coming.
The D 3020, designed to commemorate NAD's 40th anniversary, was named in honor of the company's classic 3020 integrated amp of the 1970s and onward. Both products were designed by the estimable Bjørn Erik Edvardsen, but this time he managed to squeeze in a D/A converter with a USB input, a Bluetooth receiver, and a little more output power (65Wpc, in contrast with the original amp's 20Wpc). Placed at the heart of Stephen Mejias's system, the D 3020 provided "the most fun I've had with my hi-fi." SM went on to wonder, "Will [the D 3020] be the component that introduces a new generation of music lovers to true high-fidelity sound? I don't know, but it has every right to be."
Notes on the vote: As Stephen Mejias said in this space one year ago, 2013's POTY polling saw an unusually healthy number of high-value products: Fully seven products on last year's Budget Component of the Year list were also named among 2013's best in their respective product categories. For 2014 that trended down a bit, but the proportion remains healthy, with six Budget Component of the Year products placing in other lists: the Dynaudio Excite X14, GoldenEar Aon 2, and Sonus Faber Venere 1.5 loudspeakers; Sennheiser's Momentum headphones; the Ortofon 2M Red phono cartridge; and the Rogue Audio Sphinx integrated amp. It's worth noting that one finalist in the Amplification Component of the Year category, the Naim NAIT 5si ($1895), wasn't far from also qualifying as a Budget Component of the Year.
Finalists: (in alphabetical order)
Arcam FMJ A19 integrated amplifier ($999; reviewed by Stephen Mejias, January 2014, Vol.37 No.1 Review)
Bluesound Vault, Powernode, Node, Pulse, and Duo ($449–$999; reviewed by Michael Lavorgna, July 2014, Vol.37 No.7 Review)
Dynaudio Excite X14 loudspeaker ($1500/pair; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, October 2014, Vol.37 No.10 Review)
Epos Elan 10 loudspeaker ($1000/pair; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, February 2014, Vol.37 No.2 Review)
GoldenEar Technology Aon 2 loudspeaker ($799.98/pair; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, November 2013, Vol.36 No.11 Review)
Musical Fidelity V90-DAC D/A processor ($299; reviewed by Sam Tellig & John Atkinson, April & August 2014, Vol.37 Nos. 4 & 8 Review)
Ortofon 2M Red phono cartridge ($99; reviewed by Stephen Mejias, May 2014, Vol.37 No.5 Review)
Rogue Audio Sphinx integrated amplifier ($1295; reviewed by Herb Reichert, August 2014, Vol.37 No.8 Review)
Sennheiser Momentum over-ear headphones ($349.95; reviewed by Stephen Mejias, December 2013, Vol.36 No.12 Review)
Sonus Faber Venere 1.5 loudspeaker ($1198/pair; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, January 2014, Vol.37 No.1 Review)
Notes on the vote: As Stephen Mejias said in this space one year ago, 2013's POTY polling saw an unusually healthy number of high-value products: Fully seven products on last year's Budget Component of the Year list were also named among 2013's best in their respective product categories. For 2014 that trended down a bit, but the proportion remains healthy, with six Budget Component of the Year products placing in other lists: the Dynaudio Excite X14, GoldenEar Aon 2, and Sonus Faber Venere 1.5 loudspeakers; Sennheiser's Momentum headphones; the Ortofon 2M Red phono cartridge; and the Rogue Audio Sphinx integrated amp. It's worth noting that one finalist in the Amplification Component of the Year category, the Naim NAIT 5si ($1895), wasn't far from also qualifying as a Budget Component of the Year.
Bluesound Vault, Powernode, Node, Pulse, and Duo ($449–$999; reviewed by Michael Lavorgna, July 2014, Vol.37 No.7 Review)
Dynaudio Excite X14 loudspeaker ($1500/pair; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, October 2014, Vol.37 No.10 Review)
Epos Elan 10 loudspeaker ($1000/pair; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, February 2014, Vol.37 No.2 Review)
GoldenEar Technology Aon 2 loudspeaker ($799.98/pair; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, November 2013, Vol.36 No.11 Review)
Musical Fidelity V90-DAC D/A processor ($299; reviewed by Sam Tellig & John Atkinson, April & August 2014, Vol.37 Nos. 4 & 8 Review)
Ortofon 2M Red phono cartridge ($99; reviewed by Stephen Mejias, May 2014, Vol.37 No.5 Review)
Rogue Audio Sphinx integrated amplifier ($1295; reviewed by Herb Reichert, August 2014, Vol.37 No.8 Review)
Sennheiser Momentum over-ear headphones ($349.95; reviewed by Stephen Mejias, December 2013, Vol.36 No.12 Review)
Sonus Faber Venere 1.5 loudspeaker ($1198/pair; reviewed by Robert J. Reina, January 2014, Vol.37 No.1 Review)
