Products of the Year

Overall Component of 2014

Vivid Audio Giya G3 loudspeaker

Some years, we see a number of products that take first place in more than one category. This year, there's only one, and it's also our joint Loudspeaker of the Year: the Vivid Audio Giya G3. The G3 did more than merely earn JA's respect: it gave him immense enjoyment, and effectively doubled the field of contenders for the coveted title of John Atkinson's Retirement Loudspeaker (the other being the jointly anointed Wilson Alexia).

Notes on the vote: The results of this contest are especially interesting: It was won, handily, by one of this year's Joint Loudspeaker of the Year winners—yet the other Joint Loudspeaker of the Year, the Wilson Alexia, dropped to sixth place in the Overall Component list. At the same time, the popular DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93, our second-place choice for Loudspeaker of the Year, maintained the same strong showing in this category—not bad for a Brooklyn-built product that sells for four figures.

Finalists: (in alphabetical order)

Audeze LCD-X headphones
Auralic Vega D/A processor
Dan D'Agostino Momentum preamplifier
dCS Vivaldi digital playback system
DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93 loudspeaker
MSB Technology Analog DAC
Pass Labs XA60.5 monoblock power amplifier
Sony HAP-1ZES media player
VPI Industries Classic Direct turntable with JMW 3D 12" tonearm Wilson Audio Specialties Alexia loudspeaker