2023 Awards from around the world

In 2023 we had Jason Kennedy of Hifi+ magazine look carefully at both the Thrax single box audiophile systems, the solid state Ares and vacuum tube Enyo, both with integral phono and Dac/Streamer. Both amplifiers received an exceptional report and like the Contros they have both been big sellers this year, representing the heart of many complete systems we have assembled for new customers. Whilst we feel the Ares is arguably the best choice the lower the noise and the more high end the system becomes, the Enyo is perhaps better suited for a more modest setup with just a sprinkling of special tube-like magic to invigorate proceedings. Jason certainly marginally favoured the Enyo and this is reflected in the Award for best tubed Integrated Amplifier for 2023.

Award PDF can be viewed here.

More Tidal, this time Tidal for Bugatti and the hotly anticipated Bugatti MP-1. This is the no holds barred flagship linestage and phono preamp, the best they have ever created and by some distance too. As remarkeable as the Tidal Prisma preamp is, the MC-1 takes performance to a whole new realm and it means that Tidal for Bugatti owners can now add this second unit to run Vinyl and other additional analogue sources.

Matej from Mono and Stereo is of course a Tidal end user and a huge fan (praise in itself simply because he gets to hear everything that this industry has to offer) and I know that he has been salivating over the MP-1 for some time running in his setup.

For the best Lotus systems, Tara Labs Muse has become somewhat of a go-to option over the last 4 years. Undeniably expensive but not ridiculous money and genuinely good value when understood and contrasted againt other cables in the marketplace. Monoandstereo have given it their highest award (down from the Uber award), the Editor’s Choice. Muse, like all Tara products whether they be signal, power or digital cables, excels in extreme transparency in a product form that is so totally inaudible to the listener. Tara does not act upon the sound, it does precious little apart from rendering itself utterly linear, balanced and invisible.

Matej’s exhaustive report is well worth the read. It describes things in ways that often elude reveiwers. The full review can be found here.

“No matter the genre, Muse cables draw one into endless enchanting soundscapes, but be prepared to step a step (or two) deeper into what seems to be familiar music realms.” Matej Isak, MonoandStereo

Another lofty gong, this time the 2023 product of the year from Parttimeaudiophile. There can only be one winner and unsurprisingly, as many of the reports from the Munich High End show this year may have hinted, it goes to the Tidal for Bugatti Royale system. A high price tag no doubt but when one takes in the build, the craftsmanship and the technology – one box and one XLR cable on a basic MDF display box – and then experiences a sound that can challenge or exceed the best systems of all known topologies (active, passive, horn, panel, solid state, valve etc.), many of which come at a far higher price and comprise a much larger box count, then the TFB setup starts to look positively good value. Stay tuned because our Lotus demo Royale system will be with us soon in 2024, it is sure to be an unforgettable expeience for anyone who visits to experience it.

“After my private audition with the TIDAL for Bugatti Royale system at Munich earlier this year, I called up Scot Hull and told him, “If I don’t pick these for 2023 Product of the Year, it’ll be BS. No single audio system has taken me further into the music than the Royale.” Marc Phillips, Parttimeaudiophile

Another TAS product of the year award and this time for ultra high end loudspeakers, given to the stunning Rockport Orion. The Orion sit above the Cygnus in the range with a greater internal volume but through their ingenious three component carbon fibre construction, are actually a smaller speaker phsyically so perfect for UK living spaces. They have been part of the Lotus mega system assembled here for the Christmas period and have wowed everyone who made the visit to listen.

“The Rockport Orion is among the five best loudspeakers I’ve had in my home for review—a very short list that also includes Rockport’s Lyra. The Orion is a speaker that I admired for its technical achievement, but more importantly, one that I loved for the unfailingly powerful musical connection it delivered.” Robert Harley, TAS