Issue 182    April 2020

Our First Ever Editor's Choice Awards
Editorial By Alan Sircom

  It seems like only a year ago that we were celebrating Hi-Fi+'s 20th Anniversary, and now... we're celebrating our 21st year. Who would have guessed it? Normally, we take these times to reflect on what has happened and what will happen over the next 12 months, but the COVID-19-shaped elephant in the room can't be avoided. With AXPONA, CanJam Singapore, the Montreal Audio Show and even Munich High-End either cancelled or postponed, the impact of the pandemic has rocked our little world.

However, a direct reaction to that pandemic is our coverage of audio shows is going to get a little bit lighter over the first half of the year. To this end, we've decided to cover those we did attend (before the world went into lockdown) with sharper focus. So this month we look at the Florida show in greater detail than usual, and next month we will give The Bristol Show more pages, too. Think of it as a bit of rationing, but without the powdered egg and potato peelings.

This issue, however, marks our first ever Editor's Choice awards. We learned something from the reaction to our 100 Best in the 20th Anniversary issue; there are a lot of fine products that do not get the coverage they deserve because they weren't launched in the last six months. One of the joys of good audio is its maturity; a good product need not change with the seasons, and there are many fine products that were released in the 2000s (or even before) that are still entirely relevant today. Granted there are also new products with equal relevance, but we in the media are often guilty of ignoring these excellent evergreen products simply because they weren't launched last month.

So... we hear ya! This month's Editor's Choice awards are a reflection of those damn good products in audio, whether they have been on sale for a week or in the stores for a decade. Our annual awards that run at the end of every year will still reflect the best products we have seen in the last 12 months, but our Editor's Choice recognizes those that have stood the test of time. We think these are products worth applauding, so we've devoted the whole issue to them. What's more, in a consumer technology world that moves to the pace laid down by smartphones, that more measured, mature approach deserves praise.

Errata: In our review of the excellent Karan Acoustics LINEa preamplifier in issue 181, we inadvertently used the incorrect value for the preamplifier's gain in its technical specifications. The correct value should be 6dB with a 9dB option through internal adjustment. Our apologies for any confusion caused.

Alan Sircom, Editor Hi-Fi+