SECRETS is pleased to announce our Best Of Awards for 2021.

Friends, while the COVID pandemic has put a damper on audio/video shows this past year it has not slowed down our review schedule at all. If anything, we’ve been busier than ever, and once again SECRETS has had an opportunity to review many more great audio and video products. The Editorial Team spent several weeks deliberating and considering which products, that came through our collective doors during these past 12 months, can truly be considered outstanding. It is to these standout products that we give the SECRETS Best of Awards.

The awards and the categories are based on reviews that have been conducted on actual products that we have received for evaluation. While we can’t review every conceivable “great piece of gear” from year to year, we believe the products we have reviewed represent a good and relevant cross-section of what is interesting out there in the audio/video universe. Our reviewers are pretty candid about their findings of products: if they really like something, that opinion is reflected in the product highlights and review conclusion. We will not make recommendations or award pronouncements out of thin air.

In 2016 we added our SECRETS “Thumbs-Up Award” in addition to the Best Of Award recipients. The “Thumbs-Up” award recognizes outstanding products in categories that may not have had more than one product in for review this year. Other times we have certain products that, while not Best Of winners, have qualities and features that are so compelling that they demand recognition. So, the SECRETS Thumbs-up Award winners are guaranteed to be unique and recommended as well!

And speaking of unique and exceptional products, Our Editor-In-Chief John E, Johnson Jr. has been bitten hard by the Reel-To-Reel tape bug and this year marks the first “Best RTR Tape Recording” award that we have ever given out. John has also seen fit to award a coveted “Bad Ass Award” for 2021. “Bad Ass Awards” are exceedingly rare and the boss only hands them out when a product comes along that completely blows his socks off. John is generally a picky bugger and he claims that both of his socks were indeed blown off this year by one especially cool product.

As vinyl purchasing and playback continue to see growth this year our vinyl review guru, Jason Crawford has selected a couple of what he considers outstanding examples of the medium. The practice of enjoying music committed to the grooves of 12-inch petroleum-based platters seems to be alive and well and Jason has awarded “Best Vinyl Reissue” and “Best Vinyl New Release” awards accordingly.

Now, without further ado, we present the Secrets Best Of 2021 Awards!

Product of the Year

At SECRETS, a “Product of the Year” is a product that not only sets the bar for its category but is also a product that we believe will inspire real innovation and progress from its competitors. We consider new technologies, performance, design, and value; and when a component excels at all four of these disciplines, we afford it this prestigious recognition.

Perlisten Audio 5.2 Channel Home Theater System

Product of the Year

Perlisten Audio 5.2 Channel Home Theater System

The technology incorporated into these speakers and subwoofers, while not completely new, is uniquely applied and leads to quantifiably positive results both by ear and by measurement. There is no question that a pair of Perlisten S7t towers could satisfy the most discerning 2-channel listener if given the chance. When used as part of the entire home theater package, as tested here, the results are electrifying, immersive, and completely convincing for both movies and music. I have not experienced better, yet, in my home. Pure unadulterated audio-Everclear.

Carlo Lo Raso, Co-Editor


Bad-Ass Award

SVS PB16-Ultra Subwoofer

SVS PB16-Ultra Subwoofer

Subwoofers have always been a favorite component for me, as the sounds can be felt as well as heard. They add substantial impact to movies and the lowest octave frequencies to music. Full-range speakers simply cannot reproduce them. The SVS PB16-Ultra subwoofer can.The PB16-Ultra subwoofer is king at SVS. It is their latest iteration of no-compromise build and performance.

John E. Johnson Jr., Editor-In-Chief


Best of Awards

Clarus Crimson MK II Cables

Best Audio Wiring

Clarus Crimson MK II Cables

My system now (with the Clarus cables) has morphed into something completely different. I can’t even find the words to describe what I am hearing. It is so pure, engaging, and locked-in that I feel like I am mainlining the music.

Jim Clements, Co-Editor


 

PSB Synchrony B600 Bookshelf Speaker

Best Bookshelf Loudspeakers

PSB Synchrony B600 Bookshelf Speaker

The all-new PSB Synchrony B600 Bookshelf Speaker delivers premium sound from a small cabinet using all new components. They play far beyond their physical presence and will transform your room into a different space. Highly Recommended.

Chris Eberle, Co-Editor


 

Revel PerformaBe F328Be Floor Standing Loudspeaker

Best Hi-End Floor Standing Loudspeakers

Revel PerformaBe F328Be Floor Standing Loudspeaker

The PerformaBe F328Be speakers take what makes the F228Be so good and dial it up several levels. If you have the physical space to let them breathe, you will be duly rewarded with equal parts refinement, detail, and sheer drive power. At $16,000.00 for a pair, the F328Be have ostensibly taken the place once occupied by the now discontinued Revel Ultima Studio 2.

Carlo Lo Raso, Co-Editor


 

Sonus faber Lumina V Loudspeaker

Best Mid-Priced Floor-Standing Loudspeakers

Sonus faber Lumina V Loudspeaker

The Lumina V Loudspeaker brings a big chunk of the design and performance of Sonus faber’s more costly speakers to a much wider audience. Elegant looks with very good overall performance makes the Lumina V the best performance-for-dollar speaker I’ve yet heard from Sonus faber and they are built in Italy for this price!

Tyler Stripko, Editorial Team


 

Questyle M12 Dac/Amp Dongle

Best Headphone Accessory

Questyle M12 Dac/Amp Dongle

I think the Questyle M12 Headphone Amp and DAC is a great, no-compromise solution for mobile music. At $139.99 this small little device packs quite a wallop. It adapted to any headphones I plugged in, automatically giving a good impedance/volume match.

Mel Martin, Editorial Team


 

Topping DX7PRO Headphone Amplifier/DAC

Best Headphone Amplifier

Topping DX7PRO Headphone Amplifier/DAC

The Topping DX7PRO, from both an objective and subjective view, is an outstanding DAC/headphone amplifier combination. It allowed me to fully enjoy and judge the quality of any headphone I plugged into it on their own merits. For its price, the DX7PRO provides an excellent value-to-performance ratio.

Carlo Lo Raso, Co-Editor


 

Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire Headphones

Best Mid-Level Headphones

Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire Headphones

The DAN CLARK AUDIO AEON 2 NOIRE are some of the best headphones I have heard under $2000.00. If they are within your budget, I think they are a must-listen-to choice.

Carlo Lo Raso, Co-Editor


 

HiFiMAN HE400se Headphones

Best Entry-Level Headphones

HiFiMAN HE400se Headphones

They are probably the best bang-for-the-buck headphones out there – at least that I am currently aware of. Open-backed headphones that have a great low-end response, balanced with an appealing sounding midrange and sparkling highs. I mean what’s not to like here for the (these days) paltry sum of $149.00?

Carlo Lo Raso, Co-Editor


 

Stax SR-009S Signature Electrostatic Earspeakers

Best High-End Headphones

Stax SR-009S Signature Electrostatic Earspeakers

The STAX SR-009S Signature are the best I’ve heard in years of reviewing headphones and listening to them at home and at various audio shows. These headphones are a collection of small, subtle improvements that individually make an incremental contribution to the sound, but taken together, they make a substantial leap.

Mel Martin, Editorial Team


 

MICHI X5 Integrated Amplifier

Best High-End Integrated Amplifier

MICHI X5 Integrated Amplifier

The Rotel MICHI X5 Integrated amplifier both looks and sounds suitably superb. It is full-featured and has the power to drive any known speakers.

John E. Johnson, Jr., Editor in Chief


 

NAD Masters M33 BluOS® Streaming DAC Amplifier

Best Streaming Integrated Amp

NAD Masters M33 BluOS® Streaming DAC Amplifier

As an all-in-one solution, the NAD Masters M33 BluOS® Streaming DAC Amplifier has few (if any) equal. Robust steaming resources, a quality digital section, MM and MC phono inputs, DIRAC Live (processing at 192 kHz), Purifi amplification, and a beautiful chassis. This could easily be an end-game component that will provide years of musical enjoyment, flexibility, and aesthetic satisfaction.

Carlo Lo Raso, Co-Editor


 

HiFi Rose RS150 Network Streamer

Best Media Streamer

HiFi Rose RS150 Network Streamer

At $4000, the HiFi Rose RS150 Network Streamer is a truly versatile and unique component. Not only can it stream audio from every imaginable network source, but it also has a fully capable preamp section, a premium DAC, and the ability to stream video. There really isn’t another product like it.

Chris Eberle, Co-Editor


 

NAD Masters M28 Seven Channel Power Amplifier

Best Multichannel Power Amplifier

NAD Masters M28 Seven Channel Power Amplifier

The NAD Masters M28 Seven Channel Amplifier is a cut above the rest. I am a fan of forward presentation and powerful Class AB amps usually provide that. Class D units aren’t as much in my face, but they are always clean and accurate. The M28 is a Class D product that takes unfailing accuracy and neutrality and combines it with character.

Chris Eberle, Co-Editor


 

Benchmark Media HPA4 Preamplifier

Best High-End Stereo Preamplifier

Benchmark Media HPA4 Preamplifier

The Benchmark Media Systems HPA4 preamplifier is an exceptionally transparent and well-designed audio device. I found it to be an extremely neutral reference point that allowed me to hear more of what a connected speaker or headphone was actually doing and, in turn, how much my existing electronics were adding to the sound that I was hearing in my reviews.

Carlo Lo Raso, Co-Editor


 

Anthem AVM 70 Preamplifier-Processor

Best AV Processor

Anthem AVM 70 Preamplifier-Processor

The competition in the A/V processor space is surprisingly strong these days, but one thing that continues to set Anthem apart is its ability to apply Anthem Room Correction without downsampling your high-resolution content.

The Anthem AVM 70 is worthy of serious consideration for your next preamplifier-processor.

Robert Kozel, Co-Editor


 

BenQ V7050i UST Laser 4K Projector Review

Best Projector Over $3000

BenQ V7050i UST Laser 4K Projector Review

The BenQ’s V7050i ultra-short throw projector can be a true television replacement with a bright and colorful image as large as 123 inches diagonal. With Ultra HD resolution, HDR, and 3D support, it brings life to all the latest content from Blu-ray and streaming and is highly recommended.

Chris Eberle, Co-Editor


 

SVS SB-3000 Subwoofer

Best Subwoofer

SVS SB-3000 Subwoofer

The SVS SB-3000 is a great subwoofer, period. Its prodigious yet articulate bass performance make this subwoofer a strong all-around performer that is adept to complement the bass response of a stereo music system or to handle the bass effects of a home-theater system.

Yongki Go, PhD., Editorial Team


 

Classé Delta PRE Stereo Preamplifier

Best Digital Stereo Preamplifier

Classé Delta PRE Stereo Preamp

The Classé Delta PRE Stereo Preamplifier is superb. It is one of the best preamps I have ever tested. I found it to perform in an exemplary manner, with it having some of the lowest distortion and noise I have ever seen. This results in a very clean, detailed sound.

John E. Johnson, Jr., Editor-In-Chief


 

Bryston BP2-20 MM/MC Phono Preamplifier

Best Phono Preamplifier

Bryston BP2-20 MM/MC Phono Preamplifier

If you are an inveterate tweaker then the BP2-20 may not satisfy your urges to dial in just the right sound. If you simply want to enjoy some of the best sound possible from your vinyl, without expending a ton of effort (or grief), the Bryston BP2-20 MM/MC is right up your alley. It could quite easily be the first and last phono stage you’ll ever need.

Carlo Lo Raso, Co-Editor


Thumbs Up Awards

Rotel RC-1590 MkII Stereo Preamplifier

Stereo Preamplifier

Rotel RC-1590 MkII Stereo Preamplifier

The MkII is well designed and sounds fantastic. I am a big proponent of surround music, but the Rotel RC-1590 MkII and RB-1590 combo could easily seduce me back to the world of two-channel music again.

Jim Milton, Senior Editor


 

Alta Audio Alyssa Compact Speaker

Bookshelf Loudspeakers

Alta Audio Alyssa Compact Speaker

The Alyssa compact speakers play surprisingly low and render extremely fine detail with grace and precision. They look great too with a unique cabinet shape and high-end finish. At $5,000 a pair, they are an investment but once you hear them; you will consider them a solid value just as I did.

Chris Eberle, Co-Editor


 

VIZIO M55Q6 Ultra HD TV

HDTV

VIZIO M55Q6 Ultra HD TV

At this $580 price point, VIZIO wins the image fidelity contest and has everything needed for a satisfying experience, whether movies, TV shows, games, or a little bit of everything.

Chris Eberle, Co-Editor


 

Naim Uniti Atom

Streaming Integrated Amp

Naim Uniti Atom

The Naim Uniti Atom has first-class build quality, reliable software and it sounds as good as anything I’ve tested. With the right speakers and room size, it sounds simply great. You would be hard-pressed to find a preamp, amp, DAC, streaming system that sounds as good for less.

Mel Martin, Editorial Team


 

Legacy Audio i-V7 Multichannel Amplifier

Multichannel Power Amplifier

Legacy Audio i-V7 Multichannel Amplifier

If you need a powerful multichannel amplifier for your home theater or dual-purpose system and have quality speakers and source gear, the Legacy i∙V7 or any of the other Legacy i∙V models would be a fine choice. I am seriously contemplating picking up one of these for my own system.

Tyler Stripko, Editorial Team


 

McIntosh C2700 2-Channel Vacuum Tube Preamplifier

Tube Amplifiers

McIntosh C2700 2-Channel Vacuum Tube Preamplifier

The McIntosh C2700 Preamp is a true titan that sound good with all levels of components. It’s a big, expensive, and beautiful slice of high-end audio. If you’re ever afforded the opportunity, you should give it a listen.

Taps Das, Editorial Team


 

Trinnov Altitude16 Processor

Surround Sound Processor

Trinnov Altitude16 Processor

The Trinnov Audio Altitude16 is a unique reference processor in terms of both its design and the configuration options that it offers. Thanks to the Trinnov Room Optimizer and its unique 3D remapping functionality, it delivers a superb listening experience for music, movies, and multi-channel content. It was a pleasure to have the Altitude16 in my home, and if you have the opportunity, give it a listen.

Robert Kozel, Co-Editor


 

BenQ GS50 Portable Outdoor Projector

Projectors

BenQ GS50 Portable Outdoor Projector

The BenQ GS50 Portable Outdoor Projector raises the standard for compact displays. With a solid image, HDR support and a long-life LED light source, it will deliver quality entertainment for years to come. For $799, it goes way beyond the capabilities of other portables.

Chris Eberle, Co-Editor


 

Rotel RAP-1580MKII Surround Amplified Processor

AVR

Rotel RAP-1580MKII Surround Amplified Processor

The Rotel RAP-1580MKII is a well-designed surround amplified processor that delivers solid performance in surround and stereo music reproductions. It is truly a single piece of audio equipment that can serve your home-theater needs well and still competent enough to satisfy serious stereo music aficionados.

Yongki Go, PhD., Editorial Team


 

Valencia Theater Seating – Premier Series Tuscany

AV Furniture

Valencia Theater Seating – Premier Series Tuscany

If you are looking to outfit your home theater or just your living room with stylish, comfortable, and feature-rich seating, Valencia Theater Seating is highly recommended. The seats are extremely comfortable and supportive, the reclining mechanism operates smoothly and quietly, and the variable lumbar and neck support are features I wouldn’t give up.

Robert Kozel, Co-Editor


 

Parks Audio Puffin Phono DSP Preamplifier

Phono Preamplifier

Parks Audio Puffin Phono DSP Preamplifier

At its base price of $489, the PARKS AUDIO PUFFIN offers a set of features impossible to find in this price range. It is essentially an upgradeable computer you can use to play and grade your records and fine-tune your cartridges. It did a good job of extracting detail and energy out of vinyl records and added a fun new dimension to vinyl playback I never knew I needed. Highly recommended.

Gene Hopstetter, Editorial Team


 

Pro-Ject Juke Box S2

Value Turntable

Pro-Ject Juke Box S2

The Pro-Ject Juke Box S2 is the basis of a system that gives the listener a gateway to high performance sound including a very good phono stage, Bluetooth connectivity, and the superb vinyl playback of the turntable and cartridge. A spectacular bargain!

Francisco Licon, Editorial Team


 

Sutherland Engineering little LOCO Phono Preamplifier

Video Accesory

Scenic Labs LX1 Bias Lighting Kit

Scenic Labs takes bias lighting from exotic to accessible with its LX1 Bias Lighting Kit. For less than fifty bucks it improves the viewing experience with enhanced image quality and lower eye fatigue. As far as tweaks go, it doesn’t get better than this.

Chris Eberle, Co-Editor


 

Bluesound Powernode 2i and Pulse Flex 2i

Wireless Speakers

Bluesound Powernode 2i and Pulse Flex 2i

Bluesound’s Powernode 2i Wireless Streaming Amplifier and Pulse Flex 2i Wireless Streaming Speaker deliver high-quality audio, premium convenience, and great value. If you’re looking for an easy way to add wireless sound to your home theater, media room, or any room, definitely check them out.

Chris Eberle, Co-Editor


Vinyl Awards

Wildflowers and All the Rest

Best Vinyl Reissue

Wildflowers and All the Rest – Tom Petty – Warner Bros.

Wildflowers and All the Rest feels like having a Ph.D. in Tom Petty. And it feels like Tom Petty has broken the fourth wall and is singing directly to you. The sonics are that clear. You might be able to skate by with the 5LP set because the alternate takes are the least essential aspect of the larger release. But go no lower. The 3LP set would leave you wanting. If you have the budget for it, the 9LP set is an immersive experience that will reward a lifetime of focused listening. And it makes me miss Tom Petty. I wonder if he’d have ever topped this…

Jason Crawford


 

Black Market Tango

Best Vinyl New Release

Black Market Tango – Bloodkin – Cosmo Sex School Records

Recorded by David Barbe, obviously, at Chase Park in Athens to two-inch reel-to-reel. Pressed flawlessly at Kindercore, one of my new favorites, also in Athens. Mastered by Joe Lambert in Jersey City, not Athens. The lack of a noise floor reveals the instrumentation in living detail with lots of space to play in and transparency that’s rare for today’s Rock ’n Roll. And that’s what this is. These guys always bring the Rock and never skimp on the Roll. If you don’t know, you should. Now’s your time.

Jason Crawford


Blogs & Little Things

PreSonus Eris E4.5 Powered Desktop Speakers

Little Things

PreSonus Eris E4.5 Powered Desktop Speakers

I don’t feel my search for the perfect desktop speaker is over, but the PreSonus Eris E4.5 make a compelling argument. They have a great design and offer just the right amount of adjustments and options to sound spot on.

Indiana Lang, Editorial Team


 

Topping D10s USB DAC and USB to SPDIF Converter

Little Things

Topping D10s USB DAC and USB to SPDIF Converter

The Topping D10s is an improvement over the original D10 in every way. When using it to integrate a computer into your stereo system, you’ll end up with a digital front end that sounds way more expensive than it has any right to.

Carlo Lo Raso, Co-Editor


RTR Tape Award

PreSonus Eris E4.5 Powered Desktop Speakers

Best RTR Tape Recording

The Paul Bedal Guitar Quartet, Aug 2021, International Phonograph Inc.

This is a classic jazz quartet with guitar, piano, bass, and drums. More often, a tenor sax would be the lead instrument. Here it is piano and guitar. Actually, the piano is mainly the lead, while the guitar jumps in now and then. The music is straight-ahead jazz, and it is wonderful. Tape yields a silky smooth sound that is its hallmark. Clarity, detail, background ambience, and silk. All there in a glorious set of tracks.

John E. Johnson Jr., Editor-In-Chief