What's your favourite new product of 2025?

[JDl]

We will shortly be sharing our shortlist for this year's Readers' Award as part of the 2025 What Hi-Fi? Awards. And you can vote for the winner. The shortlist will be drawn from the most popular reviews on the website this year.

So, now that we're thinking about it, what has been your favourite new product?

 

[nopiano]

Is the Marantz SA-10 SACD too pricey to be included?
You proberbly know my view on this, but if you don't.
It is THE most splendid upgrade, I have ever encountered.
Nuff said.
IAN.

The new/current model seems to be named SACD 10, which makes it easy to confuse with its very different looking predecessor, the SA-10!

 

[Revolutions]

The new/current model seems to be named SACD 10, which makes it easy to confuse with its very different looking predecessor, the SA-10!

Woah it looks more like a Pass Labs power amp than CD player, and it's £10k. How much was the SA-10 on release?

 

[nopiano]

Woah it looks more like a Pass Labs power amp than CD player, and it's £10k. How much was the SA-10 on release?

About £7k I think. The Marantz is a monster, and had a rave review and lab test in Hifi News.

Hard to say how much better it sounds than my £250 Tascam through a decent DAC though. ASR tested the Tascam and declared it the best transport they’d ever measured, which might be why Primare and ATC use it in their players at 10x the RRP.

 

[Revolutions]

About £7k I think. The Marantz is a monster, and had a rave review and lab test in Hifi News.

Hard to say how much better it sounds than my £250 Tascam through a decent DAC though. ASR tested the Tascam and declared it the best transport they’d ever measured, which might be why Primare and ATC use it in their players at 10x the RRP.

When you say Tascam, a little bit of me hopes you mean you have one of their DSD recorders 😁

 

[Jasonovich]

When you say Tascam, a little bit of me hopes you mean you have one of their DSD recorders 😁

That's a monster!

 

[RoA]

The title of this thread should include; '... which you have bought, heard or seen (in case of AV).'

 

[jjbomber]

The title of this thread should include; '... which you have bought, heard or seen (in case of AV).'

That rules out the gold fuse. damn!

 

[ianrjones]

When I purchased said SA-10, it was £4,000 (peter tyson). This is more than my old Merc. I first heard it in Dullwych, when a mate played Animals for me to comment. And before I started to annoy you here.

 

[nopiano]

When you say Tascam, a little bit of me hopes you mean you have one of their DSD recorders 😁

🤣🤣🤣

Much more mundane, I’m afraid….

Tascam CD-200 | CD Player

CD Player / CD Player with iPod dock

www.tascam.eu

TASCAM CD-200 Review (CD Player)

Hello Everyone, This is a review and detailed measurements of the TASCAM CD-200 professional CD Player and Transport. TASCAM CD-200 - Presentation This player has been a member of the TASCAM family for quite some time, and is still available from your preferred local resellers. Once upon a...

www.audiosciencereview.com

@Joe Cox apologies for the thread drift!

 

[jamesrfisher]

Not just yet but coming next month, looking forward to the Eversolo T8

 

[nopiano]

Not just yet but coming next month, looking forward to the Eversolo T8

That’s a lot of functionality for the money, and it looks pretty swish too!

The Eversolo T8 streaming transport wants to deliver “high-end audio experience for music lovers and audiophiles alike”

Focusing on what it does best: its excellent streaming platform

www.whathifi.com

 

[Gray]

Richer have the T8 as an 'in-store clearance' ???.....already?
Hardly a clearance price at £1289 though:

Eversolo T8 (Black) - In-Store Clearance

Shop for Eversolo T8 (Black) Network Music Player/Streamer Transport with Richer Sounds for expert advice and Lowest Prices Guaranteed.

www.richersounds.com

 

[Jasonovich]

That’s a lot of functionality for the money, and it looks pretty swish too!

The Eversolo T8 streaming transport wants to deliver “high-end audio experience for music lovers and audiophiles alike”

Focusing on what it does best: its excellent streaming platform

www.whathifi.com

I think there are three variations of Transport;

• The traditional CD or if you're lucky to find SACD transport.
• Digital transport and;
• Streaming transport.

If you already have a standalone DAC or one which is integrated with the amp, it makes sense not to have an overlap and potentially this could save on the costs.
Though, I suspect these transports don't come cheap.
Eversolo Streaming transport also serves as a digital transport which is brilliant.
Still it'll be nice if someone can come up with a universal transport that has all three functionality.

 

[nopiano]

I think there are three variations of Transport;

• The traditional CD or if you're lucky to find SACD transport.
• Digital transport and;
• Streaming transport.

If you already have a standalone DAC or one which is integrated with the amp, it makes sense not to have an overlap and potentially this could save on the costs.
Though, I suspect these transports don't come cheap.
Eversolo Streaming transport also serves as a digital transport which is brilliant.
Still it'll be nice if someone can come up with a universal transport that has all three functionality.

The trouble with SACD, which I do like as a classical collector, is it was never intended to offer an output, in order to prevent copying. Of course that long pre-dated streaming in any guise.

Streaming transports indeed make some sense, given as you say many amps now contain a DAC. Many of us end up with too many DACs if not careful!

Not sure about ‘digital transport’. Is that sometimes called a bridge? What does it do?

 

[Jasonovich]

Yes it is bit of a shame, SACD is a closed shop, neigh on impossible to rip it.

Digital Transport is what came out of China. It's really a mini PC comes in Android or Linux flavours. You can download the Apps and turn it into a streamer, it's a little clunky but it's there if you need it.

My DT, I have my external NVME M2 SSD drive music files connected to it. The USB allows native DSD512 output to DAC (two usb outputs one for storage and the other for the DAC). There's also the option to output from coax or toshlink.

I play my DSD and FLAC files with ease. Modern streamers like WiiM and Eversolo provide the same functionality. I don't stream that much, this is good if you just want to play internal music files, I also have connected to the NAS but almost every time I have to reset my password, I have a tendency to forget! 🙂

 

[daytona600]

Korg handytraxx Tube J

J model features JICO’s state-of-the-art Clipper cartridge, offering unparalleled playback quality. Designed for vinyl lovers and audiophiles, it features exclusive Nutube vacuum tube technology for rich, harmonic sound. With a portable design, built-in stereo speakers, and digital conversion capabilities

 

[Gray]

Korg handytraxx Tube J

J model features JICO’s state-of-the-art Clipper cartridge, offering unparalleled playback quality. Designed for vinyl lovers and audiophiles, it features exclusive Nutube vacuum tube technology for rich, harmonic sound. With a portable design, built-in stereo speakers, and digital conversion capabilities

View attachment 9907

How can a turntable with BUILT-IN speakers ever be a serious proposition?

 

[Jasonovich]

Richer have the T8 as an 'in-store clearance' ???.....already?
Hardly a clearance price at £1289 though:

Eversolo T8 (Black) - In-Store Clearance

Shop for Eversolo T8 (Black) Network Music Player/Streamer Transport with Richer Sounds for expert advice and Lowest Prices Guaranteed.

www.richersounds.com

The reviews are trickling in. I like the big wide screen.

View: https://youtu.be/3hdmRQcrzio?si=fSJQOmMJy2bS1rlE

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/6QcwLkZNhlI?si=7zSkggvjV9ARldtr