Hundreds of products pass through What Hi-Fi?'s test rooms over the course of a year and, as the brand's technical editor, it is my great fortune that I get to see and hear just about every one of them. A small minority are truly bad, but most products fall into the 'decent to good' category. A number of them are great, and some even end up being featured in our annual Awards.
Beyond that, some products stand out to me as offering something even more special. These aren't necessarily brilliant all-rounders, so may miss out on a What Hi-Fi? Award, but they unquestionably have the kind of talent that makes them linger in the memory long after we have returned them to the manufacturer. Here are my personal hi-fi highlights of 2024...
Naim NSS 333 streamer
Naim Audio doesn't launch new ranges often, but this year we were treated to a whole raft of new products. My experience with the 200 Series components (the NSC 222 streamer/preamp and NAP 250 power amplifier) was entirely positive, though it was the time I spent with the 300 Series NSS 333 music streamer that made the most impact on me.
It ticks all the boxes as far as high-end music streamers are concerned. Build quality is great and it's easy to use courtesy of an app that is well-proven and relatively slick. As for features, all of the main streaming services and protocols are onboard and there is a good range of digital inputs to take advantage of the talented internal DAC circuitry.
Most established high-end rivals could boast pretty much the same in all these respects, but where the NSS 333 pulls ahead is in its ability to bring music to life. When it comes to outright detail resolution or tonal neutrality, some rivals may even edge it, but none I have heard can deliver a recording with such a spellbinding combination of organisation, dynamic expression and rhythmic drive. Quite simply, the Naim NSS 333 gets closer to the core of the music than any competitor I've come across.
Rotel A8 amplifier
The Rotel A8 marks something of a return to form for the brand. It is a frill-free budget design that simply concentrates on getting the essentials right. In my book, that starts with solid build quality and a sensible feature set, and ends with great sound.
While many rivals have added digital connectivity to their budget amplifiers, Rotel has stuck solely with analogue and used any build budget saved to optimise sound quality. This approach has paid off spectacularly with the A8.
In our comparisons, it delivers a more surefooted performance than Marantz's excellent PM6007 and retains much of the sparkle of the lovely Rega io while edging ahead of both established competitors in clarity. If you are looking for the ultimate budget stereo amplifier, this unpretentious design should top your shortlist.
Epos ES-7N speakers
Odd as it might sound, most small stereo speakers aren't optimised to sound best where most owners would want to put them. Sure, they will tolerate being put up against a wall or on a bookshelf, but few I've heard shine in such places, preferring a free-space position instead. The Epos ES-7N, however, are different.
A two-way toggle switch on their back panel changes their balance to suit either a close-to-wall/bookshelf placement or one out into the room by around 50cm. Epos put great effort into ensuring that the ES-7N work well in both situations and has succeeded in this task superbly.
Add such versatility to class-leading sound and you have one of the most appealing speakers I've heard in years. These Epos are small, so don't expect seismic bass or volume levels high enough to make your ears bleed, but get past that and they demonstrate a wonderfully satisfying blend of insight, dynamics and rhythmic drive.
Vertere Dark Sabre moving magnet cartridge
Vertere's Dark Sabre sits in an uncomfortable price territory as far as moving-magnet cartridges are concerned. At £1450/$1599, it comes up against some terrific moving-coil options – and as any vinyl fan knows, moving coils always sound better, right?
Well, no, not in my experience. While MC cartridges can have an edge when it comes to outright detail resolution and precision, I'm often drawn to the more muscular and punchy delivery that MM designs tend to offer. It comes down to system and tastes, but don't write off something like the Dark Sabre just because of the arrangement of its motor system.
On the practical side, consider that the higher output of a moving-magnet cartridge like the Vertere puts considerably less of a spotlight on your phono stage, which could lead to a considerable cost saving on the route to record-playing nirvana.
Give it a fair listen and you will find a superb performer – one that's easily as sonically talented as the very best of the similarly priced moving-coil opposition. The Dark Sabre presentation partners all the expected robustness with a level of clarity and finesse straight from the top drawer.
Rega Planar 3/Nd3 record player
Rega's Planar 3 has been around in one form or another since the late 70s. It has been our go-to mid-price deck over the decades, which is a testament not only to the original design but also to the careful way it has been developed over the past fifty or so years.
The last major changes to the Planar 3 deck happened back in 2016, so why is it on my list for 2024? Fair question. Rega has revised its moving-magnet cartridge range this year and the Planar 3 now comes with the new Nd3 cartridge. It is the deck/cartridge package that gets the recognition here.
The Planar 3 remains a terrific proposition. It is well built, cleverly engineered and continues to offer class-leading sound. Sure, it would be nice if the speed change wasn't manual (though an optional power supply can fix that), but in most respects there is much to love here. Replacing the Elys 2 MM cartridge with the new Nd3 has resulted in a notable improvement in sound quality. It is now clearer, more precise and expressive while losing none of the drive or punch that made the older package so good.
If you are looking for the finest sensibly priced record player on the market, I haven't come across anything as convincing as the Planar 3/Nd3 combination.
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