My Favourite HiFi Products Reviewed in 2023 (and why)

Ғылым және технология

#audiophile #streaming #audio
A video of my favourite products reviewed in 2023. Not in any order of best - but just the ones I really liked and why.
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WHY SIGN UP TO PATREON?
No reviewer can always benchmark best products or their favourites on KZread. I feature broadly competitive products on KZread but 'best' does exist in the confines of preference, objective comparison and consensus opinion on one level , and 'absolute best' that most will go along with, on another. It means you don't fall down rabbit holes of buying products that, relatively speaking, don't perform as well. I don't give awards which can be misleading by overlap with newer awards, and not being capable of responding to change as the product goalposts change or pricing in different countries. Also the model of monetising awards isn't one I want to follow so I can be independent and not influenced to say a product is say 'outstanding' because I know a brand would pay for the privilege of such an award, which is how many reviewers monetise. Ideally I want to be sponsored mainly by and consider my Patreon audience as my customers and if I can get to 300 Patreon subscribers, I can sustain 13th Note... but at the same time be a force for trust, honesty and credibility in this industry (which is one of my original aims). Please help to support me to ensure my sustainability and keep this aim.
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If you want single advice (or like what I do and want to support me) please make donations via KZread Super Thanks (click on the dollar icon under the main window) or PayPal Me as I no longer respond to advice queries on KZread. I charge £25 for a 1 hour consultation on Zoom which is cheaper than many others.
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TIME STAMPS
0:00 - Intro
0:12 - Product 1
1:41 - Product 2
3:05 - Product 3
4:42 - Product 4
6:40 - Please invest in me and get more in return - Patreon.
HOW LONG DID THE VIDEO TAKE TO MAKE?
In this case the time to make it was approx. 20 hours of work of scripting, editing all clips with creative clips in software like After Effects, creating the thumbnails, publishing to KZread.
NOTES
*1 COMPARISONS OF UNREVIEWED GEAR : Please don't ask me how a product compares to another which I haven't reviewed, as it isn't possible to comment on such products I haven't tested. Check out my website for reviews of products I have completed instead (hit the review tag, and separate tags).
*2 MORE ADVICE : If you are asking me how does X product compare to Y that I HAVE reviewed, or how does something sound beyond comment in videos, or system / further advice, please sign up to Patreon (small amounts!) or make contributions via PayPal where we text chat or Zoom etc. I can't answer all questions free on KZread! I only charge £25 for an hour consultation on Zoom of all my experiences, which is cheaper than many.
*3 ABUSE POLICY : I encourage and like debate, and constructive criticism, but people who abuse or troll me, or my subscribers or commenters, post very negative and non constructive and uncorroborated comments designed to put me or others down (where they don't explain themselves), or they could be perceived as such, as well as aggressive comments / hate, or pit my subscribers against me, get their comments removed and I hide them from commenting again. I don’t need the hassle of these people for all the work I put in! Again I don’t mind people who disagree with me, where they explain, or indeed debate, but I tend to delete comments that are not substantiated where the poster doesn’t explain themselves e.g just ‘this amp is really bad’ as it doesn't add to the discussion and detracts from my efforts

Пікірлер: 45

  • @1moderntalking1
    @1moderntalking16 ай бұрын

    I really appreciate your attitude and I feel safer listening to your recommendations because of your no BS honesty ❤

  • @user-mz6lt2pr9s
    @user-mz6lt2pr9s6 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the video and your year-end recap. I agree that powered speakers sound great the problem in my experience is reliability. The warranty on the electronics are short and they can be expensive to repair if they can be since the amps are proprietary. Give me great passive speakers and a solid preamp and amp and I’m good . The way DACs are going it’s great to be able to upgrade separate components over time too. Happy New Year!🎉

  • @RickP2040
    @RickP20406 ай бұрын

    World's first Open Baffle Speakers from MACO Acoustic ! You got to hear these speakers ! 😇😍🤩

  • @liamporter1137
    @liamporter11376 ай бұрын

    Great summary for the year. Thanks for sharing.

  • @brendanxtrom
    @brendanxtrom6 ай бұрын

    Nice to see actual commentary on gear that isn’t the norm on every other channel. 🙏

  • @13thnotehifireviews7

    @13thnotehifireviews7

    6 ай бұрын

    Exactly.

  • @kjbiz
    @kjbiz6 ай бұрын

    Thanks for your reviews. A different perspective with heart on sleeve. Has made me seriously look at Adam Audio. Go easy!

  • @xcvbxcvb2179
    @xcvbxcvb21796 ай бұрын

    Bought a used Aune x8 magic DAC with a Burson op amp plus a aune linear power supply and it performs 😮 bass, details, micro transients are fantastic. The op amp rolling ability is super nice and I'm aiming on a Sparkos. Made me a Aune Fanboy.

  • @cyphermote6857
    @cyphermote68576 ай бұрын

    Active speakers... I bought the Acoustic Energy AE-1 set at its original launch some years ago. To be honest although I knew exactly what I was buying, I didn't expect it to sound as good as it did. Now it seems like every serious brand has one. When the amps inside it are done right, nothing compares. Nice, different and interesting choices Simon. Like your reviews, this list is worth contemplating deeper.

  • @13thnotehifireviews7

    @13thnotehifireviews7

    6 ай бұрын

    Thanks very much. I want to try more active speakers from the likes of Goldenear , Adam Audio and Kii or Genelec as I think they are products of the time for hifi. 😀🔉

  • @itk2493

    @itk2493

    6 ай бұрын

    Did you try the Buchardt Audio passive loudspeakers or their WiSA ones? The WiSA set up is seriously impressive. Never mentioned much.

  • @13thnotehifireviews7

    @13thnotehifireviews7

    6 ай бұрын

    No things went pear shaped with Buchardt when another reviewer threatened to not review Buchardt’s products if Buchardt continued to use me, so Buchardt dropped me. Black Balled is the expression I think. I think it was a very big hifi KZreadr. I would exercise caution in dealing with Mads buchardt on this basis. I also think they are breaking distance selling legislation in the EU by charging illegal restocking fees, which I covered in a video on my channel.

  • @itk2493

    @itk2493

    6 ай бұрын

    @@13thnotehifireviews7 WTF, jeez. There are a lot of C U next Tuesdays about.

  • @chrissmith7069

    @chrissmith7069

    6 ай бұрын

    ​@@13thnotehifireviews7that's a shame, maybe they didn't want an "honest" review to go ahead after all.

  • @chrissmith7069
    @chrissmith70696 ай бұрын

    Nice work Simon. If you haven't already see if you can get hold of a pair of Qacoustics M20Hd powered speakers. Yes, not massively expensive but great in a small room, bedroom or kitchen etc 😊

  • @aceofspades6667
    @aceofspades66676 ай бұрын

    I like your take on active speakers.. kef currently has a sale on the ls60 for 2 grand off which has my attention.

  • @syanhc
    @syanhc6 ай бұрын

    Happy New Year ❤

  • @murraycampbell1548
    @murraycampbell15486 ай бұрын

    Thanks mate for the introduction to Felix Laband. His music is magnificent!

  • @philrob4468

    @philrob4468

    6 ай бұрын

    Me too been listening to him last couple days since previous video and it’s been a lot of fun what a gem

  • @13thnotehifireviews7

    @13thnotehifireviews7

    6 ай бұрын

    No worries. I had it on my car stereo going through dartford tunnel in the uk and an hour and a half hold up. Lovely and dynamic.

  • @bristolwoodburners81

    @bristolwoodburners81

    6 ай бұрын

    Red handed is a hifi show classic = you know when a track is rolled out in multiple demo rooms its a well recorded track

  • @microteche
    @microteche6 ай бұрын

    Some great items reviewed that wont break the bank, enjoyed it, thanks.

  • @13thnotehifireviews7

    @13thnotehifireviews7

    6 ай бұрын

    I was thinking of that as the idea, as so many hifi KZread channels go for excessively exuberant pricey stuff. I’m really not interested in £15k amps or £10k sources etc as click bait or dangling a carrot. It’s mostly not value for money and hardly anybody buys it.

  • @lalatv900
    @lalatv9006 ай бұрын

    bought my second shirt today, they are good quality and subtle in design

  • @13thnotehifireviews7

    @13thnotehifireviews7

    6 ай бұрын

    Oh the passenger one. They are good.

  • @Darklo88
    @Darklo885 ай бұрын

    Was just curious if Aune sent a BNC chord with the SC1 audio clock.

  • @13thnotehifireviews7

    @13thnotehifireviews7

    5 ай бұрын

    I think you get a short one. I did , about 20cm long

  • @Darklo88

    @Darklo88

    5 ай бұрын

    @@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks for the reply. I love your reviews! Appreciate your honesty and your opinions. I should be getting the SC1 Monday. I have the Eversolo dmp A6 going to the Aune S9c. Hope the clock makes a difference. Got the S9c the other day, next day A6 got the update with EQ. Too much happening at once! Lol

  • @13thnotehifireviews7

    @13thnotehifireviews7

    5 ай бұрын

    Let us know how you get on with the clock

  • @losriosprofundos2113
    @losriosprofundos21136 ай бұрын

    I enjoy your videos, though I don’t understand the need to call out other reviewers. It reminds me of your review of the Auralic Aries. You said you respected the opinions of others but at the same time wrote them off as biased. I have definitely come across products that I thought were terrible and over hyped (KEF LS 50), but I can also accept that there are others that find value in the products. I tried a long list of streamers, including the Ultra Rendu. I avoided trying the Aries, but buying a used one ($1500) ended up being the piece that completed my system.

  • @FransKeylard

    @FransKeylard

    6 ай бұрын

    Please do keep calling out other reviews, because there’s so much hidden paid advertisement and it’s very difficult to find the honest voices amongst the superlatives and snake oil.

  • @13thnotehifireviews7

    @13thnotehifireviews7

    6 ай бұрын

    To summarise, I think when it’s really bad like this and the reviews are disingenuous and not transparent, it is right to call it out. I too have an issue with reviewers who review products that they call best of the year but they don’t review anything else at the same price all year. They do it for badge award money when the brand puts the badge award on their website and where the brand can see this is the only one reviewed, they should know better.

  • @losriosprofundos2113

    @losriosprofundos2113

    6 ай бұрын

    @@13thnotehifireviews7 I appreciate your work and look forward to your future videos.

  • @wFullSnakeOilHighMileageSynthe
    @wFullSnakeOilHighMileageSynthe6 ай бұрын

    Honest reviews, honest equipment. What more can you ask for?

  • @13thnotehifireviews7

    @13thnotehifireviews7

    6 ай бұрын

    Thanks very much….I would say an investment in my patreon for those who want access to all my thoughts where I can’t do this all the time on KZread for obvious commercial reasons, and if people want me to survive

  • @Romulus980
    @Romulus9806 ай бұрын

    Will there be a seperate video for amps in 2023...?

  • @13thnotehifireviews7

    @13thnotehifireviews7

    6 ай бұрын

    No unfortunately not. 😀

  • @itk2493
    @itk24936 ай бұрын

    Good choices. Manufactures like Eversolo and Aune are setting the cats amongst the pigeons, never heard of neither of them until recently but both are causing quite a stir, so much performance for so little, stops a lot of others from taking the pizz.

  • @99Crell
    @99Crell6 ай бұрын

    Nice summary. Would love to see you review the NJC Audio headphone Amp and DAC, though it looks like an owner may have to donate if that were to happen ?

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