Stereophile's 2021 products of the year

New Stereophile review of the  VAC Sigma 170i IQ integrated amplifier

https://www.stereophile.com/images/321VAC170fig01.jpg

See this is a bit of a dud, as the measurements show, severe tone tone control mimic, on the 8ohm tap 6.5db variation from flat!!! with simple Kantor simulated speaker loading, and only gives 11.5w tested, and the lower taps will be even far less wattage.

Bet Absolute Sounds would wax lyrical over this, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but Klipsch-Horn owners. 

Cheers George

 stereophile was great when I first got it back in the mid-80s it was the size of a Reader's Digest and this was the first time I read in a magazine or they were reviewing a very expensive piece of equipment and they actually said it was a piece of junk and don't buy it I have yet to hear them criticize any component they reviewed since then they have turned into stereo review and to be quite honest with you I don't trust anything they say

I was surprised to find that Stereophile gives a three-year lifetime to these products.  If there is truly a reference product with a great design that does not need revision every three years, you lose.  You won't see it on this list.  The other choice is the manufacturer has to re-submit the product for a new review which is not too interesting.  These reviews are specifically looking for what is new and interesting. 

I have some direct experience to offer on this.  Absolute Sound, Stereophile (and several other online magazines) have reviewed and recommended our our ATC products without one dollar of advertising- ever.  While all of us want to make the link between reviews and revenue (I know I do with car magazines) they really are not as related as one might think.  Magazines aren't some collection of people in an office somewhere, plotting how they move forward in big editorial meetings.   They are a company that hires writers that likely work from home writing something they think people will want to read.  They want to read it bad enough they will subscribe-that's really how it is.  The people I know in the magazine business, pro side mostly, none of them are getting rich or making anything more than a living.  My observation is the people left in it are sincere and love the business of audio.   

We've had several products make Stereophile's list and Absolute Sounds' list.  I'm always really proud of the gear ATC engineers and builds because I know it IS unique; I'm thrilled that someone besides me recognizes that.  I know for a FACT no one ran an ad or series of ads to get that recommendation.   Since there's no advertising in it for them, the suspected motive of rewarding advertisers is clearly not the reason its on the list.  Someone actually liked it.   

Brad
Lone Mountain Audio
ATC Importer