2021 Golden Ear Awards | Robert Harley

Absolare Hybrid Stereo Power Amplifier, Signature Edition

$52,000

Absolare made a name for itself with the spectacular Passion preamplifier and Passion 845 power amplifiers. Both products are all-tube ultra-minimalist designs executed with the world’s finest parts. The Passion SET amplifiers brought the glories of single-ended triode to an amp that could drive real-world loudspeakers. (See my review in Issue 234). Astonishingly, Absolare has managed to capture much of the magic of those two reference-class products in the Hybrid Stereo power amplifier. As its name suggests, the Hybrid combines tubes in the front end with a 275Wpc (4 ohms) solid-state output stage. Yet there’s no hint of transistors in the Hybrid’s sound; it has astonishing liquidity of timbre, is utterly grain-free, and projects that elusive sense of midrange presence that is the hallmark of the best SETs. The Hybrid creates a directness of musical expression—of hearing nothing between you and the music—that is unique among solid-state amplifiers, in my experience. The gorgeous leather-clad casework adds to the appeal. 

Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX Loudspeaker

$329,000

Although I’ve heaped plenty of praise on Wilson’s Chronosonic XVX (including our 2020 Overall Product of the Year Award), I’m going to add to the accolades with this Golden Ear Award. Even after 18 months of near-daily listening, the XVX continues to astound with its preternatural immediacy and sense of presence, a thrilling combination of bass weight, speed, and definition, and a treble that is highly resolving without calling attention to itself. Although the XVX abounds in sonic virtues, I’ve come to realize that what sets it apart, and what makes it so musically compelling, is that the speaker’s tremendous resolution is rendered not as sonic detail but rather as greater timbral realism and beauty. The sonic subtlety belies the massive amount of real musical information conveyed. Transient fidelity, from the hardest-hit snare drum to the finest micro-attack of a triangle, is thrillingly realistic. As I wrote in my review, the XVX “is the most realistic sounding, the most musically expressive, and the most intellectually and emotionally engaging loudspeaker I’ve heard. The XVX isn’t just a milestone for Wilson Audio; I believe that it is a landmark achievement in loudspeaker design.” Extended listening has only reinforced that view.

NAD C298 Power Amplifier

$1995

NAD’s C298 is built around a new Class D output stage called “Eigentakt” (“self-clocking”) that represents a significant technical advance in switching amplification. The Eigentakt design effort was led by Bruno Putzeys, one of the brightest thinkers in switching-amplifier design. The C298 is rated at 185Wpc into 8 ohms and 340Wpc into 4, with a dynamic power rating of 260W into 8 ohms, 490W into 4 ohms, and 570W into 2 ohms. The amplifier is packed with features, including balanced and single-ended inputs, variable gain, line outputs for daisy-chaining multiple amplifiers, a bridging function for monaural operation, and an auto-on feature when signal is detected. It is also remote-controllable. The C298 sounds like a powerhouse, with effortless dynamics, a tight and solid bottom end, and a general sense of ease during complex passages. Even when driving the Wilson Chronosonic XVX, the C298 went very low in the bass, had a nice sense of midbass heft and weight, and outstanding dynamic punch. Throughout the listening, I noticed that the C298 had an unusually satisfying ability to convey music’s rhythmic flow and forward propulsion. The midrange has a nice presence, with a bit of forwardness from the upper mids to the lower treble imparting a lively quality. The C298’s soundstaging was outstanding—big, open, spacious, and detailed, with precise image placement. The C298 was also remarkably adept at clearly revealing subtle instrumental lines. It was easy to hear low-level instruments in the mix, or at the back of the hall. The C298 is a lot of amplifier for the money.