My review of Sezai Saktanber's DIY SilverFi cables from Ankara/Turkey signaled the need for this award which is unapologetically concerned with extreme value. To be worthy of our cheapskate recognition, uncompromised build quality and excellent performance have to coincide. The imagery is self-explanatory - Padma Sambhava, Tibet's patron saint and great realizer, surrounded by coins of antiquity. Realsization takes standards educated by exposure to the best of audio and investigates how much money can be saved while maintaining the essence of ultra performance.
SOtM sMS-200:
$450
Fidelizer Pro:
$69.95
Forza Audio Works Noir:
starting at €159
Clones Audio AP1 & 55pm:
€1'448 for three-piece combo
Black Cat Cable Silverstar USB:
$150
SVS Ultra Tower:
$999/ea.
ASUS Xonar Essence One:
$599
Clones Audio 25i:
$529
Bakoon BPS-02:
€330
Nanotec Golden Strada #79 Special & SR:
¥847/1.100/pr/1m
Wyred4Sound mINT:
$1.499
Focal Spirit One:
€199
Rethm Trishna:
$5.000/pr
CEntrance DACmini:
$799
hybrid headphone amp Schiit Lyr:
$449
Usher S & SW-520:
$499 for monitors, $799 for the plug 'n' play bass modules which may be added at a later time.
TEAC CR-H500NT:
$799
NuForce Icon HDP:
$449
Ray Samuels Audio F117 The Nighthawk:
$799
Trends TA-10.2:
$189
Burson Audio HA-160:
€499/$699 delivered to the EU/US respectively
ALO Audio Rx:
$345
High Resolution Technologies Streamer+:
$299
Yarland FV34AIIISA:
€439
Blue Circle Audio Fon Lo Thingee:
starting at $349
MiniWatt Tube Integrated:
$229 + $40 flate-rate global shipping
Dayens Ampino:
€220 + global shipping
Glow Audio Sub One:
$408 worldwide
Sutra Amplification 1.3:
€600
Wyred4Sound SX-1000 monos:
$1,199/ea.
JoLida JD-9A:
$450
Glow Audio Amp One:
$488
Trafomatic Audio The Experience One:
$1,700
Almarro A318B:
$1,850
Red Wine Audio Signature 30:
$1,399
SilverFi Elixir thru Phrygian Blue interconnects:
From $119 to $189 per 1m/pr