The Brutus Awards for 2010
by Dave Clark

Been an interesting year here with both Carol and I opening a new school, her publishing another novel, Peter in school, family, and all things in life that get in the way of being on an even keel. With that all going on, my time with audio was limited over previous years and as such I was not able to listen to as many new and interesting products as I had hoped for… but even so several that came across the doorstep did make a lasting impression. An impression that led me to actually making the following purchases...

Samuels F-117 Night Hawk

The F-117 Nighthawk is as simple as one can get… but with a sound and presentation that is big, ballsy, dynamic, extended at either end, quiet, and grain-free. Oh, did I say that this is a killer phonostage and easily competes if not surpasses others that are say 4-5 times its price… let alone 20 times its size! Sweet and oh so musical the F-117 Nighthawk clearly sets a reference point for anyone wanting to hear something that reflects the better options out there in terms of analog playback. Seriously! At $795 how does Ray do it?

Reviews in Issue 49

Bybee AC Conditioner

An amazing product that simply lowers any crap in the AC to such low levels that resolution, clarity, presence, musical flow and energy, color, coherency, yadda, yadda is a magnitude greater than anything else I have tried.

Simply wonderful in all respects. Review soon. $6995 as reviewed here.

Luminous Mega Power Lynx

The Mega Power Lynx are made of 9 gauge composite 99.7% OFC stranded copper in a star quad configuration along with a large, high-gauss neodymium magnet installed at each end of the cord. The cables are terminated with Japanese made, silver-plated, 120 Volt Audio Grade Edison and IEC connectors.

Seriously now... I have never heard such a dramatic change or difference—and one for the better in all respects—from swapping in or out an AC cord. I mean... crap, these cables are amazingly good and the cost is so reasonably right! Of course I shouldn't have said that as Tim will raise the price (though knowing Tim he is not the sort to do such a thing), but man these cables compete with other cords costing 5 times what they go for! Mega Power Lynx ($599 for 1.5 meters)

Reviewed in Issue 50

Black Cat Veloce Digital Cable

An amazingly good cable at an amazingly affordable price. Does so much right and really nothing that I can hear wrong. $123 direct.

Reviewed in Issue 51