As each year draws to a close, it’s natural to look back, and to look forward.
HiFi publications the world over have embraced this habit with gusto in recent years - and so the annual ‘best of last year, best of next year’ lists have inevitably become a regular staple of the year’s latter months in premium audio.
Now, as we sit here in January 2025, we see a whole host of Kantata Audio products boasting coveted end of year awards - so we thought we’d round up some of the most exciting and noteworthy for this month’s blog!
All the class-leading products you’ll find below are available to purchase through Kantata Audio. Interested in hearing them for yourself? Get in touch and find out how. Our demos are built around you and your needs, and we’re here to help facilitate those needs however we can.
For now, lets dive in!
MBL C41 Network Player picks up FIVE awards
MBL’s superlative C41 Network Player continues to take the premium audio industry by storm - picking up no fewer than FIVE prestigious awards at the back end of 2024.
An "Outstanding Product Award" from HiFi News and a "Highly Recommended Award" from Super AV Magazine accompany a trio of awards from the influential American publication, The Absolute Sound, who have garnered the C41 with the "Editor's Choice Award", "Golden Ear Award", and the highly coveted "2025 Product Of The Year Award".
An unbelievable achievement this may seem, until you experience the C41 Network Player for yourself. It is a truly transformational product, capable of raising the performance of virtually any system in HiFi.
Kudos Titan 707 wins Golden Sound Award
Warmest congratulations to our friends at Kudos Audio, as they recently announced that their excellent Titan 707 loudspeaker has won a highly-coveted Stereo Sound Grand Prix 2024 ‘Golden Sound Award’.
According to the popular Japanese audio magazine, this award is usually reserved for brand new product releases - not to mention products that are typically in a much higher price bracket than the 707s. As such, this marks one of the first times a Golden Sound Award has been bestowed upon a product already in regular production.
Hegel H190V - HiFi+ Best of 2024
Hegel’s new H190V streaming amplifier seemingly can’t stop winning awards at the moment. Awarded in The Ear’s 2024 roundup, Hegel also recently saw their superlative H190v Integrated Amplifier take home a Hi-Fi+ Award for 'Best Integrated Amplifier Up To £5k'. A richly deserved honour for this excellent one-box solution.
In his review, Jason Kennedy praised its sleek looks, and its ability to deliver power with taut control; "...there’s no denying the appeal of the dynamics and timing that it can deliver, and the built-in DAC and streamer make it rather good value...Strongly recommended!"
Auralic Vega S1 - The Ear Best of 2024
AURALiC's excellent Vega S1 Streaming DAC continues to impress the critics, this time proudly featuring in The Ear's 'Best of 2024' awards.
'The Vega S1 is a streaming DAC that is built to a very high standard and offers Auralic’s Lightning control software alongside the ability to be upgraded with a Purer Power S1 external power supply. It sounds clean and open and has excellent timing but more important is the fact that it makes you want to listen for longer thanks to powers of engagement that are rare in digital audio. A hard act to beat.'
Moor Amps feature in HiFi Pig’s 2024 Picks
We were so pleased to see two Kantata Audio products make HiFi Pig's coveted 'Picks Of 2024' list at the very end of last year, including Moor Amps’ peerless Angel Pre and Angel 4 amp.
On the Moor Amps Angel Pre and Angel 4 Power Amplifier, they loved how they "deliver on their promise of high-quality sound at a realistic price." We couldn’t agree more - this power amp / preamplifer combination is one of the most thoughtfully engineered and best sounding power products available in HiFi at this moment in time.
Moor Amps weren’t the only Kantata Audio product on HiFi Pig’s 2024 list. They were equally full of praise for the AURALiC Vega S1 Streaming DAC and PSU, admitting..."it was another product I’d have happily kept hold of had a separate DAC and streamer not been a prerequisite for our review system.”
Read the full piece from HiFi Pig.
Vertere on Part Time Audiophile’s Buyers Guide 2025
American publication Part Time Audiophile included not one but TWO Vertere Acoustics products on their 'Buyers Guide 2025' list.
Both the SG-1 MkII Tonearm and Mystic Cartridge feature on the 'Best Cartridges and Tonearms' list.
On SG-1 MkII: "The SG-1 proves that designer Touraj Moghaddam has thought more about counterweight design, and how it contributes to the entire performance of the tonearm, than almost anyone else."
On Mystic: "...offers a completely balanced sound which includes “an articulate and detailed top end, with mids that were clear and rich without conspicuous coloration and bass that was tight and linear.”
Innuos Zen Mini wins Absolute Sound 2025 Editors Choice award
Innuos’ ZENmini music server and streamer has been distinguished with The Absolute Sound’s Editors' Choice Award 2025 - a high honour that is richly deserved for what is a product that is hard to beat at its functionality and price point.
"My experience with the ZENmini has opened my eyes to just how easy and fun streaming can be", The Absolute Sound's Michael Johnson says in this YouTube review.
So there you have it! Want to see any of the above products in action? Get in touch and book your demo today!
