Best & Worst HiFi Audio Components Of 2024!

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thank you for all the support you’ve given me in 2024 - you all make it worth it ! ❤❤

[@CarlVanDoren61]

Happy Holidays 😊 2025 Prog Rock 🪨

[@gwadaflat]

Hi, In my opinion, everything you are looking for in the sound characteristics of high-end hifi devices (speakers, amplifiers), you will find it in a high-efficiency system (tube amplifiers / high-efficiency speakers)! In my opinion, only in such a system can you find the sensations of live music that can make you shed a few tears while listening to your favorite music !

[@phantom-audio-888]

Agree its been 26 years now for me in High End Audio industry, Nothing has compared to a proper Horn/Tube System setup.

[@tms372]

So you didn't recommend the Mac gear because they were sold to bose but you don't feel that way about Sonus Faber that was also sold to bose ? Am I missing something ?

[@kevinstarski1598]

Good point

[@gavinhadley7672]

..this guy is a MAC hater…he’s always called MAC mid-fi…biased as can be

[@jaysaudiolab]

I dropped the ball… I remembered the 901s after I had edited this video.

[@michaelhope007]

I know people who have bought gear he recommended one week saying they are the best only to have sold the speakers/amplifiers a couple of weeks later saying the new ones are the best. Stick close to him and spend more money.

[@stephenchen1420]

The Sonus Faber SE17 according to their website are no longer a current model, & he bought those well before the news of the sale of Bose to McIntosh occurred.

[@philb-ze8sz]

It's no big deal that Bose is buying McIntosh. They have been sold before and still make superb gear. You have no idea what you're talking about. You need to call this the millionaire's best. $250,00 amps is nuts. Talk about loss of value. All audio gear loses lots of its retail value. McIntosh's value remains high year after year after 50-plus years I have been in this hobby.

[@louv4437]

Well done Jay! Happy new year

[@mariocassar3117]

Jay…this IS NOT an investment. One doesn’t need to spend 100s of $1000 to have excellent sound reproduction. From Michael Fremer’s factory visit, they did not convince !

[@Xp200dr-gj8lz]

The 66% off on Ultra High End and still not selling is not brand specific. Nobody in their right mind is spending that kind of money right now on HiFi. If everyone notices most products above $20k are sitting on the market for years. I distinctly recall multiple pairs of Wilsons and Focal for sale from over 2 years ago that just keep getting reposted on Audiogon. The market just is not supporting the asking prices. Pro tip- Housing will be next regardless of what your Realtor is telling you.

[@1500vmaxer]

You are definitely uninformed. Hi end boutique and non boutique audio products are thriving. I know multiple home audio dealers whose sales have doubled and tripled over the last three years. Remember, affluent people who have the funds to buy products of this value are less affected by the economy. It’s the products that are in the Products that are priced for the average Middle Class is what is slowing in sales.

[@1500vmaxer]

One example, did you see all the gear Jay has had in house and has SOLD all that gear.

[@Xp200dr-gj8lz]

@@1500vmaxer I am not one to argue with strangers on KZbin. You are making many assumptions in your post that are invalid about me, demographics, etc. Keep on smacking those keys bro and have a nice day!

[@kerrybh2740]

Thanks for the great information. Agree completely about the Sonos faber pick.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Glad it was helpful!

[@BillDouglass-m9d]

Still baffled by the McIntosh situation? They have not been self owned since 1994 and new parent company has lot of money, why would anything change!😊

[@roberthoffecker7223]

Can we do a Welfare Check on Jay. No posts in four days, and he said a SF speaker is his favorite? I think he's been kidnapped.

[@royli3260]

Cheers Jay - CHEERS for your videos this year! I've particularly loved the unusual bake-off videos you've done. Please keep up the good work & I'll keep watching!

[@quma001]

Respect for choosing the Sonus Fabers, even though you surely consider the Magicos to be the more capable speakers for analyzing and evaluating equipment. I’m excited for the madness of 2025!

[@chahyadirusli5219]

Wishing you and family a blessed 2025. Thank you for bringing an complete insights on how to experience the process in enjoying high end audio products. God bless bro.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Same to you!

[@manuelnunes3535]

Fascinating videos all of them you go all out and spare no expense! I’m hoping someday in the future you try Audio Note. I’ve heard great things about it, and am curious how you would stack it against your previous purchases

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@scottbennett3119]

Nice shirt! I'm enjoying your videos. Thanks

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thanks for watching!

[@scottbennett3119]

@jaysaudiolab I realize you have an enormous number of comments. Thanks for personally responding!

[@toddtaylor6594]

Thanks for the great videos Jay we love and appreciate you man Happy New Year im anxious to hear you review those Von Schweikert Speakers 😳😳😳

[@mpp9964]

Thanks for a great year Jay. You have a unique formula with your channel. Fascinating to watch such wildly expensive stuff. Agree on the remote comment… even lower tier companies should match the quality of their remote to the quality of their equipment

[@jaysaudiolab]

Glad you liked it!

[@rdmeenach]

Cant afford it, but love your take on things

[@sanjayladi]

Great job for 2024, Jay for letting us get a glimpse of Audio Nirvana. Keep up the good work in 2025. Happy New Year to you and your family.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Happy New Year to you too!

[@anrikamalov5588]

I am sincerely grateful to you, dear Jay, for your contribution to the world of audiophilia! Each review is unique and interesting in its own way!

[@jaysaudiolab]

I’m glad you enjoy it!

[@Coneman3]

Shirt is a good look man 😎

[@rd1992-l3j]

I don't have the money or WAF( Wife Acceptance Factor) to constantly swap out components. That's why I rely on expert reviews from you and other trusted sources. I also audition components when possible, but your listening impressions provide a solid starting point. May you have a prosperous and happy 2025!

[@jaysaudiolab]

I appreciate you watching!

[@jazzlouise]

Jay, Happy New Year and look forward to reviews on your channel.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thanks, Happy New Year to you too!

[@DeepHorizon3773]

The all new Popori Acoustics Loudspeakers and Linn Klimax DSM and Solo 800 Mono Amps could be the new Holy Grail ?...

[@jaysullivan9545]

Vitus Audio Signature Series SL-103 Linestage Preamp and SM-103 MK II Monoblock Amps. 40k pre,75k/pair amps. Best pre and amps JV of TAS has ever had in his system and he's heardem all. Imo, a 2025 contender Jay. Happy new year. Wuf. 🐻

[@rickadkins8277]

I love your show man you tell it like it is and I love that if I ever come into a bunch of money, I’m gonna be looking back and choosing stuff that you’ve chosen. I always wondered why you didn’t have the Von Swerk speakers. Ultra nines or sevens absolute sound that they were terrific. It’s one of the speakers that I always figured I would have if I did have a bunch of money. Anyway happy new year brother thanks.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thanks, happy new year to you too!

[@theflyingdutchman7127]

hi Jay I really appreciate your input and opinion. thank you for the many beautiful substantive videos of the past year 2024. with kind regards from the Netherlands

[@jaysaudiolab]

My pleasure!

[@stephenbarnes8817]

In the early 2000s I auditioned the Von Schwiekerts. Along with others such as Linn, B&W, etc. I ended up blown away by Vandersteins, which I had not come to listen to, they put me in a room with those while they set up the Linns. After I listened to the Linns, I asked to listen to the Vandys, and ordered a complete system for my home theater including subs and surrounds. While the Vandys weren’t specifically designed for home theater, my system needed to do double duty as channel system, with Theta Digital components.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Interesting!

[@josephpavel3150]

Jay, these classe deltas I’m now running come with very nice upgraded power cords! They are a very nice premium cord that list around $600 each to replace. Definitely a nice feature to include. Happy new year and thanks for the videos

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thanks for sharing!

[@GPintoFerrao]

Have a nice 2025, Jay, thank you very much for sharing us all your stuff and I hope you continue very happily with new proposals in 2025. Cheers and God bless you

[@jaysaudiolab]

Happy new year!

[@jaysaudiolab]

Same to you!

[@tkyap2524]

Matching components is time-consuming. The budget decides the setup. Fine things are expensive.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Agreed.

[@chipsnmydip]

Interesting about the Altaira. I don't think I could live without mine at this point, everything is just so much tighter and punchier and not at all sterile. My guess is they really want to be connected to an Everest or Denali/Typhon (which has even more noise reduction on the ground plane) and that last stage is really important.

[@raphaelmartel8350]

Excited for the new year..can't wait for the Ultra 7 trials in your lab Jay...and for all the Top Notch gear you share with us...Can't afford most of the gear..but I'm working hard and playing the Lotto every week🤞🤞.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Fingers crossed

[@timschutte3961]

The Danish rock with audio so many good brands they bring.

[@SounduSleep]

Philistine

[@jaysullivan9545]

Great job in 2024 Jay. Have a great holiday 👍. Wuf. 🐻

[@rainelBM8567]

New subscriber. It's a privilege have you here in KZbin. Cheers! 🥂

[@jaysaudiolab]

Welcome!

[@robertstambulovski]

Might be able to buy the knobs of those Amplifiers

[@jazzlouise]

Jay one speaker that would be interesting would be the Monitor Audio Hyphn. I don't know much about them but Monitor Audio seems to be a respected company.

[@CohibaJoe]

And "Made in China".

[@imosolar]

Keep up the good work

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thanks, will do!

[@andrewmacdonald3667]

I made sure I had a listen to the latest Gryphon integrated at the Melbourne Hi Fi show. I probably wouldn’t have been interested if it wasn’t for your channel. So thank you.

[@jaysaudiolab]

I'm glad you found it helpful!

[@eliasgirmachew5522]

Please can you make about video about Magico Subwoofer please and happy new year

[@joelowens5211]

Yeah my Sonus Faber Aida 2 speakers probably going to keep those for decades. If something is that amazing it's hard to top.

[@capitanblack72]

Sonus Faber was also sold to Bose! 😢

[@pietromanno8916]

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE ✨✨ I LOVE MY SONUS FABER STRADIVARI!!🎼🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎵🎶⚡✌️⚡

[@chiefputty]

Hey Jay, what is MK short for? Also, amazed that you didn't like a grounding system, whether that be Shunyata or otherwise. Guess I'll have to try it out and see.

[@FlemmingDP]

See you Jay, and thank you for the huge work / effort you are doing with this channel. Happy New Year to you and your Family-

[@jaysaudiolab]

Same to you!

[@BillDouglass-m9d]

Love your content, best audiofile channel on Utube 😊

[@jaysaudiolab]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@josephpavel3150]

Nagra includes the same happy meal remote but you can order and upgrade to the HD/Reference carbon fiber/aluminum rechargeable and very paper thin but also very elegant for the upgrade cost. I must say the happy meal remote does serve its purpose lol

[@jaysaudiolab]

I see what you mean.

[@TheBTG88]

2025 - The Relentless Epic 1600 Monos.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Maybe

[@iosifderecichei3743]

Hi Jay, would you consider the dac in the Oppo UDP205 a decent, good or even a very good dac? Would really appreciate your opinion. Thank you and Happy new year!

[@jaysaudiolab]

It's good

[@hitechburg]

I have to laugh at this BULLSH*T!

[@JohnDoe-np3zk]

Bryston is what I have and love. All used not one failure ever they have 20 yr warranty and who else does that?

[@Pete_or_Peter4Long]

All I can think of is that Tommy Boy line, I can take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed I have spare time. 😂

[@JohnDoe-np3zk]

​@@Pete_or_Peter4Longwhat do brake pads have in common with bryston

[@Pete_or_Peter4Long]

@@JohnDoe-np3zk It was the reference to the warranty.

[@Laguna2013]

how many of those $210K amps are sold per year? Is there an industry 'newsletter' that tracks units sold of key brands and resale values like we see with high end watches, e.g., Rolex, Patek, etc Thanks enjoying the channel

[@jaysaudiolab]

There is no such thing

[@MotownAudio]

Actually I think it’s a great time to buy Mac gear because if Bose messes them up, then the equipment before Bose took over would be more desirable and stay up in value especially the 75th anniversary editions

[@tuathadedanann195]

Worst - MIT cables.

[@oskar.i]

Jay! What is your room dimensions? I might change my room haha Let's go 2025!!🎉

[@jaysaudiolab]

20x22

[@glichasasha750]

Nothing wrong with buying a McIntosh. Nothing will change.

[@DjRjSolarStar]

Woah woah Jay, how do you know my dealer?

[@ianparry4880]

The best and worst...like you know....dear me...yours is just an opinion...if I gave you one clue...that's the only clue you would have....

[@michaeljoel2883]

Amplifiers: liquidity? LOL. Give me a break.

[@Eric-q9n]

As a proud owner of Dartzeel, I sincerely hope they’ll make a comeback. Happy New Year Jay!

[@Elberoth]

I always find doing "worst of" list kind of lame. Do we vote for ugliest model on beauty pagents? No. We select the most beautiful, runner up etc. You didn't like a component - fine, it happens. Could be bad, but also could be a bad match in YOUR system. In fact, I have a friend who is very happy with the Shunyata Altaira in HIS system.

[@jaysaudiolab]

Hence I said what I said right ? One man’s opinion…

[@DBTAudio]

⁠@@jaysaudiolabI like the “worst of” hifi lists on your channel and I also like to read negative reviews on products I may have an interest in buying on Amazon. I want to know what the reviewers “did not” like about the product because they may have an issue that I didn’t think about or their issue may not be an issue for me, but I tend to find the information useful. Glowing reviews simply tell me it’s a stellar product, but I also want to know what you didn’t like. The beauty pageant example is not the best analogy IMO. This hifi hobby is subjective to begin with, so I understand system matching and different rooms can make or break the end results for each individual. As long as your viewers are advised that what you dislike is based on your experience, in your room with your gear, it’s all good to me! Lastly, I just ordered a pair of Sasha V’s after being offered a deal of a lifetime and I was wondering if you planned on getting any new Wilson’s in the camp that has the new V material? Thanks and Happy New Year to you and your family!🎉

[@jaysaudiolab]

@@DBTAudio zero desire to bring any Wilson’s anytime soon. I’ve done too many of them.

[@DBTAudio]

⁠@@jaysaudiolabI understand. You gotta keep it fresh with new gear! Thanks…

[@erikmooij7333]

Oke, so the best is Gryphon... Oke, but what if you want to spend arround 10.000 dollar instead of 500.000 or a 1.000.000?

[@jaysaudiolab]

Not sure. You’ll need another channel for that

[@MichelLinschoten]

Best amplifier *Mine * 😂

[@samuelcain5426]

Jay do you know the latest with Krell Industries as of December ?

[@jaysaudiolab]

Yea. They are still closed

[@samuelcain5426]

@jaysaudiolab thanks keep up the great work we appreciate the gear that some of us can only dream of.

[@tesmith47]

What music do you use?

[@mikerdaniels1]

No DAC ?

[@Mark-lq3sb]

Now that you mention it... The thing did look like a nugget, lol!

[@adsph]

Thank you Jay for an amazing 2024 of the ultra high end.

[@ogopogo1397]

Total waterbed salesman. So obvious.

[@davidgerald1639]

What about grandioso amplifiers

[@DddNnn-r2y]

How about a Tenor Audio system??

[@AudioheavenDenmark]

McIntosh have had several new owners without anything changed. Bose buying it won’t change a thing.

[@CohibaJoe]

HaHa...it's a different time with a Real company that can Fire Sale the McIntosh brand. Bose, hopefully with get McIntosh in a Real car manufacture...2nd, Soundbars to compete with Sonos as to the Eco System which the Mac buyer would jump into.

[@gadymarcus2362]

Bello/Magnifico.🙏✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️👑

[@tjk72]

what is the powerzone ???? what is it and what does it do?? is it like that big stromtank your had?? Great video im not buying anything until it talk to you first.... Tk ATL

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thanks

[@goranlaslavic5985]

Superb power conditioner, for cca 16 500 euros.

[@russromito4903]

Been hearing the same thing for 45 years !

[@tivanov5]

The remote is Ruwido, one of the best remote manufacturers and works fine. You don’t like the shape 😊

[@jaysaudiolab]

Thanks for sharing

[@djamelboukhari4736]

Salam alaikoum

[@TheAppleExperience]

Hi Jay, in my opinion you are not a fan of subwoofers. Or are you going to add subwoofers in your system sometime in 2025 anyway? Even the most expensive speakers can do even better with (REL). I didn't want to believe it at first either, but have become a REL subwoofer believer.

[@hurkamur1]

My brain hurts

[@planchernewfinish]

Dartzeel is extremely disappointing product.

[@raymaksimavicius4902]

Jay who makes you the God of high end audio. By your choices your not even a apostle!!!😮

[@АлександрЗябликов-щ1я]

Маджико плохо. Грифоны отстой. Дардзил плохо. Чё за рейтинг. В России это никто не покупает это не играет. Вы там без слуха что ли в США

[@jaysaudiolab]

Yep 👍