2024 Audioholics Product of the Year Award Winners!

Best Reviewed Receivers, Loudspeakers, & Subwoofers for 2024!

2024 has brought a common theme in the audio gear we've reviewed: curved cabinets are in, and deep bass is plentiful—if you have enough amplifier power and budget to afford the new audiophile-grade super towers from some of our favorite Internet Direct Loudspeaker Brands. These companies have raised the bar with series launches that push performance and price boundaries, while others have refreshed already established models. That said, there have been some outstanding products and pleasant surprises. This brings us to the 2024 Audioholics Product of the Year Awards, where we celebrate standout innovations and game-changing releases in loudspeakers, subwoofers, and powerful receivers that set the standard for excellence based on our review results and comparisons to similar products within their price class.

Award: Best A/V Multi-Channel Receiver

Onkyo TX-RZ70 | Review | Buy

MSRP: $2,800 (sale: $1,999)

Our experience with the Onkyo TX-RZ70 left us feeling that the glory days of Onkyo are back. With support for Dirac Room Correction, including their Bass Control software (DLBC), as well as a plethora of streaming options like AirPlay 2, Spotify, Chromecast, and Sonos, it offers features galore without compromising hardware performance.

 Onkyo TX-RZ70 11.2CH AV Receiver Bench Test Results!

With seven channels driven, we measured 118 watts/ch at 8 ohms with 0.1% THD—an impressive performance that will easily power a blazing home theater system. When driving two channels at 4 ohms, it reached 265 watts with 0.1% THD. The pre-amp outputs also demonstrated excellent performance, thanks to state-of-the-art ESS Sabre DACs. For high-powered applications, owners could use the TX-RZ70’s onboard amps for surround channels and pair it with a robust outboard amp for the front channels, achieving tremendous headroom.

This powerful, feature-rich receiver scored a 5/5 for value in our review, and its current sale price of $1,999 makes it even more appealing. If you're shopping for a receiver in this price range, we strongly recommend giving the TX-RZ70 a close look.

Award: Best Hi-fi Two-Channel Receiver

Yamaha R-N2000A | Review | Buy

MSRP: $4,000

For those who are more traditional stereo purists, we found the Yamaha R-N2000A to be a terrific two-channel receiver that has the hardware chops to be a part of an old-school high-end stereo but also has modern features that helps it easily integrate into more fully digital systems. The R-N2000A uses a massive toroidal transformer and generous capacitor bank so the power supply is never left wanting at peak levels or sustained power for low impedance loads. State-of-the-art ESS SabreDAC chips provide excellent technical performance at the pre-amp stage so that clean undistorted sound is delivered to the amplifier, whether using the onboard amp or an exterior one. Modern conveniences such as bass management for subwoofers or HDMI ARC and USB Audio help make the R-N2000A more viable than many competing ‘high-end’ stereo receivers that won’t move beyond 90’s technology. Yet it does all of this with an amp section that is much at ease with 2 and 4 ohm loads as 8 ohms. Few amps have stability at 2 ohms, even ones much more expensive than the R-N2000A. The R-N2000A does all of this without sacrificing a luxury build quality complete with beautiful level meters, a sturdy chassis, and binding posts cut from solid brass. At its pricing, it would be our choice were we shopping for a two-channel receiver.

 Yamaha R-N2000A Hi-Fi Receiver Bench Test Results!

Award: Best Audiophile Loudspeaker Series

Arendal Sound 1528 | Review | Buy

MSRP: starting at $2,900/ea (Center 8) up to $9,500/pair (Tower 8)

Audioholics has reviewed ALL of Arendal Sound’s loudspeakers and consistently found them to be excellent performers for the price. We were surprised by their foray into the high-end market with the launch of the 1528 product line—what could they do to surpass the mighty 1723 THX-certified series? With the product in hand, we found out.

The build quality of the 1528 loudspeakers is so exceptional that other manufacturers would easily charge double Arendal’s prices. Yet, delivering overbuilt quality at a reasonable price is what Arendal is known for. The 1528 Tower is astonishing: impeccable build quality, extreme dynamic range, excellent directivity, and highly linear response with deep bass extension down to the low 20Hz range. Their waveguide loaded lithium-magnesium tweeter provides the transparency of some of the best AMT tweeters to give you the full spectrum of sound from lows to highs. At $9.5k per pair, it’s expensive, but no other manufacturer offers such robust, massive loudspeakers at this price.

 Arendal Sound 1528 Tower 8 Speakers First Listen & Overview

The corresponding center speaker also deserves recognition. While many manufacturers skimp on their center speakers, Arendal’s massive 1528 Center matches the performance of its left and right counterparts.

The 1528 Bookshelf speakers defy expectations for their category. At 66 lbs each, they weigh more than many mid-sized tower speakers. Tuned to around 22Hz, the 1528 Bookshelf 8 delivers full-range, tower-like sound in a more compact form—provided they’re paired with ample amplifier power.

The 1528 Monitors push the boundaries further, offering deeper bass and greater dynamic range than most tower speakers while remaining stand-mounted (review forthcoming).

These speakers aren’t cheap, but they offer exceptional value for their performance. The main caveats are their size, weight, and power requirements. Since they trade sensitivity for bass extension, they need plenty of amplifier power (200+ watts per channel at 4 ohms) to perform at their best. Backed by Arendal Sound's generous 60 day trial demo period, they offer NO risk to audiophiles wanting to achieve next level audiophile performance in a cost no object speaker series.

Award: Best High-Performance Tower Speaker

SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle Floor-Standing Loudspeaker | Review | Buy

MSRP: $5,000/pair

SVS wowed listeners in 2024 with their new Ultra Evolution speaker series, and we were lucky enough to get a pair of their flagship Ultra Evolution Pinnacle Towers in for review. These are large tower speakers that look like they mean business because of the array of drivers on display as well as the unusual shape of the enclosure. We enjoyed their smooth, endlessly listenable sound with a neutral midrange and treble and slightly elevated bass. The bass is just a tad lifted, not so much as to make the speaker sound boomy at all but just enough to give some warmth to the sound signature. Smaller speakers often attempt this in order to sound ‘larger’ by boosting the port output, but that can often lead to a droning ‘one-note’ bass sound since the port has such a narrow frequency band. SVS does this using their four beefy 8” bass drivers, so not only is there tight control over the bass sound, but it never runs out of headroom since there is so much displacement potential on tap. Those four 8” bass driver cones have as much cone area as a 16” woofer, and that along with it two large ports tuned to 30hz means that users definitely do not need to add a subwoofer; the Ultra Evolution Pinnacles have all the bass that most people would ever need. The two 5.25” midrange drivers should be able to keep up with all of that low-frequency headroom too, since most towers only have one midrange driver. The Ultra Evolution Pinnacles top it all off with a diamond-crusted tweeter that is protected by a neat-looking phase lens that SVS calls the ‘organic cell-lattice diffuser.’ Just make sure you have a potent amplifier with these speakers because they really benefit from a worthy amp.

 SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle Speaker Review!

Award: Best Affordable Tower Speaker

RBH Sound Impression 85-i Floor-Standing Speakers | Review | Buy

MSRP: $1,195/pair (sale: $1,075/pair)

The Impression line of speakers from RBH Sound has traditionally been their affordable line that they would sell direct to consumers from the manufacturer. RBH hadn’t had the Impression speakers around for a while, but they recently decided to bring the line back with a twist; this time they would be made in the USA. Affordable home audio loudspeakers that are domestically made haven't been a thing in decades. However, RBH Sound has brought their manufacturing back in house after seeing the perils of reliance on Chinese manufacturing from the supply chain problems during the early 2020s. What is more, their speakers are still competitive in their segment, and we can see that in our review of the 85-i towers. These are slim towers that have very low bass extension for their class and a fairly neutral sound signature. They are made using HDF cabinetry and have a satin finish as well as decent drivers and crossover components. Somehow they do this all for just a bit over $1k/pair with domestic manufacturing. If you are tight on space looking for a small floor-standing speaker without the need for a subwoofer and don’t want to spend a fortune, look no further than the Impression 85-i floor-standing speakers.

 RBH Sound 85-i Impression Tower Speaker Review Discussion

Award: Best Affordable Bookshelf Speakers

Dayton Audio OPAL1 Bookshelf Speakers | Review | Buy

MSRP: $800/pair

Dayton Audio had a real surprise in store for us in the form of the OPAL1 bookshelf speakers. We had been accustomed to Dayton Audio being a manufacturer of budget audio gear, so when they sent us the massively overbuilt, gloss finish OPAL1s, it was an unexpected step toward the high end. What is more, these speakers had shockingly deep bass for such small standmount speakers - deeper bass extension than many tower speakers that we have reviewed! They do sacrifice sensitivity to get such deep bass extension, but it’s a worthwhile trade-off considering that these are intended for small to medium listening situations and not for large rooms or dedicated home theaters. We loved their warm inviting sound and subwoofer-like bass in our review. At $800/pair, they are not the cheapest bookshelf speakers around, but when you factor in their superb build quality, high-gloss finish, and terrific performance, they are an absolute bargain and easily earn our product of the year for best affordable bookshelf speaker.

Award: Best Compact Desktop Speakers

AudioSmile Little British Monitor | Review | Buy

MSRP: $700/pair + shipping

We were delighted with AudioSmile’s LBM (Little British Monitor), a high-end desktop loudspeaker from a small company that went the extra mile and then some in terms of creating one of the best, if not the best, consumer desktop loudspeaker out there. It’s not as inexpensive as some desktop speakers on the market, but we found it to cut no corners in delivering a superb product. The build quality is excellent, and the speakers feel weighty and look great. The audio performance is impeccable, and not much more could be asked for a loudspeaker in its class in terms of sound quality. It has a frequency response that is accurate enough for studio monitoring, so the tonality is spot on with no overemphasized or under-emphasized frequency bands. It has very good dynamic range for its size thanks to its top-notch drivers and plentiful amplification power. Its broad, even dispersion means it sounds great everywhere, an important attribute for a desktop speaker since listeners can change position so widely with respect to the speakers’ placement. It has unusually good vertical dispersion which is very beneficial for a desktop environment which is good since desktop reflections can be very prominent and also posture changes from listeners won’t lead to degraded sound from the speaker as happens with so many other speakers in this class. While there are pricier compact desktop speakers and more budget-friendly options, AudioSmile’s LBMs stand out as our top choice for desktop powered speakers in their class, effortlessly blending performance and value.

Award: Best Subwoofer

Hsu Research VTF-TN1 | Review | Buy

MSRP: $1,199 + shipping

Another surprise this year came from the long-standing subwoofer manufacturer Hsu Research with their new flagship subwoofer, the VTF-TN1. This sub keeps many of the same elements of their previous flagship, the VTF-15h mkII, but rearranges them into a higher-performance configuration for improved port design and lower bass extension. The surprising element of all of this is that despite the improvements made, Hsu Research managed to lower the pricing and even extend the warranty to 5-years on the electronics. That is pretty shocking in an age where everyone else is raising prices. It even has a smaller footprint than the outgoing sub, albeit at the expense of greater height. An advantage of the smaller footprint is that it becomes easier to implement a multi-sub system, and that is crucial towards getting a linear in-room response. Buyers could have a multi-sub VTF-TN1 system that will have a flat in-room response down to extreme deep bass frequencies with loads of headroom and zero distortion, and it doesn’t have to break the bank. In our review, we noted the near infrasonic extension as well as the powerful mid-bass punch that made this an ideal component for either movies or music applications. It has the deep bass and massive slam for movies, but it also has the low distortion and sharp time delay performance for music, so whether you are a fussy audiophile or a home theater maniac, there is a lot to love about the VTF-TN1.

 HSU VTF-TN1 15" Subwoofer Review Discussion

Award: Best Affordable Subwoofer

RSL Speedwoofer 10E | Review | Buy

MSRP: $299

One of the few manufacturers offering high-performing products at lower costs, RSL introduced the Speedwoofer 10E in 2024, an entry-level model priced at an affordable $300, including shipping. In an age where costs are increasing everywhere, this is great news for audiophiles looking for a way to add some low-frequency extension to their system without having to refinance their home. The Speedwoofer 10E managed to dig below 30Hz very capably in-room and kept its cool even when driven hard so it didn’t produce any audible distortion or mechanical noises when pushed to the limit. In our testing, the 10E managed to produce over 100dB in bursts at 30Hz and above, a very solid showing for a small, affordable subwoofer. True to its name, the Speedwoofer 10E also turns in very good time domain performance with an excellent group delay showing for a ported subwoofer. What is more, the 10E’s build quality is considerably better than any other comparably priced subs that we have had so far. It has a fair amount of internal bracing plus lots of stuffing for internal wave damping; many other subs in this segment have little to no bracing and barely any acoustic stuffing. We applaud RSL’s attempt to make great bass more accessible to the masses, and we hope that other manufacturers will take note and follow suit. At this price, we recommend purchasing two to enjoy the benefits of a multi-sub setup, including improved bass response across a wider seating area and additional system headroom.

Award: Best In-Wall Loudspeakers

Focal 1000 IWLCR Utopia In-Wall Loudspeaker | Review | Buy

MSRP: $1,199/ea (1000 ICW6) and up to $7,999/ea (1000 IWLCR)

When Focal designates a product with their “Utopia” label, it represents the pinnacle expression of a Focal product. While Focal’s 1000 IWLCR Utopia speakers have been out for a couple of years, our direct experience this year has left us deeply impressed, so we are giving it our Product of the Year Award for 2024. Focal’s 1000 Utopia IWLCR in-wall speaker and companion Utopia IWSUB in-wall subwoofer will disabuse you of any preconceived notions about in-wall speakers. The Focal 1000 Utopia will rival—and even surpass—many free-standing reference speakers. Their pinpoint imaging, huge soundstage, solid dynamics, and clarity have all the hallmarks of a reference speaker for two channel or multichannel bliss. Focal uses a host of state-of-the-art materials and technologies reserved solely for the Utopia line. The 1000 Utopia sport a pure Beryllium tweeter, mounted in a waveguide for controlled directivity and Focal’s proprietary ‘W’ Sandwich Cone Drivers. Beryllium is arguably the best tweeter material thanks to its rigidity, extremely low distortion, and lightness. The ‘W’ Sandwich cone structure uses a thin foam layer between two fiberglass sheets for a cone that is extremely light and stiff yet also well damped.

 Home Theater Tour! 9.3.4 Focal Utopia & 21" RBH Sub Dolby Atmos, DTS-X

The tweeter-midrange assembly pivots. It can be angled at the listener or mitigate screen frames and room boundary reflections— a great idea for in-walls where the sound projection is usually fixed in place. The driver array uses a nested array where the tweeter is sandwiched between midrange drivers, which are in turn sandwiched between bass drivers. This design clamps down on vertical dispersion without affecting horizontal dispersion, an ideal attribute for an in-wall intended for home theater. The entire driver assembly sits in a solid, aluminum, time-aligned cabinet.

What makes the 1000 Utopia really shine is their modular design. You can use the 1000 Utopia IWLCR stand alone or daisy chain any number of Utopia IWSUBs to create a true full range speaker that will play down to 28Hz in an in-wall footprint using only a single amp channel! The Focal 1000 Utopia line is ideal for designing a theater with directional bass and creating full range speaker support groups for Dirac ART. Audioholics’ own Theo Nicolakis loved the 1000 Utopia series so much that he built his reference theater around them.

There are a ton of other features that the 1000 IWLCR Utopias have (too many to discuss here)  They all add up to Audioholics’ 2024 Product of the Year for Best In-Wall Loudspeaker.

Conclusion

In 2024, we didn’t review as many products as in previous years, but here’s the silver lining: quality always trumps quantity! The products we did dive into left us thoroughly impressed, making the selection process for our coveted Product of the Year awards tougher than ever. While the winners are showcased above, we strongly encourage you to explore the other contenders we reviewed in the same categories—you might just find the perfect match for your unique needs.

Looking ahead, we have plenty of exciting plans for 2025, so stay tuned to Audioholics for thoughtful reviews and insights on new audio gear.