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What Gear is Universally Adored?

I’m always on the lookout for gear that seems to be universally and widely adored. Such gear in my experience is difficult to go wrong with, despite the fact that we all have unique variables in our rooms, systems and tastes. My experience with such products seems to be consistent with what the consensus is. As I said these examples I believe are rare. My first encounter with this was when I had read near unanimous glowing adoration for the Gryphon Diablo 300 amp. Up to that point in my search I was ready to quit HiFi because the gear I was testing with home demos, including separates, wasn’t doing it for me. But after reading all the praise and an endorsement of the Diablo 300 at that price point from @jays_audio_lab , I went to demo the Diablo. To be honest I didn’t fall in love with it until the first moment I turned it on in my system in my space. But I totally love this amp I feel differently about it than any audio component I’ve ever owned, even expensive ones. I had the same experience with the Innuos PhoenixUSB and PhoenixNET devices, which are USB reclockers and network isolators, respectively. The PhoenixUSB in particular has seemingly almost unanimous praise and I see why (although one could argue it makes sense to step up to the top streamer from Innuos which includes the tech in one box, at least for the USB reclocker.

So, my question is, what other gear do we universally adore? I’m not talking about things we each adore - please don’t list those. I have very premium Nordost speaker cables that I love but I know not everyone loves these. That’s an example of what not to list in this thread.

To Start:

  • Gryphon Diablo 300 Integrated amplifier
  • Innuos PhoenixUSB USB Reclocker (I know some say it makes sense to step up to the top level Innuos streamer that includes this tech in one box, but that doesn’t stop everyone who has it from loving it. I love it as well)
  • Herbie’s Audio Anti-Vibration footers. Bought these for my speakers and my experience is in line with all who have reported great things. I don’t have experience with other more pricey options.
  • Chord M Scaler upsampler (I think? I struggle to find more than a handful that don’t like this device. I’ve not heard or used it. Yet.)
  • Chord Dave DAC (haven’t heard myself)

What else belongs on this list???? Why I love such products is that our collective consistency of positive experience is greater. Meaning, you can be more assured (but certainly not entirely sure) of how you will feel about the product in your own system. Products called out should have unanimous pro reviews and most importantly must have lots of positive buzz in forums with little to no negative comments.

Also - it’s okay and even a good thing if Amir at Audiosciencereview says the product sucks balls. 

nyev
holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

words like ’universally’ and ’perfect’ and ’always’ set very high standards, too high, I think... for a pursuit that is so subjective and variable in use cases...

Ah… no, I don’t think so @jjss49

if people want to blindly get gear that is more likely to be enjoyed, then the gear that is adored is more of a safe bet. Whether that is ARC, etc. doesn’t matter… we know that it is pretty likely to tick the boxes.
This gear does reliably hit very high subjective standards, which is why it is adored.

it is the consequence of being subjectively good, that they ended up in the adored category.

And here is a good example from @djones51 :

Genelec monitors are held in very high esteem in "pro reviews" and I see no negative feedback on pro forums, especially the Ones.

nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

I think there is a spectrum:

-Gear that is “universally” adored.  Note the quotes, as no gear is  truly universally adored.

-Gear that is liked by some and not by others

-Gear that is polarizing - loved by some and despised by others (many speakers would fall into this category I think, like say Magico)

-Gear that is universally despised.  Actually this category may not exist because this gear would simply be taken off the market.

Of course the likelihood of liking something is higher if it’s in the first category.  The community was raving about the Diablo 300, and as soon as I heard in in my own system (after auditioning in-store as they have a no home demo policy), after being disappointed by many prior home auditions, I realized the community totally nailed it.  It made me interested in whether other products are out there that are as widely compelling across a spectrum of people.  I know I keep going on about the Diablo but it’s the thing that got me wondering about other revered products that may be out there.

holmz's avatar
holmz
2,328 posts
 

I know I keep going on about the Diablo

As they say, “The Diablo is in the details.”

nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

Lol….

Just to double down on my vote for Herbie’s anti vibe products. Just installed Herbie’s Tenderfeet under my gear and Giant Fat Dots under my wooden shelf (I had sliding spike decouplers under my speakers prior to this). These products do everything that the community raves about. As stated - the biggest improvement for the least dollars spent. My fully Herbified system has totally levelled up. Music is now impossible to not get into.

I know there are many other more expensive vibration control products and I can’t speak to any of them. All I can say I’d that I agree with the swaths of audiophiles that swear by Herbie’s. There’s no doubt:  Herbie’s is Universally Adored!

nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

I just told my wife we are putting Herbie’s dots under our bed frame. Oh crap just realized what this sounds like as I was typing it. No not that. Was thinking of better, more easeful, and relaxed sleep.  Not even joking!

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