Hi-Fi PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR
EVERY YEAR, a panel of judges from the Expert Imaging and Sound Association convenes at some exotic locale to hear presentations by companies vying for the awards in a range of categories—home theater (audio and video), photography, mobile devices, in-car electronics, and hi-fi—listen, and vote. It’s a gathering of representatives of the most important specialist publications worldwide, from the United States, Europe, India, Japan, Australia, Russia, Canada, and Hong Kong.
Every year, that is, except this year. This year, due to COVID-19, we all stayed home, and they sent the products to us. Instead of taking place over a few days, the judging extended over months as the competing products were shipped among all the EISA member countries. Products were discussed via various electronic means. It wasn’t as much fun as getting together in person, but it was pretty good.
At , we consider the definitive resource for the evaluation of hifi components. We work hard to meet that standard. And yet, we learn much from engaging with our international peers. While we share much in common, each of the participants in this process—every member of the Hi-Fi Expert Group—brings values and approaches usefully and refreshingly different from our own. Despite our varied cultures and points of view, via these discussions we come to agree
