SECRETS is pleased to announce our Best Of Awards for 2022.
“Whew!” As we careen into December, the year is almost over and it’s been a non-stop crazy-train here at SECRETS. Once again our team has had an opportunity to review many more outstanding audio and video products over these past 12 months. The Editorial Team spent several weeks deliberating and considering which products, that came through our collective doors during this past year, can truly be considered “off-the-hook!” It is to these standout products that we give the SECRETS Best of Awards.
The awards and the categories are based on reviews that have been conducted on actual products that we have had in our homes and put our grubby little mitts on. While we can’t review every conceivable “great piece of gear” from year to year, we believe the products we have reviewed represent a good and relevant cross-section of what is interesting out there in the audio/video universe at this time. Our reviewers are pretty candid about their findings of products: if they really like something, that opinion is reflected in the product highlights and review conclusion. We will not make recommendations or award pronouncements out of thin air.
In 2016 we added our SECRETS “Thumbs-Up Award” in addition to the Best Of Award recipients. The “Thumbs-Up” award recognizes outstanding products in categories that may not have had more than one product in for review this year. Other times we have certain products that, while not Best Of winners, have qualities and features that are so compelling that they demand recognition. So, the SECRETS Thumbs-up Award winners are guaranteed to be unique and recommended as well!
From time to time our Editor-In-Chief, John E. Johnson Jr. will encounter a product that butters his bread, flips his lid, and creams his cocoa just enough, that he will bestow upon it, a coveted “Bad-Ass” award. Alas, JJ has seen fit to keep his powder dry this year and will not proclaim any Bad-Assery this go around.
As vinyl purchasing and playback continue to see growth this year, our vinyl review guru Jason Crawford has selected a couple of what he considers outstanding examples of the medium. The practice of enjoying music committed to the grooves of 12-inch petroleum-based platters seems to be alive and well and Jason has awarded “Best Vinyl Reissue” and “Best Vinyl New Release” awards accordingly.
Now, without further ado, we present the Secrets Best Of 2022 Awards!
BEST TUBE INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER
Rogers® High Fidelity KWM-88 Integrated Tube Amplifier