LATEST ADDITIONS

Illinois-based custom AV specialist Vanco International has introduced a budget line of custom-installation speakers with prices ranging from $150 to $270.

To the annals of unique interpretations and iconic performances of The Clown Prince of Crime we must now add Joaquin Phoenix and his exquisitely tragic turn as Joker. The film's Arthur Fleck is a new creation fully outside any established cinematic or literary continuity, a man barely able to function on the mean streets of Gotham City circa 1981. We can feel him barely hanging on as he goes about his daily grind: caring for an ailing mother, toiling as a professional clown, and dreaming of a career as a standup comedian.

As the new decade gets underway and we get used to “living in the future,” the editors of Sound & Vision have cherry-picked 10 products across three categories that merit a close look by anyone contemplating an electronics upgrade. All made our coveted 2019 Top Picks of the Year list, meaning they’re all stellar performers.

PRICE $1,649

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Great sound quality
Onboard Dirac Live room correction
Well-designed control app
Minus
Overly busy remote control

THE VERDICT
NAD's streaming preamp brings vinyl playback and Dirac Live room correction to the mix for a very complete package at an affordable price.

I'm no stranger to the network audio player/preamplifier category, having evaluated two such specimens in 2019: Cary Audio's DMS-550 and Simaudio's Moon 390. These components act as a hub for switching a range of digital and analog sources, along with streaming music from online services and local networked storage. The DMS-550 and Moon 390 impressed me with their versatility and sound quality, but at $5,000-plus, both are priced outside the range of an average listener. Fortunately, other options exist such as the NAD C 658, a $1,649 network audio player/ preamplifier aimed at audiophiles on a budget. How does the C 658 hold up against the pricier models? Let's give it a listen.