Hegel P20Price: $2900

Website: www.hegel.com

Erich said: The Hegel P20 was neutral in its sound. It allowed for beautifully clear separation of sounds, voices, and instruments; and the vivid depth of its bass was a revelation. This preamplifier allowed singers and instruments on the best recordings to sound natural and almost fully real. The buyer gets far better sound than the P20’s price of $2900 suggests.

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Hegel does it yet again: produces great sound at a more-than-competitive price.