Top Picks

Here’s a happy problem: Following the merge of Sound & Vision and Home Theater last year, selecting our 2013 Top Picks of the Year involved culling through more than 120 products that had been granted HT Top Pick or S&V Certified status—13 issues’ worth, plus dedicated online reviews. While it was still easy to pluck out the stuff that really rose to the top, the end result was more standouts than usual. You’ll find several recommendable entries equally sharing the various category honors this year. Of course, we’ve still identified a single, very special piece of gear as our ultimate Top Pick of 2013. Care to take a guess?

2015 was very much a transitional year for both audio and video technology. On the display side, Ultra HDTV continued its march into the marketplace, and we saw the first high dynamic range displays. A/V receivers caught up to the UHD displays with full passthrough of HDMI 2.0 signals bolstered, finally, by HDCP 2.2 copyright compliance—a key feature missing from most 2014 AVRs. We got our first real listen to object-based Atmos surround at home in both the nine-channel variety with four height speakers (a winner!) and the seven-channel variety with two height speakers (not quite so much). Beyond that, we saw more growth in the wireless multiroom audio segment, with several accomplished speaker manufacturers getting in the game. Here, then, is our list of standout products reviewed in the 2015 calendar year. Make sure you check current pricing online; we list MSRPs as originally reviewed, and some products are now heavily discounted.

The year 2017 in the world of audio/video gear proved mostly evolutionary, with a touch of the revolutionary thrown in. The former was seen clearly in the flat-panel television category, which wholly gave itself up to not just Ultra HD resolution this year but also to the idea of high dynamic range (HDR) and wide color gamut displays. We saw Dolby Vision finally make its way to a few UHD Blu-ray Discs, and critically, watched OLED mature into a commanding market presence. Meanwhile, we got more, and cheaper, options for 4K signal-friendly front projectors.

Now that 2019 is done, it's time to take stock of the year by reviewing the list of products that received Sound & Vision Top Pick awards. It's also time to single out some trends.

A key trend is that OLED and LCD TVs have become available in substantially larger screen sizes—the 70-plus-inch category is where the action is at for set makers. Not surprisingly, high-end models in general are also getting less pricey. While at $3,800 our 2019 TV Top Pick of the Year at isn't any cheaper than last year's winner, it's notable that the list includes a full-featured $1,000 LCD Ultra HDTV with a full-array LED backlight. Projectors, too, are part of the downward pricing spiral, with good-quality 4K-capable models now selling for under $1,500, and great ones selling for under $3,000.

Looking back on 2021, I can honestly state that it represented an improvement over 2020, though it didn't end up being the full-scale return-to-normal everybody was looking for. A/V consumer and trade shows such as CEDIA Expo in Indianapolis were gutted. Supply chain logjams delayed the arrival of new gear, particularly in core categories like speakers and A/V receivers, both of which ended up underrepresented in our 2021 Top Picks of the Year list compared with previous years. But even with all the challenges, the wheels of industry continued to grind, with much fantastic gear coming in for us to test and recommend.

The results are in! A total of 18 products have made Sound & Vision’s prestigious 2023 Top Picks of the Year list. See if your favorite pick made the cut.

As we head into a long, lazy July 4th Weekend, we’ve encapsulated a formidable list of recent Top Picks. Half of our Picks are devoted to an eclectic mix of wireless speakers, including one built for use outdoors. The other half includes what may be the world’s best TV, a couple of high-end headphones, a bad-ass budget subwoofer, a crazy cool micro tube amp, and an awesome AVR. Enjoy the holiday…and the gear.