In this article we give you a sixth update on the status of the 2023 Reader voted best gear polls.
Almost 8 months have passed since we launched the 2023 Reader Voted Best Gear polls. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, check out the page below where we announce and explain the Reader Awards. Anyway, it’s time for another update. Let’s find out what you so far in 2023 find to be the Best / Your favourite Gear on the market!
The categories this year are the same as last year and they are the following:
- Headphones – Link: Headphones
- Universal IEMs -Link: Universal IEMs
- Custom IEMs – Link: Custom IEMs
- TWS IEM – Link: TWS IEM
- Portable Players/DAPs – Link: DAPs/Port. Source
- DAC/AMP Combo – Link: DAC/AMP
The Status on September 9 is the following:
Headphones
- Sennheiser HD 800 S – 10.81%
- Focal Utopia – 8.72%
- Hifiman Susvara – 6.51%
A big change here and the Sennheiser HD800S jumps all the way to the first spot where it now is comfortably in the lead with 10.81% of the votes. The second and third spot also changed and the Focal Utopia which was 1st now is in second position with 8.72% of the count. The ELITE no longer is in the top 3, and the last spot is now taken by the Hifiman Susvara with 6.51%. Anything can happen here but it’s looking good for the Sennheiser.
Universal IEMs
- Unique Melody MEST II – 9.22%
- Sennheiser IE900 – 8.33%
- FiiO FD3 – 6.37%
Another big change here and the Unique Melody MEST II goes all the way to the 1st spot. It is in the lead with 9.22% of the votes. The second position now is for the Sennheiser IE 900 which was first last time. It now has 8.33%% of the votes. The 3rd place last time round was for the ThieAudio Monarch MKii, but that spot now is for the FiiO FD3 with 4.31% of the votes. The Sennheiser IE 600 is now 4th with 4.02%.
Custom IEMs
- 64 Audio A12T – 17.65%
- JH Audio Sharona – 11.76%
- 64 Audio A18T – 10.78%
There are almost no changes here in the top 3 and 64Audio is still killing it. The number one, still is the 64 Audio A12t with 17.65%, a very small increase from the previous 17.58%. Second spot now is for the the JH Audio Sharona with 11.76%. The third place now is for the 64 Audio A18t with 10.78% of the votes. So basically places 2 and 3 switched positions. The Vision Ears Elysium is 4th but only has 8.82% of the votes, so it will be difficult to change the top 3.
TWS IEM
- Apple Airpods Pro 2 – 24,74%
- Sony WF-1000XM4 – 14,74%
- Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 – 7,89%
There’s absolutely no change here on the podium. We still have the Apple Airpods Pro 2 in first position. With 24.55% of the votes, it did lose slightly compared to last time but they’re still comfortably in the lead. The Sony WF-1000XM4 is still in the second spot but its vote count has decreased from 14.74% to 13.84%. The 3rd position is for the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3, with 8.04% (coming from 7.89%). Last year the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro won this category but it’s nowhere to be seen now.
Portable Players/DAPs
- Astell&Kern SR35 – 13.23%
- AK SP3000 – 10.89%
- Cayin Audio N8ii – 9.21%
Last year we had the Fiio M17 winning this category, but it is only in 4th position now with 8.38% of the counts. In this update, the Cayin N8ii lost its first place and it now is only in the 3rd spot. First, and new, is the Astell&Kern SR35, and it has 13.23% of the votes. We will have the review up soon! The AK SP3000 still is second with 10.89%, coming from 11.26%. The Cayin N8ii completes the podium with first with 9.21% of the votes. The FiiO M17 is close in fourth place with 8.38%
DAC/AMP Combo
- Chord Electronics Hugo TT2 – 15.11%
- Chord Electronics Mojo 2 – 10.90%
- EarMen Colibri – 8.72%
There’s one big change here. Chord Electronics stays well presented in the top 3 but the RME lost its place to the EarMen Colibri. The Chord Mojo 2 and Hugo TT2 have swapped places and the TT2 now is in the first spot with 15.11% of the votes. The Mojo is in second place with 10.90%. Third position now is for the Colibri and it has 8.72% of the votes. The RME still follows closely as fifth with 5.30% of the counts. Fourth spot is for the quickly rising FiiO K9 PRO with 5.31% of the votes.
Don’t forget that you can still vote and participate in all of these polls. If you don’t agree with the intermediate results or you want to see your favourite piece of gear in the results, you know what to do…
Check out Page 2 and following and get voting!
Full links:
Headphones: https://www.headfonia.com/2023-reader-voted-best-gear-polls-update-6/2
Universal IEMs: https://www.headfonia.com/2023-reader-voted-best-gear-polls-update-6/3
Custom IEMS: https://www.headfonia.com/2023-reader-voted-best-gear-polls-update-6/4
TWS IEMs: https://www.headfonia.com/2023-reader-voted-best-gear-polls-update-6/5
DAP: https://www.headfonia.com/2023-reader-voted-best-gear-polls-update-6/6
DAC/AMP: https://www.headfonia.com/2023-reader-voted-best-gear-polls-update-6/7
