2025 Reader voted Best Gear polls – Update 1!

In this article we give you a first status update on the 2025 Reader voted best gear polls. 

It’s already been 6 months since we launched the 2025 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.

Reader Voted Best Gear Awards

Anyway, it’s time for a first update. Let’s find out what you so far in 2025 find to be the Best / Your favourite Gear on the market! 

Categories

There are more categories this year and they are the following:

1. Headphones
2. Universal IEMs
3. Custom IEMs
4. TWS IEMs
5. Portable Players/DAPs
6. DAC/AMP Combos – Including Dongles
7.  Amplifiers (only) – Tube or Solid State
8. DAC (only)
9. Speakers
10. Streamers
11. Cables & Accessories

The Status on June 17th

After having removed the fraudulous votes, these are the winners for now:

Headphones

1. Audeze LCD-5 – 15.06%
2. Sennheiser HD800 S – 13.25%
3. Meze Audio Empyrean 2 – 9.64%

Same top 3 as last year, only different positions. The Audeze LCD-5 is first with 15.06% of the votes. The Sennheiser HD 800 S follows with 13.25% and the third spot is for the Empyrean II with 9,64% of the votes.

Universal IEMs

1. Sennheiser IE900 – 7.28%
2. CA Astrolith – 7.27%
3. FatFreq Grand Maestro – 6.36%

The number 1 position still is for the Sennheiser IE 900 but the rest of the top 3 is completely new.

In First spot the IE 900 is just in the lead with 7.28% of the votes. The CA Astrolith is second with 7.27%. This will be a close one! The third spot for now is for the FatFreq Grand Maestro with 6.36% of the votes.

Custom IEMs

1. UM Multiverse Mentor – 20%
2. Vision Ears VE8 – 19.99%
3. 64 Audio A12T – 13.33%

The market is mostly focusing on universal IEMs now and even the CIEM companies are now offering a whole series of universal IEMs. I personally will take a custom over a universal any day, simply because of the comfort and sound quality. That said, the CIEM market is getting very niche and that shows in the number of votes and the models in the list.

The first position last year was for the JH Audio Layla but it isn’t even in the top 5 this year. First spot is for the UM Multiverse Mentor with 20% of the votes. The Vision Ears VE8 is in the second spot with 19.99%. The 64Audio A12t takes the 3rd spot with 13.33% of the votes.

TWS IEM

1. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 – 45.45%
2. Apple Airpods Pro 2 – 36.36%
3. Sony WF-1000XM4 – 9.09%

Almost the same top 3 as we had last year, only this time it is the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 (45.45%) and not the 3 that takes the lead. The Apple Airpods Pro 2 are in second with 36.36% of the votes. The third spot is for the Sony WF-1000XM$, just like last year. (9.09%)

Portable Players/DAPs

1. FiiO M17 – 16.67%
2. Astell&Kern SP3000 – 12.50%
3. Astell&Kern SP3000T – 12.49%

It’s not a surprise to see the FiiO M17 here in first place with 16.67%. The second and third sport are for Astell&Kern with the SP3000 (12.50%) and the SP3000T (12.49%)

DAC/AMP – Dongles included

1. Chord Electronics Hugo TT2 – 28.24%
2. Chord Electronics Mojo 2  – 11.76%
3. Cayin Audio RU7 – 7.06%

The top 2 spots have not changed here. The Chord Mojo 2 and the Hugo TT2 are still doing very well with the top 2 positions. The TT2 won this category last year and the year before. The third position this time is for the Cayin RU7 dongle.

Amplifiers only 

1. Violectric DHA 590 MK2 Pro – 19.05%
2. Feliks Audio ENVY – 14.29%
3. ZMF Aegis – 9.52%%

A completely new Top 3 this year with more recent amplifiers. The 1st spot goes to the Violectric DHA 590 MK2 Pro with 19.05% of the votes. The popular Feliks Audio Envy takes the second spot with 14.29% while the ZMF Aegis is in third with 9.52% of the votes.

DAC only

1. Chord TT2 – 30.14%
2. Chord Mojo 2 – 20.55%
3. RME ADI-2 DAC FS – 8.22%

The Chord TT2 is also doing well in this category and it takes the lad with 30.14%. The Mojo 2 is a strong 2nd with 20.55%. The race for third is still open but for now is taken by the RME ADI-2 DAC FS (8.22%), closely followed by the Holo Audio Cyan 2.

Speakers

1. KEF LS50 META – 35.29%
2. Børresen Acoustics C3 – 29.41%
3. Q Acoustics 5040 – 11.76%

A new category as we now also have a 2-channel review expert in the team.

First spot goes to the world famous KEF LS50 META with 35.29% of the votes. The second spot is for the Børresen Acoustics C3 (29.41%) and the third position is for the Q Acoustics 5040 (11.76%). I am still looking into possible voting fraud for the Børresen.

Streamers

1. Eversolo DMP-A6 – 33.33%
2. Eversolo DMP-A8 – 13.89%
3. FiiO R9 – 8.33%

Like last year, Eversolo is strongly performing as you can see. Both their A6 (33.33%) and A8 (13.89%) are strongly in the top 2 and they are just ahead of the Fiio R9 all-in-one unit which has 8.33%.

Cables & Accessories

1. Eletech Raphael– 50%
2. Lavricables Grand – 50%

Only 2 votes for this category this far. Are cables no longer interesting? Let’s see how this poll evolves.

End Words

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. Start voting!

Full links:

1. Headphones
2. Universal IEMs
3. Custom IEMs
4. TWS IEMs
5. Portable Players/DAPs
6. DAC/AMP Combos – Including Dongles
7.  Amplifiers (only) – Tube or Solid State
8. DAC (only)
9. Streamers
10. Cables & Accessories