I think Stereophile should change the Recommended Components classification to price ranges. Most of us have budgets, and will buy, e.g., the best $2k speaker we can find, so long as it is good enough to improve our systems. I don't care if it's class B or C, just so long as I don't overlook some other choice that is better, at least within a few hundred dollars.
I recently emailed John Atkinson of Stereophile
I was concerned lately by the lack of Class "D" preamps in latest Stereophile Recommended Components listings and e-mailed John Atkinson the editor, who implied that because many newer preamps exceed the Class D limitations and newer preamps simply outperform their older bretheren, this class was currently empty. Which got me thinking: one can purchase a used Conrad Johnson PV10a or a Conrad Johnson PF-2 on this site for around six hundred dollars. Does this mean that Newer preamps in the same basic price range, like the new Parasound Halo which goes for $799 at Audio Advisor "sound better" than vintage gear? Any thoughts?