2023 saw record-breaking numbers in Dealers’ Choice Awards (DCAs) voting, as well as some of the tightest races, per category, in the awards’ 31-year history. In addition to some repeat winners, this year welcomes a handful of new victors – including a few upsets.
MMR thanks the thousands of subscribers who participated in the nomination and voting process this year and congratulates all of the 2023 Dealers’ Choice Awards winners!
Product of the Year: Allen & Heath Avantis V1.2
With this victory, Allen & Heath’s line of mixers has now been “Product of the Year” for an impressive six consecutive years. It’s not hard to understand the broad appeal of the Avantis, however – as noted last year, Firmware V1.2 improved upon an already superior product and upped the ante in regards to versatility and function. Source Expander reduces bleed and increases gain-before-feedback to enhance vocal performances and minimize the risk of feedback during live performance, the Bus Compressor delivers sonic cohesion on LR and sub-mixes and minimizes pumping with sidechain filter controls, and Dual Threshold Expander allows engineers to take control of stage acoustics and prevent chattering during performances. There’s a reason why so many tours, venues, and live sound mixing engineers gravitate to Allen & Heath’s Avantis – will any brand or product emerge in the coming months to unseat the champ in 2024? Only time will tell…
Accessory Line of the Year: On-Stage
Year in and year out, “Accessory Line of the Year” is amongst the most competitive in the DCAs, but as with 2022, On-Stage ultimately takes the victory lap. Be it windscreens, Bluetooth receivers, bell kits, pedalboards, ukulele stands, or virtually any other music-related accessory, On-Stage has dealers and end-users covered with well-designed, high quality products. Like last year, MI retail voters singled out the breadth of gear available and the responsive brand support as amongst the reasons On-Stage sets itself apart from the pack.
Acoustic Guitar of the Year: Martin D-28
Around since the 1930s and consistently in the running for this DCA category, Martin’s D-28 is regarded by many as one of the finest production acoustics of all time. The guitar’s understated aesthetics belie a rich array of quality components and masterful construction. Today’s D-28 leverages some of Martin’s latest innovations to great effect: open-gear tuners, antique white accents, faux tortoise pickguard, and open-gear tuners lend the model a vintage appearance, while a modern neck profile provides improved comfort and playability and forward-shifted racking allows for greater vibration of the top. It’s not surprising the D-28 – nicknamed “the tone cannon” by afficionados – eked out a win in this extremely competitive field.
Acoustic Piano Line of the Year: Kawai
Nearly a century of advancements have made Kawai a favorite of professional players, institutions, venues, students, and teachers – and, once again, the “Acoustic Piano Line of the Year.” From upright piano to grands, and the top-of-the-line Shigeru Kawai grand, Kawai fields a number of excellent options across a variety of footprints and price-points that appeal to customers of all types. 2023 retailer-voters applauded the brand’s stellar reputation, value, build quality, and Kawai’s unrivalled customer service. There are no shortage of deserving suppliers in this segment, but once again Kawai stood apart!
Amplifier Line of the Year: Fender
Fender has found itself in the winner’s circle for “Amplifier Line of the Year” once again – and for good reason! Whether drawn to the sweet tone and responsive dynamics of the hand-wired ’57 Custom Twin-Amp, the compact potency of the feature-rich Mustang Micro, the might of the flagship 300-watt Super Bassman, or anything else in the exhaustive Fender lineup, players flock to the brand for addressing their amplification needs. Appreciative MI retailers value that strong connection with end-users, built up over decades of releasing innovative, reliable product that consistently delivers. 2023 offers further proof that, when it comes to guitar and bass amps, FMIC is tough to beat!
Band & Orchestra Line of the Year: Buffet Crampon
Always a tight race, “Band & Orchestra Line of the Year” is populated by numerous worthy contenders, but Buffet Crampon’s supportive dealer base stepped to the plate and delivered the company another well-deserved win. Aside from English horns, bassoons, oboes, saxophones, accessories – and of course world-class clarinets – Buffet Crampon also fields a number of globally regarded brands: Verne Q. Powell, Julius Kellwerth, Hans Hoyer, Besson, also W. Schreiber. The Buffet Crampon lineup is defined by consistency of build, excellence in design, superb reputation, and an extremely loyal customer base. Nicely done, Buffet Crampon!
Ukulele of the Year: Kala The Revelator
2022 was the inaugural year for the “Ukulele of the Year” category and in a crowded market segment Kala eked out a win. In 2023, Kala’s The Revelator once again puts the brand on top with DCA voters. The handcrafted slim line electro-acoustic boasts the full volume and acoustic tone of a full body uke alongside a stunningly beautiful appearance. From the top of the line Nautilus Limited Master Grade Koa Tenor to the Nautilus Premium Kornia Tenor, the Revelator line has eight distinctly appointed models at various price-points and finishes that check the boxes for nearly all serious ukulele players. In the early years of this still-new DCA field, Kala is (so far) edging out the competition to emerge as the victor!
Electric Bass of the Year: Fender American Ultra Jazz Bass V
Voting in this category is always very tight, with front-runners changing by the day, but in 2023 Fender emerged victorious. From FMIC’s most advanced series of guitars and basses, the American Ultra Jazz Bass V features a unique “Modern D” neck profile facilitating hours of playing comfort, as well as a tapered neck heel that allows easy access to the highest frets. Vintage pickups and redesigned preamp provide a myriad of tonal options (without hum!), while the lightning-fast 10”-14” compound-radius fingerboard with 21 medium-jumbo frets equates to effortless action. Match all of those features with classic looks and a storied brand legacy and you’ve got a (literal) winner. Congratulations Fender!
Electric Guitar of the Year: Gibson Custom 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue
One of the two closest DCA battles this year (more on that later…), during the time that voting was live it seemed like the front-runner for “Electric Guitar of the Year” changed, literally, by the hour. When the dust settled, however, MI retailers had crowned Gibson’s Custom 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue the champ. A true achievement of high end guitar craftsmanship, this model celebrates the only full year in which the LP featured powerful P-90 pickups and the adjustable ABR-1 bridge setup – a pairing sought after by many for its ability to sustain and intonate at the highest level. Featuring all solid woods, vintage-appropriate gold paint, historic narrow/tall frets, authentic replica parts, and hot hide glue construction, the Custom 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue looks as remarkable as it plays. Nicely done, Gibson!
Home Digital Keyboard of the Year: Casio PX-S7000
Casio’s PX-S series of Privia keyboards took the win in this category last year, with dealers and customers particularly drawn to the aesthetics, craftsmanship, and the brand’s reputation. In 2023, voters were more specific, singling out the elegant and eye-catching PX-S7000 model. Every bit as much visual artform as it is a powerful musical instrument, the PX-S7000 serves as a centerpiece for the home. Brilliant mid-century modern-influenced style meets unmatched sound and touch for a total package that’s hard – and in 2023, anyway, impossible – to beat. Hat’s off to the Casio team!
Pro Digital Keyboard Line of the Year: Nord
Another extremely crowded category (this is becoming the theme of the 2023 DCAs…), digital keyboards are such a hotly contested field because of their ubiquitous role in pop music. Be it dance, rock, Latin, jazz, or virtually any other type of popular music, odds are good you’ll see a digital keyboard up on stage or in the recording studio. As in 2022, DCA voters saluted Nord, singling out the Swedish manufacturer’s handmade distinctive red keyboards for innovative design and association with a wide array of notable artists. From the versatile Lead A1 to the standard-setting Stage 5, Nord offers models suitable to players of nearly all styles and ability levels.
Lighting Line of the Year: Chauvet DJ
After 11 years of getting the nod in this category, it could be fairly said that Chauvet DJ has a lock on “Lighting Line of the Year.” However… despite Chauvet DJ once again landing in the winner’s circle, it’s worth noting that there were two other contenders who kept this category neck-and-neck until the very last weeks of voting. Could it be that 2024 will see the company’s now decade-plus reign come to an end? Time will tell, but when it comes to this year, ultimately, Chauvet DJ’s innovative design and exhaustive product line – atmospherics, effects, blacklights, controllers, moving heads & scanners, lasers, spotlights, wash lights, strobes, and much more – once again couldn’t be beat!
Sound Reinforcement Line of the Year: Allen & Heath
This year’s “Product of the Year” honoree also shone brightly in this market segment, as Allen & Heath quickly rose above the other contenders in this year’s voting. A robust lineup of analogue mixers, both large and compact digital mixers, controllers, personal monitoring systems, and the powerful family of Audio Matrix Processors means Allen & Heath addresses a number of sound reinforcement needs applicable in on-stage, corporate, educational, retail, house of worship, and hospitality settings. Hat’s off to Allen & Heath.
Recording Equipment Line of the Year: Focusrite
Another repeat winner, Focusrite’s dominance in this field won’t come as a surprise to many recording enthusiasts, podcasters, and at-home creators. Boasting an popular lineup of iOS interfaces, USB interfaces, ADAT interfaces, mic pres, audio-over-IP interfaces, and Focusrite’s RedNet Control utility software, the brand meets the needs of many. Significantly, the release of the new 4th generation Scarlett line of audio interfaces drew eager customers in droves in 2023. Impressive dynamic range, top-notch preamps, a re-engineered Air mode, and an impressive bundle of included software have made Scarlett the go-to for thousands of satisfied – and loyal – customers and, with continued innovation Focusrite is well positioned to be a market leader in this category for years to come!
Print Music Publisher of the Year: Alfred Music
Ok, earlier it was noted that the “Electric Guitar of the Year” was one of two absurdly close races in this year’s Dealers’ Choice Awards. “Print Music Publisher of the Year” was THE most topsy-turvy horse-race of 2023 – the particularly surprising element being that those jockeying for position weren’t only the two obvious candidates, but rather four publishers whose dealer-partners clearly rallied around them this year to show appreciation and support. The overall vote-count for this go-round of the DCAs was historically high, and in this category more than any other. When the smoke had cleared and the final tally was counted, Alfred Music emerged victorious. Long recognized as a global leader in music education, Alfred remains dominant in that realm, but their over 150,000 active titles also covers folios for music of the likes of Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones to brands such as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. A hotly contested category, to be sure. Congrats on a well-deserved win, Alfred Music!
Microphone Line of the Year: Audio-Technica
From wired solutions for creators such as the AT2040USB-XP hypercardiod dynamic microphone and professional options like the AT5046 cardioid condenser to wireless options like the 3000 Series, Audio-Technica has a vast array of options that meet the needs of virtually any type of end-user. With a lineup that sizable and a reputation an industry-shaping legacy as impressive as that of A-T, it was tough for any other brand to win in 2023 (although plenty came close!).
Percussion Line of the Year: DW
MI dealers like what DW is putting out there so much, they’ve now named the Oxnard, California supplier “Percussion Line of the Year” five years in a row! Could Don Lombardi have imagined that his small “Drum Workshop” studio back in 1972 would emerge to become one of the most significant players in this market segment? Whether or not, facts are facts and it’s hard to argue with a half-decade of consecutive DCA wins. The recently released DWe acoustic-electronic convertible wireless drums speak to Drum Workshop’s continuing commitment to innovation and excellence, while more traditional offerings such as the Jazz Series and Classics Series continue to resonate with innumerable players. Well done, once again, Drum Workshop team!
