When we tested Argon Audio’s Forte speakers a few years ago, this reviewer had a hard time keeping his arms down. This was especially true of the Forte A4, the smallest model, which in most areas could give larger and several times more expensive hi-fi speakers a run for their money. The floorstanding model, the …
No soundbar can beat a pair of stereo speakers for realistic music production. And neither can Bluetooth speakers. Not even the unique Naim Mu-so 2. Two speakers add an extra dimension to music that soundbars and desktop speakers lack. This becomes very clear when you plug in KEF’s new LSX II, which looks very similar …
Lack of space usually means small speakers with limited bass and sound pressure. The most ardent enthusiasts will buy a good subwoofer to minimise the problem, but it doesn’t always solve the whole equation. At least not if the speakers lack dynamic capabilities and start to fizzle like an overheated light bulb when you turn …
Everyone who loves music and good sound has a relationship with JBL, whether they realise it or not: the American manufacturer has been around since 1946 and is a legend in speakers for PA systems, cinemas, music production and home hi-fi. The most exquisite hi-fi products come from JBL Synthesis, the company’s high-end division behind …
We recently tested the Argon Audio Fenris A4, and now it’s the turn of the next model in the series, the Argon Audio Fenris A5. The family resemblance between the two models is obvious. You almost have to have the two speakers set up next to each other to spot the difference. Which is that …
When we tested the Argon Audio Forte A4, it set a new standard for how cheap a successful active speaker could be. Now the Argon folks have come up with a brand new and even cheaper speaker series, called Fenris. And this time we’re testing the series’ smallest model, the Argon Audio Fenris A4. The …
I’ve often said that you get more for your money in a compact speaker. Rarely has that been more true than when we tested the little Lumina I from Sonus faber in 2020. The compact speaker made the impossible possible and really just continued the tradition Sonus faber has of making incredibly good compact speakers. …
Bowers & Wilkins is one of the world’s biggest speaker manufacturers, and for good reason. Many manufacturers buy components from around the world and assemble them in-house, almost entirely by intuition, but B&W has a different approach. Instead, the British manufacturer relies on highly sophisticated measuring equipment in the search for the best frequency curve …
I do not remember exactly when it was, but I do remember the experience. I had never heard such a bass from any speakers before, and after a few tracks, I concluded that these had to be my dream speakers. The chubby Bowers & Wilkins speakers had a 12-inch woofer in a separate enclosure, and …
Following the success of the Kaya 90 compact floor-standing loudspeaker, which Vivid Audio magically managed to make it sound twice as big, the British-South African manufacturer has faced a new challenge: How do you use the same concept, which normally needs a much larger cabinet, in a small compact speaker of only 12 liters? The …
British Q Acoustics has for many years made a name for themselves as a manufacturer of interior- and wallet-friendly speakers. We have tested several of them and they have usually offered really good sound for the price. Q Acoustics M20 has the same design with strongly rounded edges, which we are used to from i.a. …
After massaging my soul with James Blake’s latest album, I felt for a break in style. Not because it was tiring to listen to Blake, but mostly because the mood was more towards pleasant background music. But when Brad Mehldau started Nick Drake’s Things Behind The Sun, solo on stage at Sumida Triphony Hall in …
Dutch & Dutch is Dutch – and so obviously proud of their heritage that they chose to mention it twice in the company name. The company, which is based in Rotterdam, has only one product on the program, a speaker. It is, in turn, brimming with interesting technical solutions. First of all, it is active …
Dali Oberon 1 is the smallest model in DALI’s bang for the buck series, Oberon. Even though we are in the budget class, we can still afford a midwoofer with the characteristic wood fiber cone. And (a tiny bit of) the special SMC material is used in the magnet system. The cabinet seems quite heavy …
The Elipson Prestige Facet 6B is the little brother of the Prestige Facet 8B, which we have previously tested. And just like on it, the workmanship is more exclusive than you would expect at the price point. The edges are rounded and the dark walnut finish is almost lifelike. The piano-lacquered front plate is thick …