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 …
Eltax Monitor III ticks in all the right fields: Big metal spikes at the bottom, bi-wiring terminals at the back – and a “Monitor” in the name! And if you do not get too close, the cabinet looks quite reliable. A little closer you can see that the black ash veneer is plastic and that …
British Q Acoustics is especially known for making good quality speakers at a reasonable price. And the Q Acoustics 3020i seems to be built according to the same no-nonsense recipe. The vinyl-covered cabinet has rounded edges, and the drivers, which appear to be of average quality, are surrounded by chrome-plated metal ornaments. It is not …
The Tangent Spectrum X5 is the speaker in the test where most effort has been made to make it discreet and interior-friendly. The case is white lacquered (it is also available in black), and both speaker units are hidden behind metal grilles in the same color. It is quite nice – and so discreet that …
It was with some extra anticipation that I received the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 for review. Wharfedale has made lots of excellent speakers over the years, but in this case the manufacturer emphasizes that they were developed by German Karl-Heinz Fink. Fink was also behind i.a. Q Acoustics Concept 500, but this is the first time …
How much should one give for a good speaker? If money is no obstacle, you can get the fairytale for a substantial fire-figure amount. But, fortunately, less will do. How little you can get away with paying, we will find out in this test. We have looked at, and especially listened to, six sets of …
Natural black pearls are far more sought after than white pearls. Real black pearls are far rarer and very exclusive, and are found just off the coast of Tahiti. They are called Pinctada margaritifera, and the pearls turn black if they develop near the black lips of the Tahitian oyster. They cost about 10 times …
As a hi-fi reviewer, you can sometimes get a little speed blind. Because while we test lots of speakers, most of them have four- or even five-digit prices. But cheaper solutions exsist. The Tangent Spectrum X4 belongs to a rare – and possibly extinct – breed: cheap passive speakers. Speakers in the very cheap price …
English Q Acoustics is known for their passive speakers with a nice price-quality ratio. We were particularly impressed by the top model, Concept 500, which won our title as the best of the year in its category. Now, however, the people of Woking have directed their attention to active wireless speakers. The first result is …
The small Danish loudspeaker factory Jern makes things their very own way. Not least because all their products are made of cast iron. The Jern W9000 wall speaker is a successor to the W8000, which we have previously tested. Or rather an improved version, since the W8000 is still available. The 32 cm diameter and …