So, we continue to take stock of 2023 and release a ranking of the compact bookshelf speakers that will make the biggest impression this year.
The rating, as usual, is compiled in ascending order of cost – so that every audiophile or music lover can find speakers in it to his taste and budget.
8. Mission LX-1MKII
The tiny Mission LX-1 MKII play from 58 Hz – you should not place speakers in large halls. But pay attention to the price – given the talents of the loudspeakers, the nameplate “best buy for price / quality” clearly begs here. And the speakers have a lot of talents – slightly smoothed timbres are compensated by the overall coherence and comfort of sound, and in the ability to draw a scene they even surpass their more expensive counterparts three times. The Mission LX-1 MKII is equipped with a 25mm dome tweeter and a 100mm mid/bass driver and has a sensitivity of 86dB into 8 ohms. One column weighs 4.13 kg.
Pros – Inexpensive and decent sounding speakers
Cons – smoothed timbres
Verdict: Pass to the world of Hi-Fi
7. Heco Victa Elite 302
The oldest bookshelf speaker in the series, Heco Victa Elite 302, is somewhat more expensive than its predecessor, but, again, its price looks clearly sparing in modern times. A large 170 mm mid/bass woofer (cone made of long-staple kraft paper) together with a 25 mm silk dome framed by a metal flange provide natural sound with excellent timbre accuracy. Non-parallel body shapes reduce resonances, and a solid mass of 6.7 kg clearly hints at the seriousness of the design.
Pros – excellent performance characteristics and nice handwriting
Cons – I would like more resolution on the bass
Verdict: Excellent speakers
6. KEF Q350
The brand new KEF Q350s, of course, stand out with the proprietary Uni-Q coaxial 165/25mm metal cone drivers, a concept copied from the Blade’s flagship high-end speakers. A CFD port is also available, and each column weighs as much as 7.6 kg. Acoustics sounds provocatively and demonstrates amazing dynamics – the legs just want to start dancing.
Pros – harmonious sound, affordable price
Cons – none
Verdict: Speakers to fall in love with
5. Monitor Audio Silver 100 (7G)
Handsome Monitor Audio Silver 100 in its seventh generation accumulate all the best practices of the famous British company. The model provides a “mercury” ultra-movable sound and excellent stage construction – qualities inherent in speakers from much more expensive price categories. Slightly raised tweeters seem more like a feature of the developers’ handwriting – and all this splendor is answered by the latest Rigid Surface Technology II midrange / bass speakers, a completely redesigned inch tweeter and an updated crossover. One speaker weighs as much as 9.4 kg and plays from 35 Hz!
Pros – fast and accurate sound
Cons – slightly raised treble
Verdict: Record-breaking price/quality ratio
4. Davis Acoustics KRYPTON 3
Davis Acoustics KRYPTON 3, heirs to the iconic branded model of the eighties of the twentieth century, weighs 5 kg and uses 1.1″ and 5.11″ drivers. The model will perfectly fit into halls up to 25 m2, despite the cutoff frequency of 55 Hz, the speakers literally captivate with their precise and voluminous sound. The speakers can be listened to for hours without fatigue, the famous French charm is revealed here one hundred percent.
Pros: Exquisite sound
Cons – for large halls it is better to look for a larger model
Verdict: French charm
3. Bowers & Willkins 706 S3
Bowers & Willkins 706 S3 have absorbed a whole bunch of innovations – here are vibration-isolated midrange drivers installed in an aluminum chassis, and special suspensions for FST cones, and diffusers made of Continuum material – you can list for a very long time (even the connection terminals have been modernized, and in crossovers now Mundorf audiophile capacitors installed). It’s better, as they say, to hear once – Bowers & Willkins would not be itself if it hadn’t achieved phenomenal bass output from such compact cases. The rest of the range is, again, more than okay, with each speaker weighing 8.4kg and playing at 45Hz.
Pros – a clip of innovation, large-scale sound
Cons – nothing major
Verdict: You can’t go wrong with the Bowers & Willkins 706 S3
2. MoFi SourcePoint 10
MoFi continues its triumphant march through the market – its new SourcePoint 10 speakers play from 42 Hz and guarantee a very gentle mode for the amplifier (speaker sensitivity is 91 dB at 8 ohms). Each speaker weighs a whopping 21kg, and Andrew Jones has managed to use large 10” diameter coaxial drivers in the speakers, which were created specifically for this model. 1.25” soft dome tweeters with Twin-Drive magnetic system, multi-faceted speaker front panel – all this works to form a full-fledged “wall of sound”, previously unattainable for this class of acoustics.
Pros – extraordinary delivery
Cons – expensive
Verdict: MoFi SourcePoint 10 redefine the shelf speaker market
1. Mission 770
The reincarnation of the famous classic model Mission 770 (the original speakers were released in 1978) rethink the entire track record of the company. The latest 200 mm drivers with a polypropylene cone and a reinforced magnetic system are used here. The acoustic design remains the same – the phase inverter port is located on the front panel. The tweeter with a 28 mm microfiber dome, loaded on a closed volume, is responsible for the high-frequency range. The speaker cabinet has become more durable and inert, its walls are made of two-layer fiberboard with a damping gasket. The sound of the Mission 770 is more like an open window.
Pros – the sound is on the verge of High End
Cons – old-fashioned appearance
Verdict: Top notch!