You may have noticed that speakers have been something of a hot topic this month. After all, February is the month of love, and nothing says ‘I love music!’ more so than a lovely pair of speakers. So it’s only fitting that we end the month as we started it… with more lovely speakers! Everything we’ve covered so far has required the use of a full hi-fi system in order to accommodate them, so it seems fitting that this time we give a little love to the speakers that can stand on their own two feet: the actives!
Just in case you don’t already know: active speakers are speakers with built in integrated amplifiers, which makes them perfect for those who have the source, but not the system. They come in two very distinct camps: the two way stereo (which sometimes split into 2:1, if you’re very lucky!), and the single box (like the lovely Naim Mu-so Qb). We’re going to focus on the two-ways this time. Starting with…
Yamaha NX-50 – £49.90
A set of desktop speakers that impressed us so much we bought the lot, made them exclusive to us and slashed the price in half. Predictably they’ve been one of our best selling items (ever!) since then… and they’re actually selling out. Yes. All good things must come to an end, and the NX50’s time is coming up. They are awesome speakers and a must for every desktop – so be quick!
Acoustic Energy Aego M – £149
If space is important to you – these should be considered. Made up of two tiny satellite speakers and one larger sub (that can sit on the floor!) these great value speakers sound great and don’t take up any space at all. The satellites are no bigger than an apple!
Focal XS Book Wireless 2.0 – £249
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! We’ve been banging on about the Focal XS since they were released some years ago, and they’re still some of the best actives you can buy. Focal quality in a tiny desktop speaker no bigger than a book. Hence the name – cute huh?
Dali Zensor 1 AX – £499
Remember the Dali Zensor 1 bookshelf? It scooped up some pretty serious awards and remains a pretty serious contender at its price point. These are the active version, and they’re also pretty damn good. A little more expensive than your average active, but worth every penny!
And last but by no means least…
Yamaha NX-N500 – £599
This beautiful pair are MusicCast speakers, and therefore can be integrated with other MusicCast models. They work great alone, but are even better when paired up with their many friends.
We’re always being told we should be more active – so here’s a good place to start! Slim down your system and start listening. Remember to give us a shout if you have any questions – we love our actives and have more recommendations where these came from!