Loudspeakers

Is the hi-fi industry obsessed with ‘bigger... better’? Door-sized floorstanders are now joined by the rise of the ‘super’ standmount, where models like Dynaudio’s Contour 20 [HFN May ’25] and JBL’s Summit Ama [HFN Jan ’26] still encompass a substantial footprint. The petite Kupid might seem to be breaking the mould, measuring only 245x150x198mm (hwd), but the classic BBC LS3/5A [HFN Jun ’23] has been flying the flag for bijou boxes for decades. However, the latter is a sealed box design of limited sensitivity and bass extension, while the modern mini has aspirations to achieve a far bigger sound at a far lower price.

Faced with a restricted cabinet volume, most speaker engineers will opt for a reflex-loaded design even if these same diminutive box proportions will also limit the physical size of the port. Relatively narrow, but also relatively long port tubes are not uncommon [see Kupid cutaway, above], and these will often suffer from midband modes quite separate from the desired, bass-boosting Helmholtz resonance. The DALI Kupid falls into this camp [see PM's Lab Report], though it’s not as extreme as System Audio’s Signature 5 [HFN Feb ’25]. But price/performance is not the only factor, as mini speakers often end up in second rooms or are bought by music lovers living in a starter flat. As current housing needs point to decreasing square footage, perhaps ‘small’ just might have a rosy future.