Mordaunt-Short Aviano 8 review

There's no doubt in our minds that these elegant floorstanders do much that's right - we just wish they'd let their hair down occasionally Tested at £750.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Admirable and talented in many ways, but speakers this big need to be a bit more bruising

Pros

  • +

    Open, detailed listen

  • +

    a lot of cabinet and plenty of drivers for your money

Cons

  • -

    So-so looks and finish

  • -

    uncooperative floorspikes

  • -

    an almost too grown-up sound

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Once you've decided a floorstanding speaker is a better option than any of the standmounting alternatives, the temptation to buy as big a model as your room can accommodate is strong.

After all, if space allows, why not buy as much cabinet and as many drivers as your money will stretch to?

There's no doubt that if you line up these Mordaunt-Short Aviano 8s alongside, say, the Monitor Audio RX6s, your money has bought much more of a visual statement as well as quite a lot more raw material.

It hasn't necessarily bought you any big aesthetic triumph, mind. The big M-Ss are humdrum, vinyl-wrapped boxes with scant visual appeal beyond the curved front baffle and promising driver-count.

If discretion, a relatively luxurious finish or properly secured floorspikes are important, you'll discount the Aviano 8s out of hand.

Spacious, focused and detailed
That would be to do them a disservice, though. Delivering The Beatles' Oh! Darling from the remastered Abbey Road CD, the Mordaunt-Shorts are a spacious, detailed and focused listen.

Timing is good, with the leading edge of sounds prompt and packed with information, and, as the looks suggest, there's ample low-end presence and punch.

The soundstage they create is broad and coherent, the overall sweep and attitude of the song prioritised just as much as the fine details.

Mature, but not rough enough
But when the going gets complex and involved, with Spiritualized's Songs in A & E, the Aviano 8s' sophistication and maturity become a hindrance as much as a help.

There's no shortage of expression in the midrange, and high frequencies never threaten to become uncouth, but the relatively inhibited dynamic headroom and accompanying shortage of all-out excitement makes the M-Ss sound a little more pedestrian than they look.

Of course, words such as ‘maturity' and ‘sophistication' might be just what many a prospective customer wants to read.

For our part, though, we like our big, burly floorstanders to be able to rough it a bit when required.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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