Iconic Eclipse TD712zMK2 speakers retire to make way for "exciting" new flagship

(Image credit: Eclipse)

It’s been a long while since Eclipse blessed our test rooms – and our news channel, for that matter. Today, the Japanese brand graces the latter, not with news of a new speaker but actually an outgoing one. Eclipse has announced the retirement of its flagship TD712zMK2, and without a replacement... for now.

But there is good news: the firm’s Kobe-based factory is “actively working on an exciting new flagship”. And a range-topper isn’t all that Eclipse has set its sights on. This year “promises to be an exciting year… with new launch activity at the entry level set to break an extensive seven-year R&D period”, according to a statement that also suggests we’ll soon see Eclipse “deliver some of its best-performing models in the near future”.

The 13-year-old Eclipse TD712zMK2 bows out before a successor’s arrival due to COVID-19-related slowdowns and schedule disruptions. So if you’re set on owning a pair of TD712zMK2 before their extinction, know that Eclipse retailers supposedly have very limited availability.

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In the meantime, the current TD510zMK2 defaults as the brand’s interim flagship. The new replacement is bound to follow in the footsteps of the TD712zMK2, with the iconic ovoid outer shell housing a wide-frequency single-driver (and therefore crossover-free) system, but considering the company has gone a considerable spell without a new product, we’re looking forward to seeing what the R&D team has been cooking up in recent years.

While we found the TD712zMK2 compromised in some sonic areas due to their single-driver configuration (namely extension in both the bass and treble), we took absolute delight in their musicality back in 2009. "When it comes to timing, dynamics and detail resolution, we doubt you'll find better – at any price," to quote our TD712zMK2 review.

A new flagship will have big shoes to fill, then. And who knows, Eclipse might well have found a way to overcome the TD712zMK2's blemishes. Fingers crossed.

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Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of the brand's sister magazines Down Under – Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica. During her 11+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.