McIntosh's XRT2.1K loudspeakers: 81 drivers, 7ft tall, £138k

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US audio legend McIntosh has announced its latest loudspeaker, with 81 Nanocarbon drivers employed in a four-way design. A pair can be yours for £137,500.

McIntosh claims the XRT2.1K has been 45 years in the making – which may go some way to explaining the eye-watering price. But there's serious technology in these speakers to go along with the time and dedication taken to bring them to market.

The new 'Nanocarbon Fibre/Nomex Honeycomb' drive units were created specifically for the XRT2.1Ks. The four-way design uses 81 drivers: six 20cm bass drivers, two 16.5cm low-frequency/midrange units, 28 5cm upper-midrange units and 45 19mm tweeters. McIntosh claims its line-array speaker principle promotes an even sound dispersion.

The speaker is rated to handle a whopping 2000 watts of power - the reinforced bass cabinet is made from brushed and black aluminium, and finished in piano black.

McIntosh dealers will, no doubt, be pleased to take your order now, ready for the first speakers to ship in December in the US, and 'early 2018' in the UK.

And, rest assured, if we can get hold of a pair of these impressive-looking speakers for review, you'll be the first to know. So watch this space.

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Jonathan Evans
Jonathan Evans
Editor, What Hi-Fi? magazine

Jonathan Evans is the editor of What Hi-Fi? magazine, and has been with the title for 17 years or so. He has been a journalist for getting on for three decades now, working on a variety of technology and motoring titles, including Stuff, Autocar and Jaguar. With his background in sub-editing and magazine production, he likes nothing more than a discussion on the finer points of grammar. And golf.