The new speakers use the latest version of the company's MA's Metal Matrix Polymer (MMPII) and Ceramic-Coated Aluminium Magnesium (C-CAM) cone technologies, originally developed for the high-end Platinum speakers, one of which is reviewed in the new issue of What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision, on sale on August 21.
The crossovers have also been completely reworked, to give greater definition and detail.
Also new is the sleek, slim cabinet design, with flush-mounted grilles and availavle in walnut and rosemah real wood veneers, plus black, white and silver piano lacquer finishes. The internal damping material has also been improved, and some models use Anti-Resonance Composite baffles, made from a mineral-loaded polymer.
The entry-level model in the range is the unusual R45HD, at £180 a pair, which uses a 7.5cm mid/bass driver and a rear-firing 19mm gold dome tweeter to spread the sound around the room.
Next up is the more conventional R90HD, a £300-a-pair miniature monitor with a 10cm woofer and 25mm tweeter, while the larger R180HD, at £175 each, is designed to be used either vertically, or horizontally as a centre speaker. The larger cabinet of the R180HD also gives better bass response.
The R225HD doubles up on the 10cm bass drivers in a similar long format, and costs £225 apiece, while the R250HD has the same driver line-up in an even longer cabinet, again for better bass.It costs £250 apiece.
The R270HD again has the twin 10cm woofers and a 25cm tweeter, but this time in a slim floorstanding enclosure, at £600 a pair.
A completely new addition to the range is the £450 R one HD, which combines left, centre and right speakers in a single cabinet. The centre section uses twin 10cm woofers and a 25cm tweeter, while the left and right elements use a single woofer and tweeter apiece.
Two subwoofers complete the range, which is on sale soon: the £400 R360HD uses a 20cm downward-firing driver and a 100W Class A-B amplifier, while the £500 R370HD has a 25cm driver, again downward-firing, and a 200W Class D amplifier.
