It’s been another great year for speakers with new arrivals from the likes of Q Acoustics and Epos shaking up the price categories for 2024. Our list of winners takes in more established class leaders too, with models from Bowers & Wilkins, KEF, Wharfedale and Spendor holding off all-comers in their respective market sectors.
Starting with standmounters, we have a new budget Best Buy in the form of Wharfedale’s Diamond 12.1 (£249/$399/AU$699). The demise of last year’s champ, the Elac Debut B5.2, has left a gap that the Diamond fill admirably with their combination of refinement and insight. They are forgiving enough to deliver an enjoyable sound with less-than-perfect budget electronics, but they also have enough sonic stretch to allow more capable equipment to shine. You can add terrific build and finish to their list of strengths too.
Bowers & Wilkins has continued to keep a tight hold on the next two price classes with its excellent 600 S3 series standmounters. The 607 S3 (£599/$900/AU$1149) and 606 S3 (£749/$1100/AU$1499) continue to set the standards here with their fun, front-footed performance.
The arrival of the Epos ES-7N (£1890/$2850) have been one of the highlights of our 2024 Awards judging, period. These clever little speakers deliver exceptional levels of sound, and the considerable thought that has gone into making them so easy to accommodate has impressed us almost as much. These Epos got the nod over some big names in the form of the excellent Dali Rubikore 2, KEF R3 Meta (last year’s Best Buy at this price range) and Neat’s infectiously musical Petite Classic.
For the first time in what seems an aeon, the charming Ruark MR1 Mk2 have failed to make the grade. Elac’s Debut ConneX DCB41(£399/ $599/ AU$799) have enjoyed a massive price cut that brings them crashing into the Ruark’s territory, and so displaces them. The MR1 continue to please, but the Elac’s greater range of features and even more sparkling sound mean that they get our vote.
Elsewhere in standmounter world, the evergreen KEF LS50 Meta (£1000/$1499/AU$2495), PMC Prodigy 1 (1250/$1699/AU$2299) and Mission 770 (£3499/$4600/AU$6225) continue to be our choices at their respective levels.
Moving our focus to floorstanders shows that Q Acoustics has something of a talent in this arena. Last year’s 'Product of the Year', the 5040 still win at their price point but are now also joined by their bigger brothers, the 5050. Both are elegant and informative designs, but the larger model delivers more in terms of authority and scale for its price premium.
The rest of the Award winners remain the same as last year, with Wharfedale’s Diamond 12.3 (£499/$998/AU$1699), PMC’s Prodigy 5 (£1995/$2799/AU$3899) and Spendor’s A7 (£3950/$6300/AU$8499) all claiming gongs again.
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