BASICALLY OLD-GUARD TANNOY talent marching under its own flag, Fyne Audio has wasted no time pinning itself to the UK’s hi-fi map with two, well-stocked model lines and a roll-out schedule that would make even a well-oiled multinational sweat.
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The F301 boasts a whopping great 150mm mid/bass driver with a multi-fibre paper cone and a phase plug at the centre to smooth roll-off characteristics. Look more closely and you’ll notice that the roll rubber surround is contoured and looks a little like the outer tread of a car tyre. Fyne Audio calls this variable geometry FyneFlute technology and says the aim is to provide a non-homogeneous interface and thus a more effective barrier for the cone’s energy – leading to a cleaner sound. Meanwhile, the tweeter’s protective mesh cover incorporates a ‘phase loss compensator’ that delays output for a smoother and more extended frequency response.
Sound quality
The F301’s bigger box makes it sound more relaxed than the DALI (above) and at the top end there’s a little more light and sparkle. Bass is firm and well judged, and it is significantly more sensitive than most. The instrumental strands running through Donald Fagen’s The Night Belongs To Mona might be many, delicate, complex and convoluted, but here everything is clear and in the right place at the right time. The speaker has a deft touch with vast soundscapes, too.
And yet nothing is in the least diffuse. Performers, instruments and special effects can be located with pinpoint accuracy and tonally they ring just as true. The ability to present fine detail in a musically coherent yet uninhibited manner is the mark of a fine speaker at any price and the F301 has it in spades. Its portrayal of Diana Krall’s piano in Desperado is a singular joy, delivering the attack of hammer on string and a woody richness that price rivals can’t quite capture. Perhaps best of all, this speaker lets the music breathe and sound natural without hype or artifice and that contributes greatly to its listenability. It isn’t brightly lit, there’s no spray-on sheen or strategic emphasis. No manipulative euphony. It’s just the music, pure and simple.
DETAILS
PRODUCT Fyne Audio F301
TELEPHONE 0141 4284008
WEBSITE fyneaudio.com
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I bought a pair of these solely on this review and i have to say WOW they are amazing, i have them running with Yamaha a-s501 amplifier, nad 538 cd player and yamaha wxad-10 streamer all connected with QED, AudioQuest interconnects & van damn 12 awg speaker cable. The sound is fantastic.
Thank you for this review.