Reviews

Industry Reviews

OPULUS PRIMA

In the right sized space it offers a level of refinement and coherency that should be applauded for the asking price. All in all I heartily recommend the Opulus Primas, they sound great for such a small speaker, have surprising low, fast and tuneful bass.

Stuart Smith - Hifi Pig

These speakers are so clear and precise they put many speakers at least twice the price to shame. They tick all the boxes for me.

Janine Elliot - Hifi Pig


VOLTAIRE ZERO

The Zero's offer fabulously pure treble, clearly better than that from a dome tweeter. Add a big, bold sound from the large bass unit and you come up with a unique loudspeaker. There are precious few loudspeakers around with such gorgeous treble at the low price of the Zero's nor are there any that offer such concise rainbow imaging. Superb ribbon treble and full bass, at a great price. Superb.

Noel Keywood - HiFi World


OPULUS

The Opulus were lovely with all forms of music and it is quite obvious that they have been honed over a long period to produce a polished sound that is nothing other than pure class. You will not hear anything like them elsewhere I believe at any price, they are sufficiently unique.

Noel Keywood - HiFi World


REGIS

Spinning Nigel Kennedy playing Vivaldi's 'Spring' from 'The four seasons' saw the Regis ascend to a realm inhabited by few modern loudspeakers, courtesy of it's ribbon drive unit. It's insight into Nigel's violin were peerless.

The lack of fizz, sizzle and other roughening effects was remarkable; the ribbon was utter class here and streets ahead of other loudspeakers.

With both violin and orchestra the Regis romped away from most other loudspeakers, sounding sweet as a nut, natural in balance and very engaging in delivery.

Noel Keywood - HiFi World


CHRONOS WALL SPEAKER

The British-made Chronos on-wall speakers are a revelation. Intended for use in both a stereo pair and in a multichannel setup, they boast extraordinary spatial imaging and have the presence of enclosures a magnitude deeper. They’re also able to blend chameleon like into their surroundings, as finishes can be tailored to fit. You can order bespoke grilles in a multitude of colours, or even painted. A gilt frame (pictured) is an option – alternatively you can go classic black.

Steve May - Home Cinema


CHRONOS WALL SPEAKER

From their agreeable dimensions to their fabulous sonic imaging, Robson Acoustics' Chronos are real thrillers. The ribbon tweeters (pictured above) sound crisp and precise, with unfeasibly smooth bass drivers providing expansive support. It's not always possible to specify audiophile grade loudspeakers as part of an AV CI install, because the form factor typically doesn't fit; the Chronos, however, break the mould. These loudspeakers offer a no compromise performance that doesn't place a tax on space. Factor in the sheer variety of finishes and bespoke options offered by the manufacturer, and you have a very unique proposition. Robson Acoustics Chronos speakers come highly recommended.

Steve May - Inside CI


VOLTAIRE II PRECISION BASE

The effects on both pairs of speakers was dramatic. The bass seemed to suddenly gain new levels of depth, clarity and tunefulness. It was more prcise in it's form and shape. Treble seemed smoother, more detailed and to reach higher, while midrange opened up to reveal previously masked colours and textures in the music.

HiFi World


VOLTAIRE IV ISOLATION FEET

These stands are something of a tour de force, an object lesson when it comes to effective audio engineering.

Roy Gregory

Customer Reviews

Hi Rob

Just had an afternoon of listening to some wonderful music hearing every detail and getting that “in the room” feeling with every track. I realised I have never contacted you to say how I was finding them.

I am absolutely delighted with these speakers. They have added so much to my hi fi system. I wasn’t expecting to get so much of a sonic lift as my old speakers were good but not very beautiful. I have been very pleasantly surprised.

As well as looking fantastic, they also sound amazing. I can’t praise enough the quality of the build and the great feeling of having been able to specify exactly what I wanted.I do hope the business is going well. I’m not aware of anywhere else it is possible to get such beautiful hi fi  at a price that isn’t astronomic.

Attached a picture of the speakers in situ with my musical fidelity x system.

Thanks again

Tim

December 2021 - Regis in burr oak

 
Rob, can you please send me a 6 x 4 photo of yourself so I can frame it and put on the cabinet my side of the bed. You, pardon my French, are a f*****g genius. There are some points I am not sure about but bloody hell.
You had my wife crying listening to the emotion coming through Clannad, Andrea Bocelli and, if you haven't listened to her you should, Maria. ( Portuguese fado music )
Andrea Bocelli sounds stunning, my wife has seen him live and loves listening to him.
We could hear everything and that is with cheap 168 strand copper cable and £50 stands that wobble when you breath on them.
Speak tomorrow
Chris
 
November 2021 -  Regis Mkl, SA1 power amplifier and MV3 pre-amplifier.
 
 
Below are some of my thoughts regarding the cables supplied.
 

I’ve had a chance to listen to various configurations with these cables. Yesterday evening I came to the conclusion that the Black Rhodium Hercules power cable was of no benefit in this system. Despite the positive reviews, I found the cable to exaggerate a brittle sound and contribute to an overall presentation that lacked clarity. Instruments were no longer as clearly defined. The music could no longer ‘boogie’ – it had lost its musicality. It may be the case that this cable is not suitable in a system like this one or that that the room is at fault (this probably being a constant dilemma). Now they are out of the equation.

Listening with the Argenti took on a much more attractive proposition. Many of the qualities of your silver cable are present. The advantage here is that vocals (especially female) have taken on positive characteristics. This makes the whole thing very listenable. Subtle vocal fluctuations are more realistic and engaging. This was also highlighted with the removal of the Black Rhodium. I think the silver cable has the edge over this one, but I think there is little point in pursuing that route.
There is room for improvement (is that a pun?). I am limited with changing the room. Apart from concealing acoustic foam behind existing pictures, I cannot do much more. I just have a sneaking suspicion the room is contributing to some of my gripes.
The great thing is that your cables have shown to be a positive upgrade / improvement. I’ll carry on listening and the sound may mellow to a degree. I think 'mellowing' is the key term for me here. I guess that, at some point I will need to address some of the identified issues.
At the end of the day there is a considerable degree of subjectivity in all these comments as well as there being a whole series of variables that potentially are contributing to my experiences.
 
Many thanks for now,
Dimitrie.
 
April 2021 - Argenti Ultra interconnect and power cable
 
Morning Rob 
The speakers came today and have arrived in perfect condition.  They were boxed extremely well thanks. 
I have them set up and running. 
They are , for me a stunning set of furniture grade speakers ! I'm sure you are very used to much more but wow, I am seriously impressed with the cabinets . Gorgeous 
Sound wise ,so far they are pretty much how i imagined !  The ribbon has been wirh me for the last few sets so that sweet natural treble is familiar.  What i wasnt ready for though was the ease of the deep notes.  They aren't in your face but the bass notes that iv never heard in my music before are very obvious now !
I'm sure they will get better and better too. 
Just enjoying some ' Fink ' and will be playing all day I'm sure.  Will have to catch some sun tomorrow. 
Thankyou for a lovely transaction and I'm sure when iv got a little money spare I'll be back for a pair of mono blocks perhaps!!! 
Craig 
May 2020 - Regis Mk1
 

Hi Rob,

Thank you for the chance to try out these amps. Before I state my intentions, I’ll give you my thoughts on the whole experience.

On receiving the parcel I was slightly surprised at how light it was, and then on opening it, finding the amps were virtually the same size as the cyrus mono x power amps I used to own. Those were a lot heavier and the Naim 250dr that I am comparing the mb2s to is a mighty heavy piece of equipment.
 
I connected the mb2s up to the Naim 272 streamer which has its own pre amp, using the thicker rca cables you send with the amps.
 
To be honest, the sound is a revelation. The openness and the depth of bass I have not heard in anything I’ve previously owned. The nad m2 was as fast, but lacked the depth that these little amps achieve. 
 
I changed the rca cables last night to see what difference they make, and I think they tone down the higher notes a tad, so are probably the leads to go for, but differences are subtle. I haven’t yet tried the system with the smaller opulus speakers, but I will, just for fun.
 
I can’t thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to try these fantastic small amps. They are brilliant.
 
So, how much do I owe you? And put me down for the upgrade on the speakers. 
 
Best regards,
Ian.
 
March 2019 -  MB2 Monoblock amplifiers
 

Hi Rob, 

Shumon here, hope you are well.  Just thought I’d drop a line about the new speaker cables that I received last week. The frequency range is impressive - These cables allow me to hear the frequency range of the loudspeaker.  I can follow individual instruments or tracks through the mix of a record, or FLAC/WAV in my case with ease. Basslines are not ‘muddy’ anymore and seem to play lower frequencies with ease.  Treble and voices seem to be real, have scale and power, and don’t sound  ‘digital’.It seems to me that the cables put you closer to what the producer and production team wanted you to hear, if that makes sense.

Thanks again for the cables - they’re fab!!

PS: About the sub-woofer issue;  if I'm having a house party then a subwoofer would be needed!!

Shumon

January 2019 - Ref speaker cable

 
Hello, Rob,
I don't know exactly what to write, but the most important thing in advance: the boxes stay here with me. They have passed the test.
Thank you for your great work!
One thing first: I'm now "only" evaluating the stereo sound.
I've never had a more detailed sound from just two loudspeakers at any volume (very quiet (1 db) to relatively loud (57 db))
at a distance of up to approx. 2 or 2.5 m (receiver display -79 db to -23 db).
It seems like a curtain is being lifted, and all the musicians are gathered direct in front of me, and every detail of the music is spatially locatable.
The competitor (ATC SCM7) is hardly noticeable in stereo mode at a lower volume, and only starts at a certain volume.
Now I don't even know how far I can turn up the volume ... I better hold myself back a bit - or what do you think?
A friend of ours (my wife's piano teacher) - composer and teacher - with well trained ears - also listened to the Opulus Prima
(live recording "Hotel California"/Eagles).
He was quite fascinated by the speakers and the detailed sound.
I let him estimate what I paid for the speakers. He actually estimated 5,000 EUR!
Meanwhile I have already done some advertising and recommended your website to two interested people (both also from Leverkusen).
Should I write a review for the Opulus Prima? What should I keep in mind? And for the further operation: how far "may" I turn up the volume?
Over the next few days, the "surround sound" for home cinema will be tested. With the previous speaker set,  I've turned up to -12 db,
because the dubbing made the movie rather quiet.
And you know, the most important sound comes from the front speakers.
 
I wish you a healthy and successful new year 2019.
Best regards
Johannes
 
December 2018 - Opulus Prima
 
 

Hello Rob,

I hope sales are doing well!

I've absolutely stunned audiences around me demonstrating the speakers you made me.  The ribbon tweeter and morel 5" driver combo is just incredible. I've had tube amps, solid state amps, hybrid amp and electronics costing as much $40,000 USD on these speakers.  The more you throw at them the better they sound. 

I have a customer who might be interested in having you build a 3 way speaker.  His space is tight and a side firing woofer is not going to work in his listening room.  Can you make a true three way with a smaller, front firing woofer.  Something that might look like a Voltaire IV reference but with a true 3 way design and dedicated mid range driver like the one you have in the Voltaire III?

Mike 

Hand Made Audio

October 2018 - Regis Mkll

 

Hi Rob, Hope you're well.
Went to ******  in Preston earlier with my Regis speakers to Demo the new Naim Unity Nova all in one system. Spent a few hours in the Demo room listening through the Regis with a friend. The Naim sounded amazing. Then we swapped speakers to other standmounting speakers priced between £2,500 - £5,500. Suddenly there was a massive and I mean massive deterioration in sound quality!
There was nothing in the shop regardless of price that could compare!
The staff weren't that interested in the Regis when I placed them on the stands, however, after the demo they were more than a little interested in your company!
Don't think they'd ever heard a standmounting speaker sound so good!

September 2018 - Regis Mk1

Hi
Just to say my Voltaires are stunning and the best speaker i have ever owned.
I want to try your speaker cables. I only need 2x2m lengths
Can you give me a price?
Thanks
David

June 2018 - Voltaire Zero

Just a quick email to say how good the speaker cable you supplied me with is. You were right about burn in (or possibly my sensory adjustment) but the improvement is quite obvious. They sound similar (at all) to my Black Rhodium cables but with simply more of everything. Fine details are easier to pick out yet they are in no way bright or fatiguing. The sound seems fuller and the soundstage is definitely wider and deeper. I think to sum it up without droning on like some "Emporer's new clothes' reviewer nutter, there is a wonderful sense of 'ease' about the sound, a sort of effortlessness that was that wasn't present with any of my old cables, despite some of them being significantly more expensive than those I purchased from yourself.You've got me thinking about interconnects now......

Hope you are well mate.

Paul.

April 2017 - Reference speaker cable – cryo treatment


Hi Robert

Recieved the speakers yesterday thankyou appreciate all the communication and great service !

Only had time for perhaps 1/2 hour listening but very impressed with the few tracks I played just sound so musical with a touch of added warmth my ATC S were quite cold /clinical by comparison. The detail at the top end sounds very transparent, need to settle down for a few hours for more critical listening. Just one quick question do they need a burn in period to sound their best? long long time since I bought new speakers.

Thanks Again

Best Regards,
Chris

January 2016 - Opulus Prima


Hello Robert,

Indeed it did! That was pretty fast. Let me just say that the fit and finish of the speakers are impeccable and by far and away the best quality I have seen for this kind of money. I set them up and spent about an hour or so listening to them last night...marvelous, simply marvelous. The mids and highs are so clean and precise yet realistic and smooth. It does cast a holographic image with terrific depth and width, and your right it's bass output is surprisingly fulsome and punchy (seems to handle the 40hz-60hz region quite well which I was not expecting). I plan to do some critical listening once they fully break in (200 hrs?). You already have me thinking what the Voltaire ref 1s would sound like if you can achieve these results with the tiny Opulus!

Well done Robert, you have done some truly wonderful work...I plan to take these beauties with me to the show in August.

Mark Sossa
Well Pleased AV

June 2015 - Opulus


Now to the main thing, what to say about the first impressions of the sound. Well it was quite an eye (or ear) opener. Overall I think the term revealing would probably best describe my first impression. There were suddenly things in a recording which I had not previously heard. This applies especially to higher quality (SACD or DVD-A) recordings where I feel that there is a significant improvement at both the top and bottom end of the frequency spectrum. It just sounds like there is more there. The bass performance is significantly better than the AV5140’s whilst still remaining tightly controlled. Also bass does not become overbearing in any way, which is something I have often found to be the case with some other well-known brands I have auditioned in the past. What is most impressive is the mid-range where the voices seem to come out clearer and with a more natural timbre than I had experienced previously. On the treble front I think the best way to describe it is to say that in many cases where previously there could at times be some harshness this has disappeared although it feels like there is more content to what one is hearing, hard to describe to be honest. What was also interesting is that later in the evening when I turned the volume down to relatively low levels the quality of what one hears remains truly impressive. So I can summarise that based on one evenings listening I am very impressed but not in a flashy way. The speakers seem to disappear into the background so that one listens to the music and can feel where the various people playing are positioned both laterally and in depth.

I would like to thank you for what can best be described as a very pleasant purchasing experience and given the opportunity will pass this on to others. To put it into a nutshell great service and a great product! When I have finally set everything up I will give you a bit more feedback.

Malcolm

June 2015 - Voltaire II


Hi Robert,

Just a few lines to let you know how much I am enjoying the speakers - they have brought a new 'reality' to all music, and while I may upgrade some other components at some point, these will remain the core of the system for the foreseeable future.

One mistake I did make was to start with a couple of mid-priced stands: the initial improvement in sound quality masked the fact that the set-up was just too flimsy to get the full benefit. Having realised this and replaced them with Custom Design FS104s + filler, there is much better definition (bass, mid and treble) and whereas before I heard a pleasing stereo image, there is now a definite 'sound stage' in the room. (I even had to select a different DAC filter to tone it down a little.) If you'd like another quote, it's like having a Steinway in the living room!

As I believe I've said before, I'm one very happy customer.

David

May 2014 - Regis


Got the speakers connected this morning - fantastic first impression! Even better as they are bedding in. The murkiness of the mid range that I was not happy about with my B&Ws has pretty much disappeared. The imaging is better as is the general 3D impression. I can put them closer to the back wall without being too boomy. My current atacama stands (50 cm) look flimsy compared to the speakers - definitely have to get some more solid ones!

May 2014 - Voltaire Zero


Hi Rob,

Just to say a big thank you for the speakers. I had heard some of your products a few years ago so took a gamble on the Zero’s with-out auditioning them first but can’t actually believe how good they are. I really am listening to my music collection for the first time and I thought I had reasonably good speakers already with the Sonus Fabers. I had a friend round to listen to them and he asked where the sub woofer was!

I find myself listening to music I don’t really like just because it’s well recorded lol.

I am using some old custom design stands though I suspect these to be a bit light for this model. Can you recommend any decent stands to go with these? I would also like to listen to the speaker cable you recommend especially if it’s the same design as the internal wiring which seems to make sense.

Best regards, Peter

March 2014 - Voltaire Zero


Hi Robert,

Interconnects arrived, and sure enough make a dramatic difference to everything.

First tried upstairs, as swapping around doesn't involve hands and knees. The acceptable brightness from the MA speakers immediately became unbearable. Oh well - they definitely do something!

Downstairs again: swapped out the CD player Nordost Blue Heavens, and peeled away another layer: CDs took a step towards Studio Master quality. Finally, used them to hook up a new toy - ex-demo Audiolab DAC - and once again noticed an improvement.

How many misguided decisions have I made using the wrong cables?

Regards, David

Standard interconnects, Regis and speaker cable - March 2014


Having collected from you my new pair of Opulus speakers on Thursday the 17th of October, I have had the pleasure of listening to these speakers for just over a week.

I first came across the Opulus a couple of years back at a hifi show in Manchester and remember being so impressed by their quality. Recently I had decided to upgrade my speakers from Linn and had a short list of six pairs to demo from different manufacturers which included Totem, Neat, Proac, Dynaudio, Kef and Robson. Yours were the last of my demos and what a fantastic demo it was they just left the others for dead. You played a track that I also have by Nils Lofgren, namely Keith don't go and it just leapt from the speaker clear as a bell with a great image. The end of the track where the music is speeded up the Opulus kept perfect control keeping everything separated.

The amplification used was from Robson along with the speaker cables. Thank you Robert for your hospitality and I am over the moon with the speakers and so impressed with your design and engineering within your products.

Anyone in the market for some stand mounts, or amps please get in touch with Robert and get a demo, you will be astounded by the quality, and as a footnote, when I set them up for the first time at home and played the above track the wife commented how much better these were than the Linn's.

Opulus October 2013


The Opulus meet 'all' of my requirements. i.e. a high end sound from a small and elegant monitors, they do that very very well indeed. I was merely raising the reality of memory of what I'm used to - big dynaudio reference speakers in a room twice the size. However only last night (and after a slight bit of further position tweaking) I started to really appreciate just how good the Opulus are... with any good relationship, takes time to appreciate what makes it special (and long lasting).

For now I will just enjoy the rather special sound and the most important fact that I can now just get on with enjoying the music in my new home! I'll send you a further update in a month or so, once I've properly enjoyed what they can do. A late last night low volume listen of Alison Krauss / Robert Plant 'Raising Sand' was so enjoyable I played it twice in a row, that is a good sign of enjoyment to come..

Opulus with integral stands April 2013


Hi Robert, thanks for making me and my friend so welcome today, we both said today going back up in the car, it's a change meeting gentleman like your self, and getting down to the speakers, the misses loved the idea of the wall mounted speakers, i showed her the pictures of the speakers, and she liked the idea of the painting on the front, so you won a prize there, and i just want to say the quality and clarity of the music to day was second to non, I new it was going to be good, but not to that quality. talk to u soon.
Regards Oz

Reference picture speakers + Media server February 2013


Hi Robert
Thanks for dropping the amp off on Saturday. I hooked it up on Sunday, and have been cursing you ever since! It sounds great, so clean and transparent but not harsh. I am not sure how you manage it, another great product. I am going to try and do some direct A B comparisons next weekend.
I really should of invited you in on Saturday but I figured you would have just wanted to get back after your drive.
Speak to you soon
Patrick

Stereo Power amplifier February 2013


Hello, I have just bought a pair of your speakers 2nd hand from Emporium hifi in Suffolk. First impressions are very good, the most natural midrange with a beautiful airy, spacious treble and slightly fruity but funky bass. Yes I think I love them and want to know more about them. They are a 3-way standmonut about 52cm tall combining what looks like the ribbon and one bass driver from the Hellvelyn with a dome midrange driver.Unfortunately that hasn't left any space for your name badge but they still look classy in a caramel leather finish with light hardwood top and bottom.They look as stunning as they sound! Is it too much to hope you recall them? I apologise for making demands to you despite not buying them from you directly but you've given this skint audiophile the best upgrade, I can't imagine ever needing another pair of speakers. Thank you.

Custom standmounts January 2013


Thank you for getting back to me so promptly. It's interesting to hear the back story to my new speakers and fantastic to think such skill and craftsmanshio exists in this country. They are more ruggedly handsome than Sonus Faber, more atmospheric than Martin Logans and yet more beguilling than LS3/5a's! Literally the most complete speaker. I would be happy for you to use my e-mail(s) as testimonials and only hope you can edit them sufficienttly! I would also be very interested to hear your recommended speaker cable as I have been looking in the Russ Andrews catalogue for some time now. Although that would be best to explore in the new year, after Christmas you understand. Maybe I can get back to you. For now I'm thoroughly enjoying my set-up, my only problem is sleep deprivation. Thanks once again. Regards Martin

Opulus December 2012


Hi Robert,
I have had the chance to listen properly to the speakers and have to say I think they are absolutley brilliant. For their diminutive size they really pack a punch and my Naim amp. allthough not the best amp. in the world has no trouble at all in driving them.I am in the process of selling a pair of Shahinian Arc speakers on ebay and to be honest I much prefer the sound of the Opulus . My wife likes them too, an added bonus !. No bonus points for City Link however !!!!!!
Thanks very much Robert, I am very, very pleased with them.
Regards.
Jon.

Opulus October 2012


Ah, the fringe benefits of a back injury; I have done little else over the last few days besides sit and listen to the new speakers. They are, without doubt, the best investment I have ever made in hi-fi. Over the last few days I have sat utterly absorbed in all kinds of music. Saturday evening I had a friend round for a glass of port (his port, he has had it laid up for 10 years and opened the case to mark the occasion) and a good listen. He is a fairly knowledgable chap and will give a forthright and honest opinion which usually entails some criticism. Some may think 'know it all' but that wouldn't be quite fair. Well, he was at a loss for words, all he could manage was "Excellent".

Rob my good man, you are to be congratulated.

Burlingtons- January 2011


Can't believe I've had these speakers for over a month now. I am really pleased with them. As I unpacked them my wife remarked that they looked good. A very good start. - got to keep the other half happy!!!!. They sound really good although the bass could be a little stronger. The only little niggle I have is the oversize cable connectors and the fact that due to the styling of the cabinet they are arranged vertically making it difficult to fit my chord signature cables as they are very stiff cables. In short, a very competent and enjoyable speaker from a very small size.
Thanks again.
Ian

Opulus - March 2012


Thank you very much for all your help- I now have the speakers. Brilliantly packeged! Only a quick peek in the top of the box so far as decoration in progress and wish to keep them protected- but look lovely and I'm sure will sound even better! With very best wishes - and more thanks...
Chris

Burlingtons - November 2010


Hi Rob,
I am about 12 - 15 hours in with the speakers but did notice a change within 5 hours. All I can say is I am well pleased with them and other people who have heard them are similarly impressed. I have taken some photo's but need to do them again as they were rubbish. As soon as I have something useful I will forward them on.
Cheers
Trevor

Burlingtons - May 2008