The Teufel Ultima 7 uses drivers larger than the norm in an attempt to give them a little more oomph

Unusually neutral and even overall tonal balance ; Plenty of low bass output ; Attractive deep black gloss finish with nicely softened edges

Seems a little pricey, especially considering the direct sale policy ; Weak dynamic grip dilutes the excitement and involvement

However, the weakness here is the lack of dynamic expression, a factor that is difficult to explain and rather undermines the speaker's impressive behaviour in other respects

This 5.1 system from Jamo can easily be upgraded to a 7.1 with a set of additional speakers

Undeniable value ; Intelligible speech ; Flexible configuration

Dynamically flat ; Distant-sounding ; Modest resolution

The A 102 HCS 5 is a good choice for those looking a for a low-impact, limited cost sub/sat package. Be it for a den or smaller room, it's well worth investigating, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a comparable rival system at a similar price

The Mission 796 has a brilliant cabinet construction helping to improve sound quality

Clean, open and detailed ; Smooth, relaxed loudspeaker does exactly what it says on the tin

The high sensitivity rating is on the optimistic side ; There's only moderate power handling ; It complains if pushed too hard Dynamically ; It is not as forceful as some

The 796 is unusually well turned out, too. Apart from the enclosures, which are coated in seven layers of lacquer and rubbed down after each application, the speaker also boasts some fine detailing in the design of the plinth. Add the smooth, fluid ...

The biggest strength of the Performance 6 Limited Edition must be its ability to sound coherent and detailed even at very low listening levels

Very stylish ; Radical high-performance moulded enclosure looks great and performs well ; Delivers a very clean and open sound

Sound is a little cool in character ; Bass end sounds a trifle lacking in freedom and expression

Curved surfaces are much more rigid than flat ones and also ensure that internal reflections are well scattered. They also ensure that tightly focused standing waves aren't created

Logitech has pulled out the stops to bring to market a excellent-sounding surround system, but at a cost

Smooth sound ; Good build quality ; Easy to set up

Steep price

If you can live with the inevitable trailing wires, then this is a 5.1 system to be proud of

Build quality isn't great, but then you get what you pay for

Cheap ; Decent performance

Dodgy build quality ; No battery option ; Thin audio

We prefer (slightly) more expensive models from Altec Lansing over Gear4 all day long. The jump up in sound quality, features and build quality is undeniable, and the price premium is worth it

The styling is rather prosaic, with a slightly convex front panel painted a metallic charcoal grey, while the rest is covered in a rather undistinguished vinyl woodprint

Enthusiastic performance ; Good communication

Dull styling ; Exaggeration of detail

And whilst it's not particularly smooth or muscular, it delivers the vital midrange dynamics with the sort of enthusiasm that always leaves one searching for the next disc to spin

The 706V is capable of creating a fair measure of genuine dynamic tension

Balanced and energetic sound ; Distinctive styling ; Strong bass

Design may not suit all tastes ; Sound is heavy if too close to a wall

Whereas the smaller 705V proved a little disappointing and was clearly out of its depth in our test room, the slightly bigger Focal 706V has proved to be a resounding success, which would tend to suggest that doubling the main driver's cone area might ...

The DC6 is a speaker that knows how to rock and roll, as timing is invariably excellent

Neat and attractively shaped enclosure gives impressive freedom from boxiness even when close-to-the-wall ; Lively, even bass and fine coherence and delicacy through the voice band

Lacks some energy and warmth through the upper bass and lower midband, so overall balance is a little cool

Tannoy's famous dual-concentric driver began life way back in 1948 and, in various forms, has been a cornerstone of the company's loudspeaker technology ever since

The XQ20 boasts cunningly curved cabinetwork, beautifully lacquered in real wood veneer finish

Four curved faces to minimise boxiness ; Stable and precise imaging across a wide zone

Balance is significantly brighter than average, requiring careful choice of high-quality sources, amplification and ancillaries

However, it can also be pointed out that placing a tweeter so that it's recessed down in the neck of a cone is not an ideal way to create wide dispersion, while the additional complication is that said cone is moving to and fro in response to the ...