Ultra, retro, cool
In February, at the UK’s biggest hi-fi show of the year, Scottish loudspeaker brand Fyne Audio helped maintain the momentum of the retro-revival by unveiling its classic-looking Vintage Fifteen and Five speakers. The new models are, in Fyne's words, “ultra, retro, cool” and arrive to top and tail the company’s firmly established Vintage line.
The Vintage Fifteen is now the largest model in that series, sitting above the also-new Five and previously launched Vintage Ten and Twelve. Each 93kg loudspeaker is loaded with what Fyne describes as “its most ambitious and dynamic” IsoFlare driver to date. The familiar point source transducer system features a giant 15-inch (380mm) multi-fibre cone mid/ bass driver, paired with Fyne’s 75mm titanium dome, neodymium motor compression tweeter, for a claimed 800W peak power handling and bass down to 22Hz.
Also flying the flag for ambition is the 1970s-inspired design. The cabinets are handbuilt from a birch plywood that has been finished in a walnut veneer, with the aesthetic completed by gold anodised metalwork and a “retro texture” grill. While more than just a design flourish, their analogue dial ‘Presence’ and ‘Energy’ controls for personal room tuning are pretty eye-catching too.
The twin-cavity enclosure has been mathematically contoured to reduce standing waves, and is ported downwards onto Fyne’s largest BassTrax LF diuser system to date. This port design supposedly allows the 15-inch driver to move the largest volume of air without port turbulence from a Fyne speaker yet.
Apart from being bookshelf-sized and now the smallest member of Fyne’s classic lineup — something that Fyne says took a year of R&D to achieve — the Vintage Five look near-identical to their larger floorstanding siblings, sharing that veneered, handbuilt birch ply cabinet and gorgeous gold-metal trim. This time, however, they feature Fyne’s smallest IsoFlare driver, which combines a five-inch (125mm) multi-fibre cone mid/bass driver with a 19mm neodymium motor, compression dome tweeter. The IsoFlare driver is built into a cast aluminium chassis and incorporates Fyne’s flux-focusing magnet. This combo apparently helps eliminate vibration colouration and increases bass sensitivity.
Like the Vintage Fifteen, the Vintage Five has its own ‘Deep Cryogenically Treated’ crossover, Van den Hul silver plated OFC internal wiring, and a ‘Presence’ control dial for fine room integration.
Available this autumn, the Vintage Five are priced $8,495, while the Vintage Fifteen come in at a very aspirational $69,995. The new models sandwich the existing members of the range — the $42,995 Vintage Ten and $54,995 Vintage Twelve.