Desktop single-driver speakers?


I have enjoyed the Sony SRS ZX1 desktop speakers for many years, and am looking for an upgrade. These are small active single-driver speakers with a special «mobius duct» or C-formed extended bass port that makes them play more bass than expected from such small (7.5 by 3.1 by 7 inches) speakers (further described here: https://www.popsci.com/gear-gadgets/article/2008-06/secret-bass/ ).

They are great for nearfield listening at low-moderate volume, e g late night listening in my home office, not waking everyone else in our house, throwing a limited but high quality soundscape.

They benefit from the bass port – and even more, from the single-driver solution. I have experience with the Audioengine A5+, the Aurum Cantus 2 SE, and some small Elacs – all are two-way, and I give a plus to the one-way Sony ZX1 (even if this is otherwise a more limited speaker), for coherence, due to no crossover, but rather trying to solve problems acoustically.

In my system, including an OTL tube headphone amp into the gain chain (reducing problems with the s-state internal amp in the speakers), and some DIY stands raising them from the desktop, they have worked very well indeed.


I have looked in vain for upgrades from Sony, and have not seen much else in this way, either, from other companies. Maybe someone else can fill me out?

I am looking for single driver speakers with desktop or small monitor dimensions, preferably easy to drive for a low power tube amp. They can be active speakers, like the ZX1, or passive. The room is 12 x 9 x 7 feet, but I am mainly listening nearfield just 3-5 feet away from the speakers. I am looking for the best nearfield moderate volume sound, not speakers or amps that can «fill» the room with volume.  


Ag insider logo xs@2xo_holter
Since you haven’t shared what amp you’re using or a budget I’ll leave it to you to decide which of these would be a good fit. I think you should also consider speakers with concentric drivers as they also sound very coherent in the nearfield and can have significant advantages over single-driver speakers, especially in the higher and lower frequency ranges. In any event, I believe any of these will blow the Sonys away in terms of sound quality.

Gallo A’Diva (single driver)
KEF LS50
Elac Uni-Fi UB5
Tannoy Revolution Mini

FWIW, I’ll tell you what I’d do.  There’s a pair of Silverline Preludes on US AudioMart for $375 — there’s a flaw in the finish (at the rear so not really prominent) so I’d offer $300 and see if that flies.  Anyway, these are easy to drive, are speakers I’d enjoy looking at in the nearfield, I think they’ll sound fantastic in a desktop setting despite being 2-ways as their drivers are located so closely together.  But that’s me.  Best of luck.