Desktop single-driver speakers?

I took one of the FR2 speakers down to my main listening/living room, connecting it to my Atma-sphere MA1 amp. No surprise - according to reviews - with a better amp, this speaker sounds even better. At first I was amazed, Here was this tiny speaker, on a chair between my big floorstanders - what was it doing, sounding this big?

After a while, listening with my wife, we became more accustomed to it, finding more faults, although remaining of the opinion that it sounded way out of its size, very good indeed, on that level. We found that the FR2 speaker had most of the characteristics it also displayed in my office system, driven by the Arche amp, though it sounded more fleshed out and smoother, driven by the MA1.

The sound profile of the speaker was mainly the same, with the MA1, as with the Arche D50A amp. That is - good recordings and low dynamic music sound very good with these speakers. Playing rock, my wife said, this is not as good (compared to acoustic and jazz).

Returning the FR2 speaker back to its position on the stand on my desktop, amplified by the Arche amp, my first reaction is, this amp is in fact quite well tuned to the speakers, and even if the speakers can sound big time in a large room and a big sound system, they are indeed more at home in the Arche desktop system.

More run-in is needed, and the Arche system challenges some of my preconceptions - but there is now no doubt that I will keep it. At first, I thought that it was all too bright and hard, but this is not so clear, now.

The FR2 speakers do sound better with the MA1 amps - no big surprise, but showing the speaker potential. The Arche D50A amp is not in the same class as the MA1 of course, but seems well matched with the speakers. It is harder, more solid-state, more flat - but not too bad.

The Arche FR2 speakers now have some more playing time, and sound better, more mellow, less congested than in the beginning. At their best, they sound remarkably clear and coherent - just like I wanted, from single driver speakers. With suitable material, not so dense / high dynamic music, well recorded, they sound very good indeed, offering a huge listening space, even if I am sitting just a meter in front of them. Maybe it is not just the speakers, but me also, needing some play or break-in time. Getting used to Korean sound philosophy? They thrive on Lana del Rey, but not so much on Deep Purple. The speakers are still a bit light and bright, in the treble, but for what they do, they are very good indeed - and they can be filled in, by a small subwoofer. I have now got a low cost Fostex Submini2, which is very adjustable, and seems to do the job quite well, filling in - but not smearing - the image from the FR2 speakers. I tune the sub and speakers, streaming The Doors from Qobuz, music I know by heart. With the Submini, the speakers no longer sound lacking in terms of rock music.

I compared to my wife’s Elac AM50 active desktop speakers, borrowing them to my own desktop. Conclusion: The Arche one-way FR2 speakers with a properly tuned sub (like a Fostex Submini2) are clearly superior in most respects. Especially, they sound more pure, less «mid-fi», than the two-way Elacs. My wife thought so too. I can give more detail, if anyone is interested.

I have no interest in this, except as an audiophile - but if you want pure desktop sound, the Arche FR2 speakers are excellent. You will need a sub, but even a low-price Fostex Submini2 does fine. The speakers are "bright", cutting off at 100 hz, but this also means that sub integration is quite easy. And the brightness, which also sounded hard / harsh at first, is clearly reduced with the sub, plus more break-in time, maybe 60 hours now. A zero cost solution is a piece of cloth, or paper, in front of the drivers, to curb their over-eager treble. Maybe, with more break-in, not needed. The FR2 have amazing top end content, somewhat reduced by my temporary damping.

With these speakers, you can really tune in your listening - move them a little, and the soundscape changes. You can get the mono image in stereo recordings precisely tuned. OK, they are a little bit like over-bright LED lights, at least at first - compared to the speakers in my main system. But they do a good job, for the price, and offers a different "take" on the music.

Very much recommended - if you are willing to experiment and tweak a little. I get the best sound with the speakers on 18 cm stands on my desktop, with 10 cm or more to the wall. They need room to breathe. The pc screen in between is probably not a sonic bonus, but I can’t hear any clear detrimental effect.

I am now into experiments, small position changes. Only possible, with these "sharp" speakers. You know rightaway if their toe-in or distance from your ears is wrong. This is interesting not just at my desktop, but also, for my thinking regarding development of my main music system.

As you would imagine, with this "sharp" system, good recordings sound especially good. I am enjoying Prefab Sprout, from Qobuz. I have not heard it so good before - although I still prefer the vinyl records, in my main system.

Check out Swans, on Andromeda heights - crystal pure, on these speakers. Top sound for a penny.

John Blue 3 speakers seem similar to the Arche, single drivers, with a bit more low end. Anyone who have tried them? This review has some main points in common with my Arche experience - https://6moons.com/audioreviews/johnblue/jb3_4.html