Should coaxial speaker drivers be a trend for more audio equipment manufacturers to embrace?
Revamped Review: Fyne Audio F701SP Standmount Speakers - The Unsung Hero of Hi-Fi Engineering
Just finished penning down my review for Fyne Audio's fresh offering, the F701SP standmount speakers. Can't disclose much until it gets published, but there's something about their engineering that deserves a spotlight.
Our speaker testing process involves a good chunk of time optimizing speaker positioning in our 3 x 7 x 5 meter listening room before diving deep into analysis. After all, a speaker's performance hinges heavily on the setup.
The medium-sized Fyne Audio F701SP found its sweet spot around 80cm from the rear wall, far from the sides. This isn't unusual, as most competitors deliver the best balance of tonality and stereo imaging in similar placements.
However, during the setup process, we couldn't help but notice the F701SP's remarkable stereo imaging and sonic character consistency as we moved around the room. In my opinion, the bulk of the credit goes to its coaxial driver array—the Isoflare driver system.
While there are technical differences between Isoflare and KEF's UNI-Q system, both place the tweeter in the mid/bass unit's throat, with their centers aligned. This coaxial driver arrangement works wonders for the consistency of the speaker's dispersion characteristics in all directions, a clear advantage.
Conventional speakers, with separate drivers spread across a front baffle, can't offer the same consistency. Their tonality shifts noticeably as we transition between standing, sitting, or moving around, and the soundstage tends to collapse into the closest speaker when the listener moves away from the sweet spot. This inconsistency doesn't apply to the F701SP or any of Fyne's Isoflare-equipped speakers, nor to KEF's similarly configured UNI-Q products.
However, one might wonder why more hi-fi manufacturers haven't embraced the coaxial driver approach if it's so effective. I believe it comes down to cost and design complexity. A coaxial driver array requires careful design and manufacturing, and overcoming unwanted interactions between drivers presents challenges. Nonetheless, the engineers at KEF and Fyne have spent decades refining their respective technologies, and with each improvement, coaxial drivers are becoming harder to ignore.
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While there are other ways to reach the pinnacle of sound quality, the coaxial approach is an intriguing starting point. It seems to offer a path to consistent, outstanding audio performance, even if it isn't the only way. The diversity in hi-fi engineering is part of the hobby's allure, and the coaxial driver is certainly worth exploring.
MORE: *The 11 Most Exciting Hi-Fi Products Spotted at High End Munich 2025*
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- The Fyne Audio F701SP's remarkable coaxial driver array, the Isoflare driver system, sets it apart from conventional speakers with separate drivers.
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- The F701SP's coaxial design ensures consistent stereo imaging and sonic character, even as the listener moves around the room.
- Hi-fi manufacturers may hesitate to adopt the coaxial driver approach due to cost and design complexity, but KEF and Fyne have successfully refined their coaxial technologies over decades.
- During the Munich High End show in 2025, several exciting hi-fi products were unveiled, including innovations in speakers, amplifiers, and audio technology.
- We can't wait to publish our full review of the Fyne Audio F701SP standmount speakers, providing an in-depth look at their performance and ranking among the best in their class.
- When it comes to the pinnacle of sound quality, the coaxial approach can serve as a compelling starting point, offering a pathway to consistent, exceptional audio performance.
- The diversity in hi-fi engineering is one of the hobby's charms, and the coaxial driver is just one of the many intriguing innovations worth exploring in the world of audio.
