HEAVY METAL

How do high-end brands deal with making their products more affordable? Ed Selley thinks these two have got it sussed

- Ed Selley

COMPONENTS

KRELL K-300I £9,000

Krell’s smallest integrated (a relative term) can be ordered as an analogue-only device or, as here, with a comprehensive add-on board that offers a selection of digital inputs, UPnP streaming and full Roon compatibility, effectively making it an all-in-one system.

MAGICO A1 £10,000

Magico’s smallest speaker is a two-way stand mount that takes the company’s very specific design philosophy – that includes aluminium cabinets, beryllium tweeters and graphene-infused carbon drivers – and brings it to an almost terrestrial price point.

Let me start by presenting two contradictory statements. The system you see here represents the entry level for the brands involved. It also costs £19,000. This might seem rather peculiar, but it is the asking price to join two very exclusive clubs and while the cost might feel high, it is what’s required when the engineering is this involved.

Take the Magico A1 standmount speaker. This is the most affordable stereo model that the company makes in a range that extends to the point where “POA” begins to appear in the price list in lieu of a number. You might question why a two-way standmount can ever cost £10,000, but even though the A1 is the simplest speaker Magico makes it possesses some extraordinary engineering. The tweeter is a 28mm beryllium dome and the mid/bass driver is made of layers of carbon fibre weave bolstered by XG Nanographene to further stiffen and dampen it.