AVID HiFi Reference Four

While most speakers do very nicely with variations on the wooden box theme, the Reference Four opts for all-alloy cabinets, with panels up to 15mm-thick, sitting on six 'risers' attached to a thick alloy baseplate. Hence why each of these relatively compact speakers weighs a hefty 25kg.

The cabinet may only be 210mm wide, which is almost as narrow as it can be while still accommodating the 160mm-wide mid/bass drivers, but it is also 440mm deep, meaning it'll overhang most aftermarket stands. AVID has this predicament covered with its own supports.

The drivers are sourced from Morel, the 28mm silk-dome tweeter featuring a dome treated with Acuflex claimed to promote accurate flexing, where break-up modes are counteracted by others working in the opposite direction. The partnering 160mm mid/bass driver uses a damped polymer composite cone mounted in a 'Uniflow' basket, designed using aerodynamic principles to smooth the airflow behind. Meanwhile the crossover uses Clarity Cap capacitors, as in all the Reference speakers, along with 'Copper Connect' technology for reduced signal path resistance.

Sound quality