Fyne Audio F301 bookshelf loudspeaker

 Perfect for smaller listening rooms, the F301 is a compact

Two other ranges fill the gap between top and bottom. There’s an F500 lineup, running from the compact F500 itself, a single-driver design with an unusual BassTrax loading system, of which more in a moment, this design being echoed in the larger F501 and F502 floor standers. Above that sits the single-model F700 series, the F702 basically having the same driver configuration as the F502 but in a classier cabinet. Backup is provided by the three-strong range of active F3 subwoofers, their model designations provided by the size of the driver used, from 8in/20cm upwards. 

The top-end F3-12 model sees a 30cm woofer driven by 520W of ‘DDX Direct Digital’ amplification that comes with on-board DSP control. The F1-10 differs from the rest of the range in its design, an immaculate walnut veneered cylinder, just under 120cm tall, with burr walnut detailing, on the front of which is mounted, Cyclops like, a single driver. Each speaker weighs in at a substantial 57.7kg, with Fyne Audio adding, amusingly, ‘including spikes’. 

That aside, this speaker looks fairly conventional, having a magnetically attached grille covering the mid/bass unit if required, and a fixed mesh over the tweeter in that upper gloss panel. Single wire terminals are fitted below that rear port, and the speaker is happy on stands of around 60cm or so. I used a pair of hefty mass-loaded Atacama SE24s.

System Type                                 2 way, rear ported

Recommended amplifier power     (Watt RMS) 25- 100

Continuous power handling            (Watt RMS) 50

Sensitivity                                         (2.83 Volt @ 1m) 89dB

Nominal impedance                 8 Ohm

Frequency response                         (-6dB typical in room) 44Hz- 28kHz

Drive unit complement             1 x 150mm multi-fibre bass/ mid 1 x 25mm polyester dome tweeter

Crossover frequency                 3.2kHz

Crossover type                         2nd order low pass, 3rd order high pass

Dimensions - HxWxD                 300 x 190 x 271mm (11.8 x 7.5 x 10.7”)

Weight - Each                             5.3kg (11.7lb)

Finishes Walnut / Black Ash / Light Oak