Loudspeakers, But In A Different Way
Not many manufacturers attempt to build speakers with such a fundamentally different approach as this brand.
Cabinets made from natural slate. Not easy, but the results are spectacular.
About the SN/SL 70
When we first saw this speaker, it took us all the way back to the 1990s and the original Acoustic Energy AE1. Small monitor size (this is slightly bigger), metal mid-bass driver and twin forward firing ports. Yep. The only difference in basic format being that the SN/SL 70 uses a silk dome tweeter whereas the AE1 used a metal dome. The cabinet of the EA1 was reasonable for the day – MDF but with a bitumin lining for damping – but here of course we're talking about the signature Fischer&Fischer slate cabinet. And that's the point, that slate cabinet.
The format is a known classic because it works so well. The focus and imaging abilities always stand out with this type of design. But here, the movement of goalposts is the application of the slate cabinet work. This drops the overall structural noise floor down to new lows, significantly reducing cabinet colouration and delayed energy transmission back into the drivers. The result is a whole new level of transparency, detail retreval and sonal purity.
Tech Insight
In a way, the slate cabinet of this small monitor is actually providing a cabinet structure and performance that is usually the preserve of larger speakers. Make a small cabinet from conventional materials and it's light. Make a small cabinet from conventional materials and there is no room to add additional significant amounts of damping. Make it out of slate however, and you've got mass damping and an acoustically dead behavoiur on a large cabinet scale.
But then there's a double-bonus – small is still beautiful when it comes to transparency and imaging. So the radiation pattern is very good, the ability to position the speakers accurately because of their relatively small size is a positive factor, and then the performance of the cabinet material elevates the neutralness and transparency to a level that most smaller speakers simply can't achieve.
Matching & Setup
The SN/SL 70 is a fabulous format for a lot of users. If your listening room is on the small side and you don't want window-rattling bass, plus you have great upstream components in terms of musicality and transparency, then this speaker should be a serious contender for your next upgrade. The speaker's 4 Ohm impedance and relatively low 86dB efficiency rules out small amplifiers – 60W solid state or 40W valves with a 4 Ohm tap is probably a sensible minimum.
The speakers do need good stands, and the matching Fischer&Fischer stands should be seriously considered. With their sand-filled frame and large slate base plinth they are an important acoustic enhancement in our view. Everything's pretty heavy too, so bear that in mind.