Groundbreaking audio products are quite rare. Sometimes they take the guise of new tech. Sometimes they rethink existing approaches. The R2R Audio loudspeaker caught my attention at TAVES 2014 by making some very respectable sound with very bold claims. This compact open-baffle widebander promised leading-edge technology and specs well beyond the breed plus the potential to challenge the best of the best. Think low-mass single driver, no enclosure, the agility of a thin film and bass flat to 20 cycles. Holy Grail material. After chatting with company President Artur Ayvazov, arrangements were made for a formal review. Obvious questions first. Who is R2R Audio and why should this speaker be on your radar? The term fresh face is often used for newcomers but in this case would be only half right. Whilst this 15-inch full-range DSP’d and amplified loudspeaker does mark R2R’s first formal consumer entry, it is backed by 30 years of experience servicing the custom, pro and industrial sectors. The company’s handiwork can be found in venues ranging from open air stadiums, concert halls and cinemas to active electrostatic speakers and acoustic systems, hydro-acoustic transducers for underwater music reproduction, recording studio equipment, car audio, acoustic high-pressure equipment for electric components testing and many other specialty sectors. R2R have concentrated on products that are exclusively designed and hand-crafted in small quantities. They work with each and every customer (private, corporate, government institutions etc.) to cater to unique needs. These folks aren’t aspiring beginners. They are consolidating their vast research and experience into a single consumer product. If the price seems high, it’s because they are aiming at the top.