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Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial interests: click here
Main system: Sources: Retina 5K 27" iMac (i5, 256GB SSD, 40GB RAM, Sonoma 14), 4TB external SSD with Thunderbolt 3, Audirvana Studio, Qobuz Sublime, Singxer SU-6 USB bridge, LHY Audio SW-8 & SW-6 switch, Sonnet Pasithea, COS Engineering D1, Laiv Audio Harmony; Active filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Power amplifiers: Kinki Studio EX-B7 monos & Gold Note monos on subwoofer; Headamp: Enleum AMP-23R; Phones: Raal 1995 Immanis; Loudspeakers: Qualio IQ [on loan] Cables: Exact Express Flame, Furutech; Power delivery: 2 x Kinki/Vinshine Tai Hang on amps and source stack, Furutech DPS-4.1 between wall and conditioners; Equipment rack: Artesanía Audio Exoteryc double-wide 3-tier with optional glass shelves, Exoteryc amp stands; Sundry accessories: Acoustic System resonators, AudioQuest FogLifters; Room: 6 x 8m with open door behind listening seat; Room treatment: 2 x PSI Audio AVAA C214 active bass traps
2nd system: Source: FiiO R7 into Soundaware D300Ref SD transport to Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe with POW; Preamp/filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Amplifier: Kinki Studio EX-M7; Loudspeakers: ModalAkustik MusikBoxx + Dynaudio S18 sub; Cable loom: Exact Express Earth; Power delivery: Vibex Granada/Alhambra, Akiko Audio Corelli Corundum & Castello Solo; Equipment rack: Hifistay Mythology Transform X-Frame [on extended loan]; Sundry accessories: Furutech cable lifts, Furutech NFC Clear Lines; Room: ~3.5 x 8m
2nd headfi system: DAC: Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe with POW; Headamp: Cen.Grand Silver Fox; Headphones: Raal 1995 Magna, HifiMan Susvara
Desktop system: Source: HP Z2 work station Win11/64; USB bridge: Singxer SU-2; DAC/headamp: iFi iDSD Pro Signature; Amplifiers: Topping B200; Speakers: Virtual Hifi Viper; Headphones: Final D-8000, aune SR7000
Upstairs headfi system: FiiO R7; Headphones: Meze 109 Pro, Fiio FT3
2-channel video system: Source: Oppo BDP-105; All-in-One: Gold Note IS-1000 Deluxe; Loudspeakers: Zu Soul VI; Subwoofer: Zu Submission; Power delivery: Furutech eTP-8, Room: ~6x4m
Review component retail: TBA

Flying solo. The urge for it often outgrows teamwork which has begun to polarize two or more parties invested in mutual success. Marek Kostrzynski and Grzegorz Rulka are the two peas in the Cube and Qualio pods. After many years of successful collaboration, Greg also struck out in parallel on his own with Virtual Hifi whose Vibron isolators, Vermillion cables, Viper and Cobra speakers I've covered. In mid September whilst organizing dispatch of Qualio IQ30 samples which he'd designed—his new Cube Monet would follow shortly— Marek let on that he too felt the urge to finally hoist his own flag.

After contributing to a Tonsil project as freelancer, he'd worked the next 15 years as Pylon Audio's lead designer alongside their production manager. Last year, Pylon's design team grew larger. Marek also moonlights on projects for other brands. He now feels ready to add his own speakers designed without committee; even if of just two. He'd be ready to send me something by November he thought. I nursed no notion of his leanings other than having reviewed even awarded numerous Cube and Qualio models. But if those had been collaborative efforts, what to expect from a speaker that only carries Marek's signature? What type drivers¹ and filters will it use, what style industrial design?

From his work at Cube, we know Marek's abilities to get granular and design and manufacture drivers from scratch. That obviously comes with high production costs when one is a small boutique not major enterprise. For his solo venture much will depend on how he positions himself in the market; and whether he'll focus on direct or dealer sales.

It seems an uphill struggle to compete with big outfits whose sheer scale of operations presses unfair advantages. Why not focus on hard-earned experience which has learnt what people want by what actually sells; then sink the same experience into maximizing sonics without getting too precious? Sound-first Cube and Qualio precedents with their simple rectilinear form factors and high value seem a far more likely roadmap for Marek's own venture.

¹ In a Polish interview we learn that Marek remains fondest of cellulose as a driver diaphragm material. Even though it's a classic choice which to some could suggest vintage or retro, he finds that most buyers actually prefer the sound of paper-based drivers to modern composites or metals. In an email exchange about this new Cube Monet, he also explained that he favours simple very clean cosmetics which age well so don't fall victim to short-lived fashion cycles.

"Today Pylon Audio employ 40-50 people and in addition to their own speaker systems, produce enclosures for many European brands. I'm very happy that I started with them from the very beginning. After serious challenges 15 years ago, Pylon now are a publicly traded company and dynamically growing enterprise. I intend to continue this path with my new project perhaps not on an industrial scale but I do want to maintain the crafted feel. This is a moment in my life where I want to present designs that have long been on my mind but which at the time didn't fit into any available slots. The first series of speakers was created in collaboration with Mundorf but won't be open-baffle designs like Qualio. They're classics with a touch of style and a few new ideas. In future projects I'll use horns. This won't appeal to everyone but I've designed a few in my time and the comments were something like, "these horns don't sound like horns". I guess I don't know how to make horns sound bad.

"At Pylon² this Jade series is a good example of my tastes. I also designed a well-known European model which sold successfully for about eight years. I like speakers that are easy to use with diverse electronics. And I like a sound that makes me think about the music not the hardware. That's exactly how I design at Pylon. At Cube Audio I was fascinated by the idea of full-range sound from a single driver. At Qualio the solution is more versatile and original. But without exception, any solution has its own advantages and challenges."

² According to this October 2025 SoundStage posting, the people behind Pylon "manufacture cabinets for a long list of high-end speaker companies and recently acquired Vienna Acoustics". According to Google's AI Overview, some of the brands they supply are Audio Physic and Unitra. This OEM website references further business partners in "Germany, France, Sweden, Finland, the UK and Italy." Meanwhile the JRC Group website features the above cutaway drawing of Pylon's smaller Gamma model to perhaps be the umbrella company. Like Canor do in the electronics sector, these people clearly have their fingers in multiple pots in the speaker industry to be well entrenched and vertically integrated. By extension, having worked as Pylon's lead designer for more than a decade has given Marek very solid exposure to the sector.

… to be continued…