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Unlike our reviews from fairaudio.de in Germany and highfidelity.pl in Poland which are shared via translation, John Darko's Australian website is in English already to not warrant any syndication. The following review thus appears exclusively on 6moons. For those curious about John's latest writings on digitalaudioreview.net.au, the above banner links directly to it. - Ed.

Reviewer: John Darko
Financial Interest: Click here
Source: 2010 Mac Mini, John Kenny-modded Hiface Mk2, Anedio D1 DAC, Audio-gd Reference 7.1
Amplifier: Exposure 2010s2, Weston Acoustics Troubadour (w/KT66), Dayens Ampino, Audio Sector Patek integrated, Trafomatic Aries (EL34)
Loudspeakers: 47Labs Lens, JohnBlue JB3, Rogers LS4a
Cables: QED A-B USB, Black Cat Veloce digital interconnect, WLM Lyros interconnect, WLM Stratos speaker cable
Stands: Unknown brand, open frame 50cm high
Review Component Retail: US$795


Type 3 subwoofer, Type 2 tower (40" x 11" x 11.5")
Type 4 combines Type 1 + 3 in the Type 2 enclosure
"They do have the flavor of the Omega line. But they are a little different too. I'm very happy that I was able to engineer the speakers to this price point. I worked pretty hard developing the new driver within the budget. Overall this worked out very well as a system with the new cabinets. The sealed and vented formats are a big plus too and I do like the versatility especially with smaller rooms. I run the Hoyt Bedford models with a few different types of tube amps as well as solid state from Bluenote, Rega and Red Wine Audio. I also noticed that the break-in here is pretty easy. Yes break-in is important but these will gel in no time." - Louis Chochos


Type 1 maxi monitor (23" x 11" x 11.5")


Hoyt Bedford Type 1 8-inch dual-concentric widebander
97dB, 8 ohm, ferrite motor with wood damper


Frequency response for the various models is as follows:
Type 1 sealed 60Hz to 18kHz; vented 48Hz to 18kHz
Type 2 sealed 50Hz to 18kHz; vented 38Hz to 18kHz

 Type 3 (sealed only) 27Hz to 150Hz variable low-pass
Type 4 (sealed head unit) 27Hz - 18kHz

"Come with me on a journey under the skin
Come with me on a journey under the skin
And we will look together for the Pan within" - Mike Scott (The Waterboys)


Single-driver loudspeakers could do with an image makeover, some Queer Eye For The Straight Guy scrutiny to lend them more universal appeal. Full-range is an odd term to describe a single driver that does anything but. However, what such loudspeaker designs lack in top and tail extension they more than compensate for with imaging, midrange clarity and speed. Electronic music digested by way of tubes and widebanders will run contrary to common perceptions of such a hardware pairing.
An electronic pulse is an appropriate adjudicator for a loudspeaker's ability to turn on a dime. A box unfettered by the resistors, coils and capacitors of a crossover puts the listener closer to the source. Such speed, tangibility and musical honesty form the cornerstone of the case for single-driver models. For this reviewer they maintain the daily heartbeat of Richie Hawtin, Surgeon, Terence Fixmer, Phil Kieran and Booka Shade. A heart with a pacemaker fitted is still a heart. Nylon might be man-made synthetics but it still has texture and feeling.

Banging the drum for single drivers with synthetic sounds pushing zeitgeist is a deliberate ploy. The stereotype of the single-ended single-driver fancier is living on CDs with chicks 'n' guitars. Such hummus and socks with sandals need reconstruction. Is this really the audiophile equivalent of a retirement home, a relaxing place to visit you wouldn't wanna live in unless you needed 'round the clock care? Fostex followers and Lowther lovers might collectively agree that their drivers of choice are best suited to tame(d) music. But that doesn't necessarily preclude other genres. A shame then that the hitherto public image holds faster than truth.

Tommy Wu of JohnBlue Audio Art has done much to put single driver tech into modern living spaces. His JB3 mini monitor is a 3" wolf in high-gloss sheep's clothing. Down Under the JB3 is one of the most financially accessible and aesthetically pleasing loudspeakers of its kind. Its reproductive scale might be small but its detail and richness are mighty fine.