The fact that multimedia speakers aren’t intended specifically for hi-fi is the main obstacle for most hi-fi enthusiasts. As a result, they can’t possibly be worth an audition, so the logic goes. Since the dark days of the late 1980s, when the first examples appeared, modest active designs used by students to beef up their tape portables, this perception has persisted. Then there were computer multimedia speakers with tremendous power outputs that were just as bad to look at as they were to hear…
However, not everyone is like this, and when Mission/NXT unveiled their revolutionary X-Space at the turn of the millennium, it was time to leave your prejudices at the door. This £500 sub and satellite system utilizes the (at the time) cutting-edge NXT technology to deliver outstanding clarity, imaging, speed, mid-band detail, and room-driving capabilities. These speakers only fell short in the low bass and high treble, much like its spiritual grandfather, the Quad ESL-57. Nonetheless, I found them to be just as good as the outstanding 752 floorstanders in terms of music listening — they were that wonderful.
Place them carefully, Blu-Tac them on stand tops or desks to firm the sound, then sit back and enjoy the out-of-the-box experience. If you like their quirky turn-of-the-century ‘sci-fi’ aesthetics, you’ll be pleased to learn that you can get a pair of what were once cutting-edge, hyper modern multimedia speakers for pennies. What’s not to appreciate about that?
