Industry Reviews - Aspen FR30 Loudspeakers

I tend to be a bit hypercritical in evaluating anything I consider for purchase. The FR30, did more than live up to my hopes, however, and one way to sum up is to state that I'm buying my review pair as another set of reference speakers. The FR30 is truly outstanding, highly recommended, and well worth the set-up effort necessary to make it perform at its best!

I consistently heard super-powerful bass, a really rich and robust midrange, smooth highs, and the kind of effortlessness and scale that you get from big speakers with large and/or lots of drivers....I heard no disparity between what the woofers and planar-magnetic drivers were playing......anyone looking for a pair of speakers that are this large and styled in such an unusual way should explore them. I could tell that there was at least the potential that amazing sound could emerge from them.

The Aspens projected an electrically charged soundfield that was big and dimensional, with notes that were bold and fully formed, supple and dynamic. Even the quieter moments seemed to emit an energetic presence, a kind of radiant musical assertiveness. The speakers sounded well balanced across the frequency range. They also balanced power and agility, machismo and finesse, soaring highs and low-end heft.

Even if we didn't get to try them in our usual conditions, our visit clearly showed: the PS Audio Aspen FR30 are impressive in practically every aspect. With their elegant design, they have what it takes to conquer a prominent place in the living room, despite their size. Their incredibly natural, dynamic sound then seems to flow effortlessly from the gigantic floor-standing loudspeakers. The nimble magentostats combine their advantages excellently with the powerfully gripping bass section. But it is especially this fullness and energy that she shows every second that you don't find every day.

Having read about the development of these speakers literally for years, in various online postings, I was both keen to hear them and also filled with a little trepidation that they'd not live up to expectation. I needn't have worried: it only took a few tracks to realise that the Aspen FR30 is every bit a sensational design and - to cut to the chase - nothing short of one of the high-end bargains of the moment, making some much pricier speakers seem just a little bit silly.