Bookshelf Speakers — Econik Speakers FOUR

The FOUR is a compact active loudspeaker from Econik Speakers, a maker based in Eisingen near Pforzheim in Germany that designs its speakers in-house and builds them mostly from German components. Every cabinet contains its own amplifiers and digital processing, and the pair costs EUR 2,699 in every finish. The closed enclosure suits desks, shelves or wall mounting, with dedicated presets for each.

Key specs that matter

Buyers choose between a 25 mm dome tweeter from the SEAS Excel line and an 80 mm Mundorf AMT, working with two 125 mm SEAS Prestige woofer and midrange drivers in a 2.5 or 3-way active layout. Each speaker has three Class-D amplifiers rated at 150 W continuous, with peaks up to 330 W per channel, for 450 W continuous and 990 W peak per box. Econik quotes a response of 38 Hz to 30,000 Hz within plus or minus 1.5 dB. Each cabinet is 170 mm wide, 330 mm tall and 240 mm deep, with a weight of 8.7 kg.

Engineering and use context

A quad-core processor handles the signal, working with two CS4398 DAC chips per speaker. The crossovers are digital and use both IIR and FIR filters, dividing the signal at 180 Hz and 3,500 Hz in the standard preset, and further presets cover desk, studio monitoring, lounge and wall positions. A dynamic bass function adjusts low frequencies according to the equal-loudness contours of the ISO 226 standard from 2003. The enclosure is built from 19 mm MDF and has a magnetic cover. Finishes include white matt and black matt paint as well as oak, walnut and wild apple veneer, and interchangeable design rings come in wood tones. A metal remote control with illuminated feedback and motion-sensing wake-up is included. Warranty runs 5 years, with 2 years on the electronics. Econik designed the model for small and medium rooms.

Pairing

Signals reach the speakers either wirelessly over WiSA, which carries lossless 24-bit and 96 kHz audio, or by cable through inputs that take balanced or unbalanced XLR connections. The optional Stereo Hub, priced at EUR 300, adds HDMI, analogue inputs, Bluetooth, Chromecast, AirPlay and Spotify Connect. The WiSA system scales from a stereo pair up to 7.1 surround layouts, so several Econik models can be combined into a home cinema, and WiSA transmission removes the need for signal cables between the hub and the speakers. The tweeter in the SEAS version uses a SONOMEX surround.

Alternatives

The Econik SIX is another compact active model from the brand, priced at EUR 3,699.