Bookshelf Speakers — Radiotehnika S-10N

The S-10N is a compact Radiotehnika speaker for stand or shelf mounting, from the brand named after the Latvian company whose S-series speakers were widely known across the former Soviet Union. Below the S-20N in size, it is meant for compact systems on a desk, on a shelf or beside a television, working with most modern amplifiers. An active version, the S-10NA, adds a built-in 2 x 30 W amplifier.

Key specs that matter

The 20 mm silk dome tweeter is neodymium-powered, cooled by ferrofluid and loaded by a waveguide, and it works alongside a 108 mm mid/bass unit with a Polyglass cone and butyl surround. Frequency response is 62 Hz to 30 kHz (+/-3 dB), sensitivity is 86 dB and impedance is 4 ohms. Radiotehnika recommends amplifiers of 10 W to 60 W. The cabinet is 140 mm wide, 250 mm high and 232 mm deep, and each speaker weighs 4.6 kg.

Engineering and use context

The Polyglass cone has a coated cellulose base, combining the damping of paper with extra stiffness. Ferrofluid in the voice coil gap of the tweeter carries heat away from the coil and damps its resonance, and the tweeter motor has sealing gaskets. The waveguide controls dispersion and helps match the tweeter to the mid/bass, which uses a ferrite motor. The crossover is second order, and its components are mechanically secured. The MDF cabinet has rounded edges and a vinyl wood-effect finish, with black ash among the options. It is generously filled with damping material, and the internal cables are fixed against vibration. A 42 mm bass reflex port opens on the rear, and foam plugs are supplied to reduce bass output when needed. Its front panel is split in two. The drivers sit behind a removable cloth grille, and the lower section carries the model name next to a frequency response graph, a reference to classic Radiotehnika speakers. Adhesive rubber feet are included. The S-10N is sold as a pair and launched at RUB 22,990, against RUB 29,990 for the active S-10NA.

Pairing

Compact integrated amplifiers rated for low-impedance loads are a natural match, and high power is not needed. The S-10N is intended for rooms of 8 to 15 m2 or for desktop use.

Alternatives

Radiotehnika's S-10NA is the active version of the same speaker, with its own built-in amplifier.