Website author headshot
Cameron Oatley
ExtremeHiFi
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi

Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.

What reviewers think

Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.

Product Strengths

  • Incredible and revealing monitor performance
  • Musical clarity
  • The AMT tweeter balances out the tonality and keeps everything sharp, accurate, and precise
  • Linearity in the setup was commendably wide, including a very natural and informative bass response
  • The combination of extraordinary resolution and listenability is unusual

Product Considerations

  • Aesthetics may have compromised pure engineering, a review mentions
  • There wasn't great width to the soundstage, but that's not what studio monitors are about
  • The Lineariser wasn't used at the demo
  • The short timescale in a less controlled environment felt like a daunting prospect

Takeaway: The HEDD Tower Mains are impressive monitors with excellent clarity and revealing sound, making them suitable for studio environments. The modular design also offers versatility and potential for expansion.

What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.

All

Tower Mains

reviews

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An excellent review of a great product
/
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
/
3/1/2022

Manufacturer details

  • TM80 Amplification: 3x 300W
  • TMS 36 Amplification: 1,200W
  • TMS 36 Configuration: Four long-throw drivers
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz to 80Hz
Our majestic Tower Mains System represents a unique approach to what full-range main monitoring and listening can mean and look like in today's music world. Available as a standard pair of 3-way monitor and subwoofer in a fully closed cabinet or extended with an additional sub, their footprint is the same as a standard studio monitor. They feature our AMT driver alongside custom midrange and bass woofers for realistic yet powerful audio.
Our majestic Tower Mains System represents a unique approach to what full-range main monitoring and listening can mean and look like in today’s music world. Available as a standard pair of 3-way monitor and subwoofer in a fully closed cabinet or extended with an additional sub, their footprint is the same as a standard studio monitor. They feature our AMT driver alongside custom midrange and bass woofers for realistic yet powerful audio. A perfect fit for professional recording studios or post-production suites who want to work better and impress, they are also loved by audiophiles who seek beautiful, uncolored sound in their home
Manufacturer Site

Brand highlights

Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:

  • HEDD headphones distinguish themselves by utilizing full-range Air Motion Transformer (AMT) drivers, a unique technology borrowed from their studio monitors, enabling faster air movement and potentially superior transient response.
  • The HEDDphone Two has a HEDDband system that allows for personalized adjustment of height, width, curvature, and clamping pressure, delivering a customized fit.
  • HEDD products have a sound that can be easily switched between ported and closed, or Linearised and natural to suit preferences and listening environment.
  • Durability and longevity are prioritized, offering an impressive 5-year warranty to ensure confidence in the brand's commitment to quality.

HEDDphone

  • Positioning: An accessible headphone solution offering a natural, open-back design for detailed sound reproduction.
  • Description: Features a high definition AMT driver with Variable Velocity Transformation that reproduces a wide frequency range up to 40kHz for clear, honest audio. Compared to the TWO and TWO GT, it offers a straightforward design suited for users needing portability and clarity while keeping the entry cost low.

HEDDphone TWO

  • Positioning: A refined upgrade focused on a lighter, better, and more adjustable headphone experience.
  • Description: Uses ultra-light materials and an improved adjustable HEDDband alongside a redesigned AMT driver for extended frequency response and vivid sound. Compared to the base HEDDphone, its enhanced comfort and build quality make it ideal for longer portable listening sessions.

HEDDphone TWO GT

  • Positioning: A premium headphone tuned for rich, emotionally engaging listening rather than critical monitoring.
  • Description: Features a redesigned AMT driver with a new multi-layered Kapton film for lower distortion and a warmer, more musical tuning paired with upgraded cables and refined aesthetics. Compared to both the HEDDphone and HEDDphone TWO, its added comfort and visual upgrades cater to users seeking enhanced luxury and non-critical, immersive enjoyment.

TYPE 30 MK2

  • Positioning: A professional-grade studio monitor engineered for mid to large recording and mastering environments.
  • Description: Uses a high-end 32-bit SHARC DSP with HEDD Lineariser and a three-way design that offers precise control and detailed sound across a wide frequency range. Compared to the headphone series, its robust tuning options, subwoofer integration, and customizable filters make it ideal for professionals needing detailed calibration in larger or acoustically complex spaces.

TOWER MAINS

  • Positioning: A flagship full-range main monitoring system designed for premium professional studios and high-end home setups.
  • Description: Uses custom AMT drivers combined with bespoke midrange and bass woofers in a multi-amp configuration to deliver powerful, realistic audio in both closed and extended modes. Compared to the TYPE 30 MK2 and headphone models, its advanced performance and flexible configuration provides extensive functionality for critical listening in large environments.
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Avg. Product Price
$20,001-$30,000
Used For Sale
1
 Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
227
 of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
10
Founding Year
2015

Our take on the brand

HEDD Audio, founded by physicist Klaus Heinz, pioneered Air Motion Transformer (AMT) technology. Typically reserved for tweeters only due to difficulty achieving low frequency output, HEDD was the first to achieve full 20hz-20khz in a headphone design with the HEDDphone, later refined and improved with the HEDDphone 2 and 2 GT. The brand hand-builds their products in Berlin, with their headphones particularly noted for exceptional detail retrieval and natural soundstage, making them suitable for both professional and audiophile use.

Look inside the brand

Brand Page

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

From our interview with
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Brand Page

Used

HEDD

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What if you spend more?

Product image
Focal
Diva Utopia
39999
39999
/
7
Reviews
Focal is a French hifi brand that makes their own drivers in-house, including their highly-regarded beryllium tweeters and unique slatefiber mid/bass drivers made from recycled carbon fiber. Their speakers and headphones feature distinctive technologies like their "W" sandwich cone design for optimal driver performance and Mimi Sound Personalization that adapts audio to individual hearing profiles.
Check Amazon
Expand Details

Product Strengths

  • Excellent clarity, detail resolution, and agility in sound reproduction
  • Impressive bass definition and punch, delivering huge amounts of bass effortlessly
  • Combines muscularity, insight, scale, and attack for an engaging listening experience
  • Design is unique and striking, with impeccable build quality and a flawless finish
  • Offers extensive specification and numerous control options, all implemented expertly

Product Considerations

  • Sonic presentation might be a little too 'safe' or 'civilizing', potentially losing some of the vibrant energy in music
  • Lacks some features compared to competitors regarding connectivity and adjustability
  • Requires a large listening space to avoid overpowering the room
  • The provided remote casing feels cheap and insubstantial compared to the overall package
  • Room correction (ADAPT) is not as automated or precise as some other systems and the application may crash

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Vs KEF LS60 Wireless: KEF LS60 offers more flexibility, including a subwoofer output, but at higher volumes, Focal Diva is the clear winner
  • Vs Bang & Olufsen Beolab 90: Beolab 90 is in a league of its own and provides a more complete audio experience
  • Vs Scala Utopia Evo: Diva Utopia is cheaper in the long run, as the Scala Utopia Evo needs additional components, such as Naim Classic components
  • Vs Diablo Utopia Color Evos: The Color Evos may represent the ultimate Focal experience

Takeaway: The Diva Utopia is an all-in-one speaker with impressive sound that expertly combines performance and design. It offers a unique blend of luxury and high-end audio quality that can be enjoyed by anyone looking for a simplified audiophile experience.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Focal is a French hifi brand that makes their own drivers in-house, including their highly-regarded beryllium tweeters and unique slatefiber mid/bass drivers made from recycled carbon fiber. Their speakers and headphones feature distinctive technologies like their "W" sandwich cone design for optimal driver performance and Mimi Sound Personalization that adapts audio to individual hearing profiles.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
Product image
Kii
Three BXT
31155
31155
/
6
Reviews

Elegant and powerful, our BXT turns any pair of Kii THREE into unrivaled floor-standing speakers.

Kii Audio's unique "Active Wave Focusing" technology creates a cardioid pattern that minimizes room reflections and directs sound energy forward, allowing their speakers to maintain consistent sound quality even when placed near walls or corners. Each Kii THREE speaker uses six custom Ncore amplifiers and multiple DACs with advanced DSP processing to deliver full-range sound from a compact design that outperforms much larger systems.
Check Amazon
Expand Details

Product Strengths

  • When combined with the BXT module, the system delivers tight, dynamic, and nuanced bass reproduction
  • The addition of the BXT allows the system to reveal subtle details in the lower frequencies that are typically missed
  • The BXT system offers a balanced sound, with the midrange frequencies benefiting from the addition of the BXT module
  • Are relieved of some bass duties, letting them focus more on the mids
  • The combination with the BXT module creates a cardioid dispersion pattern, reducing reflections from side and rear walls—minimizing the influence of room acoustics
  • Ease of use is another strength of the concept

Product Considerations

  • Some perceive it as sounding 'too digital' or 'too analytical' on its own, lacking the warmth of other speakers, but the BXT module helps to address this
  • The display on the Kii Control is considered small, making it difficult to read in poor lighting conditions

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Versus ATC speakers, ATC speakers have a warmer, more colorful sound

Takeaway: The system, especially when paired with the BXT module, delivers exceptional sound quality with deep, controlled bass and reduced room interaction. For those wanting a system with great clarity and power, this could be a good pick.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Kii Audio's unique "Active Wave Focusing" technology creates a cardioid pattern that minimizes room reflections and directs sound energy forward, allowing their speakers to maintain consistent sound quality even when placed near walls or corners. Each Kii THREE speaker uses six custom Ncore amplifiers and multiple DACs with advanced DSP processing to deliver full-range sound from a compact design that outperforms much larger systems.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
Product image
ATC
SCM150 ASL
39251
39251
/
1
Reviews
ATC is distinguished by manufacturing all drivers in-house and using a unique dual-suspension system in their tweeters that enhances stability without ferro-fluid. The brand, widely used in recording studios, features sealed cabinet designs for tight bass control and a proprietary 75mm soft-dome midrange driver that delivers precise, uncolored sound.
Check Amazon
Expand Details

Product Strengths

  • Astonishing control, detail, coherence, and extension due to 200 Watts being connected directly to the bass driver
  • The new ATC tweeter is more revealing yet sweeter than the SEAS unit it replaces, making the speaker more charming without losing transparency

Product Considerations

  • Installation potentially difficult, as it is a large and heavy speaker, weighing 75kg each
  • Bass performance reveals flaws in recordings that are tweaked to sound good on most speakers

Takeaway: The ATC SCM150 ASL speakers deliver clean and controlled sound with impressive detail and extension, making them ideal for critical listening. The new tweeter improves upon previous versions, offering a sweeter and more revealing sound.

Video review

Our take on the brand

ATC is distinguished by manufacturing all drivers in-house and using a unique dual-suspension system in their tweeters that enhances stability without ferro-fluid. The brand, widely used in recording studios, features sealed cabinet designs for tight bass control and a proprietary 75mm soft-dome midrange driver that delivers precise, uncolored sound.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page

What competes at this price?

ATC
SCM50
24499
/
Released
The SCM50 ASL (active) and SCM50 SL (passive) are designed to perform at their best in the recording studio or at home with the finest quality hi-fi equipment. The monitors' ability to reproduce music and speech with phenomenal accuracy, transparency and dynamics lies mainly in the SM75-150S soft dome midrange driver.
Check Amazon
ATC is distinguished by manufacturing all drivers in-house and using a unique dual-suspension system in their tweeters that enhances stability without ferro-fluid. The brand, widely used in recording studios, features sealed cabinet designs for tight bass control and a proprietary 75mm soft-dome midrange driver that delivers precise, uncolored sound.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • ATC designs and builds every drive unit in-house, including voice coils, crossovers, and active amplification, allowing for complete control over every loudspeaker design decision
  • In the active version, a more clearly defined soundstage has clearer, more well-defined individual elements, where everything pops out more from the background
  • The active version has more energy, drive, and a more vivid overall presentation, resulting in a more tactile, energetic, and higher resolution sound
  • The SCM50's woofer has an enviable ability to resolve textures and timbral colors, capably rendering the skins of bass drums, the flutter of tom-toms, or the dark voicing of orchestral bass viols as bows are dragged across their strings
  • The SCM50 has an almost eerie immediacy that seems to glean the intent of the musician before their bow touches the string or a note escapes their lips, making piano reproduction breathtaking
  • Connectivity is limited to a single XLR input, which may require adapters for single-ended sources

Product Considerations

  • The active version is heavier than the passive version
  • The owner must manually turn each speaker on and off, as there is no trigger or auto startup circuit
  • The active version may pose challenges for owners of subwoofers needing high-level wiring connections, although workarounds exist
  • Careful attention must be paid to positioning a pair of SCM50s, as the full-bandwidth—ported design means that placing them too close to a boundary wall will result in bass bloom

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • SCM50 wins hands down over PureAudioProject Duet 15s for resolution, clarity, and dynamic shading
  • The active version excels over the passive in solidity of soundstage, neutrality, and ultimate detail retrieval

Takeaway: The ATC SCM50 offers exceptional sound quality, whether in its active or passive configuration, thanks to ATC's engineering and in-house design. The ATC SCM50 is a choice that will bring musical joy for years to come.

Video review

Our take on the brand

ATC is distinguished by manufacturing all drivers in-house and using a unique dual-suspension system in their tweeters that enhances stability without ferro-fluid. The brand, widely used in recording studios, features sealed cabinet designs for tight bass control and a proprietary 75mm soft-dome midrange driver that delivers precise, uncolored sound.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
ATC
SCM50ASL
23607
/
Released
The SCM50 ASL (active) and SCM50 SL (passive) are designed to perform at their best in the recording studio or at home with the finest quality hi-fi equipment. The monitors’ ability to reproduce music and speech with phenomenal accuracy, transparency and dynamics lies mainly in the SM75-150S soft dome midrange driver. However, recent modifications that include the new ATC SH25-76S tweeter and enhanced port profile have brought about further improvements to all performance parameters.

Check Amazon
ATC is distinguished by manufacturing all drivers in-house and using a unique dual-suspension system in their tweeters that enhances stability without ferro-fluid. The brand, widely used in recording studios, features sealed cabinet designs for tight bass control and a proprietary 75mm soft-dome midrange driver that delivers precise, uncolored sound.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Improved phase or timing enhances stereo imaging and creates a clearer overall picture
  • The active version removes a 'filter' between the listener and the original source, making music more intense, energetic—and vivid—resulting in higher resolution audio
  • Vocals are presented bigger, taller, grander in scale, with more detail and insight—most impressively—how natural they sound
  • Dynamics and micro-detail are impressive, expressed in ambient noises, breaths of singers—and fingernails of guitarists
  • ATC monitors are designed to provide the best from both areas: detailed and accurate with limited dynamic range, and professional monitors with great dynamic range and fidelity

Product Considerations

  • ATC speakers like to be played loudly, like the original event, and live music isn't created at volume levels for going to sleep; if you like to be lulled by your audio system, look elsewhere
  • The speakers get quite a bit heavier with the amplifier packs in them
  • You have to manually turn each speaker on and off, as there is no trigger system designed into them
  • System organisation and cabling has to be considered because it might be quite different to how you have things wired now in a passive system, and this could mean extra cost on top
  • If you don't have an amplifier to connect your high level wiring to, you would need to either use a preamplifier with an output you can use, or maybe use a splitter on the balanced cable

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Vs ATC SCM50 PSL (Passive): The active SCM50 ASL is more vivid overall, while the passive is more 'cuddly'
  • Vs ATC SCM20: The 50s are more like the same person—only bigger

Takeaway: The SCM50 ASL offers a technically better and more vivid listening experience due to its active design, bringing listeners closer to the original sound. If one wants a speaker for serious listening and appreciate high-resolution audio, this could be a great choice.

Video review

Our take on the brand

ATC is distinguished by manufacturing all drivers in-house and using a unique dual-suspension system in their tweeters that enhances stability without ferro-fluid. The brand, widely used in recording studios, features sealed cabinet designs for tight bass control and a proprietary 75mm soft-dome midrange driver that delivers precise, uncolored sound.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
Cabasse
The Pearl Pelegrina
26237
/
Released
2021
Check Amazon
Cabasse, a French hifi brand with roots dating back to 1742 in musical instrument making, is renowned for its unique coaxial speaker design where all sound waves emanate from a single point. Their flagship product, La Sphère, features a distinctive four-way coaxial drive unit array, while their patented HELD technology uses multiband dynamic signal processing to enhance bass dynamics without distortion.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Houses everything needed to play digital music
  • Equipped with DSP and room correction for a seamless room-filling fit
  • Reproduces music with superb control and an expansive sound image
  • Offers finely textured and richly saturated sound

Product Considerations

  • Speakers that don't look like every other speaker can be polarizing

Takeaway: The Pearl Pelegrina is a wireless active loudspeaker that houses everything needed to play digital music, offering a seamless room-filling fit with superb control and finely textured sound. It could be worth buying for those seeking an all-in-one speaker solution with a unique design.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Cabasse, a French hifi brand with roots dating back to 1742 in musical instrument making, is renowned for its unique coaxial speaker design where all sound waves emanate from a single point. Their flagship product, La Sphère, features a distinctive four-way coaxial drive unit array, while their patented HELD technology uses multiband dynamic signal processing to enhance bass dynamics without distortion.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
Zu
Definition 6
25000
/
Released
2022
Since it's been well over a decade since the first deliveries of Definition 4, let's cover what' familiar: The classic Definition form factor. The ongoing Definition proposition is to deliver the maximum musical performance possible in about 1 square foot of floor space, per speaker. Hence, Definition Six retain the just under 13" x 13" [33 cm] square footprint of prior Definitions, but it's a little taller—54" [137 cm] without feet, instead of the older speaker's 49" [125 cm] height.
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Zu Audio is an American hifi brand that builds speakers using their unique Zu-Griewe technology, originally developed for motorcycle exhaust systems, to manage acoustic impedance and reduce standing waves. Their speakers feature a full-range driver design with no crossover network and are particularly efficient with tube amps, making them popular among rock music enthusiasts who appreciate their ability to handle high volumes without distortion.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Very dynamic presentation, with quick stop and start speeds that leave little off the table
  • Natural and even-handed tones from the wide array of drivers
  • Cohesive structure with plenty of low-end support
  • High efficiency (101 dB), allowing them to be driven by tubes

Product Considerations

  • Build times are around 8 weeks

Takeaway: The Zu Audio Definition 6 offers a very dynamic and realistic listening experience with natural tones. They are also high efficiency, making them a great option for use with tubes.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Zu Audio is an American hifi brand that builds speakers using their unique Zu-Griewe technology, originally developed for motorcycle exhaust systems, to manage acoustic impedance and reduce standing waves. Their speakers feature a full-range driver design with no crossover network and are particularly efficient with tube amps, making them popular among rock music enthusiasts who appreciate their ability to handle high volumes without distortion.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
ATC
SCM100 ASL
27553
/
Released
The SCM100 ASL (active) and SCM100 SL (passive) are designed to perform at their best with the finest quality hi-fi equipment. Like their smaller brother, the SCM50 ASL, the monitors’ ability to reproduce music and speech with phenomenal accuracy, transparency and dynamics lies mainly in the SM75-150S soft dome midrange driver. However, recent modifications that include an upgraded tweeter and enhanced port profile have brought about further improvements in all performance parameters. Bass performance is equally impressive, thanks to ATC’s 12″ professional level bass driver that incorporates the company’s unique Super Linear Magnet technology. Bass, mid and HF drive units in the active model have their own dedicated and individually matched MOSFET amplifiers.

Check Amazon
ATC is distinguished by manufacturing all drivers in-house and using a unique dual-suspension system in their tweeters that enhances stability without ferro-fluid. The brand, widely used in recording studios, features sealed cabinet designs for tight bass control and a proprietary 75mm soft-dome midrange driver that delivers precise, uncolored sound.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Straightforward, direct, and honest sound
  • Extremely listenable top end that's toned down a mite
  • Solid and pleasing midrange
  • Rock solid bass
  • Exhibits a family sound between the models, making it difficult to distinguish between them, at least in this context

Product Considerations

  • Price may be high compared to the UK price

Takeaway: The SCM100ASLT Active Driver Tower loudspeaker has an honest and pleasing sound with solid bass. It encourages you to get up and dance.

Video review

Our take on the brand

ATC is distinguished by manufacturing all drivers in-house and using a unique dual-suspension system in their tweeters that enhances stability without ferro-fluid. The brand, widely used in recording studios, features sealed cabinet designs for tight bass control and a proprietary 75mm soft-dome midrange driver that delivers precise, uncolored sound.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page

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