It’s taken Fyne Audio less than a decade to establish itself as a deeply credible manufacturer of passive loudspeakers at a wide range of prices. The Cubitt 5, though, represents its first pair of active speakers — and they've got some serious competition to overcome.

At first glance, though, the system seems to have every chance. Its compact, well-made cabinets are available in a wide range of finishes, and are home to an intriguing driver array that draws liberally from the company’s very successful (and much more expensive) line-up of passive loudspeakers. Power is more than adequate at 240 watts, and the range of inputs (Bluetooth with aptX HD capability, line- and MM phono-level analog, optical and HDMI ARC) is very competitive, too. The lack of on-system controls is an odd decision, as is the lack confirmation of selected input or volume, and the remote handset that’s your only control option is unlovely.

Get the system up and running and you’ll have to ignore the unwelcome low-volume hiss that comes from each speaker before any music is cued up — fortunately it’s not an issue once your tracks are playing. Instead you’re free to admire the Cubitt 5’s abilities with detail retrieval, soundstaging, low-frequency authority and articulate midrange communication. It’s absolutely as confident as is acceptable when it comes to handling the top of the frequency range, but even here it’s not overtly ill-balanced or unruly.

Add in significant dynamic headroom, an expansive overall presentation and a disinclination to alter its stance in any significant way no matter which of its input options is in use, and it’s apparent that where the fundamentals are concerned, the Cubitt 5 has plenty going for it.

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