Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 Review: A High-Fidelity Leap into Active Wireless Stereo Sound

Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 Active Wireless Stereo Speaker System Review

It has taken Scottish loudspeaker manufacturer Fyne Audio less than a decade to transition from an ambitious upstart into a globally respected name in high-fidelity passive audio engineering. Founded by a team of industry veterans who previously held prominent positions at Tannoy, the company has rapidly built its reputation on acoustic innovation, particularly through the widespread adoption of its proprietary point-source driver technology. Up until now, however, the brand’s engineering prowess has been strictly confined to traditional passive loudspeakers requiring external amplification. That trajectory changes with the release of the Fyne Audio Cubitt 5, the company’s very first foray into the competitive realm of active wireless stereo speaker systems.

Priced at $749 in the United States, £549 in the United Kingdom, and AU$1,499 in Australia, the Cubitt 5 enters a fiercely contested market segment dominated by established heavyweights. For prospective buyers navigating the sub-$750 landscape of active wireless audio, the Cubitt 5 presents a compelling yet complex proposition. It marries exceptional acoustic engineering, sophisticated industrial design, and a robust connectivity suite with some curious usability quirks and interface decisions that threaten to undermine its otherwise strong value proposition.

Engineering Heritage and Core Design Philosophy

At the heart of the Cubitt 5’s acoustic architecture is Fyne Audio’s signature IsoFlare driver configuration. While the concept of placing a high-frequency tweeter directly at the acoustic center of a mid or mid/bass driver is not entirely new—historically championed by Tannoy’s Dual Concentric designs—it remains a rarity in compact, contemporary active speakers. Fyne Audio has dedicated much of its short history to refining and democratizing this geometry, and the Cubitt 5 represents its most ambitious application of the technology in a compact active footprint.

Specifically, the system features a 19mm titanium dome tweeter precisely positioned in the throat of a 127mm multi-fiber mid/bass driver. This coaxial point-source arrangement is engineered to ensure that sound radiates from a single, unified point in space, dramatically optimizing driver integration, off-axis dispersion, and stereo imaging coherence. Furthermore, the mid/bass driver utilizes Fyne Audio’s distinctive "FyneFlute" surround termination—a unique fluted pattern designed to effectively terminate cone energy and eliminate unwanted resonances that typically plague standard pistonic driver movements.

Powering these drivers is a robust Class D amplification array. Each of the four individual drivers receives 60 watts of dedicated power, delivering an all-in total system output of 240 watts. This substantial power reserve is paired with a front-firing bass reflex slot, a configuration that Fyne Audio claims yields an impressive frequency response spanning from 43Hz up to 34kHz.

Connectivity and Comprehensive Feature Set

Unlike many modern smart speakers that rely heavily on cloud-connected Wi-Fi ecosystems and proprietary mobile applications, the Cubitt 5 takes a more traditional, hardware-focused approach to wireless and wired connectivity.

The primary speaker acts as the central command hub, housing all incoming signal processing and physical input terminals. Wireless streaming is handled via Bluetooth 5.0, with support for high-resolution audio codecs up to and including Qualcomm aptX HD, ensuring reliable, high-fidelity wireless playback from compatible smartphones, tablets, and digital audio players.

Physical connectivity on the rear panel is impressively versatile, catering to both digital and analog purists. It includes a moving magnet (MM) phono stage accessible via stereo RCA inputs—a nod to the ongoing vinyl renaissance—alongside a standard line-level analog RCA input, a digital optical input for televisions or legacy digital sources, and an HDMI ARC socket for seamless integration with modern home entertainment setups. All incoming digital audio streams are managed by an onboard Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) operating at resolutions up to 24-bit/96kHz.

Setup and Usability: A Divergence of Form and Function

Setting up the Cubitt 5 is refreshingly straightforward, despite its active architecture. True to its design, only the primary speaker requires a connection to mains power. It distributes both power and audio data to the secondary speaker via a supplied four-core umbilical cable that securely screws into the rear terminals of both cabinets. Once connected, the user simply positions the speakers, powers on the primary unit, and selects the desired input.

However, the day-to-day user experience reveals the system’s most significant compromises. In an era where companion smartphone apps, touch-sensitive chassis controls, and OLED status displays are increasingly common, the Cubitt 5 features none of the above. There are no physical control buttons whatsoever on either cabinet. The primary speaker features only a modest LED indicator light that glows red in standby, blue during normal operation, and flashes when receiving commands from the included remote control.

Compounding this lack of direct physical feedback is the remote control itself. Fyne Audio has opted for an uninspiring, lightweight plastic handset that feels decidedly low-rent against the luxurious aesthetic of the speakers themselves. Furthermore, the remote offers no visual indication of the currently selected audio input or the precise volume level dialed in, leaving users to rely entirely on auditory estimation.

Audio Performance: High Fidelity Overshadowed by Minor Flaws

Once the system is powered on and music is engaged, the Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 largely redeems itself, delivering an audio performance that frequently punches well above its $749 price point.

Reviewers and audiophiles will immediately notice one distinctive operational quirk upon powering up the system: a consistent, audible low-level hiss emanating from both speakers before any audio playback begins. While this white noise is faint enough to disappear entirely once music starts playing, its presence is a minor distraction—particularly for those considering near-field desktop deployment where listening distances are minimal.

Once tracks are initiated, however, the Cubitt 5 transforms into an articulate, dynamic, and wonderfully balanced performer. Feeding the system a vinyl playback via the integrated phono stage reveals exceptional detail retrieval. Complex mixes are handled with impressive textural clarity and structural cohesion, maintaining a wide, deep soundstage that effortlessly expands beyond the physical boundaries of the compact cabinets.

Tonal balance is carefully managed. The titanium dome tweeter attacks high-frequency transients with sharp confidence, though it occasionally flirts with a slight treble-forward brightness without ever tipping over into harshness or fatigue. The midrange is warm, communicative, and exceptionally expressive, rendering vocal performances with high levels of natural presence and emotional nuance.

In the low frequencies, while the manufacturer’s claim of a 43Hz lower limit stretches empirical reality slightly, the Cubitt 5 nevertheless digs remarkably deep for its size. Bass notes possess solid weight, speed, and tight transient control, ensuring that rhythmic pacing remains natural and unforced. Dynamic headroom is another strong suit; the system handles large shifts in volume and dynamic intensity with unruffled composure, maintaining its tonal signature and soundstage integrity even when pushed to higher listening levels.

Aesthetic Craftsmanship and Market Positioning

Visually and structurally, the Cubitt 5 is a triumph of industrial design. Measuring 260 x 165 x 215mm (HxWxD), the cabinets are compact enough for effortless bookshelf placement while offering five distinct, premium finishes: Olive Green, Arctic White, Midnight Black, Pearl Titanium, and Pebble Gray. The review samples finished in soft-touch matte paint showcase flawless construction with seamless joints and appealing metallic trim around the IsoFlare drivers. The aesthetic is modern, discreet, and visually engaging, eliminating the need for unsightly fabric grilles.

Value Analysis and Competitive Landscape

When evaluated strictly on sonic merit, build quality, and aesthetic appeal, the Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 offers exceptional value within the sub-$750 active stereo speaker category. Its acoustic engineering, point-source driver imaging, and broad connectivity suite make it a formidable challenger to established models from brands like Cambridge Audio and Ruark Audio.

Yet, the user experience gap—highlighted by the ambient hiss, the absence of on-unit controls, and the cheap remote interface—prevents it from achieving universal recommendation. For listeners prioritizing pure room-filling sound quality, striking aesthetics, and acoustic engineering pedigree over smart app integration and sleek control interfaces, the Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 stands as a bold, highly rewarding entry into active audio.