sponsored by Peter Tyson
Fyne Audio’s Cubitt 5 delivers serious hi-fi performance and versatility
Designed and engineered in the UK, the Cubitt 5 is a fully active bookshelf speaker system available from Peter Tyson
sponsored by Peter Tyson
There’s a bit of a revolution happening in the world of hi-fi. For many years, high-quality sound at home meant investing in a stackof components: an amplifier, a DAC, a phono stage and passive speakers, all connected by a tangle of cables. The Fyne Audio Cubitt 5, available from Peter Tyson, upends all of that, combining serious engineering pedigree with the simplicity that modern life demands.
Designed and engineered in the UK, the Cubitt 5 is a fully active bookshelf speaker system – meaning all the amplification you need is built right in. There’s no separate amp to find the cash or space for: just hook up your music source of choice and you’re ready to start listening. With 240W of DSP-controlled power on tap, driven by an active crossover design that’s been precisely tuned to the speakers’ own drivers, the Cubitt 5 system supplies controlled and consistently detailed sound at any volume.
With support for 24-bit/96kHz hi-res audio playback, the Cubitt 5 reveals details that standard streaming just glosses over.
Sound from a single point
The star of the show is Fyne Audio’s proprietary IsoFlare driver. It’s a coaxial point-source design, meaning the tweeter sits at the very centre of the mid-bass driver, so that sound from both originates from exactly the same point in space.
The effect on stereo imaging is immediately and unmistakably apparent: vocals lock into position with remarkable solidity, instruments feel properly separated across the stage, and the wide, coherent soundstage holds steady even when you move around the room or sit off to one side. The 19mm titanium-dome tweeter’s response extends all the way to 34kHz, ensuring treble that’s crisp and airy without ever veering into harshness.
The IsoFlare is further supported by Fyne Audio’s FyneFlute driver surround technology, which reduces unwanted resonances, while the aluminium chassis minimises vibration and colouration. And as well as all of that, you’re getting a high-rigidity MDF cabinet, finished with soft-radius edges and a premium painted coating.
Despite the speaker’s compact footprint, bass performance is rump-shakingly impressive: the frequency response extends down to 43Hz, while the front-firing bass port makes placement close to walls a lot more practical than is typical for a speaker of this type. Most bass ports fire from the rear, making placement near walls acoustically tricky. The front port sidesteps that issue.
Plugs aplenty
Connectivity is one of the Cubitt 5’s finest attributes: Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD and AAC handles high-quality wireless streaming from phones and tablets; HDMI ARC makes connecting to a TV a one-cable affair; an optical input takes care of games consoles and other digital sources; and RCA inputs cover analogue sources. Some modern speakers demand accounts, apps and setup screens before you hear a single note. Not the Cubitt 5.
Vinyl owners will love the built-in phono stage, supporting both moving magnet and high-output moving coil cartridges – which means they can hook up a turntable with no separate phono preamp required. And the dedicated subwoofer output means you can always add more low-end heft further down the line.
Source switching is simple and quick: the Cubitt 5 is designed to work beautifully from the moment you switch it on, all handled via the supplied remote control – no app, no account, no setup screen.
Available in a choice of five premium finishes – Arctic White, Midnight Black, Olive Green, Pearl Titanium and Pebble Grey – the Cubitt 5 looks exceptional wherever it’s placed. Whether it’s set up in your living room, study, bedroom or home office, it slots in elegantly while delivering music, TV audio and more at a level that puts most hi-fi separates firmly in their place.
It sounds like serious hi-fi gear, because that’s what it is.
The home office
It’s Monday morning, and your home office setup needs to work as hard as you do. The Cubitt 5 sits neatly on your desktop, streaming your focus playlist wirelessly via Bluetooth while you work. Come lunchtime, it’s handling a video call with clear, natural audio. No clutter, no separate amp, no fuss – just great sound that earns its place on your desk.
The living room
It’s Friday evening, and your long week deserves a proper send-off. The Cubitt 5 connects to the TV via HDMI ARC, and suddenly movie night sounds like it should: wide, immersive and full of detail that your telly’s built-in speakers could never dream of matching. Switch to a bit of music afterwards, and Fyne Audio’s IsoFlare driver ensures every track sounds special.
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