Reporting on High End Munich is like navigating a blizzard. As I pushed from room to atrium to hall to lobby, products seemed to whiz by me, their presenters vying for attention in this international maelstrom of hi-fi. Amid my mad dash, a small speaker manufacturer from Sweden caught my attention: Guru.
Recalling Epos and early KEF, Guru—an offshoot of People Audio AB—produces visually distinctive speakers with matte and woodgrain finishes, slatted ports, silk-dome tweeters, and a range of mid/bass driver materials, including polypropylene, reinforced paper, and mineral fiber. Though they were on static display, the Gurus’ understated design and visual appeal stood out.
The new Guru 8 standmount speaker ($1620/pair, all prices approximate when converted from Euros) is a bass-reflex design claiming "neutrality from 34Hz up to above 20kHz." It features a cabinet made of MDF and steel that houses a 19mm soft-dome tweeter and a 108mm polypropylene mid/bass driver. Sensitivity is rated at 87dB (2.83V/1m); nominal impedance at 5ohms.
Next up is the Guru 12 standmount ($2700/pair), which incorporates a recently developed 6" polypropylene mid/bass driver and a 19mm silk-dome tweeter said to "add clarity and precision up to well above 20kHz," according to the company. As with the Guru 8, nominal impedance is 5ohms.
The Guru 20 ($3200/pair), with another enclosure of steel and MDF, is the company’s most compact bass-reflex floorstanding loudspeaker, and is outfitted with the same 6" mid/bass driver and 19mm silk-dome tweeter. The larger cabinet (compared to the standmounts) means improved low-end extension. Typical in-room response was given as 28Hz–20kHz, sensitivity as 88dB (2.83V/1m). Nominal impedance was 5ohms, with a minimum 4ohms,
Finally, the beefier Guru 28 floorstander ($4060/pair) includes two back-mounted "long-stroke" woofers, each in its own vented chamber. Other specs: 88dB sensitivity (2.83V/1m), nominal impedance 5ohm, MDF/steel cabinet, 19mm soft-dome tweeter, 102mm mineral fiber cone midrange, and two 120mm fiber-reinforced paper woofers that help get an in-room response down to 26Hz.
The first Guru to catch my eye, the Q10 standmount ($2160/pair), was originally developed for professional use. "The custom mid/bass driver helps produce rock-solid bass down to 30Hz—a key factor is the long and linear stroke," the company says.
Hopefully, Guru owner Erik Ring will find international distribution to bring his lovely-looking products to the US and beyond
Next up is the Guru 12 standmount ($2700/pair), which incorporates a recently developed 6" polypropylene mid/bass driver and a 19mm silk-dome tweeter said to "add clarity and precision up to well above 20kHz," according to the company. As with the Guru 8, nominal impedance is 5ohms.
The Guru 20 ($3200/pair), with another enclosure of steel and MDF, is the company’s most compact bass-reflex floorstanding loudspeaker, and is outfitted with the same 6" mid/bass driver and 19mm silk-dome tweeter. The larger cabinet (compared to the standmounts) means improved low-end extension. Typical in-room response was given as 28Hz–20kHz, sensitivity as 88dB (2.83V/1m). Nominal impedance was 5ohms, with a minimum 4ohms,
Finally, the beefier Guru 28 floorstander ($4060/pair) includes two back-mounted "long-stroke" woofers, each in its own vented chamber. Other specs: 88dB sensitivity (2.83V/1m), nominal impedance 5ohm, MDF/steel cabinet, 19mm soft-dome tweeter, 102mm mineral fiber cone midrange, and two 120mm fiber-reinforced paper woofers that help get an in-room response down to 26Hz. 
