Floor Loudspeaker Reviews

Ruark may be an unfamiliar name to many US audiophiles, but Brian O'Rourke has been designing loudspeakers for 25 years—first at Diesis and, since 1986, in partnership with son Alan at Ruark. The elder O'Rourke (Ruark is the old Celtic name from which O'Rourke derives) is a master cabinetmaker and member of the Guild of Master Craftsman; this craftsmanship permeates the construction of all Ruark speakers. Alan brings to the firm his background as a precision engineer, not to mention his musical passion as a professional bassist. This is the second Ruark speaker reviewed in Stereophile—Russ Novak examined the Crusader II just over a year ago (Vol.17 No.8).—Wes Phillips