Stand Loudspeaker Reviews

Before leaving the nuts-and-bolts section of this review, let's deal with the subwoofer output. There is only one, it is on the primary speaker, and it supplies a L/R mix. Even when the sub is switched on, the CX700s play full range, and when one performs the "Auto" or "Measured" calibration, the sub is not included. This means that the CX700s do not benefit from increased output/headroom by sending low frequencies to the sub, and that the sub does not benefit from excellent EQ features. The Technics manual says "For details, refer to the operating instructions of the connected device," but I don't see an optimal way to add a sub without additional hardware and software.

Nevertheless, when I connected the CX700 to one of my KC92 subwoofers with its LP filter set around 60Hz and its level set judiciously low, the result was nice reinforcement of the very bottom end with minimal compromise of the CX700's nicely balanced sound. This worked best at lower listening levels and with sources only moderately dynamic—the situations in which the CX700 least needed its help. With large, dynamic forces, the lack of EQ on the sub and its unmanaged interaction with the main speakers meant that while the low end was forceful, it was flabby and unclear. So the results of my subwoofer experiments were mixed.

Good news, though: The CX700 plays surprisingly loud and sounds better by itself.

Are we ready now?
After all that experimentation, the final setup was with the CX700s about 7' apart and 4' from the front wall. Placed on the 20" stands, the tweeter height was 28", about a foot below the height of my ears. Nonetheless, at the 11' listening distance, the angular error is small, and these speakers have no trouble throwing an image that is generous laterally and vertically. When I separated the speakers by another 2', the vertical scale diminished and center imaging was less convincing—all this with the "Measured" calibration in force.

I can't say there was a moment in time when I stopped tuning and began "serious listening"; I just kept trying things. Eventually though, I settled on my usual setup: JRiver or Roon via LAN, directly from my PC/streamer or from an iPhone or iPad via apps. I don't remember when I finally settled down to just listen, but I do recall the first time I played through a complete album, if I can use that archaic term for a collection of tracks/files. At the beginning of Honneger's "Intrada," from the CD Folies parisiennes (Harmonia Mundi HMM 905381, auditioned from 16/44.1 PCM download), I was struck by the clarity and presence of the opening piano notes and the entry soon after of the solo trumpet. The piano was in the center on the floor, but the trumpet burst into the room with its rounded tone and brash projection from the player's standing position above the piano. What made it really surprising—anything this good is always surprising—is that it came from two small boxes standing, with their stands, less than 3' high!

Hooked by this, I sailed through the rest of Folies parisiennes, a collection of pieces both French and adopted as French enough, performed by Romain Leleu, trumpet, and Julien Gernay, piano. Most charming was a transcription of Gershwin's Three Preludes, which seemed more appropriately flavored with trumpet than in its original version for solo piano. Also notable was Poulenc's Sonata for Horn, Trumpet and Trombone, three instruments that rarely comprise a trio but whose tones seemed alive as rendered by the CX700s. Throughout, I kept thinking that the entire recital was a screaming oxymoron: chamber music for brass!

Folies parisiennes was impressive through the Technics speakers at only CD rez, but since the CX700 will support all kinds of hi-rez input, I felt obligated to see if they could deliver more. Patricia Barber's Clique! in 24/352.8 (Impex IMP7002DXD, DXD download) is familiar and an obvious choice for this test. The Technics delivered it with general ease and ambiance coupled with exquisite detail and solid, tight bass, as might be expected from a really great loudspeaker. Yes, the bass lacked that tiny (but sought-after) increment of physical impact one gets from a bigger speaker or a subwoofer, but in compensation, the reproduction of Barber's voice and breath was flawless.

Similar in sensual communication if different in voice and genre was a lovely new recording of Richard Strauss's ecstatic Four Last Songs coupled, appropriately, with Claude Debussy's Ariettes oubliées (orch. Brett Dean) performed by Siobhan Stagg and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jaime Martín (24/192 download from NativeDSD, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra MSO0001). These are wonderful performances even if they fail to replace any of the half-dozen other versions of the Strauss songs in my pantheon of great recordings. On the other hand, the quality of this recording took me closer to a live performance—a lot closer. As wonderfully revealed by the CX700s, Stagg's soprano was silvery, full, and passionate in Debussy's tales of young love, and she is sensitive and moving in Strauss's more mature reflections. The orchestral support is luxurious.

As a very young man, I discovered Handel on my first visit to the Discophile shop on 8th Street in Greenwich Village, in 1960. As I descended the three steps and stepped through the door, I was greeted by the ineffably delightful sounds of harp and lute that open his Concerto for Harp, Strings and Basso continuo in B-Flat Major, HWV 294. It was my introduction to Handel. I was transfixed and have treasured the sky-blue L'Oiseau-Lyre SOL60013 for many years.

During the time I spent with these Technics speakers, I found a new recording of the Concerto by harpist Marie-Pierre Langlamet accompanied by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Juanjo Mena (24/96 download, Berliner Philharmoniker BPHR250504). Listening with the CX700s, I got the same pleasure from the delicate interplay of harp, lute, and ensemble as I did the first time I heard it some 65 years ago. I reveled in the subtle delineation of each instrument. This recording is more forward, the performance more fleet than my old favorite. It is my new favorite, even if it will never replace the L'Oiseau-Lyre performance.

During the time I spent with the CX700s, I never felt that I had to make accommodation for their small size. True, they have real-world volume limits, but those limits do not affect the kicks they offer with large-scale music. The best example is a recent recording I selected for 2025's Records 2 Live 4. It is a fabulous recording of Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor and Falla's Nights in the Gardens of Spain, with pianist Judith Jáuregui and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León conducted by Kaspar Zehnder (24/192 download from NativeDSD, Eudora Records EUD-SACD-2405). Both are boldly proportioned, colorful performances that capture all the dynamics. From the opening of the Grieg to the closing of the Falla, the CX700s recreated a huge soundstage spanning the width and height of my room. It sounded alive!

Some casual comparisons
In the course of playing and enjoying the Technics CX700s, I often switched to my reference KEF Blade Twos (with DiracLive EQ), then back to the CX700s. The loss of the amiable warmth of small speakers can make the naked transparency of big ones seem thin, though only briefly. Going back to the Technics, the soundstage shrunk a little but seemed more richly packed. With big sounds, the CX700s played surprisingly loud and clean for their size, but invariably, switching over to the Blades brought a better sense of relaxation and ease.

Picking a target closer to its own size, the Technics made a striking contrast with the PS Audio FR5s. The FR5 is cool and critical. It throws a deep, open soundstage and demands care in placement. The Technics, however, benefits from its Space Tune measurement EQ, resulting in a mellower demeanor regardless of placement. The Technics speakers maintained musical balance and clarity over a wider stage. Both make convincing, enjoyable music. They will appeal to different listeners.

Perhaps the most interesting speaker to compare with the Technics CX700 is the KEF LS60. Both speakers are "wireless" in that they support streaming from local and internet sources, and they both are endowed with internal amplification and DSP. The LS60s bore a strong sonic resemblance to the KEF Blades, so some of the comments above apply here, too. The LS60 is more limited in its presets and EQ opportunities, so it's not surprising that it sounded warmer and just as detailed. The CX700's bass was more pleasing if not as extended.

Conclusions
The Technics SC-CX700, to use its full name, has an impressive feature set that will allow it to play almost any music source. Its sonic and musical performance exceeded my expectations. Its modest size belies its ability to create a broad, deep, detailed soundstage filled with balanced, pleasing sound, without the need for a subwoofer. The effectiveness of its measurement-based EQ permits it to be placed almost anywhere. Impressive!