Tall story: Cambridge Audio Aero 6 loudspeaker (Part 3)

They’re very efficient, seemingly able to produce high sound pressure levels with a watt or two – making them ideal for low-powered Class A and/or tube amps. I am amazed by the easy way they fill my listening room with vast swathes of sound.

Camel’s Three Wishesis a suitably expansive soundtrack to this, the Aeros firing wide to the extremities of my large listening room, seemingly untroubled by any lack of headroom, even at high levels. The texture of the shimmering backing synths and crisp guitar come over convincingly, and are played together in perfect time. As with the Aero 2s, bass isn’t the tightest and tautest you’ll ever hear, but the supplied foam bungs help to tighten things up, as does careful placement and firm spiking into your floor. Still, this slight looseness is more than compensated for by their wonderfully effortless nature; this sound is as close to big three-way loudspeakers as you’ll get this side of $1645, or more.

165mm bass drive unit, oudspeaker binding posts

Conclusion

No less distinguished than its smaller $576 brother, the Cambridge Audio 6 is an unusual sounding loudspeaker – in a very positive way. It is one of the most refined, svelte and smoothsounding floorstanders you can buy without breaking the bank, and has a easy, unflappable quality that makes music in a beguilingly natural way. The extra woofer and umpteen additional litres inside the cabinet simply make the speaker more dynamic and less stressed across the midband, making it an even smoother operator. It also adds an extra octave of bass for good measure, without falling into the trap of so many rivals that substitute quality for quantity. One of the finest affordable floorstanders you’ll hear, make sure you audition it now.

One of the finest affordable floorstanders

How it compare

Like its Aero 2 little brother, the most direct rival for the Aero 6 is Q Acoustics’ $757 2050i. This is a similarly sized floorstander, albeit slightly taller and heavier, and with the option of a piano lacquer finish for an extra $197, taking it close to the Aero 6’s price. The higher spec Q is a far better finished speaker than the Aero 6, which hardly looks special. Still, its sound is something else altogether and here the Cambridge betters the Q for smoothness, ease and general evenness of tonality. The Q is tighter, more forward and has a more sparkly treble, but still you’d never call it harsh. Both are great speakers – but go and hear them for yourself before you buy.

Cambridge Audio Launches BMR-Equipped Aero 6 Tower Speaker