"...an impressively flat response is again confirmed under our measurement regime. Equally remarkable is that such a compact speaker can deliver genuinely deep bass extension, registering around 0dB at 20Hz. Given the above findings, it's no surprise to find a very superior neutrality high on the list of the Motive 1's positive attributes. In fact, few other speakers can match it in this regard.

Neutral tonal balance and an unusually wide bandwidth are and excellent start for any speaker, but are by no means the whole story here. The midband is exceptionally expressive and coherent, bringing unusual realism to individual voices. And, while the presence band remains beautifully open and free from any nasal tendencies, there's no tendency for this speaker to sound aggressive when the volume is wound up, which is an unusually clever trick.

The sound as a whole is agile and impressively free from any boxy colourations, generating precise and well-focused stereo images that fill the space between the speaker without betraying the Motive 1's physical locations. This speaker has the sort of agility and freedom from enclosure effects that one normally only associates with high-quality standmount designs.

This compact floorstander combines superb neutrality, fine open voicing, low coloration and out-of-box imaging with surprisingly good bass extension... an outstanding example of a top-quality compact floorstanding speaker."

"an outstanding example of a top-quality compact floorstanding speaker."