Goldmund Melos is the Swiss-made "compact" speaker I wish I could afford

Luxury speaker brand Goldmund has followed the launch of its floorstanding Tethys passive loudspeakers with a "compact" variant, the Melos.

As with its other recent releases, the Melos Passive Loudspeaker uses materials normally found in premium Swiss watches from the likes of Rolex and Patek Phillipe. The gold-plated elements are made by the same supplier, for example.

It is set inside a monolithic cube, both for minimalist design aesthetics and audio performance. The speaker is compact, but has sharp, precise edges that reflect the brand's craftmanship.

There will be a bespoke stand available that matches its lines, so that it looks as good as it sounds.

Inside the cube, you get a 7-inch woofer and a single soft dome tweeter. It features a frequency response of 43 Hz (-6 dB) > 25 kHz, and an impedance of 6.0 Ohms (4.4 minimal).

The sound signature is claimed to offer an extended dynamic range, so that every subtle nuance can be picked out. That'll also depend on the system you hook it up to, of course, as it is a passive speaker. An active version is also in the works.

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The Goldmund Melos Passive Loudspeaker has a retail price of 24,000 Swiss Franc – around £22,000 / €25,000. A pair will therefore cost you over £40K.

Goldmund is also the maker of the amazing, cylindrical Pulp speakers that feature a motorised lid whereby the front grille can open automatically to expose the loudspeaker inside.

The company started in 1978 with the coincidentally named T3 tone arm for vinyl record players and it has since established itself as a high-end, luxury audio firm that puts as much effort into the look of a product as its sonics.

Its speakers and systems (including amplifiers) are available from select high-end retailers around the globe.

You can find a list of stockists "allowed to sell and maintain a Goldmund sound system" on its website.