Raidho's newest speaker, the first of what will be an entire X Series lineup, is the tiny $7000 X-1 two-way. Although I went to Pandrup to hear Raidho's new flagship D 5, the X-1 was in some ways just as impressive. When combined with Ansuz cables, vibration control, and power products (all designed by Borresen), the X-1 generated a wrap-around soundstage the likes of which I've only heard before from MBL's Radialstrahler omnis. The speaker's disappearing act within this truly vast and enveloping soundfield was ear-boggling! Plus it has a warm, rich, full balance similar to that of Raidho's great C 1.1. Simply put, it is a great transducer.

Just as a side note the X-1 uses a cutout in its bolt-on stand as part of its "port." A mirror-image cutout in the bottom of the speaker and a set of foam dampers that are placed in the stand's slot before tightening the speaker down completes the reflex system. This stand/speaker port is a first in my experience. It certainly works well as the upper bass is so rich, powerful, and well-defined that the X-1s sound as if they are going much lower than they actually do.


Other, larger, more affordable X Series speakers will be coming from Raidho in the relatively near future.