The Brits have a certain way of doing hi-fi. They’re quietly self-assured, and they’ve earned it, because most of the stuff they come up with is superlative. They know this. Falcon Acoustics, then, is the stereotypical British speaker brand, because it’s been known for its excellent replicas of the BBC LS3/5A monitor for years. Here at Audio Video Show 2023 in Warsaw, the company has publicly debuted its new M40 floorstanding loudspeaker.
The M40 is a three-way vented design. Covering the midband is a Falcon B110 drive unit—the same coated Bextrene driver used in the firm’s LS3/5A speaker. A larger-diameter sibling, the B200, handles the lower registers. The tweeter is a custom 25mm soft-dome unit with its own integrated grille. The idea, of course, is that the M40 will retain all the refinement and gorgeous, true-to-life midrange the LS3/5A is known for, but with the low-frequency extension and solidity only a larger cabinet can provide.
In my humble opinion, the company has done well. The only note I wrote about the Falcon Acoustics room was, “finally, a room that gets the bass right.” A lot of rooms at shows like this will be deliberately set up for, let’s say, emphatic bass. But the pair of M40s playing in the Falcon room had supremely tight, tuneful, and musical bass. I was enthralled. The speakers were playing some cut off of Fourplay’s The Best of Fourplay, which was released in 1997, and Nathan East’s stylistic slaps and pops came across with no loss of detail or depth.
With that said, the midrange and upper frequencies were quintessential Falcon: slightly warm but without seeming to be lacking in presence. These guys are into something good with these compact towers.
The price for the M40 varies depending on the finish. The walnut M40 goes for £12,995 per pair in the UK, including VAT. In Poland, a pair of walnut M40s costs zł68,300. The rosewood variant costs a bit more—£13,995 per pair including UK VAT in the UK, zł72,675 in Poland.
Falcon’s effort on the M40 left me feeling impressed. Since it’s good to end on a high note, with this short article, SoundStage! Global concludes its coverage of Audio Video Show 2023. See you next time.
Matt Bonaccio
Contributor, SoundStage!
