Apollo A1 review

Decent, well-finished stands, but you can do better Tested at £60

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Decent, well-finished stands, but you can do better

Pros

  • +

    Nice finish

  • +

    Easy to build

Cons

  • -

    Our system sounded tired when using these stands

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The Apollo A1s are simple, well-finished stands, we like their crackle-black paint in particular. Because they use just one support, they’re easy to build, although we found the included spikes tricky to adjust in situ.

Placed underneath a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze BX2s and with a CD of Nine Days’ The Madding Crowd spinning in the drive, we were met with a sound that’s probably best described as ‘subdued’.

On the plus side, bass performance isn’t tubby, as it was when we used some price rivals – but overall we just couldn’t get too enthused by the sound we heard with the speakers placed on the A1s.

There’s nothing alarming here… it’s just all a bit tired, with a loss of detail, energy and dynamics compared with the best speaker stands around, which also means individual musical parts can become confused.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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