Fyne Audio F5E review

Proprietary technology is a great luxury for a company to have, making for a unique selling point and potentially giving an advantage over the competition. In the case of Fyne Audio, IsoFlare is its proprietary driver technology, and the F5E speaker brings it to a more affordable price point.

IsoFlare, where the tweeter is mounted in the middle of the bass/midrange driver, is similar in principle to KEF’s Uni-Q driver array. This arrangement offers improved dispersion and integration over the conventional separated driver approach.

The Fyne Audio F5E standmounter forms part of the brand’s entry-level F500E range, which we’ve already dipped our toe into by reviewing the superb, Award-winning F501E floorstanders (currently £899 / $1299 / AU$2149). These took home a Product of the Year trophy for floorstanders in 2025.

The F5E are the only standmounts in the range, however, so we are keen to see how they perform compared to their larger sibling.

Build & design

The F5E’s IsoFlare driver array is smaller than that used in its floorstanding sibling. Its multi-fibre mid/bass unit measures 12.5cm in diameter, while its titanium dome tweeter comes in at 19mm.

Fyne has also included another piece of proprietary technology here, its BassTrax diffuser. This is where a downward-firing port fires onto a circular cone that disperses low-frequency sound through 360 degrees. This arrangement makes the speakers less fussy about their position relative to a room wall, so they should be easier to place in a listening environment.

In terms of size, the single-wired F5E measure 27 x 17.4 x 22.8cm (hwd), so these compact boxes should slot nicely into listening rooms where space is something of a premium.

The speaker’s MDF cabinets feel pretty solid, although not as sturdy as the class rivals at this price point. We compared them to the Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3 (currently £439 / $1000 / AU$1149) and the Dali Oberon 1 (currently £399 / $750 / AU$549), and found the F5E felt slightly less substantial.

The plastic vents used for the F5E’s BassTrax system also feel a little cheap. However, we’re seeing the F5E available for £349 at some retailers in the UK, so we’re happy to give them a bit of leeway at this price.

Currently, these standmounts are only available in a black ash finish, but a walnut option is set for release in late spring/early summer. It’s a tidy finish, but feels a bit basic compared to their rivals.

The F5E are supplied with optional hooks for wall hanging, which do the job, but the recessed hooks built into the back of the Dali Oberon speakers are neater.

Compatibility

With a sensitivity of 87dB/W/m and nominal impedance of 8 ohms, the F5E should work well with most price-compatible stereo amplifiers. To extract the best sound from them, however, it’s important to consider the sonic character of the amplifier they are paired with.

We started off using the Arcam A5+ integrated (currently £749 / $1199 / AU$1595), as it's our go-to amplifier when testing products at this budget-to-mid price level, and the results were pretty good. The Arcam gave us a refined and fluid presentation that sounded pleasant, but we felt something was missing. Switching to Rega’s similarly priced Brio Mk7 (currently £799 / $1195 / AU$1699) gave us more of what we wanted: more punch, drive and solidity.

Our source throughout is our reference Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition music streamer (currently £2399 / $3290 / AU$4299). While it’s pricier than the kind of source the F5E would usually be partnered with, its detailed and balanced presentation allows us to put a strong spotlight on the speaker’s performance.

In our listening room, the Fynes sound best close to a wall, with about 15cm of space from the back wall. This positioning meant the F5E’s tonality remained balanced without sacrificing their ability to float an expansive soundstage. We also angled them slightly towards the listening position to add greater focus and solidity to the sound.

The claim that IsoFlare offers improved dispersion rings true as the F5E sound remarkably consistent as we get up from our main listening position and make our way around the room.

Sound

The Fyne F5E are a highly enjoyable listen, owing to how well balanced they are. We play everything from The Human League to Beethoven and A Tribe Called Quest, and there is a wonderful cohesion to the presentation. Nothing untoward sticks out, leaving us to focus purely on the music, while no favour towards a specific genre is exhibited.

The F5E’s balanced tonality and rhythmic surefootedness ensure the breakdown of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Ramble Tamble flows beautifully from one point to the next, taking you with it each step of the way. When playing the same song through the Bowers & Wilkins rival, however, the 607 S3’s slightly top-heavy presentation means the hi-hats sound too upfront, which prevents you from fully appreciating the breakdown’s mesmerising flow.

We move on to Beethoven’s Symphony No 7 In A Major - 2nd Movement - Allegretto and the F5E do a good job conveying the shifts in dynamic intensity, although the 607 S3 and Oberon 1 are superior in this regard. When the horns hit, they really wallop you on the 607 S3, while the Fynes feel like a good shove in comparison. You know you’ve been hit, but just not for six.

This classic Beethoven piece also highlights the class leaders’ superior level of detail. While the strings have a richness to them when heard through the F5E, there is less textural insight compared to the B&Ws, in particular. Picking out individual instruments is a little harder on the Fyne speakers, too.

The F5E is a small box, so it's no surprise that it doesn’t delve too deep into the low end. The 607 S3 does notably better in this regard, but the Fyne’s rendering of the lower frequencies remains relatively tight and tuneful.

Their stereo imaging is also impressive, while the soundstage is pleasingly expansive and the image nicely focused. Instruments are convincingly layered too, and they remain stable once the music becomes demanding.

At low volume, the F5E retain their tonal balance and none of the instruments feel out of place. As we begin cranking things up, this evenness is nicely maintained, and the presentation remains muddle-free.

Verdict

Fyne has obviously had to make sacrifices in order to accommodate its proprietary tech at this lower price point. The relatively basic finish is an indication of that. An enjoyable sonic performance that does many things well is the payoff for this, however. They may not be outright class leaders at this price, but a broad range of talents means these Fyne speakers are worth considering.

Review published: 19th January 2026

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Compatibility 4

MORE:

Read our review of the Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3

Also consider the Dali Oberon 1

Read our Dali Kupid review

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