Neat Iota II review

Neat Acoustics has always done things a little differently – a little quirkily, but with heaps of fun. Just take a look at the odd-looking Iota Alpha floorstanders, and the original Neat Iota speakers, which are incredibly tiny but are also, like many of the brand’s various speakers, endlessly entertaining.

We’ve been fond of those tiny Iota speakers since we first reviewed them back in 2012; over a decade later, the brand has brought out a sequel.

The Neat Iota II speakers retain plenty of their original charm, intention and quirkiness, with a handful of updates and a rather tricky price rise.

Build & design

The Neat Iota II stand just 13cm tall, 20cm wide and 16.5cm deep. A standard small bookshelf speaker (the blueprint laid down by the legendary BBC LS3/5A monitors) is roughly 30 x 20 x 18cm, give or take a few millimetres. Those are the dimensions of the current Award-winning B&W 607 S3 standmounts and Neat’s own Petite Classic, amongst others.

The Iota II, then, are even smaller than that. They are designed to be placed ‘sideways’ with the tweeter on the side, meaning the height is less than half that of your standard speaker. Their footprint is barely bigger than a DVD case.

Neat has kept the cabinet’s dimensions and internal volume (2.6L) the same between the two generations. The ribbon tweeter has also remained the same, and is placed off-centre as before so you can swap the speakers around depending on where you position them.

We recommend keeping the tweeters on the outside when using them in larger spaces or on stands for a better spread of sound and scale; keep the tweeters facing inside if they are placed closer to you when using them as desktop or computer speakers.

So what has changed in the new Iota II? There is a new paper cone mid/bass driver, which aims to offer better bass extension and greater scale than before. Alongside the upgraded driver comes a revised crossover network with carefully chosen components and minimal interference to the signal path. The reflex port has also been updated to reduce chuffing.

The speakers are nicely made, with the Iota II now featuring chamfered edges on the front baffle for a slightly softer and smoother look. Magnetic grilles are included in the box.

We do however notice a bit of untidiness in the finish around the screw holes at the back and in the area surrounding the ribbon tweeter. We wouldn’t expect to see such flaws in speakers at this price, so Neat could pay a bit more attention to these areas.

The Iota II are available in two finishes only at this stage: satin black or satin white. The original model was available in bright red, blue or yellow finishes that added to their quirky appeal, but Neat is keeping things more simple this time, as well as keeping costs down as those colourful finishes weren’t quite as popular as the standard ones.

Positioning & placement

The whole point of the “super micro” Iota speakers is that they are designed to deliver high-quality sound in smaller, less-than-ideal spaces. Their dinky size means they can be placed anywhere: in a bookshelf, on a windowsill, on a desk, next to your bedside table or an alcove in the wall – they’ll fit in areas that a ‘normal’ speaker just wouldn’t.

We have highlighted other speakers – Neat’s own Petite Classics, the Epos ES-7N – as being ideal performers for small spaces; but if your space can’t accommodate even them, these Iotas are made for you.

You can place the Iota II on conventional speaker stands as you would any standard speaker in your usual listening position (and they do sound good this way, even if they look a bit odd), or you can wall mount them. But you can get creative.

Since they are small enough, we spent a good few minutes picking our test sample up and placing them on any surface or any nook or corner we could think of in our listening room (while still being within cable-reach of a sensibly positioned amplifier, of course). It opens up a world of possibilities for where these speakers can be placed in your home.

These speakers are talented enough that they demand to be paired with good quality components, but are quite happy sitting on a busy desk with our laptop, too. We place them inside our IKEA bookshelves in our test room, and the Iota II don’t lose any of their composure, verve or spark. Their sense of scale diminishes a little, but they don’t sound ‘boxed-in’ or lose any of that surefooted agility or detail.

That it keeps its musical integrity intact when deliberately placed in areas that would, on other speakers, usually affect sound quality detrimentally, is a testament to the Iota’s specific set of skills.

Sound

The thing about these Neat speakers is… they’re just ridiculously fun. It’s a sound signature we’ve heard in the Iota Alpha floorstanders, in the original and current Petites, and in the first Iota we heard back in 2012 – and here we are again. Neat has a knack for delivering songs with sheer enthusiasm, a terrific sense of agility and rhythmic kick, and a whole lot of gumption.

There are obvious limitations because of their dinky dimensions and we’re not expecting thunderous bass from a 10cm driver; but the Iota once again surprise us with just how much they can do with what they have.

They deliver a surprisingly wide scale of sound and with a deal of punch where needed, and keep their composure when the volume is high.

Even with our expectations curbed about the amount of deep bass on offer, the Neats bring agility, snap and verve to the bass frequencies that they do eke out, and it all knits together nicely with the clear mids and airy, sweet highs.

Neat’s proven knack for keeping the rhythm of a song going with a tremendous amount of agility, enthusiasm and spark is present here. It’s what makes the Iota II sound so much fun. This is an entertaining pair that can keep apace with Gershwin’s nimble, jazzy piano in Rhapsody in Blue, the high-tension driving beats in Still Dre, and Sabrina Carpenter’s frothy, bubbly Espresso.

That bass performance does vary a little depending on the song. The basslines on Dr Dre’s 2001 set sound taut, gripping and full of intent, but they sound a touch boisterous and flabby on RTJ’s Legend Has It – although still peppy with it – through the Neats.

You can place these speakers pretty close to the wall; this adds some extra body and heft to the lower frequencies. If you are able to give them some space, even in a bookshelf, then you will be rewarded with a more relaxed, freer, cleaner sound.

There’s plenty of detail and texture laid out, enough to communicate the emotions and gist of a song to keep you fully engaged. Marlon Williams’ Strange Things sounds beautifully haunting, with the textural nuances and tone of his vocals laid bare, and filling up our test room quite adeptly with a smooth spread of sound. The way these diminutive speakers project their sound is impressive. Being realistic, they can’t fully convey the dynamism and breadth of large-scale orchestras the way a bigger speaker can – but that doesn’t stop them from trying.

It’s what Neat is very good at doing – the speakers are able to understand and deliver the essence of a song with such heart and energy. No, they’re not perfect or perfectly accurate, but they are engaging and put a smile on our face, no matter what song we play.

Partnering the Iota II is an interesting endeavour during testing. We listen to the speakers with our reference Naim Nait XS 3 amplifier, Naim Uniti Atom HE streamer and Rega Planar 3 RS Edition turntable, and the Iota II are happy to be paired with more premium components, but it’s worth noting they do reveal the mini speakers’ boundaries more clearly.

We also pair the Iota II with the Rega Brio Mk7 integrated and the WiiM Amp Pro streaming amplifier. While they make an ultra-compact and tidy system, the Amp Pro and Iota II pairing falls just a little flat; the capable Neats do need more power and benefit from higher-quality amplification. The punchier Rega Brio Mk7 matches the Iota II’s energy much better; but don’t be afraid to try them with unusual or over-powered options.

Price

Here comes the tricky part. As is already clear, we are fans of the Neat Iota II, but these new models cost a rather spenny £1095 / $1699 / AU$2000 per pair. That’s almost double the price of the original pair from 13 years ago, and spending more than a grand feels quite steep for such titchy speakers.

There are plenty of ‘full-size’ speakers at this same price level that offer a more ‘complete’ hi-fi sound with greater scale, dynamism, stereo imaging and bass extension, such as the mighty Award-winning KEF LS50 Meta and the PMC Prodigy 1 if you spend another £100 or so.

Even acknowledging all our affection for these very capable, quirky Neat speakers, the higher price tag is tough to swallow. We felt they were a touch pricey at £650 back in the day; £1095 is just a little too rich compared with what else you can get for that money (and, indeed, cheaper).

We understand the rising price of materials and the difficult economic landscape that Neat is operating in, but it feels a little too dear and is the reason why the Iota II don’t get the full five stars this time.

Verdict

There are many for whom the Iota II are exactly what is required: tiny speakers that can be placed pretty much anywhere in cramped spaces to deliver a capable, hi-fi quality performance that is simply a joy to listen to.

Yes, that’s a lot of money to pay for rather plain, dinky boxes, and they won’t be for everyone. But they do solve a particular niche with so much spirited performance that we don’t mind overlooking their limitations.

If you can afford that price tag and have that exact niche to fill, the Iota II will win you over.

Review published: 30th May 2025

SCORES

• Sound 4
• Build 4
• Compatibility 5

MORE:

Read our Neat Petite Classic review

And our Epos ES-7N review

Consider the larger KEF LS50 Meta speakers

Our guide to the best bookshelf speakers: top standmounters for all budgets