Neat Mystique Classic review

It’s easy to imagine that Neat’s Classic range of loudspeakers could have been named by Doctor Seuss.

Consisting of the hugely entertaining Neat Petite standmounts, the Neat Mystique middle-child floorstanders and the range-topping Neat Elite towers, we can easily speculate as to what further additions to the lineup might have been called. Neat Complete? Neat Discreet? Neat Secrete?

Whatever you think of the company’s naming conventions, Neat’s Petite standmounts were certainly tough to beat, ending up as some of the most likeable speakers we’ve had in our test rooms for some time.

The Neat Mystique Classic floorstanders are the Petite’s bigger brothers, and if they can deliver those same qualities of fun and agility as their standmount siblings, they could be a truly charming addition to the Classic family.

Build & design

Neat by name, neat by nature. Measuring in at 78 x 20 x 16cm (hwd), these compact towers barely come up to just above our waists, even when attached to their provided metal plinths. This makes them ideal if you want a pair of unobtrusive floorstanders to fit into a relatively small listening area.

Each wood veneered cabinet of our review sample is basic but well made. Neat hasn’t ignored cosmetics entirely, and we discern no visible fixings around the drivers.

They may not be the last word in luxury, but run your hand over each cabinet’s smooth exterior and you won’t come away with a fistful of splinters.

These dinky towers employ a 9cm Air Motion Transformer tweeter matched with a 13cm paper cone bass/midrange unit taken from Neat’s Motive range of loudspeakers.

The crossover network, meanwhile, uses high-quality inductors and polypropylene capacitors designed to “minimise disruption to the signal path”.

Search around the back of the speakers and you’ll discover no rear-mounted port – instead, the Mystique Classic deploy a downward-firing port. There is a fixed gap (dictated by the provided spacers) between the base of the cabinet and the plinth, allowing the sound of the port to disperse into the room.

Neat claims this arrangement grants a deep, well-controlled lower-end signature while also making the floorstanders more flexible regarding placement.

Staying around the back of the speakers, you’ll also find a single set of functional but nicely machined terminals.

Compatibility

Our testing begins by hooking the Mystique Classic up to our reference Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer and Burmester 088/911 MKIII amplifier, but we soon discover the

Naim's Nait XS 3 integrated (£2499 / $3999), with its dynamic, punchy sound, brings out the Neat towers’ best. The Mystique Classic sound far more at home, and it’s clear to us that this is a pairing worthy of Clark Kent and Lois Lane.

While these floorstanders are less fussy than most rear-ported rivals regarding placement, we find them most engaging around 60cm from the back wall, with a small degree of angling towards the listening position, in our 3 x 7 x 5m (hwd) test room.

Sound

Once we’ve got the Neat Mystique Classic towers exactly where we want them, it’s time to have some fun.

And fun is exactly what we have. These floorstanders demonstrate a slightly lean, mid-forward personality, and while they don’t produce buckets of bass, their lower-end signature is pleasingly tight and controlled.

Stereo imaging is well-rendered, with key vocal performances sounding solid and articulate at the heart of the soundscape.

We couldn’t have picked a better track to showcase the Mystique Classic’s talents than Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal, and discover that the effervescent DNA displayed so heartily by the Petite standmounts didn’t skip over their floorstanding siblings. Head bopping and toe tapping isn’t a choice here – it’s a complete inevitability.

These small floorstanders are snappy, rhythmically adept performers, yet they have sufficient insight to bring dynamics, especially those tricky low-level shifts, right to the fore.

The piano on Debussy’s Claire de Lune actually sounds like an instrument being played by a human being rather than a mechanical reproduction, while the undulating peaks and troughs of Hans Zimmer’s ever-building epic Supermarine are always discernible as the music builds to its visceral climax.

No, they’re not the bassiest towers you’ll ever hear – just look at the size of them – nor are they the clearest or most detailed at this level, but the Neats are such an enjoyable listen that we struggle to gripe too much.

That said, we’re keen to see if they are capable across the full spectrum of musical genres, bringing out Elliott Smith’s intimate Between The Bars and Max Richter’s sombre Never Goodbye to see if we can catch them out.

Even when not playing to their obvious strengths, the Mystique Classic have the talent and versatility to bring such challenging tunes to life.

Again, you’ll receive far more scale and authority from larger speakers, as well as greater clarity from the likes of the slightly cheaper Award-winning PMC Prodigy 5 (£1995 / $2510 / AU$3399). But there’s something about the way in which the Mystique Classic seem to understand the music we play through them, that just gets the essence of what each song should be and how it should make you feel.

Is Smith’s singing on Between The Bars the clearest we’ve ever heard? No. Do we believe him when he sings each heartfelt line? Absolutely, and that’s what makes speakers such as these Neats so inherently engaging – they understand the essence of what any given piece of music is trying to communicate.

Richter’s Never Goodbye, meanwhile, is an emotionally convincing rendition. What the compact Mystique Classic lack in power and scale, they more than make up for in musical understanding, latching onto the track’s emotional resonance and keeping us gripped from the first note until the last.

Verdict

The Neat Mystique Classic aren’t the last word in clarity or resolution. You can find larger speakers at the same premium price that will fill rooms with greater authority and a more cinematic presentation, all while providing more lavish helpings of room-shaking bass. They’re not even particularly stunning to look at.

Yet, like their Petite standmount siblings, these small floorstanders have a given balance and a specific purpose, prioritising fun and entertainment at the expense of a more analytical or traditional “hi-fi” sound.

If, for you, music is all about the experience, something that’s felt rather than analysed or admired, the Neat Mystique Classic must be on your shortlist.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 4
• Compatibility 4

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