Short answer: the Audio First Fidelia. It ranks #1 of 87 bookshelf speakers by sound quality; the Arendal 1961 Monitor ranks #8.
What the Audio First Fidelia offers: Kit speaker offering exceptional value and tonal accuracy; chosen by reviewer as reference standard for future speaker tonality comparisons despite 1,250 USD price point. Watch for: Kit assembly required; lower sensitivity (~83-85 dB vs. typical 85 dB average) demands adequate amplifier power.
What the Arendal 1961 Monitor offers: A physically robust build the reviewer calls “a little bit of a tank,” delivering low compression, low distortion, and overall really good neutrality - one of the reviewer’s top 10 picks under $1,500 across roughly 250 speakers… Watch for: Bass rolls off around 70-80Hz, so it cannot be used as full-range mains for music without a subwoofer, and a sub is recommended for home theater use as well.
Buy the Audio First Fidelia if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Arendal 1961 Monitor if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audio First Fidelia | Arendal 1961 Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £950 for the flatpack kit (assembly required) | $1150 |
| Ranked | #1 of 87 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #8 of 87 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 84Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1560Hz | 1500Hz |
| Dimensions | 11.8"H x 7.1"W x 11.7"D (300 x 180 x 297.6 mm) | 16.6"H x 6.4"W x 5.9"D (421.6 x 162.6 x 149.9 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms nominal (4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84dB | 85.9dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 5" ceramic-aluminum cone woofer, 1" ceramic-aluminum tweeter | 2 x 5.5" woofers, 28mm tweeter |
| Weight | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each | 16 lbs / 7.25 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | sealed |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Audio First Fidelia:
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Audio First Fidelia
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Audio First Fidelia
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Audio First Fidelia
- Audio First Fidelia vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Audio First Fidelia vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 4.2
Prices on this page were last checked September 9, 2026 at 6:54 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Audio First Fidelia: £950 for the flatpack kit (assembly required) Audio First Designs eBay
Pros: Kit speaker offering exceptional value and tonal accuracy; chosen by reviewer as reference standard for future speaker tonality comparisons despite 1,250 USD price point. Achieves bass extension to 53 Hz (F3) and 38 Hz (F10) from compact cabinet. Direct-from-manufacturer availability eliminates retailer markup.
Cons: Kit assembly required; lower sensitivity (~83-85 dB vs. typical 85 dB average) demands adequate amplifier power. Only available direct from UK manufacturer with associated shipping costs and lead times. Trade-off between compact driver configuration and maximum dynamic output.
Full Audio First Fidelia review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1560Hz |
| Dimensions | 11.8"H x 7.1"W x 11.7"D (300 x 180 x 297.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" ceramic-aluminum cone woofer, 1" ceramic-aluminum tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 84dB |
| Weight | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: The #1 Reason audiophiles Are Raving About Fidelia’s Sound Quality More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner: I Tested 250 Speakers So You Don’t Have To!
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Absolute Favorite Products of 2024 Revealed
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Audio First Fidelia vs Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- Audio First Fidelia vs KEF LS50 Meta
- Audio First Fidelia vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- Audio First Fidelia vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Audio First Fidelia vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 4.2
- Audio First Fidelia vs KEF Q150
- Audio First Fidelia vs ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52
- Audio First Fidelia vs JBL Stage A130
Arendal 1961 Monitor: $1150 Arendalsound eBay
Pros: A physically robust build the reviewer calls “a little bit of a tank,” delivering low compression, low distortion, and overall really good neutrality - one of the reviewer’s top 10 picks under $1,500 across roughly 250 speakers tested. Works well both as home theater mains and as surrounds. Independent ASR Klippel measurements corroborate the low-distortion finding: THD at 86dB SPL/1m stays well below the reviewer’s audibility threshold, and even at 96dB SPL/1m it stays “far better than most bookshelves” thanks to the built-in high-pass filter that protects the woofers.
Cons: Bass rolls off around 70-80Hz, so it cannot be used as full-range mains for music without a subwoofer, and a sub is recommended for home theater use as well. Vertical radiation window is narrow, typical of MTM (mid-tweeter-mid) layouts - tighter than a standard two-way’s roughly ±20° - so a second home theater row sitting above or below the tweeter axis will hear a noticeably different tonal balance. ASR’s CEA2034 measurements show the response is elevated above 2kHz with resonant peaks around 3kHz and 9kHz, leading the reviewer to predict it will “likely sound bright.” Those same resonances show up as lingering ridges in the cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) at 96dB SPL/1m.
Full Arendal 1961 Monitor review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 84Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1500Hz |
| Dimensions | 16.6"H x 6.4"W x 5.9"D (421.6 x 162.6 x 149.9 mm) |
| Drivers | 2 x 5.5" woofers, 28mm tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.9dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 16 lbs / 7.25 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | sealed |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs SunAudio Purified 4
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs XMechanik Mechano23 DIY
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Moondrop M4P MTM
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs KEF LS50 Meta
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Revel M105
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Philharmonic Ceramic Mini
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
- See all 50 comparisons