Two hi-fi giants have just announced cool, curved new stereo speakers – one passive, one active, take your pick

The new Wharfedale Denton 1S updates a modern classic
The Fyne Audio Cubit 5 has impressive connectivity and power
£649 and £549 respectively

If you’re looking for stylish compact hi-fi speakers, you’re spoiled for choice this week: two much-loved speaker companies have unveiled brand new models.

First up is Wharfedale, which has unveiled a revamped version of its classic Denton loudspeakers from the 1970s in a modern take on passive design.

And if you prefer self-contained active speakers with their own amplification, Fyne Audio’s Cubit 5 speakers are designed to connect to just about anything without the need for other components.

Wharfedale Denton 1S: key features and prices

Launched in 1974, Wharfedale’s original Denton loudspeaker was an instant classic: it looked much more modern than its veneer-encased rivals and delivered impressive sound through clever driver design.

The 2026 version, the Denton 1S, is similarly forward-thinking: rather than aping the original, it’s more of a tribute, with similar flexibility anywhere, but much more advanced speaker technology and anti-resonant materials.

The driver here is brand new and places a 25mm silk-dome tweeter concentrically in a 165mm polypropylene mid/bass cone to deliver sound that is aligned and coherent. It’s combined with a computer-modeled crossover and a new EQ that Wharfedale calls the “Brilliance switch”; if you switch from normal to max, it lifts the response by 1.5dB between 2 and 4kHz for close to the wall positioning. The bass extension is down to 45Hz (-6dB), which is impressive for such a compact cabinet.

The Denton 1S comes in three colors: black, blue and white. RRP is £649 (approx $867 / AU$1,209) per pair and it will be available from the end of May.

Fyne Audio Cubit 5: key features and prices

A pair of Fyne Audio Cubit 5 speakers in white on either side of an Apple iMac. They are all standing on a light wooden table in front of a window on a bright day

(Image credit: Fyne Audio)

Fyne Audio is a Scottish hi-fi manufacturer of some renown, and its new Cubit 5 is a compact active bookshelf system with up to 240W of power and high-resolution audio at up to 24-bit/96KHz. It has Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD and AAC, and rather than just plugging in a standard Bluetooth module, Fyne says its circuitry has undergone extensive development to provide the cleanest possible path to the amplification module.

There is plenty of connection here. The Cubit 5 has a built-in phono stage for your turntable; analog and optical digital inputs; HDMI eARC; and a subwoofer output for extra bass. The driver is Fyne’s latest 5″ (125mm) IsoFlare unit, and the bass reflex port is front-mounted, so you can place the speakers close to walls without booming.

There are five finishes here: Black, Pearl Titanium, Olive Green, Pebble Gray and Arctic White. All models will be available from June 2026 with an RRP of £549 / $749 (approx AU$1,023).