Philips Fidelio FA3

Powerful active speakers that need to learn some restraint

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If you want a decent pair of active stereo speakers, you're not short of options. The compact and affordable Ruark MR1 Mk3 and Onkyo GX-30ARC in this Group Test, not to mention the more costly KEF Coda W, have delivered ably on the promise of that signature stereo speaker sound and design combined with builtin amplification, Bluetooth streaming and plenty of physical connections. Now it's the turn of Philips and its active Fidelio FA3 speakers to see if it can muscle in on this market. At £349, the FA3 cost around the same money as their Onkyo and Ruark competitors, and while the Ruarks derive much of their appeal from their compact size and engaging musicality, the Onkyo earn a five-star haul thanks to their solid performance and outstanding versatility. The bigger KEF Coda W, meanwhile, are a significant step-up in sound quality for the considerably larger sum of £799.

Lots of bases covered then, and all leading to one important question: do the Fidelio FA3 offer anything that their class-leading rivals don't already have covered?

The Fidelio FA3 are on the larger side of what you would generally find with a pair of active speakers at this price - if anything, they could pass for a pair of dedicated hi-fi standmounts. Standing around 30cm tall, they dwarf their 22cm high Onkyo GX-30ARC rivals, all while making the 18.5cm Ruark MR1 Mk3 look titchy.

They're big beasts, then, but not poorly made. The overall standard of construction feels admirable, while the main body of the speakers shines proudly thanks to its glossy black finish. That gloss black exterior gives the FA3 a somewhat flashy aesthetic, even if it leaves them susceptible to the ignominy of grubby fingermarks. Oh, and we hope you like that colourway, because it's the only one currently available.