Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers Reviewed

Although I myself also have fairly extensive knowledge of HiFi manufacturers and brands, I sometimes encounter speakers and components from brands that are new or unfamiliar to me. Case in point – Acoustique Quality, hailing from the Czech Republic, recently sent me a pair of their modestly-priced two-way bookshelf speakers, the Labrador 39s, for review. Boris Meltzner, the executive responsible for bringing ADCOM back to the United States, is the importer of this new brand of speakers, and they looked very slick when we saw them at AXPONA in Chicago this past spring. 

These Acoustique Quality speakers appear to be the amalgamation of several ideas and design elements baked into a unique and value-oriented package. Their fit and finish were compelling, as was their price, so we booked a review right in the AXPONA demo room. Do the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39s perform well enough to justify their pretty modest price tag? Can they compete with other A-List-brand bookshelf speakers at the $1,200 price point? That’s our challenge here. 

What Makes the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers So Special?

• The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers feature a unique trapezoidal shape that not only looks interesting and allows for more flexible placement, but reduces standing waves by design. Standing waves occur when a frequency reflected between parallel walls intersects with the same frequency from the source. When the lowest point of the reflected wave (trough) aligns with that of the incoming wave, a noticeable decrease in sound energy results. Conversely, when their highest points (crests) coincide, there’s a significant increase in audio energy at that frequency. These fluctuations contribute to an uneven sound distribution within the listening space, which can be problematic for listeners. The fact that a slight departure from traditional rectangular speaker design can reduce this, even a little, is impressive. Kudos to Acoustique Quality for – quite literally – thinking outside the box. 
• The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers feature high-end “Danish School” five-inch ScanSpeak drivers and one-inch Vifa tweeters. ScanSpeak has an excellent reputation as a top-of-the-line driver manufacturer for DIY speaker enthusiasts, but has also been used by big names such as Magico, Piega, and Bang & Olufsen. Vifa tweeters have been around for quite a while also, and are used by ATC, PMC, and Sonus faber, to name a few. For relatively low cost, you’re getting exposure to some pretty impressive components that would otherwise only be found in much more expensive speakers. That’s a whole lot of value in a relatively affordable package.  
• The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers are front-ported, which allows flexible placement without sacrificing bass performance. Listeners who have smaller or limited listening spaces will appreciate the ability to push the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39s deep into a bookshelf or TV stand without drastically sacrificing sound quality due to their front-mounted port. This, coupled with their relatively compact size, makes them easy to place in any room without worrying about negatively impacting bass performance. 
• The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers come in three finishes: Ash Black, Oak, and Walnut veneer. The pair I received was adorned in a handsome matte Walnut veneer finish. The finish is well done and is a nice departure from the typical black-or-white-only offerings of many other manufacturers, though you can still opt for a more traditional finish if you prefer.
• At seven inches wide, slightly under 15 inches tall, and a little over 10 inches deep, the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39s are just small enough to qualify as compact bookshelf speakers, but their sound is anything but. The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers sound much bigger than their physical dimensions should allow. Despite their diminutive size, they easily filled my medium-sized listening room with high-quality sound quite effortlessly. The five-inch driver is solidly cast in an aluminum basket and plays with authority, while the one-inch textile dome, ferrofluid-cooled tweeter punches far above its weight in terms of quality and detail, even when pushed to higher volumes.

Why Should You Care About the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers?

There is no shortage of traditional, rectangular bookshelf speakers in the $1,000 to $1,200 price class. Many are indistinguishable from each other – just simple black boxes that put out good sound for a decent price. The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39s do things just differently enough to stand out in the marketplace. 

For an audiophile looking to add a flexible, space-saving speaker to their primary or secondary system, the Labrador 39s are a unique value proposition. 

Some Things That You Might Not Like About the AQ Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers

• The visual aesthetic of the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers may not be a great fit for those who prefer more traditional-looking speakers. As I have mentioned in past reviews, I have an affinity for weird speakers (Orb Audio Mod 2s – read the review), but audiophiles who prefer more rectangular designs may find the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39s too much of a departure from traditional design to place front and center in a listening room. 
• The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers are not easy to get, and the brand itself remains relatively obscure here in the States. You won’t find these speakers at big box stores on Amazon or through typical audiophile retail channels, as only a handful of dealers carry them to date, but that seems to be changing and changing fast. To some, the unique nature of the speakers is a total upside. 
• Warranty and support information for the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39s is a bit unclear. I spoke with Boris and he stated the Labrador 39s do come with a generous five year warranty.

Listening to the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers…

I powered my Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers via my Monolith M2100X amplifier (read my review), paired with a Schiit Modi 3E DAC, utilizing my Yamaha Receiver as a preamp. All music was streamed through Qobuz at max settings and connected directly through my Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 laptop. 

Grammy Award-winning Laufey’s new single “Goddess” from her latest album Bewitched: Goddess Edition is a slight departure from her normally syrupy sweet jazz-pop leanings. This track is a bit darker than most of her catalog, but still shows off Laufey’s unique, throwback vocal texture and style while adding lush accompaniment and hugely emotive dynamic range. The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39s exhibited wide, open dispersion, so much so that I had to double-check that my rear surround speakers were not active. This is likely a testament to their unique design, which emphasizes a wide soundstage and accuracy. The overall sound signature was not overly bright, and sounded very refined, thanks in part to the impressive Vifa tweeter, which bordered on warm at times, but remained tonally accurate, with minimal influence on the overall presentation of the track. My Monolith by Monoprice M2100 x 90 watts per channel amp had no problems pushing this song loud and hard, and the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39s were happy to go along for the ride. 

I then transitioned to the catchy and sonically complex opening title track “Atavista” from Donald Glover AKA Childish Gambino’s recent semi-re-release album. Deep, retro, synthetic bass dominates this track, coupled with a snappy beat and Glover’s unmistakable vocals. The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39s did as best they could in terms of bass production, but were limited overall by the five-inch driver. There was enough usable bass to keep the track churning along, and by no means was it unenjoyable, but when paired with my trusty vintage Sunfire subwoofer, the track blossomed into a deep, synth-laden masterpiece. Honestly, I can’t fault the Acoustique Quality Labradors for lacking bass. Like almost all high-end compact bookshelf speakers, they are limited by physics, and adding a subwoofer allows them to do what they are intended to do – produce mid to high-end frequencies with accuracy and detail. And they did so better than many others I have heard in this price range.  

Will the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers Hold Their Value?

The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 is a high-end-looking bookshelf speaker that should have no trouble maintaining decent value in the long run. Because there isn’t much brand awareness in the United States (and I hope this changes soon), they might be a tough re-sell on eBay or locally on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. That said, there is room for this relatively obscure brand to make a bigger impact in the States if the company keeps producing products like the Labrador 39. Also, given their smaller size and premium feel, these could easily be repurposed to various listening rooms or contexts, such as in a bedroom, or utilized as rear surrounds in a larger home theater system. This versatility always equates to value and longevity in my book. 

What is the Competition for the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers? 

The Revel Performa3 M106 is a similarly-shaped bookshelf speaker pair that typically retails for around $2,000. They feature a larger 6.5-inch aluminum woofer, which produces deeper and more authoritative bass, but they are rear-ported and wider and deeper overall, compared to the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39s. This makes them beefier, yet slightly less versatile overall – but they are still an excellent choice in the under-$1,600 price range.  

The brand-new SVS Prime Evolution Bookshelf Speakers (read the review) are a compelling competitor at $1,199.I had the pleasure of reviewing these speakers recently, and was very impressed by some of the innovative bells and whistles that really have no business being deployed in a speaker under $1,500. They come with an improved, diamond-coated tweeter, and visually and sonically striking time-aligned cabinet architecture, to name a few. The sound signature and visual aesthetic couldn’t be more different than the Acoustique Labrador 39, so it would boil down to the potential customer’s preference. Both would be fine choices in this price bracket.  

The DALI Opticon 1 MK2 bookshelf speakers are a futuristic-looking smaller bookshelf speaker priced right at $1,200 per pair. They won’t go as deep as any of the other speakers mentioned in this article, as they employ a much smaller 4.5-inch midrange woofer, coupled with a 1.125-inch soft dome tweeter, meaning they will absolutely shine in the midrange space, but will need a subwoofer to complete the sonic picture. They also only come in a black finish, as far as I can tell, which may dissuade an audiophile looking for a natural wood grain or white finish to match his or her decor. They are about five inches shorter, and weigh just under ten pounds, so they undoubtedly lack the heft and presence of the other speakers on this list, but could easily satisfy the majority audiophiles with smaller listening spaces.  

Final Thoughts on the Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers

The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39 Bookshelf Speakers surprised me. I’ll admit, I didn’t know what to think when they arrived at my doorstep, despite the promise that they showed at the AXPONA audiophile show. First impressions are usually the ones that stick, and I thoroughly enjoyed these small but mighty speakers as soon as I set them up and started listening. My ears immediately appreciated the high-end components and balanced tonal signature, and their visual design even got a head turn from my very wife, who has a design background and can be quite particular when it comes to which speakers she likes and doesn’t like.

Finding a pair of bookshelf speakers that represent solid value and do most things right (while also looking good doing it) is becoming quite the undertaking in today’s “pay more, get less” shrinkflation economy. The Acoustique Quality Labrador 39s prove that excellent speakers are still attainable at rational prices, and it is possible to still get more than what you pay for, even in the audiophile world.