MoFi SourcePoint 10 Speaker Review.

MoFi SourcePoint 10 Review. Is the HYPE Real?

By Steve Huff

CHARACTER of the SP10: Bold, Super Dynamic, Direct, Crisp, Lively, Nice Bass and an Imaging champ! 

When I first saw the announcement for the MoFi SourcePoint 10 I was immediately drawn to the look and style of these speakers. They look rather simple in images with one big woofer and a silk dome tweeter right smack dab in the middle of that woofer and I really was drawn to the entire look. The contoured 2″ thick baffle and the wood veneer that surrounds the speaker with a nice protruding edge that screams “mid century modern” was something I could really get into. If the sound quality lived up to the marketing hype then I figured these would be some very special speakers.

My Video Review. Much more at my YouTube Channel HERE. 

The SourcePoint 10 uses a two way 10″ concentric driver and the benefits to this are many, when it is done right.

There is less interference between frequencies as the bass and treble are on the same axis, so the dual driver acts as one. This makes it easier for speaker placement as well though these will have to be set up in your space for optimal results. With this dual concentric driver also comes a much better off axis listening experience than your typical speaker provides. You can sit in the sweet spot for maximum imaging but even off to the side the sound doesn’t suffer. This is beneficial when you have a listening partner or two ; )

The sound is also slightly different with a concentric driver speaker. More direct sound and the imaging is usually top notch as well.

The Tannoy Eaton is similarly specced to the MoFi SoundPoint 10 and the Eaton is a highly regarded speaker at $6k per pair. 

Tannoy is one of the legendary speaker brands that makes speakers with concentric drivers, and let me tell you… they sound phenomenal. Tannoy is a big money brand as you move up their line but they are also lifetime speakers for those who want furniture grade cabinets as well as fantastic sound.

The SourcePoint 10 speaker is dual ported in the back for enhanced bass performance as well, and the bass in this speaker does output more of the lower frequencies than even my $20k Deville SQ do in my room. I hear more and feel more of the lower registers with the SP10, and that is remarkable. The SP10 are not in any way “boomy” but they do have a nice amount of quality bass for the enclosure size.

These are large speakers coming in at 46lbs each. They are larger than my Fleetwood Sound Devilles and are in no way a bookshelf speaker. These will not fit on any shelf that I know of due to their physical mass and weight. I am not sure why these are lumped into the bookshelf category.

The SourcePoint 10 come in at $3700 for a pair and ever since I first saw them I looked at it as a bargain of sorts if they lived up to the sound quality promise.

My curiosity got the best of me and I ordered a set for myself to evaluate. I paid full retail (see my receipt in the video above if you doubt this) for a pair in walnut though I was tempted by the all black look which look mighty nice and more stealth. When they arrived I was shocked at just how large they were in the flesh. I was not expecting them to be huge but indeed they were.

I have heard a pair of Tannoy Eatons and by memory, the SP10’s are larger.

When I check the actual specs…

SP10: 22.5 x 14.5  x 16.6 inch (HWD)

EATON: 21.2 x 14.8 x 9.8 inch (HWD)

The SP10’s are almost 7″ deeper and about an inch taller, so yes, they are larger.

At close to 50lbs each these are not lightweight speakers but as I inspected them for flaws or damage, I found none. The cabinet work is fantastic and they were indeed flawless out of the box. The packaging was also quite nice with one speaker per box. The box has handles on the side for easy lift and the speakers are fully protected inside so job well done on the packaging front.

This is the latest speaker by Andrew Jones

These SP10 speakers were designed by Mr. Andrew Jones for MoFi and Andrew knows his stuff when it comes to designing and building a speaker. He has worked for many companies but most recently he designed a slew of speakers for Elac, most of which were in the lower cost realm. With accolades pouring in from users and reviewers, Andrew Jones designs seem to be very well respected. I used to have a set of ELAC bookshelf speakers that were ridiculously affordable and they sounded fantastic for the price. It seems Andrew has a passion for making speakers that sound better than their price point would suggest.

One of his low cost sought after designs is a speaker he created for Pioneer years ago.

The Pioneer SP-BS22 became known as a serous budget buy with sound that far exceeded their cost of about $300

With this all new and much more serious SP10 speaker Andrew was able to do more (bigger budget) and in my opinion, he nailed it with this creation. It’s remarkable in looks, sound, build and well… everything especially considering the price. No, $3700 is not “cheap” or even “affordable” in my world but when I look at what I have seen and heard within this hobby this price point is reasonable for what these are, without question.

At $3700 I am not aware of another speaker that is as easy to drive, looks as nice or sounds as good as this one does. I haven’t heard them all of course but I was indeed smitten by these MoFi speakers, though not at first!

In fact, when I first heard them out of the box I filed for an RMA to return them (which I have since canceled). Let me explain.

SYNERGY

When I first unboxed the SP10 I placed them in my system with my Luxman 595 ASE integrated amp. While this integrated is one of these finest, if not the finest I have experienced it didn’t mesh perfectly with the SP10’s. The Luxman is not a warm gooey relaxed amplifier. The 595 ASE is detailed, crisp and wide open with a touch of warmth and humanity blended in within the midrange.

While this Luxman is class A all the way it is voiced in a way to focus on details, air and holographic imaging. This amp powers my Fleetwood Deville’s like I have never heard them and this is because the Deville’s lean warm. A warm speaker pairs best with a neutral amp like the Luxman.

When you hook up a neutral amp to speakers that lean to the “lit up” side it can sometimes be too much of a good thing.

When I hooked up the Luxman to the SP10 it was indeed almost just a bit too much of a good thing. There was too much treble extension and the mids were recessed while bass was nice and plump. They almost sounded “hard” up top and in the upper mids. This was with the speakers cold, out of the box so they also had to be played in, warmed up and even broken in for a bit.

I let them play for a couple of days and as they opened up they did start to sound much better with The Luxman. This amp brought details and stunning dynamics but eventually I moved to separates in the form of a the Pass Labs XP-22 and X250.8 Amplifier.

The Pass X250.8 brings out the first 25 watts in Class A and I have yet to see it get out of class A in my use. Even so, the Pass sound is different from the Luxman sound by leaps and bounds. Depending on what speaker you are driving one may be preferable to the other. I can state with confidence that the SP10’s liked the Pass Labs better. Well, at least my ears did.

This particular big money Pass system was a match made in Heaven for the SP10 and that shows how well these speakers can do with world class amplification (and yes, Pass Labs is up there with some of the best in audio if you love music over analytical observation).

I am aware that most who buy the SP10 will not run them with $20k+ worth of preamp/amp and you do not need that kind of money to make these speakers sound sublime. If you have the cash though, these speakers love high quality neutral to warm leaning amplification and will scale up to whatever you want to power them with.

While I was using a $10k X250.8 stereo amp, I believe any amp or integrated from Pass would sound lovely with the SP10. I feel that an INT-60 would do very well with these speakers, maybe better than these separates. The INT-60 is warm, plump, transparent and holographic. If I were setting up a system right now for the SP10 and the INT60 was within my budget, that would be the one integrated I would go for.

Pass has a house sound that is big, plump, detailed, transparent and emotional. It has warmth in the mids and doesn’t go crazy on the treble so with speakers that are more on the lively side Pass makes for a great match.

With the XP-22 and X250.8 these speakers shared some of the traits of my Fleetwood Deville SQ which come in at $20k. The Devilles are somewhat more refined, smoother, warmer and juicer but the SP10 were more extended from top to bottom and brought more lively dynamics and impact. Even so they sounded more alike than different when in action.

Vocals on the Deville’s are rich and full. With the SP10 we get some of that warmth but voices are a little more detailed and thinner when running on the SP10 speakers in a direct comparison.

Bass has more kick and impact as well on the SP10, and the overall sound is one that is clearer and cleaner. The Devilles are more romantic and beautiful where the SP10 are more alive sounding.

These differences are in reality small but they are there. When I played the speakers side by side with my reference I did indeed prefer the more luscious and three dimensional Deville’s but looking at the cost…you do pay a lot more for small improvements (or differences) in this crazy hobby. The Fleetwood’s are without question more refined and smooth but the SP10 have something about them that has me hooked and I started to realize these speakers can get addicting just like some of the best I have heard.

It could be the immediacy, the big bold sound or the fantastic imaging performance. Maybe it is the direct nature of the sound, or the way details are unfolded for our ears. Maybe it is the bass which is very nice and may make you wonder where a sub is hidden. All I know is that I was starting to really fall for the SP10’s.

BTW, these are in another league over a speaker like the much much smaller KEF LS50 META which also uses a concentric driver. In comparison the LS50’s sound smaller, leaner, and not as special in the vocal region. That should be expected when comparing a $1300 speaker with a $3700 speaker. These SP10’s sound much bigger, more dynamic, have much better bass and fill a room with ease.

STANDS ARE A MUST

One thing I was disappointed in with the SP10 is the fact that they did not release custom stands with them at launch. These will need some pretty hefty and strong stands. They are large, heavy and on a small stand will easily tip over. I am using Dynaudio Stand 6 stands that are pretty hefty and heavy duty and they work but are not ideal. I also have the Heritage Special plates on the stand so they have a larger surface area.

I almost tripped one over trying to move it around. That would have been bad.

MoFi has said they have specially made stands coming for these. As of this writing (heading into 2023) there are no stands available but the speakers are indeed in stock and ready to ship.

If you are looking at these speakers make sure you have some sturdy stands available. These are not “bookshelf” speakers and can’t just be placed on a shelf. See my video at the top of the page to see just how large these are.

I am seeing stands that are 20″ high being recommended for these and height will matter if listening critically.

BRIGHT?

Are the SP10 speakers bright? Well, they can be if you run them with a highly detailed fast amp. These sound best with amps that lean slightly warm as this will bring down the treble and strengthen the mids and bass. With The Luxman 595 they were a touch bright as the Luxman extends the treble a bit, and this works well with speakers that are warmer.

So just like with any piece of audio gear, synergy is what will make or break a system so if you have an amp that is considered fast, bright or lean you may experience some upper treble excitement in the SP10.

These speakers crave quality amplification. They will do well with lower cost amps as I will talk about below, but they will do even better when you feed them quality power. Most speakers will do this but I usually see people spend so much more on their speakers than the amp they choose to power them with. This in turn can cripple the speakers. I am a big believer in quality amplification as all amps are not the same, not even close.

When run correctly the SP10 will sound very big, clean, clear and with a nice bass that fills in the sound. It will bring detail and bass with a nice kick and punch. Dynamics will be incredible and imaging will be as well. These are truly fantastic sounding speakers.

I set a Buchardt Audio P300, a real bookshelf sized speaker, on top of the SP10 to show how much larger these are. 

MADE IN CHINA

Yep, these are made in China and if they were made in the UK or USA these would cost much more. I have found zero issues with construction quality or sound quality here. They look and sound as if they were made by any quality audio company. They may not use uber high end exotic parts (if they did they would be much more than $3700) but they do deliver on sound and for me, that is all that matters.

These are brought to us by MoFi and Andrew Jones and the speakers are made in China to save costs. It is what it is, and most of what we use in daily life is made in China. Phones, computers, clothing, tech, etc. I do not discriminate where my HiFi was made. All I care about is if it is built well and sounds phenomenal. If it saves me thousands because it was made in China then even better.

The MoFi SourcePoint 10’s do come with a full 5 year warranty. I have found the finish on them to best what I have seen with Klipsch Heritage. I love Klipsch Heritage but have to say that between the LaScala AL5, the Heresy IV and Cornwall’s I have owned they do scuff up quite easily. The SP10 seems like it has a more durable veneer or finish. BTW, the wood veneer finish is matched with the pair.

The MoFi SourcePoint 10 Experience. 

As I sit in my dimly lit listening room on a very cold -6 degree winter evening I am enthralled by the presence, the scale and the ease of which these are powered. I start out with a SET amp that runs 300B tubes and puts out 6-8 WPC. This is a lovely sound that is rich, fluid and holographic but it loses some kick, impact and dynamics, I am limited here to what I can listen to so I move to some class A Pass Labs XA60.8 amps with the Pass XP-22 Preamp.

The XA60.8 puts out 60 WPC and is pure class A. These mono amps have a warm rounded sound but with plenty of detail and a soundstage width that fills the space with ease. This is a lovely combo with plenty of power and oomph. Vocals are magical here and the sound expands front to back, side to side.

While I listen to a track called “Red Skies” by Dylan Gers I kept thinking that these SP10’s sounded much more expensive than they really are. The sound was dramatic, alive and brought forth three dimensional imaging.

When I put in the X250.8 I heard almost the same thing but with some differences. With the X250.8 delivering the first 20-25 watts in class A I was still getting that benefit of beautiful class A sound. With the X250.8 the treble was more prevalent but in a velvety smooth way. The Bass was stronger and cleaner and the mids were just about as beautiful as the XA60.8 mono blocks with slightly less warmth. The same Pass sound remained but the 250.8 really brought forth some magic from the SP10 in regards to imaging and mid bass warmth.

I kept the included magnetic grilles off for most of my listening but when I put them on I did notice a very slight change. Placing the grilles on did tame the treble by a hair, which sounded better still to me. Most may not even notice but the grilles are quite nice here though they make the speakers look like a traditional box. I prefer the look of them without the grilles.

Low volume or high the speakers never faltered and kept pumping out the music. These can play loud or soft and even at low volumes they stay full and clean with a beautiful sound. For those out there who like a nice full low volume kind of vibe, these can do that though they are not “beefy” sounding speakers. Even so, they provide a nice bit of warmth in the mid region.

WITH A WILLSENTON R8 AMP ($1500)

I also tested the SP10 with a Willsenton R8 tube amp. This is a Big Bang for the buck amp available on Amazon. I reviewed this amp almost two years ago now (see it here) and I suggest replacing the KT88 with EL34 tubes out of the gate. With EL34’s in place and a $600 Bluesound Node running streaming and DAC duties the SP10’s sounded very nice. More direct, less of the imaging magic but very pleasing and dynamic. Vocals were rich and velvety and while not the best I have heard them if you have a $2k budget for an amp, the R8 is one to take a look at. This is the minimum power I would recommend for these speakers.

See this amp and the reviews at Amazon HERE. 

WITH AN EMOTIVA TA1 INTEGRATED ($600)

This integrated amp is one that will set you back around $600 and it offers a built in DAC, phono stage and even has bluetooth. Using a Bluesound Node to stream into the TA1 provided a sound that was a bit leaner and brighter vs other options I have tested. It was musical and plump but not as refined (of course) as the costlier options. If you have spent the entire budget on the speakers and want something to hold you over util you save for a better amp, you c an indeed power these with the TA1. I keep this amp on hand for comparisons and it’s a value leader for sure.

WITH LUXMAN 595 ASE

The Luxman is one of the finest integrated amps I have ever had the pleasure of owning. It is tied for me with the Pass Labs INT-250 which comes in at around the same cost. The Luxman brings a sound that is detailed but rich. It delivers a wide open soundstage with layers and is a master at micro and macro detail retrieval. Vocals are somewhat thinner than with Pass Labs but the overall top to bottom is about as good as it gets. This is a very linear amp and excels with speakers that lean neutral to warm. When using this amp with the SP10 cold out of the box the sound was a touch hard and treble focused. After the speakers were broken in The Luxman did sound warmer and richer with the SP10 but I much preferred the Pass Labs sound with the MoFi. Even so, many would love the sound of The Luxman with the SP10, all depends on your ears and tastes. Synergy is important when matching speakers and amps if you plan on setting up a nice listening seat and experience.

VS HERESY IV?

The well loved Klipsch Hersey IV comes in at $3200 so about $500 less than the SP10. The Heresy IV are also a big fat box speaker but they are designed to sit on the floor aimed up at your head. The Heresy IV are horn speakers which will bring forth a completely different sound from the SP10.

The Klipsch have their own MoJo and you either love it or hate it, but again, when driven properly the Heresy IV can sound incredible. When driven with a $500 receiver they may sound awful and without bass. They excel at a huge live sound but are not the best at finesse. I love the H4’s and owned a pair for years just until recently while offloading some gear.

Between the two, the SourcePoint 10, for me, is the superior speaker in every way from build to sound. The SP10 has more refinement and is smoother, more liquid and seems just as dynamic as the mighty Klipsch. The vocals on the Klipsch can be beautiful. Big, wooly and chesty. The SP10 is more composed here and delivers a cleaner sound with more details and air. Imaging is better with the SP10 as well.

The SP10 are 91DB efficient and come in at 8ohms never dropping below 6 ohms. These are an easy drive. The Klipsch are 99DB efficient so an even easier drive. The Heresy IV will sound delicious with a nice 8 wpc SET amp where the SP10 will want some juice to come alive.

I enjoy both but the Klipsch will sound colored compared to the SP10, which will not have coloration. It’s the horn design. The SP10 is 100% a more audiophile kind of speaker.

CONCLUSION

While these are not the the best speakers I have ever heard, they are some of the most impressive I have ever experienced.

This is due to the fact that they are gorgeous in person, sound phenomenal with almost all kinds of music, and come in at under $4k for a set. I have been enjoying my Fleetwood Deville SQ reference for almost a year and I have to say that while the SoundPoint 10 doesn’t beat them for that human touch kind of experience, they are just as enjoyable in my space. It’s different rather than better or worse.

These are clean, clear, dynamic and snappy speakers but they have grunt and kick as well as a sense of power. They act as if they WANT to be turned up and rocked out. These are versatile as they sound good at low or high volume, something that can not be said for all speakers.

I really enjoyed jamming to some Kraftwerk on the SP10. The way they brought forth the music was remarkable in detail and snap. Most music sounded lovely on the SP10 wether it was modern rock, metal, EDM, bluegrass, classic rock or vocals.

I love the mid century design, the fact that Andrew Jones designed them and the fact that they are larger than expected as this helps with the speakers impressive bass performance. They throw a soundstage that is not super wide but what it does bring is wide and deep, just about right. No sub is needed here but I did try a REL S/510 with them and that filled out the area from 20-40 hz nicely, if you enjoy deep bass of course. On their own they do very well and they do not sound anemic in any way.

The SP10’s are an exciting and lively listen so careful amp matching is required. They can get just a little  bright if you run them with a bright amp but when you pair them with a neutral or warm amp that is when the magic starts to brew. I would avoid lower cost AVR’s here as these speakers deserve better and will reward you with better sound as you move up the amplification ladder.

The only negative I have with the SP10 is the fact that MoFi did not release a stand at the same time as the speakers. These NEED a good solid stand and if someone buys these and doesn’t have a stand that can support them, they will be unusable. Forget about putting them on a shelf or cabinet, these are too large for that.

Being an easy drive at 91DB efficient I would recommend any amp, tube or SS that is 20WPC or grater to get the most from these. A fairly inexpensive tube amp like this one will warm these up and sound fantastic (use EL34’s).

No need to spend megabucks on an amp for these, just find the right synergy and you will be very happy.

There has been a ton of hype on these since they were announced, and in some cases the hype is real. In this case it is. They are phenomenal for the money and can provide many days and nights of musical enjoyment. I love them, and they are staying with me and in my system for quite a while. These sound like high end audiophile speakers when I hook up Pass Labs separates to them so they can scale up really nicely as you improve your amplification.

Truth be told, these speakers provide a much bigger value than most in this price range do. They are an easy recommend. Easy to drive, easy to look at and lovely to listen to. They do the “magic” as well when set up properly.

The more I listen to these and the longer I keep these in my reference system the more I feel like these have the potential to shake up this industry a bit. They deliver a sound, when driven properly, that is usually reserved for speakers twice or thrice the price. I have heard speakers that cost double or more that did not sound as good as the SP10’s. This is remarkable and welcome.

These are fantastic speakers but I always suggest buying from a shop that allows you to return them if they do not work out for you. There is no substitute for hearing an audio product in your own space and with you own ears. Some shops today give a 60 day return policy for this reason.

VIEW MORE ON THE MOFI SP10 HERE at the MoFi Website 

LISTENING NOTES

“IT BELONGS TO ME” – Sivert Hoyem

This is a vocal tour de force and showcases how the SP10 handles big, rich male vocals. The song starts out with a nice acoustic guitar that sounds big and with a nice full bass. The vocals kick in and the voice is massive in size, dead center while the acoustic instruments sit behind the voice. The sound is full, fluid, detailed and fills the entire room with clear fog free music. The soundstage is just outside of the speakers but doesn’t extend further. Imaging is precise and the transitions from soft to loud are remarkable.

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“INTO THE MYSTIC” – Van Morrison

This is a classic and the SP10 bring it forward with extreme clarity, detail and musicality. My Fleetwood Deville’s may bring this track in with more emotion and fullness in the mids but the SP10 bring the clarity, alive feeling and we hear every strum, every horn, every pick of the strings. It does this without being lean as just enough weight is there to make it addictive in sound. I hear the bass line as clear as can be right behind the voice. It’s not puffed up or bloated in any way though. The key word for this one is CLARITY.

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“DEAR CHICAGO” – Ryan Adams

I love the way this track sounds on the SP10. It’s once again very big, but this time there is great weight to the song making it sound absolutely wonderful. We hear again, all details, strums, picks and sounds in their proper place on the soundstage. The SP10 sound very close to my $20k Devilles with this track but amazingly with more dynamic impact. CRAZY!!

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“PRISONER OF LOVE” – Veronica Swift

If you want to turn down the lights and enjoy some intimate vocals check out this track from Veronica Swift. The Piano work is remarkable and the sound of said Piano is WONDERFUL on the SP10’s. It’s such a gorgeous sound with no grit, no hash, just beautiful music. Just the right amount of spatial info as well but the vocals are pure and very sweet and refined. The SP10 bring more “aliveness” than some Dynaudio Special 40’s I have here as well which sound small and unremarkable next to the SP10’s and I love the Special 40’s! The SP10’s do have that LIVE sound to them much like Klipsch Heritage but without the all out energy and forward nature of the Klipsch sound. Beautiful.

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“LIFE IN HELL” – Megadeth

Megadeth is not known for their recording quality but I enjoy speakers most when they can play all kinds of recordings and sound good. I am not a fan of audiophile speakers that are made for only one genre of music. The SP10’s bring out the energy and impact of this very loud and energetic track. I admit that this sounds better on my $20k Devilles but heck, I would hope so. The SP10 delivers this track with a realism and raw energy that some may prefer. When I turn it up it can get a little bright up top which shows me that recordings that are by nature harsh will sound harsh on the SP10’s. These speakers will not hide faults or add a bass hump to make them sound smoother to poorer recordings.

This song doesn’t sound bad on the SP10, not even close. It’s just that I have heard it better and richer sounding. When I add in the REL S/510 Subwoofer the sound gets much better here as the drive, kick and slam is turned up a notch. With that said, these do not “need’ a subwoofer but just as with almost any speaker will improve with a nice sub providing the low end foundation.