Raidho X2t 25th Anniversary Edition speakers
Sit down in front of these Raidhos and all you see is the slim front baffle and maybe a few degrees of the cabinet flank, it’s a deceptive design that appears to be a lot smaller than it actually is and that must make it all the more appealing to those wanting to minimise the visual impact of speakers in their homes. Raidhos have been slim and deep for as long as I can remember but this is the first pair to have graced my system and I have to say it’s a look that grows on you, not least because of the beautiful book matched veneer on the tapering sides. This may not be obvious from the sweet spot but makes a clear difference from other angles – speakers are furniture after all, why not make them elegant.
As the name of the X2t 25th Anniversary Edition suggests Raidho have been making speakers in Denmark for a quarter of a century now. The X2t is the smallest floor stander in the range yet this 100 number limited edition version commands a fairly high price tag for what is quite a compact loudspeaker. Its burr walnut book matched veneer finish is particularly attractive and the overall fit and finish is in the premier league which certainly helps, but under the skin there are certain elements that are very uncommon.
The internal wiring is Nordost Valhalla, which is a rarity in any speaker, it is used to connect Mundorf components in the two and half way crossover and leads out to a pair of Furutech terminals on the back panel. These sit just below some very distinctive reflex ports on either side of the cabinet, these have fins presumabl in order to reduce turbulence. Te X2t 25th Anniversary is supplied with eight foam blocks that can be used to plug some or all of these and reduce bass extension and aid room matching. This speaker is a metre high but because of the tapering side of the cabinet it looks smaller, it has a 22 litre volume and has been tuned for use in larger rooms, for this reason Raidho suggests using four or all eight of the foam blocks to restrict the bass extension by up to 6dB. I was able to balance the X2t 25th Anniversary by pulling them further into the room than usual, with a gap of 66cm (over two feet) between the wall and the spine of the Raidho.
The drivers consist of Raidho’s ribbon tweeter and two 5.25 inch Ceramix cone drivers. The planar magnetic tweeter has an exceptionally thin (11 micron) foil that weighs only 20 milligrams, the result is a high frequency break up point of 82kHz, a figure that’s beyond the wildest dreams of any dome and more than twice that specified for most. The tweeter output is 3dB down at 50kHz where it rolls off, so that break up should not be audible.
When human hearing doesn’t extend beyond 20kHz at the best of times it might be difficult to understand why this much extension is a desirable thing, yet it always makes a difference. It’s why people like high res formats which extend can deliver very high frequencies and sound more natural as a result. We may not be able to to hear these frequencies directly but their presence has a knock on effect on the audio range that we can perceive.
The driver cones are a sandwich of three materials; aluminium, ceramic and tantalum, the latter being the surface you see on the outside. The idea behind this composite is that the materials balance each other, damping vibration and keeping the cone rigid at the required frequencies. The top driver hands over to the tweeter at a fairly high 3.5kHz so its break up needs to be well above this point. The lower driver covers the bass and lower mid up to 220Hz. Both are anchored in machined aluminium baffles that hold the drivers on the X2t 25th Anniversary, the three baffle plates providing a degree of isolation between the drivers. It’s worth noting that all three drivers are made in-house by Raidho.
Being unusually slim yet deep the X2t 25th Anniversary needs outrigger feet to maintain stability, these bolt onto the base of the speaker and have my preferred style of feet on the ends. Not spikes but captive ceramic balls between foot and outrigger, this approach provides isolation from vibration in the floor and limits the amount energy that can get into and out of the speakers. It means that they don’t shake the floor and everything sitting on it, eg the system and the other speaker. It’s a very similar design to that found in the Ansuz Darkz feet that I frequently use under speakers.
Sound quality
The first thing that hits you with the X2t 25th Anniversary is just how spacious good recordings can sound, the imaging is amongst the very best that I have enjoyed at home and that includes some significantly more pricey speakers. This must partly be a factor of the slim baffle and ultra stiff cabinet but I have had a few speakers that fit that particular description and none have delivered the precise placement of instruments in a clearly defined acoustic as well as this Raidho. The drivers clearly play a part too, delivering a balance that has none of the characteristics of metal cones. Ribbons are generally smooth sounding and capable of presenting reverb, echo etc well and here the treble is both relaxed and immensely revealing.
Overall the X2t 25th Anniversary is a fabulously transparent and nimble loudspeaker, and it doesn’t achieve this by ignoring the low frequencies as I have alluded to above. The bass extension almost seems uncanny when all you see is the front baffle which is less than six inches wide, the 16 inch depth helps to explain it of course but getting decent bottom end weight that is as fast and precise as the rest of the range is a real treat. Coherence is a real strongpoint of the X2t 25th Anniversary, two and a half way designs are generally good at this but this one has the edge on most. Colouration from both drivers and cabinet must be extremely low for it to be able to deliver such seamless integration and clarity of detail with not a hint of forwardness in its balance.
The X2t 25th Anniversary really loves a good recording, or to put it another way you will love your better recordings even more when they are played through these speakers. Good speakers always do this but because these Raidhos are so good at resolving a three dimensional soundstage, the recordings that have this information in them sound that much better than those that are relatively flat. Fortunately this doesn’t stop them from delivering the visceral punch of a good kick drum or electric guitar, the combination of speed and solidity at even the highest frequencies ensures that you get the full impact of any energy in the signal. I found this with a wide range of music including the piano and electronics of Nils Frahm’s Sunson, the percussion and vocal on Bread Out of Stone by Irreversible Entanglements and Bill Frisell’s electric guitar on Baba Drame, amongst many other pieces of music.
Some friends came over one evening to play a few tunes and were initially underwhelmed by what they heard, maybe I should have kept the price quiet! However after a couple of hours they realised why such apparently slim speakers might warrant a price tag not far off £20k. They started to hear just how much detail was being presented with so much cohesion, this was partly down to the system warming up which is something that the X2t 25th Anniversary is particularly good at revealing too.
The only price you really pay for the slimline baffle and relatively compact drivers is that dynamics do not match those of a larger speaker, this means that you have to use a little more power to get the energy of a performance across. The Dali Epikore 9 that I have been using for perhaps too long now are notably stronger in this department thanks to three larger woofers in a considerably larger cabinet (at a notably higher price). This Raidho is a distinctly easier speaker to place in a domestic setting and has clear advantages when it comes to imaging.
I was particularly taken by the way that the X2t 25th Anniversary can deliver so much detail in such a fluent and effortless fashion, the drivers are extremely smooth yet revealing and the sound they deliver makes you want to carry on listening regardless of the time. I spent many but not enough evenings exploring music new and old with them and found it hard to tear myself away on more than one occasion.
Conclusion
The Raidho X2t 25th Anniversary Edition has to be one of the most capable, least coloured and most enjoyable compact floorstanding loudspeakers on the planet right now. It’s an absolute stunner to look at, yet it’s even more beguiling to listen to. You pay a bit extra for the fabulous finish of the Anniversary Edition but you get a few nice tweaks along with the looks, whether they warrant the extra is probably down to aesthetics as much as anything. Build and finish is absolutely top notch, but music delivery is next level and hard to beat in such a small but perfect form.
Pros
Exceptional imaging and soundstage: Among the best in its class, with precise placement and strong three-dimensional presentation.
Highly transparent and detailed sound: Reveals fine detail effortlessly without sounding analytical or harsh.
Smooth, refined treble performance: Ribbon tweeter delivers openness, air, and excellent handling of reverb and decay.
Impressive bass for size: Deep, fast, and controlled low-end despite the slim cabinet.
Excellent coherence and integration: Seamless blending across drivers with minimal coloration.
Elegant, premium design and finish: Slim profile with beautiful book-matched veneer; visually unobtrusive yet luxurious.
High-quality components throughout: Includes rare internal wiring and premium crossover parts.
Flexible room tuning: Foam port plugs allow adjustment of bass response for different spaces.
Easy to position in domestic settings: Slim footprint makes them more room-friendly than larger rivals.
Engaging, addictive listening experience: Encourages long listening sessions thanks to its natural, fluid presentation.
Cons
High price for a compact speaker: Expensive relative to its size, even within high-end standards.
Limited dynamics compared to larger speakers: Lacks the scale and impact of bigger floorstanders.
Needs careful setup for best performance: Placement and room matching (including port tuning) are important.
Requires quality amplification: Needs sufficient power to fully express dynamics and energy.
Performance highly dependent on recording quality: Poor recordings are less flattering due to high resolution.
Subtle strengths may not impress immediately: Takes time for listeners to appreciate its refinement and capability.