Loudspeakers

If you thought that MoFi Electronics’ SourcePoint 10 [HFN Apr ’23] was a sizeable speaker, then you haven’t seen anything yet. Sporting a trio of 200mm drivers, the new SourcePoint 888 is the company’s third outing in the loudspeaker space and something of a beast – reasonably tall at 107cm, positively stocky at 32cm wide and 41cm deep, and hefty too at 43kg.

Despite the increase in size, this floorstander is very closely related to the standmount SourcePoint 10, and principally the SourcePoint 8 [HFN Aug ’23], which makes sense as all three were designed by noted engineer Andrew Jones [see boxout]and sport his trademark coaxial driver. When the ’888 launched, Jones stated its aim was to evolve the SourcePoint range ‘to an even higher performance level’. But does bigger always mean better?

In the mood

There’s a whiff of nostalgia about the MoFi brand, with Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab’s vinyl re-releases of landmark albums and, since 2014, a MoFi Electronics subsidiary that produces a turntable brandishing Fender’s iconic Sunburst finish, plus a phono stage adorned with VU meters [HFN Dec ’23]. The SourcePoint 888 entertains the same mood, in particular the Walnut and Satin Black Oak colourways, but you can opt for a Satin White option if you’d prefer something a bit more ‘modern’.

Above: The faceted baffle forms part of the speaker’s waveguide and informs the shape of the colour-matched plastic-framed grille. This attaches magnetically to the satin black oak, satin white and walnut veneered cabinets

Three’s company

These two units crossover at a relatively low 1.6kHz, but the doubling in cabinet size over the SourcePoint 8 has made space for two additional 200mm paper cone woofers, this time with dual-opposed neodymium magnets, operating in tandem below 130Hz. As the designer notes, this relieves the concentric driver from any significant low frequency duty, which should improve its midrange performance.

The lowdown
As you would expect, the SourcePoint 888 continues down the sonic route already travelled by the SourcePoint 10 and 8, generating warm textures, a lush lower midrange and a good sense of time coherence. But, and this is quite significant, there’s a lot more bass extension. The two 200mm woofers and the large cabinet are used very effectively to deliver deep bass, and in this respect the SourcePoint 888’s performance is outstanding.

Stop, look, listen

This impressive bass delivery does mean there’s real potential for exciting room modes, and care should be taken in positioning the ’888s at a reasonable distance from corners and walls. MoFi recommends between 2ft and 4ft as part of a rather good setup guide that also notes experimentation is key. Generally, I am a proponent of using room correction below 300Hz, something offered by the Lyngdorf amp’s RoomPerfect system, and with these MoFi speakers it’s certainly worth considering if you’re installing them into a smaller or even medium-sized space. As is true with most similar sized floorstanders, to be fair.

Art attack

These big speakers are fairly nimble too, which ensured the speed and finesse of Art Blakey’s performance on ‘The Drum Thunder Suite’ [Moanin’; Blue Note BST 84003] was communicated in an exciting manner. Combine these qualities with some midrange warmth and a morsel of extra presence, and the 1950s/’60s jazz recordings I listened to on a rainy audition day sounded deliciously inviting.

Ready to rock

The tracks on The Pixies’ 2019 Beneath The Eyrie set [Infectious Music INFECT526CD] veer closer to classic rock than the loud-quiet-loud trademark compositions of the band’s heyday, and this powerful riff-laden approach suited these large MoFi speakers nicely. A dynamic stomping kick drum led the way on ‘Graveyard Hill’, before the ’888s effortlessly transitioned into a fully fledged wall of growling guitars without sounding compressed, and with Joey Santiago’s emblematic high-pitched slide guitar detaching itself sufficiently from the noise.

Above: Two pairs of bi-wire/bi-amp-ready 4mm cable binding posts connect to the split (130Hz) bass and mid/treble crossover. The cabinet tapers slightly to the rear where two large ports provide the 200mm bass drivers’ reflex loading

Refined? Maybe not, but quietly – figuratively – proving that rock music can be played to good effect on the right speaker. The concentric driver helps achieve that aim, allowing the SourcePoint 888 to convey a big stage experience without making a muddle of it. Electrifying stuff.

Hi-Fi News Verdict

Big bass is on offer with this grand evolution of the SourcePoint 8, but that’s not all. While these floorstanders might not be suited to every living room, if you have the space – and power to drive them – MoFi’s SourcePoint 888s deliver a full-range, vivacious performance that few equal at the price. Andrew Jones’ concentric driver design is once again put to good use, now underpinned by rousing low frequencies.

Sound Quality: 88%