These monitors, which feature drivers built by SEAS in Norway, are designed for nearfield use - the tweeter and woofer are fed by independent amplifiers which are housed on the monitor enclosure’s back plate, and on the rear there’s a set of switches to ensure acoustic compatibility with your room.

The IOs sound immediately transparent, and we were impressed by the low mid-range in particular. The bass extension is good too, while the top end is clear without being overly abrasive.

The IOs really impressed us, partly because they don’t try too hard to impress. They’re designed to provide an honest listening experience, and while the bass extension can never be fully trusted on a monitor of this size, these speakers are every bit the equal of their main rivals at this price and beyond.

Read the full APS IO review