Speaker designs by Fyne Audio aim to strike a balance between accuracy and entertainment, as Dr. Paul Mills claims.
Fyne Audio's Technical Director Pursues High-Fidelity Perfection
Dr. Paul Mills, the Technical Director at Fyne Audio, has dedicated three decades of his career to the pursuit of high-fidelity (hi-fi) audio excellence. With a background in engineering and a passion for music, Mills has made significant contributions to the industry, particularly at Tannoy where he designed many of the brand's iconic models.
At Fyne Audio, Mills has been responsible for the development and engineering of the company's speakers since 2017. His engineering philosophy is centred around the 'point source' principle, aiming for time-aligned and phase-coherent sound. This approach is evident in the Fyne Audio F1-12 speaker, his favourite speaker due to its breadth of abilities and low coloration. The F1-12 features a curved and birch ply cabinet design, a preference of Mills due to its density and less homogeneous nature, which helps break up internal standing waves and reduce coloration.
A key component of the F1-12 speaker is the SuperTrax super tweeter, which extends the frequency response and improves dispersion. Fyne Audio uses different reference systems depending on the price point of the speakers. For more affordable products, they use the Rega Aethos amplifier, and at the top end, they tend to use Accuphase. In fact, Accuphase uses Fyne Audio's F1-12S as the reference speakers in its listening room.
Mills' preference for curved cabinet shapes and birch ply as the ideal speaker enclosure material is not the only area where he favours traditional methods. A good old-fashioned paper cone is favoured by Mills for speaker drivers due to its natural sound. However, Fyne Audio has not extensively explored the use of metals in speaker cabinets.
Mills believes that there is always scope for advancement in speaker technology, but cautions that these advancements must produce musically satisfying results. He is a firm believer in designing speakers that are both accurate and entertaining, capable of playing a wide range of music genres. To test this, he often listens to albums such as Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, Annette Askvik's Liberty, Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays' works, and the Works compilation album.
Mills' journey in the world of hi-fi began at a young age, fuelled by a passion for music and engineering. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) degree and later pursued a PhD in Audio Research and Engineering. Today, he continues to push the boundaries of speaker technology, always seeking to create speakers that deliver the best possible listening experience for music enthusiasts.
- Dr. Paul Mills, the Technical Director at Fyne Audio, showcased his passion for music and engineering during his three-decade-long career.
- At Fyne Audio, Mills has been responsible for reviewing the development and engineering of the company's speakers since 2017.
- Mills' engineering philosophy for speakers is centered around the 'point source' principle, which aims for time-aligned and phase-coherent sound.
- The Fyne Audio F1-12 speaker, Mills' favorite, features a curved and birch ply cabinet design, a preference of Mills due to its density and less homogeneous nature.
- A key component of the F1-12 speaker is the SuperTrax super tweeter, which extends the frequency response and improves dispersion.
- For more affordable products, Fyne Audio uses the Rega Aethos amplifier, while at the top end, they tend to use Accuphase.
- Mills' journey in the world of hi-fi has led to numerous advancements in speaker technology, with a focus on creating speakers that deliver accurate and entertaining performances, as he often previews albums like Daft Punk's Random Access Memories and Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays' works.
