Castle Acoustics Windsor Earl Standmount Loudspeakers Review

Posted on 30th January, 2025
Castle Acoustics Windsor Earl Standmount Loudspeakers Review

Mark Gusew goes on a voyage of discovery with this very British, premium-priced standmount loudspeaker…

Castle Acoustics

Windsor Earl Standmount Loudspeakers

from GBP £3,8500Pair | AUD $9,299.99Pair

The Windsor Series signifies the recommencement of Castle Acoustics’ production in the United Kingdom. The company states that “the craftsmanship and quality is self-evident, and clearly marks the brand’s intention to restore and build upon the reputation of the brand for superlative quality loudspeakers.” So, it’s a big deal then, with both the added cost of manufacture and British national pride at stake. What could possibly go wrong?

This new series has two products – the larger Duke and the smaller Earl, the latter being the subject of this review. It’s a 2-way ported design with matching stands. The stands are an optional extra in the UK but are part of the package elsewhere. This medium-sized bookshelf loudspeaker should work well in most listening rooms, measuring 430x240x260mm [HxWxD] and with an internal volume of 15.8 litres.

The Windsor series technical design has been a collaboration between Castle’s own engineers and Karl-Heinz Fink’s ‘Fink Team’, who almost have rock star status in the audio consulting world. Karl Heinz is considered one of the most experienced and competent loudspeaker developers. He has done work for the group before with the Wharfedale Diamond 12 Series, along with various other undisclosed projects.

UP CLOSE

The Earl’s tweeter is a polyester microfibre textile dome that’s 28mm in diameter, with a copper cap on the pole piece of the magnet to extend the level of very high frequencies. Castle does not use Ferrofluid to cool the tweeter so that dynamics aren’t negatively affected, and the resonant frequency is kept below 800Hz. The woofer uses a 165mm cone made with polypropylene, albeit in a rather exotic manner. The company explains that sheets are dissected into thin strips and then woven and bonded together again to form a solid foil, which then is pressed into the final shape. This complex process results in a stiffer and overall less resonant cone with a flatter response curve, it’s claimed. A fourth-order LKR (Linkwitz-Riley) crossover is used to integrate the two drive units at 2.2kHz.

Castle is rightly proud of the cabinetry and finish of the Earl. The cabinet structure uses two layers of MDF panels separated by a thin but flexible layer of specially engineered acoustic glue. Its purpose is “to dampen resonance in the critical midrange of the dual-layer panels”, the company says. Then point-to-point bracing further deadens the cabinet, keeping it acoustically quiet or inert, and with controlled output. Two finishes are available: walnut or mahogany real wood veneers sourced from sustainable timbers.

My walnut review sample is stunning, with a lovely lustrous, quality feel. Fit and finish are practically perfect, and the usual knuckle rap test provides a subjectively dead response, indicating a dense and rigid construction. The black cloth speaker grills attach magnetically and crisply self-centre. The speaker binding posts are made from solid brass, and a large bronze “Made in the UK” label and bass reflex port complete the rear panel dressing. The 550mm tall, 4.3kg stands are made of high carbon British steel, with large adjustable stainless-steel spikes which keep the speaker rock-steady.

The Earl’s published frequency response is 58Hz-22kHz (+/-3dB), which is good for the size of the speaker, with bass extension said to be 6dB down at 45Hz. Quoted sensitivity is a healthy 89dB (2.8V @ 1m), with 8 ohms nominal impedance claimed and 4.3 ohms minimum – so most modern amplifiers shouldn’t feel threatened. Castle recommends using amplifiers with a power output of between 25 and 100W.

THE LISTENING

The Castle Windsor Earl is a refined, smooth-sounding loudspeaker that shines with high-quality ancillaries. It is honest enough to let listeners get close to the music where they can relish its detail, nuance, and emotion. For example, listening to Angus MacRae’s Single Cell, there is a purity and focus to the voice that is captivating. It is well separated from the background music and has a dedicated space in the soundstage, which is clear to hear. Indeed, how this speaker uniformly fills the room with sound is remarkable. Also, the rumbling bass is great for a speaker of this size, as is its distinct lack of boxy colouration.

Tonally, the Windsor Earl loudspeaker is smooth and well-controlled, with a uniform frequency response that’s not particularly fussy or demanding about its room position. Sure, the bass is fuller when placed closer to the boundary wall, but the overall balance doesn’t change much, and it never sounds peaky, dull or colourless. Treble response on Promise by the Icelandic singer Laufey is lovely and extended, with strings sounding spacious and the piano unrestrained. Female vocals have a fine sense of delicacy and finesse, and there’s a long decay on the notes.

Even on complex programme material, this speaker comes over as crisp and coherent. Fine detail glistens away within the mix, rather than being hidden by louder strands. The soft hi-hat cymbal and brush work show great definition. Removing the supplied magnetic grilles yields an even more atmospheric and airy sound, and the music feels more direct and tactile.

The transition from treble to midrange is nigh-on perfect, being uniform and smooth. This allows voices and instruments to sound realistic and believable, such as with Elvis Presley’s memorable rendition of Fever. His beautifully distinctive, dark, velvety voice is reproduced effortlessly, and he stands proud from backing finger clicks, drums, and bass. It appears that his vocal line was recorded in a booth separate to the backing track and added later, as is typical of studio recordings.

Castle has not created the Windsor Earl with bass junkies specifically in mind, but the low-end response that it does deliver is very good. Listening to So Sweet by Pink Sweat$, and there’s reasonably deep extension with a feeling of balance rather than outright heft. The track plays with plenty of speed, slam and texture in the percussion.

A Yamaha R-N2000R integrated amplifier was used for this review – alongside a Cary Audio SLI-80 tube amplifier. The Windsor Earl seems to clearly prefer the latter, serving up greater bass weight. Hearing Steve Winwood’s Secrets, and the low-end grunt is more obvious despite this being a less powerful amplifier on paper. Also apparent is greater transient speed, so you can hear the Windsor Earl really come alive with a sympathetic amplifier.

Midnight Sugar by the Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio is a well-recorded track with the vibrant feel of a live performance, and this speaker clearly signifies this. Whether the music is played quiet or loud, it remains consistent and keeps a grip on things. Fast-paced piano notes come across as well-defined and, at times, seem to explode with dynamic expression. The lack of compression is commendable; this speaker shows good grace whilst clearly conveying the powerful emotional intent of the performers.

THE VERDICT

The new Castle Acoustics Windsor Earl is a traditionally styled loudspeaker that exudes beautiful, old-world craftsmanship – yet it is designed and built using bang-up-to-date techniques. The build and finish alone justify its production in the United Kingdom, but its sound is seriously special, too. Indeed it’s easily good enough to charm those accustomed to older Castle designs. Well worth an audition if you seek a speaker that’s a little off the beaten track.

For more information visit Castle Acoustics

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Mark Gusew's avatar
Mark Gusew

Starting his first audio consultancy business in the early ’80s whilst also working professionally in the electronics industry, Mark now splits his time between professional reviewing and AV consultancy.

Posted in: Applause Awards | 2025 | Loudspeakers | Bookshelf / Standmount | Hi-Fi

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