Heybrook HB dot 8 -restored

Heybrook was a British loudspeaker manufacturer founded in 1978 in Devon and named after Heybrook Bay, close to Plymouth. Like those fellow small companies, their approach of loudspeaker design was considered between an inexact science and art.

Started by friends, Peter Comeau and Stuart Mee, their goal was to design a small footprint speaker able to manage a large bandwidth. They were active in the Hi-Fi press and dealership for years, so their starting point was fairly solid.

To start a speaker company in the late seventies were the british scene was already well represented with big names like B&W, Kef, Celestion but also smaller niche actors like Linn, Gale, Spendor etc., you'd better have an idea of what will be your competitive edge.

Their engineering approach was simple. While for example B&W was heading to a modern measurement and computer-based design, they choose listening.
Yes, elaborating the product, listening, and improving. As an example, their first two-way crossover for the first HB series took them 18 months of preparation. They were as patient and picky for the cabinet construction and the component speaker choice.

When they hit the market with the HB1, as an affordable and refined bookshelf two-way, the success was there with enthusiast press and large dealer support, at least in the UK.

The qualities of the first HB were clarity, balance, and an expressive sound signature. They established a loyal following among audiophiles who valued warmth and detail in music reproduction. The stable impedance made them easy to drive on contemporary modest wattage amplifiers and the remaining tube models still coveted by amateurs back in the day.
 
The balanced tonality, ensuring long listening sessions without fatigue, is backed by excellent imaging creating a wide and immersive soundstage. Whether playing jazz, orchestral music, or rock, they conveyed the energy and texture of the recording with remarkable authenticity.

While there is not clear evidence of alternative production, this particular series we show here is named the HB dot 8. It is an HB1, sharing the same drivers (woofer and tweeter) and crossover - we checked it; but assembled in Germany rather than the UK. This practice was common in the end of the seventies, either to tame money exchange rate or to collect subsidies if you produce locally.  

Definitely a collector and audiophile pick, they were elected by "What HiFi" magazine as " one of the 19 best british speakers of all time".

Recently the brand was relaunched in the neo-retro wave with a modern interpretation of the HB1. But we trust vintage here…