System Fidelity CD 250, ST 250, SA 250, SF 2090, SF 3030, A ray of light for high fidelity

A new opportunity to get fully into high fidelity. That should be the motto defining System Fidelity, a young company that we have reviewed in these pages before and that returns in a big way, with a complete stereo system made up of three separate components and two pairs of loudspeakers. Of all the components reviewed here we only knew the SF 3030, but I can tell you now that this second encounter has only strengthened my confidence in the brand.

Look at the recommended retail prices and the technical specifications. If there is one thing that characterizes System Fidelity, it is precisely this ability to offer high-performance products at unbeatable prices. What's more, it does so while upholding most of the qualities that make other, far more expensive components "cool", the ones we see in more elitist publications. Well, let's all be aware that, if we want, we can have a good system without spending too much.

Obviously, everything has a cost, and in the case in question I detected a few problems which, even bearing in mind the recommended retail price, make an excellent rating difficult (remember that our ratings are based on value for money). That said, I am tremendously happy with the amplification and, above all, with the monitor loudspeakers. But all that glitters is not gold, and there is always room for improvement, such as the LCD displays which, in my opinion, are not easy to read in normal lighting conditions, or the CD-DA player's flimsy loading tray.

On the other hand, it is surprising to find some bold features, such as the loudness equalizer, which allows us to continue enjoying music quite well even at low listening levels, the amplifier's independent treble and bass equalizer, the tuner's 40 presets and the perfect tuning of the different radio stations, both AM and FM.

The construction of the electronic components suffers from "budget syndrome". There are no noble materials or steel or aluminum panels a few millimeters thick. Even the two large knobs (the amplifier's volume control and the radio tuner's tuning knob) are made of plastic, with a good finish that could certainly be improved. Aesthetically there is nothing else to fault them on; quite the contrary. They have achieved an impossible and perfect balance between cost and looks, giving them a more robust appearance than they really have.

As for connections, there is nothing in particular to highlight, which is undoubtedly very good news. They use basic connectors, not gold- or silver-plated, but they perform their function perfectly. Correct quality for a very keenly priced system.

When it comes to the loudspeakers, we find two very different guests. On the one hand, the SF-2090 floorstander, very well finished, which stands out for its slim profile (it reminds me very much of System Audio, curiously) and its use of five aluminum-dome midrange drivers. At the very top is a 1" tweeter responsible for the high frequencies. At the rear is the small bass-reflex port. Just below it are some small spring-clip speaker terminals. Its little sister, the SF-3030, seems a less elitist product, since it is a monitor-type enclosure fitted with "only" a 5" midrange driver and the same 1" tweeter, but I can tell you now that I liked this monitor more than the SF-2090, which is the more daring of the two from an aesthetic point of view. Both series, incidentally, allow a multichannel configuration (center channels, subwoofers, surrounds, etc. are available in the catalog).



PUT TO THE TEST



The entire system can be controlled from one of the remote controls supplied (each module comes with its own, but it is the same as the others). This makes everyday use of the system enormously easier.

I began the listening sessions using the compact SF-3030 loudspeakers. I liked the result very much. Although I was already beginning to notice that the CD-DA player was becoming the weak link in the chain, the other components delivered very attractive results. The amplifier's power is more than enough to drive both the small loudspeakers and the System Fidelity floorstanders I am testing. Even at high volumes, no distortion can be heard.

The SF-3030 allow impressive dynamic swings, delivering striking low frequencies. I never thought of adding a subwoofer to them, to put it plainly. They perhaps lack a little in the midrange (some instruments, such as the acoustic piano, called for a bit more development in that respect), but the soundstage is very good and the dispersion controlled and effective.

The CD-DA player was causing high-frequency noise, probably due to the D/A converter circuit. A somewhat annoying noise that can undoubtedly be fixed with a visit to the relevant authorized service center. The amplifier performs superbly, as I have already said, and avoids some common faults, such as noise when changing the volume or distortion or choking on demanding transients. Absolutely none of that. It delivers enough current to enjoy high volume levels.

Changing the loudspeakers turned the first listening session into a very different one. The beautiful, slender SF-2090 managed to surprise me with a tremendously developed midrange. It blended perfectly with the treble which, as with the other loudspeakers, the SF-3030, was very precise but not at all aggressive.

When it comes to the low frequencies, however, the SF-3030 come out ahead, probably because of the SF-2090's more developed midrange. The soundstage gains somewhat in width, making it easier and simpler to place the instruments.

In both cases I did not notice the presence of the crossover, which allowed even the most difficult voices to be drawn without any difficulty. The SF-2090 easily kept any transient in check (a success that is also due to the amplifier), although it was once again evident that the bass of the SF-3030 was superior. Perhaps the floorstanders' lack of running-in is responsible for this.

There is little I can criticize about the radio tuner; quite the contrary. It allows manual tuning or, by pressing a single button, stores the next 40 stations. It is easy to tune in FM stations simply by using a basic 80 cm wire. It works, without any complications.



IN CONCLUSION



Very little money, extremely little, for a system that works really well. It inherits some "serious" qualities without sacrificing very commendable performance. I must highlight the amplifier and, above all, the magnificent SF-3030. But the other components should not be regarded as "toys" either; quite the contrary. Perhaps the worst thing about this system is its retail price, which will create unfair preconceptions among certain users.

Specialists' rating: 5

System Fidelity España, S. L.



System Fidelity was born with the "obsession" of always seeking very attractive features for users at the lowest possible prices, so as always to offer great, or even the best, value for money.

The result of the review of this system is consistent with this brand concept. Nevertheless, we think it appropriate to qualify some of the comments made in it, such as the one about "budget syndrome" with reference to the materials used. The materials are chosen according to clear criteria, and their choice is justified because they make it possible to deliver the intended performance. From the brand's point of view, "what matters is not so much what is used as how it is used".

System Fidelity CD 250, ST 250, SA 250, SF 2090, SF 3030, A ray of light for high fidelity

Specifications

250 SYSTEM. SA-250 STEREO INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER. POWER 2x60 W (4 ohms), 2x40 W (8 ohms). FREQUENCY RESPONSE 10 Hz-63 kHz (-3 dB). THD <0.05%. S/N RATIO >90 dB. DIMENSIONS 430 x 290 x 75 mm. WEIGHT 5.3 kg.

CD-250 CD-DA PLAYER. S/N RATIO >90 dB. CHANNEL SEPARATION >60 dB. WEIGHT 4.3 kg.

ST-250 AM/FM TUNER. SENSITIVITY -96 dBm typical. PRESETS 40. OUTPUT LEVEL 2.5 Vpp. WEIGHT 4.5 kg.

SF-2090 FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKERS. TYPE 3-way. DRIVERS 1 x 1" tweeter, 5 x 4" mid/bass. POWER HANDLING 150-200 W. FREQUENCY RESPONSE 45 Hz-20 kHz. SENSITIVITY 88 dB. IMPEDANCE 6 ohms. DIMENSIONS 1,000 x 140 x 280 mm. WEIGHT 4.8 kg.

SF-3030 MONITOR LOUDSPEAKERS. TYPE 2-way. DRIVERS 1 x 1" tweeter, 1 x 6.5" midrange. POWER HANDLING 120-180 W. FREQUENCY RESPONSE 35 Hz-20 kHz. SENSITIVITY 88 dB. IMPEDANCE 6 ohms. DIMENSIONS 340 x 185 x 250 mm. WEIGHT 4.8 kg.

DISTRIBUTOR System Fidelity Spain (933005260).