Specials

Ayon Scorpio III and AudioSolutions Figaro B2

Christiaan Punter 14 April 2025 No Comments

Switching back and forth between the two systems reveals a “saddled” frequency curve in the Ayon/AudioSolutions system, with a dip in the 250-500 Hz range. Such a frequency curve may deviate from utter neutrality, but it generally sounds very pleasant. I’d wager this is actually a big advantage in smaller rooms where the speakers have to be placed close to the walls. This friendly curve aside, the sound is open, extended, and hugely infectious for its upbeat timing and delightful expression. I must admit that it is hard to stop listening to this Ayon/AudioSolutions system. It simply never fails to make my foot tap and put a smile on my face.

The bass quality is impressive for a speaker of this size, reaching low notes down to 42 Hz. Of course, they do not sound as powerful in the bass as the Magicos or an average floor-standing speaker. But the bass they produce is of very good quality, and that always matters more than quantity. Notably, presumably in part because the speakers have been carefully tuned to allow for placement near walls, they possess delightfully clean, linear, and well-behaved bass when placed freely. Although moderately sized, the designers have resisted making the speakers appear larger than they are by over-using the bass-reflex port. Unlike some small monitors, there is no bass bump, booming, or muddiness—just clean, well-articulated bass with good body and weight. My main listening area is 5 meters wide and 7 meters deep, with large open spaces on the sides, yet these monitors never felt small to me. They do not sound underpowered, either! The Figaro B2s are easy to drive and can play loudly without any strain.

The more I listen to this system, the more I realize what makes these speakers special. One might expect a very clean and controlled sound from bi-walled speakers, and in a way, they do deliver these qualities. However, they do so in a fluid, effortless, and remarkably musical way.

As I relaxed into the performance, I recalled being impressed with the first version of the Scorpio when I reviewed it with the Spirit III. After the review, I still had particularly warm feelings for the Scorpio. Still, I kept the Spirit III, predominantly for its higher power and increased control, which I tend to need with most speakers I use. There was a tradeoff, though, in that the Spirit could be relatively less refined, while the Scorpio was always effortlessly fluid, musical, and emotionally appealing.

I have a similar feeling today with the Scorpio III and the AudioSolutions B2 speakers. This combo sounds so effortlessly musical and liquid that it makes me want to relax into the music as I play album after album. It can be challenging to compare two products that are separated by years and belong to different systems, yet I still recognize all the qualities I noted in the Scorpio III. Furthermore, I have a strong impression that the Scorpio III is more neutral, lively, and expressive than the original.

4-Ohm or 8-Ohm

As Ayon mentions in the manual, there are no rules for matching the speakers to the 4-Ohm or 8-Ohm connections, and there is technically no danger of a mismatch. It is recommended to try both and go with what sounds best.

With rare exceptions, I generally prefer to use the 8-Ohm connections for their livelier presentation. Of course, this still ties in with the speaker and personal preferences, but with the AudioSolutions Figaro B2, too, I preferred the 8-Ohm outputs. The 4-Ohm outputs provide a slightly thicker, arguably more relaxed and intimate presentation, but at the cost of a measure of directness and expression.

Triode Mode

With the Scorpio, swapping between Pentode and Triode mode must be done with the amplifier switched off. After switching off, the amplifier performs an extensive tube check procedure, makes bias adjustments, and indicates any faults on the rear panel display upon power on. This process takes a few minutes but provides peace of mind.

I’ve previously compared the two modes with Ayon and other amplifiers and generally preferred the Pentode mode for its crisper and livelier presentation. The Triode mode typically provides a lusher, more romantic sound with less well-defined and often rolled-off frequency extremes. Still, the increased intimacy can be worth the tradeoff.

Because the amp sounded superb from the start of Penthode mode, I did not try the Triode mode, but it is nevertheless great to have the option.

Amp Swap

A cross-comparison with the Bryston Bi-200 integrated amplifier confirms my impressions of the Ayon Scorpio III and the AudioSolutions B2 speakers. First, this comparison indicates that the Scorpio III sounds admirably neutral and linear. Second, the speakers maintain their exceptional quality of being clean and controlled yet effortlessly fluid. Also, the “saddled” curve is still present. However, the loss of tube magic is now quite evident. Sure, as one might expect, the Bryston is even more neutral, provides more control, and is considerably more powerful. It is a testament to the brand that it masterfully retains a pleasant smoothness and avoids the sound becoming cool, clean, or analytical in the face of its neutrality, power, and control. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for tubes when looking for ultimate liquidity, lushness, and midrange magic.

The situation is similar when using the Accuphase E-270 integrated amplifier. Like the Bryston, it is a transistor design, and unlike some of the brand’s higher-tier models, the E-270 does not try to hide its transistor nature. Incidentally, while the brand’s bigger models, as well as the E-280, provide more bloom and smoothness than the E-270, they still do not perform as beguilingly liquidly as the Scorpio. As tube fans already know, there’s just something special about them. The beauty of the Ayon is that it provides these tube-typical qualities without allowing the areas where tubes are typically less well-endowed from spoiling the party.

USB input

I hesitated to try the Scorpio’s USB input, thinking it might be an afterthought. However, I’m glad I did, as it performs surprisingly well! Equipped with an Amanero USB receiver, the built-in DAC delivers a robust, lively, open, and engaging sound. While it might be expected that the built-in DAC would not match the performance of the Aqua La Diva M2 CD transport paired with the CH Precision C1.2 DAC that I used as a reference, the differences are more minor than I anticipated, primarily concerning refinement and delicacy. Typically, a CD transport possesses a uniquely lively yet “free-flowing” quality that music servers find challenging to replicate. In this case, though, the innate juiciness and fluidity of the Ayon/AudioSolutions combination make the differences seem less significant. The built-in DAC maintained its propulsive and communicative sound even when I used a simple homemade music server. The built-in DAC is far from an afterthought; significantly improving upon the built-in DAC would require investing about as much as the amplifier itself costs.

Conclusion

The AudioSolutions Figaro B2 speakers paired with the Ayon Audio Scorpio III create an affordable system that works exceptionally well together, delivering a fluid, spacious, and engaging sound that encourages long listening sessions.