Most hi-fi speakers still default to anonymous black boxes. They may sound excellent, but visually they disappear. Braque by Nocs takes a different position. It treats stereo as both sound and composition, aiming for a balance where design and engineering carry equal weight.
Nocs describes Braque as “two cubes, one sculptural stereo system.” Each speaker is built from a stacked pair: a CNC-machined plywood enclosure resting on a 25-kilogram solid-steel base. Produced in numbered editions, assembled in Estonia with hand-crafted steel bases from Sweden, and tuned at Nocs Lab, Braque clearly avoids mass-market shortcuts. This is not a lifestyle soundbar. It is a deliberate, component-level system.
The upper cube is rigid plywood finished in deep matte black oil, chosen for tonal warmth and structural stability. Below it sits a hand-welded brushed steel block that anchors the speaker both physically and visually. Sorbothane isolation pads decouple the enclosure from the base, preventing vibration transfer and preserving image focus. The result is a minimal but expressive form that reads like a small piece of architectural sculpture.
At the core is an 8-inch Celestion FTX0820 coaxial driver with a 1-inch compression tweeter at its center. Power comes from dual Hypex FA122 amplifier modules, delivering 125 watts per channel with integrated DSP. The coaxial layout acts as a true point source, while the active two-way design allows precise crossover and EQ control. The result is a measured 42 Hz–20 kHz response shaped intentionally rather than left to a passive network.
Nocs frames its tuning philosophy as subtractive rather than additive. The goal is not to impose a house sound, but to reveal texture, space, and dynamics without exaggeration. The dual-cube construction supports this approach by lifting the driver to seated ear height and using mass and isolation to maintain stability at real listening levels.
Connectivity reflects the same focus. Braque supports RCA and XLR analog inputs, along with S/PDIF, AES/EBU, and coaxial digital. There is no built-in streaming, no app, and no ecosystem lock-in. You supply the source, whether a turntable with a phono stage, a streamer, or a studio interface. Braque handles amplification and conversion without distraction.
In a living room or studio, Braque reads as two strict cubes until sound fills the space. For listeners who want speakers to contribute visually as much as sonically, Braque stands out as a rare case where form and performance coexist without compromise.
Key specs at a glance
- System type: Active 2-way stereo speakers
- Drivers: Celestion FTX0820 8-inch coaxial with 1-inch compression tweeter
- Amplification: Dual Hypex FA122 modules, 125 W per channel
- Frequency response: 42 Hz–20 kHz
- Cabinet: CNC-machined plywood (upper), hand-welded solid steel base (lower)
- Isolation: Sorbothane decoupling between enclosure and base
- Inputs (analog): RCA, XLR
- Inputs (digital): S/PDIF, AES/EBU, coaxial
- Streaming: None (external source required)
- Production: Numbered editions, assembled in Estonia, steel bases made in Sweden
h/t yankodesign.com