YG Acoustics Cairn

REVIEW
Eric Neff
Apr 08, 2025

YG Acoustics has been producing world-class loudspeakers for over twenty years. Founded in 2002, the Arvada, Colorado firm has continued to improve upon its classic aluminium enclosures and non-ported approach to speaker design. It has also survived the gauntlet of passing the torch from its founder to a new management team led by CEO Dr. Matthew Webster. He and his team had the challenge of continuing to improve upon already world class award winning designs. They have taken on this challenge in a number of ways including adding an entirely new line of speakers called The Peaks which includes two stand-mounts, three floorstanding models and one subwoofer that occupy a new entry priced range in the YG stable. The team has also revamped the reference line including the introduction of the new XX3 ultimate performance loudspeaker at the top of the line.

Speaking with Dr. Webster at the factory in Arvada, Co. he spoke about being a fan of the original YG’s and owning their Reference XV Studio model himself. He spoke often as an engineer to the YG team about ideas for improvements. When an opportunity arose for his company Cambridge Acoustic Sciences (CAS) to collaborate with YG Acoustics in 2020 he was eager to do so. CAS brought with it a significant array of computer modeling and measurement expertise along with years of background in materials sciences. CAS also excelled at modeling electronics and physical systems allowing YG to test via computers a wide array of system iterations before spending money on expensive prototypes. In 2022 a merger of CAS and YG under the YG Acoustics name was completed with Dr. Webster at the helm.

Capital investments were made vastly increasing production capacity, staff and space. Industry veterans were added such as Steve Huntley from Boulder Amplifiers and Duncan Taylor from PS Audio alongside the existing world class YG team.

A new Era

Launching a new era at a well known brand encompasses so much capital and effort. Unveiling a new flagship, at $225,000, is certain to get the attention of the audio press. So naturally, in the midst of all this, I am going to focus on the smallest member of the Peaks line, The Cairn stand-mount speaker.

The Cairn is a modest sized two-way passive speaker weighing in at 12.5kg each. At 370 x 192 x 262mm (HxWxD) they are easily placed in most any small to medium sized room. Available in three finishes, Balanced Oak, Flamed Rosewood and Datuk Ebony they will blend nicely with most décor. The front of the Cairn (and all Peaks Line speakers) is milled aluminium, the rest of the cabinets is made from an inert inch-thick resin fibre. The fibre is shaped to spec in Europe by top woodshops achieving as inert a cabinet as possible allowing the drivers and DualCoherent 2 crossovers to shape the sound as designed by YG Acoustics. The ForgeCore Tweeter made famous by YG is used and the 15cm BilletCore Driver is machined in house from solid blocks of high quality aluminium.

I was able to watch as the technician took a fresh block of aluminium and create a new driver cone. The precision is impressive on the German Portatec milling machines resulting in a light and stiff cone that is incredibly responsive. All waste materials are recycled.

The machining was precise to a .001 of a mm and the machine creating the Cairn driver was the same one that machined the drivers for the mighty XX3. Indeed the care and craftsmanship found in the flagship translated equally throughout the entire YG stable of products from the BilletCore drivers to the DualCoherent 2 crossovers. Sitting in the listening room with a pair of Sonja 3.2’s, the Vantage Live powered speakers (Electronics via bel canto design) and the Cairn’s, Steve Huntley, Duncan Taylor and I discussed the focus of the staff on how each of the products throughout the company received significant attention. The question that was always asked was “How can this be improved?” A significant question given the computer modeling power now available post YG/CAS merger. While on the assembly floor I spoke with many of the people piecing together Reference Line speakers. All were enthusiastic and more than one pointed out an internal connection or brace that was now used throughout the line based on their personal suggestion and insight. That sense of value for the employees and trust from management always leads to superior quality. Something I have found universal in companies with that same top to bottom focus. It is a policy of continuous improvement that leads to high customer satisfaction.

Getting them home

Shortly after returning home the Cairns arrived in two boxes. One housed the pair of speakers and the other held the custom Cairn stands. Each Cairn arrives in a protective sock and the high quality WBT connectors come with a protective cover over them. You remove each cover and then screw on the rest of the connector before connecting your speaker wire of choice. I am using Silversmith Audio Fidelium’s for this review. The Datuk Ebony finish is beautiful, and the Cairns are solid and clearly well made. £1,950 is a lot for stands, however, I would recommend them. First aesthetically they are the perfect match for the Cairn’s. Machined to the same high standards as all things YG. Second, height wise they are optimized to a standard listening position, can be spiked (supplied) and they are easy to move as needed. Installation was straightforward and soon I was enjoying the benefits of precision machining and Dual Coherent 2 crossover design.

I connected the speakers to my Sanders Sound Systems Magtech amplifier (500wpc into 8 Ohms) and set the volume on the Pass Labs pre. Source was the Cary Audio DMS-700 DAC/Streamer. First up on the menu was Donald Fagen’s ‘Springtime’ from Kamakiriad (1993 Reprise). For a small stand-mount, this is a tough test. The walking bassline throughout the song digs below the rated 40Hz specs and as expected it was not providing the low end needed. However, the vocals, horns, tenor sax and percussion were wonderful. Spatial cues from triangles were precise. One of the things I enjoyed at YG’s listening room was walking from one side of the room to the other and experiencing the wide sweet spot due to the slightly oval shape to the ForgeCore tweeter. (You really cannot notice the shape when you look) The dispersion width is nicely augmented and allows more than just the centre seat to enjoy a quality performance.

I had the same experience in my smaller listening room. Moving to the other seats on my couch the Cairns gave me a solid presentation even off-centre. Great for audio friends and company. I stopped the music and connected my SVS SB16 Ultra subwoofer and spent a few minutes dialing it in via the app controlled DSP. Restarting the song the added depth was beneficial. YG offers their Descent subwoofer to pair with its Peaks line speakers. The Descent has a specific setting just for the Cairn’s to make the match easy and it was a beautiful pairing while I was in their listening room. Having been a big Sub/Sat fan since the early M&K days I would consider this as a nice option and glad it is available. One other caveat, the Cairns are 86dB sensitive. I spent time with them using my Cary Audio CAD 300-SEI Class A tube amp and its 15 wpc. At lower volumes it was a sweet combo but there were limits. The 500 wpc Class AB Sanders proved to be a more flexible amp for them.

Next up was Duran Duran’s power ballad ‘Ordinary World’ from their Wedding Album (1993 Capitol) This song has a lot of depth and layers. Speakers that can resolve the detail from within the milieu are few and far between. The Cairns handled things with aplomb. Simon LeBon’s vocals soar above the guitars and keyboards allowing the emotional nuance to shine through. Songs with sweeping scale can be a lot for a small stand-mount but the Cairns were up to the task brilliantly. ‘Ordinary World’ is an all-time hit for the band and one of my favourites. It was a treat hearing this presentation. I had the volume up, and the excursion capabilities of the BilletCore driver were as impressive as it was fast. The pairing with the ForgeCore tweeter was seamless and showcased the proficiency of these mighty little speakers.

Soundtracks provide some great one off tracks and Ed Sheeran’s ‘I See Fire’ from The Hobbit Desolation of Smaug (2013 Watertower Music) is a good example. A simple production with acoustic guitar vocals and percussion the song is delivered in an almost hushed style. The delicate plucking of fingers on nylon strings is nearly three dimensional as Ed delivers this heart felt song. The Cairns ability to deliver vocals is outstanding and are one of the best I have heard in my listening room. Clear and lifelike the song is delivered with great space and dimensionality. Given the song’s topic it has an almost “sitting around the campfire” feel to it. That sense of intimacy is rare and a treasured commodity when spending time enjoying a night of music. Perhaps only a reviewer considers the value of a well-designed crossover while listening, but this type of track reveals it to me. Dual Coherent 2 indeed.

Staying with the vocal theme, I put on Alison Krauss title track ‘Forget About it’ (1999 Rounders Records). Alison has about as pure a voice as I have heard since Karen Carpenter. This self-produced album shows that voice off well as she sings this song about loss and regret. Framed by acoustic guitar and dobro the depth and clarity is palpable. Many of her solo and Union Station albums capture this quality and a first class system fronted by topflight speakers reveals this extensity. Listening sessions like this provide for me one of the great joys in auditioning new world class gear. Sitting back I remind myself I am listening to the smallest and least expensive of the YG Acoustics family. The Cairns have had the same attention to detail and adherence to quality as any other YG speaker.

Enjoyment, not investment

Thinking back to my interview with Dr. Webster a few things came to mind. First, his belief that you are paying for enjoyment and not an investment. He did not want to queue up music and be looking at a portfolio. He wanted to be present and in the moment with his music and not thinking about what was spent on the system. (Take that Alan Parsons!) Next, he said he wanted to focus on real world circumstances and build speakers that do not require absolutely perfect rooms or placement and still sound world class. Certainly you can tweak but do not obsess over the last millimeter. (We will still do that because we cannot help it.) Lastly, how excited he was to bridge his professional work with his audio passion.

I like where he was coming from. Regardless how much is spent on speakers or a system when your friends leave and it is just you and your gear, are you happy? Does your system take the days stress away and let you relax and let the memories scroll through your mind to your favourite soundtrack for the day? I am confident if you add a pair of YG Acoustic Cairns to your system, they will do that for you. A musical conduit to your personal soundtrack. If you are searching for a small stand-mount speaker I cannot recommend them more highly. Audition a pair and let me know if you agree.