Teufel Motiv 3 review

Teufel's Motiv 3 speakers are one of the most distinctive 5.1 sets we've ever seen. The stunning-looking black and chrome satellites and glossy black subwoofer look great and would suit any modern living room.

Each satellite speaker is a shiny black sphere that measures around 120mm, including the length of the binding posts. There's no dedicated centre speaker and each of the identical satellites is interchangeable. The powered subwoofer, an equally stylish cube in gloss black, has a single phono input that connects it to your AV receiver.

The satellites come with magnetic mounts that let them sit securely on a flat table or shelf. It's easy to the tilt the speakers on their mounts so they're pointing right at your listening position. Unfortunately, they don't come with much else. There are no brackets for wall-mounting the speakers and they don't come with any speaker cable, so you'll need to buy this yourself.

The speakers' reproduction of bass and mid-range tones was excellent, although the satellites slightly lacked definition at high frequencies. High-pitched details were sometimes lost or sounded slightly subdued, but the effect is barely noticeable on film soundtracks and is more than made up for by the quality of the rich, vibrant and punchy bass tones generated by the subwoofer. Explosions shook the room with the subwoofer set to half volume; at the top level, we could almost feel our lungs vibrate.

The Motiv 3's are also pretty good for music, with a thumping bass that will serve well for parties, although a slight flattening and lack of definition on high notes makes them less than ideal if you want to sit and listen quietly to the delicate nuances of a track. However, even stereo recordings filled the room, while 5.1 audio tracks had a sense of immediacy that drew us into the sound.

Assuming that their looks suit your taste and décor, the Motiv 3 speakers have a high-quality sound justifies their price. However, Tannoy's SFX 5.1 speakers sound almost as good and cost significantly less.