Mofi Electronics SourcePoint 8 black (pack of 2)

When Andrew Jones joined MoFi Electronics after decades spent at KEF, TAD, Pioneer, then ELAC, no one expected this brand, known for its turntables and phono preamps, to move into loudspeakers. The SourcePoint 10, its first model, quickly found its audience. The SourcePoint 8 adopts its principles in a format reduced to 80%, with specific engineering work on the driver and the cabinet.

A custom concentric driver

The principle of a concentric driver is simple to explain, difficult to implement: the tweeter is housed at the center of the woofer/midrange cone, so the two transducers radiate from the same point. The benefit is immediate: spatial coherence between frequency ranges no longer depends on the listener’s position, and the soundstage remains stable over a wider listening area than with a conventional layout using separate transducers.

On the SourcePoint 8, the 20 cm (8-inch) cone is made of paper pulp, a light and well-damped material. Its corrugated surround replaces the traditional half-roll rubber surround. This choice is not trivial: the corrugated surround takes up less surface area, which increases the cone’s active area. As a result, this 8-inch driver offers excursion and radiating area close to those of the 10-inch model in the SourcePoint 10. In return, bass extension stops at 47 Hz instead of 42 Hz, which remains entirely respectable for a speaker of this size.

The 3.2 cm (1.25-inch) soft-dome tweeter features a large-diameter voice coil and a wide surround, unusual for a high-frequency transducer. The woofer/midrange cone serves as its waveguide: it channels the tweeter’s dispersion and improves its efficiency at the lower end of its operating range. The crossover frequency is set at 1.6 kHz, as on the SourcePoint 10, and the crossover uses laminated steel-core inductors.

The Twin-Drive neodymium magnet system

The magnetic motor is shared between the woofer/midrange and the tweeter. Two neodymium magnets, arranged in opposition, create a symmetrical magnetic field. Copper sleeves reduce non-linear inductance variations. The advantage of this arrangement: the two motors reinforce each other, increasing flux density in both gaps. MoFi claims very low intermodulation distortion, and that is also what the independent measurements published to date confirm. The sound gains in cleanliness, transients are better defined, and micro-details emerge without noticeable effort.

It is the same motor structure as that of the SourcePoint 10: Jones was able to keep it unchanged when moving to the 8-inch format, with the relationship between cone mass, surface area, and magnetic force remaining properly proportioned.

A baffle shaped against diffraction

The 38 mm-thick front baffle is sculpted into multiple facets. This is not just a matter of aesthetics: the sharp edges of a flat baffle cause parasitic reflections (diffraction) that color the sound and blur the stereo image. The facets break up these reflections and disperse them, which reduces their audible effect. You hear more of the driver and less of the cabinet.

The cabinet itself is built from 19 mm MDF, reinforced by an internal bracing system. The panels are covered with natural wood veneer with symmetrical grain (“book-matched”): the two speakers in a pair display mirrored grain patterns. Two wood veneer finishes are offered, satin walnut and satin black ash, plus a satin white lacquered version.

Listening and room placement

With a sensitivity of 87 dB and a nominal impedance of 8 ohms (minimum 6.4 ohms), the SourcePoint 8 presents no difficulty for amplification. A 30-watt amplifier is enough to achieve a comfortable level; 25-watt models have produced convincing results in tests with this speaker. Tube and solid-state amplifiers both work well. Maximum power handling is 150 watts.

Placement deserves attention. MoFi recommends keeping at least 60 cm between the speaker and the rear wall to avoid excessive bass caused by room reinforcement. The two rear bass-reflex ports load the bass down to 47 Hz: in a modest-sized room, natural acoustic gain can extend the response down to around 40 Hz. Andrew Jones advises positioning the speakers with no toe-in, facing straight ahead. The concentric design makes the frequency response more even slightly off axis than in strictly on-axis listening, where slight diffraction effects related to the concentric tweeter may appear.

The dimensions should be mentioned: 290 × 456 × 335 mm with grille and 12.7 kg per speaker. This is not a small bookshelf speaker. On a desk, the footprint will probably be excessive. On stands, in a room of 12 to 25 m², it feels right at home. MoFi offers dedicated 56 cm steel stands, with three fillable columns, spikes, and interchangeable pads.

Sound reproduction and musical versatility

The tonal balance of the SourcePoint 8 is a little more neutral than that of the SourcePoint 10: the treble does not show the slight prominence of the larger model. The frequency response extends up to 30 kHz, but the extreme high range remains discreet. On slightly noisy sources (magnetic tapes, noisy electronics), this is rather an advantage; on the other hand, listeners who want the very last shimmer of air in the treble may find this range somewhat recessed.

The bass is firm, controlled, and precise in pitch. The midrange stands out for its transparency: voices are reproduced with appreciable naturalness and presence. The stereo image, supported by the coherence of the concentric driver, is wide and above all very precise in source placement. Soundstage depth is well rendered.

This speaker does not favor one musical genre at the expense of another. From acoustic jazz to overdriven rock, from chamber music to electronic music, it adapts without changing its character. This is one of the merits of the concentric design: coherence between frequency ranges does not degrade when the music becomes more complex.

Technical Specifications

Type and Architecture

• 2-way bass-reflex bookshelf speaker
• Point source architecture for precise soundstage imaging
• Bass-reflex loading for deep bass

Drivers

• 8” (20.3 cm) concentric driver combining woofer and midrange
• 1.25” (3.2 cm) wide-surround soft dome tweeter
• Crossover frequency: 1.6 kHz

Acoustic Performance

• Frequency response: 47 Hz – 30 kHz
• Sensitivity: 87 dB (2.83 V / 1 m)
• Nominal impedance: 8 ohms (minimum 6.4 ohms)
• Recommended power: 30 W minimum
• Maximum power: 150 W

Technologies and Design

• Concentric driver: perfect alignment of sound sources for improved coherence, a wider soundstage and precise detail retrieval
• High-flux Twin-Drive system: high-performance neodymium magnets with symmetrical magnetic field
  • Extremely low distortion
  • Purer, more faithful sound
• Multi-faceted baffle: sculpted front panel minimising diffraction for smoother, more natural reproduction

Connectivity

• 5-way binding post compatible with bi-wiring

Construction and Finishes

• Removable magnetic grilles
• Premium wood veneer with symmetrical grain pattern for an elegant, high-end finish
• Available finishes: satin walnut (real wood), satin black ash, satin white

Dimensions and Weight

• Dimensions with grille (W x H x D): 290 x 456 x 335 mm
• Dimensions without grille (W x H x D): 290 x 456 x 320 mm
• Weight: 12.7 kg per speaker

Listening Experience

• Wide, immersive soundstage
• Natural, detailed vocals
• Deep bass for this form factor
• Highly versatile across music genres: acoustic, jazz, rock, electronic

Recommended Uses

• High-end compact hi-fi systems
• Small to medium-sized rooms
• Audiophiles seeking precision and musicality