Quad are a renowned British manufacturer of quality HiFi. A few years back, in common with other manufacturers, they relocated production to the Far East, and at roughly the same time, entered the box speaker market. Previously, the only speaker in their range was the Electrostatic; a high-end specialist design, the size of which made it unappealling for many homes.

The 22L of the name gives a guide to the size of the cabinet, being an abbreviation of the internal volume - 22 Litres. Smaller units range from the 9L, 11L etc. The 22L is a floor-standing design of around 1 metre tall, and in my case was bought to replace a pair of ageing TDLs.

They sound superb, with a smooth, natural sound, free from harshness and glare. I've tried them with a wide variety of music - orchestral, solo piano, folk, heavy rock and metal, mainstream jazz, and I've never felt that anything was missing, never felt that there was anything obvious to be improved on.

They also look superb, with a laquered piano gloss finish to the cabinetry that you can see your face in. They come supplied in cloth bags within the packing boxes, with a pair of cotton handling gloves to further protect the finish.

Highly recommended.

As well as this pair, there's also a pair each of Quad 10Ls and 11Ls in other rooms of the house, so that gives you an idea of how happy this household, at least, is with this brand