All photography by Max Geiger.

Audio Physic, hailing from the small town of Brilon, Germany, is a storied manufacturer of loudspeakers that has been on my radar for a long time. The brand has undergone some North American distribution changes in the last couple of years. It is now working with Colorado-based Monarch Systems, which also imports SME turntables and Siltech cables, among other high-end brands. I connected with Monarch Founder Rich Maez, who facilitated the demo for this review—many thanks, Rich. I am glad to finally treat my ears to some Audio Physic speakers and share my impressions with Audiophilia readers.

The Audio Physic portfolio consists of two lines: Classic and Reference. The subject of this review is the Step, a two-way monitor (or bookshelf or stand mount) loudspeaker which is the entry-level model in the Reference line. Some variation of the Step has been in the lineup for over 35 years, with numerous periodic updates since. The US retail price for the Step is USD 3400/pr.

As a brand Audio Physic was instrumental in the trend to move away from wide baffle speaker designs of the 1970s and ‘80s when their slim designs started getting attention in the ‘90s. Ever since Audio Physic has built a reputation for speakers with excellent imaging capabilities.

Features & Specifications

In general, the specifications of the Step look quite typical for a compact two-way. However, there are a couple of items of note. First is the substantial mass relative to the compact outer dimensions. I’ve handled many larger speakers that weigh less than the Step’s 16 1/2 pounds. Even more interesting is the recommended amplifier power with a lower range of just 10 watts. Combined with a nominal impedance of 8 ohms, this recommendation invites the pairing of the Step with a tube amplifier.

Weight: 7.5 kg

Recommended amplifier power: 10-120 W

Impedance: 8 Ohm

Frequency range: 50 Hz - 40 kHz

Sensitivity: 87 dB

Tweeter: HHCT III 39 mm / 1.5"

Midwoofer: HHCM III 150 mm / 5,9"

In terms of technology, the special sauce in the Step monitors are the proprietary drivers. HHCM and HHCT stand for Hyper Holographic Cone Midrange and tweeter respectively. Descriptions from the manufacturer explain that extensive efforts were made to combat vibrations and resonances which distract from the music. To me, the names cleverly reinforce imaging prowess as a design priority for Audio Physic.

Design & Build

Boxy vintage designs are certainly in vogue right now but there is still a place for sleek modern monitors in the market. The Step utilizes the characteristic Audio Physic narrow baffle and because they are compact, the overall look is quite proportional. Visually the speakers contain numerous high-end features that are discreetly integrated into a cohesive design. Parallel slanted front and rear baffles and curved sidewalls attempt to address time alignment and resonance respectively. The black high gloss finish on my review sample pair is impeccable and I can't imagine how rich the ebony version looks in person. The fluid design of the cabinets is futuristic and appealing to the eye, luxe design but doesn’t shout. In my room, the build certainly appears commensurate with the price.

My Use

I drove the Step primarily with the Cambridge Audio EVO 150 All-In-One and PS Audio Stellar Strata Mk2 Integrated Amplifier (review coming soon). Speakers used for comparison were the PSB Synchrony B600, Care Orchestra Deep Breath EVO and Audiovector QR1 SE, all two-way monitors. My analog source was the Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2 with the factory cartridge while the Wiim Mini streamer provided digital tunes. Analog cables were Audio Art Classic throughout.

Listening

My experience with break-in has been highly variable, even with speakers. Sometimes, I’ve noticed a change in sound with break-in, other times hardly at all. With the Audio Physic Step, I found the change in sound after some break-in was apparent, but luckily that period was not extensive. The Step sounded a bit thin, brittle and bass-shy right out of the box. I played them casually for about a week, switched to another speaker for another week to take a break and then put them back in the system. My second impression was much different, after some warm up they finally struck a balance with deeper bass and the fuller body that had been lacking.

Setup was not a challenge with the Step, although they did respond to positioning changes. Aiming the baffles straight out into the room results in a slightly soft image with a very wide soundstage while toe-in sharpens the image up nicely. Placement up against the rear wall reinforces the bass at the expense of soundstage depth. I found a good balance with the baffles 18-24 inches from the rear wall.

Eager to challenge the reputation of the Step I used an LP that has been heavy in my rotation lately —Craft Recordings reissue of Shelly Manne & His Men Live at the BlackHawk Vol. 1 (2024, orig 1960). While Manne wasn’t pushing the art forward in the same way as Bill Evans around the same timeframe, the recording quality of many of his live and studio sessions is top-notch. Sure, small jazz ensembles in a club are easy fare—but the Step created a wide and deep soundstage with precise imaging and especially conveyed a sense of ambience. Ambience or air as I sometimes hear it called often comes with some extra “tizz” from the tweeters but I suffered none of that business.

There has been much discussion about cellist Daniel Shafran’s RCA recordings at Audiophilia and on the Everything Classical Music Livestream lately. Fortunately for me, the Shostakovich and Schubert Sonatas with pianist Lydia Pecherskaya originally on RCA Victor LP (1961) are available on streaming services. The Shostakovich Op. 40 in particular is a captivating work. I’ll admit I am pretty gullible when it comes to timbre but the piano and cello seemed decently fleshed out. In terms of soundstage, it was piano left, cello right - simple enough. Not so simple though was the effect that the speakers and my walls seemed to fade away when I closed my eyes. This disappearing act started to become a theme for the Step.

Ambient electronic music is a substantial layer in my daily listening food pyramid. Great for casual grooving and also to feel out the bottom-end performance of a system. On the 2003 classic Hydroponic Garden from Carbon Based Lifeforms (Ultimae Records), the Step threw a massive soundstage with a deep black background thanks to a decent bass extension in my office. Subwoofer people may want a sub, especially in a larger room, but on this album and others, I found the frequency response to be full enough. On a modern cleanly produced electronica album the Step’s disappearing act was even more dramatic than the Shafran recording. Speakers, room, and reality all fall by the wayside. It’s a compelling trick and one many listeners might appreciate.

On heavy-hitting but well-produced rock-like technical metal from Symphony X the Step speaker shows off a respectable dynamic punch for its size. They can handle some juice without getting congested, provided they are fed decent-quality recordings. On streams of harsh or compressed recordings like Rage Against the Machine’s Battle of Los Angeles, the Step tells it like it is and unloads a dense wall of sound that got a bit harsh at high levels. Alt-rock from the CD era was about the only genre truly outside the Audio Physic wheelhouse in my brief experience. Just as well since fans of Rage Against the Machine may not gravitate towards a speaker with a 5-inch woofer anyway. More generally I was on the lookout for bright or brittle treble and thankfully had a hard time finding it once the speakers were broken in.

The Audio Physic Step is an “audiophile” speaker. It does the “audiophile” things, digging into recording in exciting ways and creating illusions. It’s the kind of speaker I’d use to surprise my non-audiophile friends. The Step transports the listener into the space of the recording more than they bring the performance into the room.

What the Step doesn't do is create the density and weight of the larger monitors I have in-house. Their sound is not thin but not a massive slab like I might get from the PSB B600 or Care Orchestra Deep Breath EVO, which both have larger cabinets and woofers.

In many ways, the Audio Physic Step is the highest-performing speaker I have reviewed. It’s likely not a first high-end speaker purchase but a long-term or even permanent upgrade for someone outgrowing their entry-level speakers. One angle of the value proposition comes not from how much better the Step is than less expensive speakers but from the expectation that the Step would scale well and with electronics in a much higher price bracket, they could easily do justice to a $10,000 plus stack of electronics. The other simple way I see the value of the Audio Physic Step is that with the bump in price over many monitors I’ve used lately is that the compromises seem to melt away—they’re small and easy to drive and have satisfying bass and image like crazy and are built like a tank.

Conclusion

The Audio Physic Step at USD 3400/pr. is an extremely competent speaker that checks a lot of boxes yet prioritizes certain aspects of music reproduction. They excel at disappearing and creating a three-dimensional image of music. This creates a sense of discovery and excitement with every listen that does not get old. Supreme insight into the recording and associated upstream equipment suggests these speakers could scale with a system as it evolves. I have two regrets with this review: first that I did not get to pair the Step with a tube amp and second, simply that they will be returning to their distributor. A wonderful musical companion that I will miss dearly. Highly recommended.

Further information: Audio Physic