Tom's Guide Verdict
The Cambridge Audio L/R S may look like unassuming, sleek, minimal speakers, but they’re far from it — their quality speaks for itself. Everything from the tactile matte exterior to the copper-colored tweeter screams sophistication. Not only do they look and feel a treat, but the sound quality shines through, too. With clarity across the highs and lows of the frequency range, these are some serious speakers that’ll earn their place in any setup.
Pros
- +
Fantastic stereo imaging
- +
Look a treat and supremely well-made
- +
A range of connectivity types
- +
Clarity in the treble
- +
Balanced across the frequency range
Cons
- -
Missing that oomph for me
- -
No cables provided in the box
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The Cambridge Audio L/R S are some of the best speakers I’ve tested. At just 7 inches tall and 9 inches deep, these are relatively compact — but boy, do they sound larger than their measurements might suggest.
And just look at them. Aren’t they gorgeous? Not only do they look a treat, with the copper-colored tweeter and the smooth, almost tactile exterior, but they feel incredibly well-made too. Although quite pricey at $549/£399, here you’re investing in sound, functionality, and appearance.
Sound is by far the most important thing when it comes to speakers, so you’ll be pleased to know that the L/R S sound divine. For me, they were missing a smidge of vivaciousness, but I still had a ball listening to them, and I’m sure 99.999% of you would, too. Want to find out more? Keep reading this Cambridge Audio L/R S review.
Cambridge Audio L/R S review: Specs
Cambridge Audio L/R S review: Price & availability
The Cambridge L/R S are premium home speakers with a premium price. A pair will set you back $549 from Amazon U.S. and £399 from Amazon U.K. Obviously, this is a much better deal in the U.K. — hi-fi just is inherently more expensive in the U.S., even without tariffs.
Cambridge Audio also makes the L/R M (£1,199), which work with Cambridge’s StreamMagic app and have built-in streaming capabilities. If you’ve got even more to spend, you could check out the L/R X (£1,799, releasing in July 2026), which are the L/R S on steroids. These are the aspirational older siblings of the L/R S, with dual woofers and proprietary tweeters.
If you want a similar performance for a little less, I’d recommend checking out the Edifier S880DB MKII ($449). Alternatively, you could look at the Edifier R1280T (my personal turntable speakers, $149), which don’t have Bluetooth but more than make up for it in affordability. Edifier does make a Bluetooth version — R1280DB ($199), who’d have thought — for all those wireless lovers.
For those short on space, I’d go for the Kanto UKI ($269) or the Edifier M60 ($199), both of which are compact speakers and sound great for their size.
Cambridge Audio L/R S review: Design
The Cambridge Audio L/R S are beautiful, beautiful speakers. They look uber modern, with no mesh grille covering and two visible drivers. The 21-mm aluminium tweeter is a gorgeous, rich copper color, and the 3-inch woofer meshes well with the speaker body. Whatever color you choose — white, black, navy, or wood — I bet it will look great in your home.
The speakers not only look great, but they feel well-made, too. The exterior is smooth, almost tactile, and the switches on the master speaker are high-quality. I have no issues with the design at all: everything is sleek and feels intentional.
Connectivity
As active speakers, you don’t need an amp or a phono if you’re using the speakers with a laptop or TV or phone. However, if you want to listen on your turntable, if it doesn’t have a phono pre-amp, you’ll need a separate one.
The L/R S have a huge array of connectivity types: Bluetooth aptX HD, RCA aux, optical, and USB-C playback. I mostly used USB-C and Bluetooth, both of which sounded excellent.
The speakers don’t come with a USB-C cable, an RCA cable, or an optical cable, so if you want to utilize these connectivity methods, you’ll have to supply them independently.
Controls
There are controls on the back of the master speaker and a high-quality remote. Rather than taking inspiration from Edifier’s slightly gimmicky circular touch remote, Cambridge Audio has (thankfully) gone back to basics with the L/R S’s remote. It’s a standard long remote with an equally standard layout. You’ve got play/pause, volume controls, EQ controls, and playback controls.
All very simple — but that’s what the L/R S are all about. They’re designed to let their quality speak for itself.
Cambridge Audio L/R S review: Audio quality
To test the Cambridge Audio L/R S, I listened to a range of genres on Qobuz, our best music streaming service for audiophiles. I tested over both USB-C and Bluetooth.
I listened to “Getaway” by Fcukers, an electronic trip-hop-inspired track built over a cello riff, twinkling piano notes, and breathy female vocals. The tambourine shimmered gently at the back of the soundscape, allowing the string motifs to take centre stage without overpowering them. The bassline was controlled, tight, and balanced, and the space-gun sound effects tied everything together nicely. This song sounded great.
Next, I played “The Sickness in You and I” by Muse. This heavier rock track boasts crunchy nostalgic riffs and some fantastic stereo imaging. This song was an immersive marvel; when the percussion comes in on the left speaker with the guitars teeming across the soundscape, I wanted to replay it over and over. Despite being compact speakers, the stereo imaging of the L/R S is utterly excellent. If you listen to a lot of music mastered for stereo, these speakers will definitely get the best from your tunes.
Last, I played “Never Get Enough” by Lianne La Havas, a track with acoustic verses and intense choruses. The speakers handled the change in bass well; the clarity of the acoustic guitar and La Havas’s voice was a standout in the verse, while the insistent bass came through well in the chorus.
Although most genres sounded excellent, I did wish for something more. The treble is clear, and there’s a surprising amount of bass for such small speakers. However, the mids aren’t as energetic as I personally like in speakers. Tracks sound balanced and clean, but they’re missing some vivaciousness and propulsiveness in the lower midrange. Don’t get me wrong — they still sound good, and you should still seriously consider them if you want immersive speakers with fantastic spatial imaging. But they didn’t pull at my heartstrings like other speakers have done in the past.
Cambridge Audio L/R S review: Verdict
The Cambridge Audio L/R S are fantastic speakers. If you want a pair of home speakers that’ll make your music sound delectable, clear, and balanced, look no further. Even better if you value immersive spatial imaging above all else — these speakers will seriously impress you in that area.
The only thing holding the speakers back is a lack of oomph in the lower mids. For compact speakers, you can’t really expect perfection, though, and the L/R S still sound charming. If you need reliable, balanced speakers for your desk, turntable, TV, or anything in between, they’ll do you proud.
At $549/£399, they’re not exactly the cheapest speakers on the market, so I’d recommend only getting them if you’re serious about leveling up your home listening experience. But what a listening experience it would be.
