Argon Audio Forus 4 Bookshelf Speaker, Walnut (Pair)

The Argon Audio Forus 4 is a passive 2-way bookshelf speaker with a 4-inch paper cone and a rear bass reflex port, connected to an amplifier via gold-plated screw terminals.

The Walnut version is the sociable one of the three. Warm wood-effect finish, narrow front, magnetic grille – a speaker that looks like it's always stood next to the turntable and bookshelf.

Why the Forus 4 in Walnut?

Acoustically it's identical to its siblings: a 4-inch paper cone for bass and midrange, a 0.75-inch silk soft dome for the highs, crossover at 2900 Hz, frequency range 60 to 20,000 Hz. The difference is in the living room: the walnut wood-effect finish softens the technical edge and turns a piece of equipment into a piece of furniture nobody needs to hide.

What you get

An honest little speaker that doesn't pretend to be more than it is. Voices sit central and clear, the bass reaches surprisingly far down for chamber music, jazz and moderately loud pop music. It's powered by the amplifier of your choice – integrated amplifier, streaming amplifier or AV receiver. A wall mount is already built into the cabinet, rubber feet are included, and a subwoofer can always be added later.

Who is the Forus 4 Walnut suited for – and who isn't it for?

Straight talk: if you expect solid wood, you'll need to step up two price brackets – here it's cleanly finished MDF with a walnut wood-effect finish, and acoustically that's more of an advantage than a compromise. If you need party volume in a big room, you're better served by larger drivers. But if you want a compact, warmly furnished listening corner where the system doesn't look like a technical department, there's a lot of speaker here for very little space.

Our verdict

The Forus 4 in Walnut is proof that entry-level hi-fi doesn't have to sound or look like plastic. Which amplifier fits, whether it's shelf, stand or wall, and what your turntable has to say about it: tell us about your room. HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, 044 680 22 00 or WhatsApp 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls).

Technical data

• Type: Passive 2-way bookshelf speaker
• Cabinet principle: Bass reflex, port on the back
• Tweeter: 0.75″ silk soft dome with neodymium magnet
• Woofer/midrange: 4″ paper cone
• Frequency range: 60–20,000 Hz (± 3 dB)
• Impedance: 4 Ω
• Sensitivity: 85 dB
• Crossover frequency: 2900 Hz
• Connections: gold-plated binding posts, single-wire
• Wall mounting: integrated wall mount on the back
• Cabinet: MDF, magnetic front grille
• Finish: Walnut wood-effect
• Dimensions (W × H × D): 14.8 × 23.9 × 18.9 cm
• Weight: 2.5 kg per unit
• Sales unit: Pair
• Included: 2 speakers, magnetic front grilles, rubber feet

Frequently asked questions

Is the Argon Forus 4 active or passive?

Passive. The Forus 4 has neither a power amp nor streaming on board and therefore needs an amplifier or receiver in front of it. In return, it runs on any normal speaker terminal and can be freely combined with the electronics you already have or are currently after.

Is the walnut finish real wood?

It's an MDF cabinet with a walnut wood-effect finish, not solid wood. Acoustically that's even an advantage, since MDF behaves more calmly and consistently than natural wood. Visually, the warm tone suits oak, walnut furniture and most vinyl corners.

How much wall clearance does the Forus 4 need?

Plan for around ten to twenty centimetres. The bass reflex port is on the back, so bass right against the wall quickly becomes thick and muddy. A little air behind it, angled slightly toward the listening position – usually nothing more is needed.

Does the Forus 4 suit a turntable?

Yes, provided there's a phono preamp and an amplifier between turntable and speaker. The Forus 4 plays with a midrange emphasis and an unobtrusive character, which suits analogue sources well. Make sure of a stable, decoupled placement so the cartridge doesn't pick up cabinet vibrations – on a wobbly shelf, that quickly comes back to bite you as feedback.

Why buy the Forus 4 from HD Zürisee?

Because the question rarely concerns just the speaker, but the whole chain behind it. Our experienced team works out what suits your room, your furniture and your source, delivers and installs on-site on request, and stays reachable later with our own technician.

Goes well with

To get the chain right: a matching amplifier, a speaker stand for free-standing placement, everything about vinyl for the analogue side, or an overview of the Argon Audio world.