Ø Audio Frigg 02 loudspeakers

This review of the Ø Audio Frigg 02 floor-standing loudspeakers from Ø Audio of Norway came with a request from Clement: he wanted me to set them up and break them in at our place, and he would review them here. No problem, since we live within walking distance of one another. Due to recent medical issues requiring surgery, my wife, Robin, was tasked with lifting each of the 66 lb Frigg 02s.

The Ø Audio Frigg 02s were delivered on a pallet, freed, and brought inside our building by the driver. Robin and I unboxed and installed the footers on the bottom of each floor stander. The Frigg’s high-quality metal feet are well-designed, and a review or video I skimmed stated they were, in fact, adjustable. Suspect, I did an internet search, and the subsequent “AI Overview” confirmed that the feet were indeed adjustable and provided detailed information on how they worked.

Skeptical, and on doctor’s orders not to lift more than 5 pounds, I carefully lowered a speaker onto a sofa cushion. Nope, the feet were not adjustable. To confirm, I spoke first with Mike at the HiFi Loft in Manhattan, who recommended I reach out to Jessie Luna at Harmonia Distribution. Luna said they were not adjustable, adding that a height-adjustable version is in the works and will be released soon, to retrofit the Frigg 02 and other models. Yep, I’ve found that AI lies quite often.

Lucky for me, we had previously connected the Ø Audio Frigg 02s to my Opera 40wpc Opera Consonance M100SE tube integrated, using an Auris BluMe Pro Bluetooth receiver as a source during the break-in period, which commenced days after another hospital overnight visit. The Frigg’s 90 dB sensitivity pairs well with the 40 WPC integrated.  I would soon learn that such choices aren’t so simple.

Not long after, the family arrived to stay for a few days, during which we listened to the Ø Audio Frigg 02 floorstanders. None of us cared for how the speakers were presenting bass information, feeling the Ø Audio Frigg 02s were polite, with the low-end sounding somewhat disconnected and bass-heavy. A couple of weeks later, I shared that opinion with Clement by text while continuing to use the tube for a break-in. Because the Ø Audio Frigg 02s weren’t mine to review, I spent little time in the sweet spot, opting to sit way off-axis at the computer and do other things during break-in.

Unexpectedly, Clement and a friend dropped in days later to listen to both the Ø Audio Frigg 02s and another set of speakers. Concerned that the audio signal wasn’t dimensional or involving enough, Clement devised a way to connect the integrated to the Memory Player, which was sitting 17 feet away. The musical presentation sounded much better, and the guys liked what they heard from the Ø Audio Friggs, praising the transparency. I, sitting off-axis as they listened, still thought the speakers lacked energy and bass control. A few weeks later, Clement texted that both he and John Hébert, jazz bassist and audio-loving friend, were coming over for a listen. Better now after surgery, I connected the Ø Audio Frigg 02s to my primary system for the first time, with the Memory Player as the primary source and my solid-state, Class-AB amp providing the muscle.

I had just begun playing music from the rig, while still straightening up a bit, when John buzzed for entry. After marveling at the Ø Audio Frigg 02’s styling, John asked me what I thought of them. I cautiously relayed my previous thoughts. It was then that pizza arrived, as did Clement. When it comes to having both company and pizza here, our dogs turn into absolute maniacs!

With my visitors listening, I managed both the pizza and the pups. After eating and a bit more listening, one thing was clear: the presentation of the Frigg 02s had drastically changed. GONE WERE THE DISCONNECTED LOWS, which allowed the Frigg’s tweeters and midranges to shine through. While my tube integrated might have been fine for break-in, it was clearly the wrong choice for listening. My SBS S2 Pro power amp delivers 125wpc Class AB balanced power. The Frigg 02s needed an amplifier with more power and better damping. What a difference! I asked Clement if I could write a review of the Ø Audio Frigg 02s, and he agreed.

The Ø Audio Frigg 02 has the same high damping factor as my SBS S2 Pro solid-state Class AB power amplifier, >100 at 1kHz (some high-end amplifiers can exceed 200). High damping ensures the speaker’s bass output is tight and well-controlled. There are no published specs for the damping in the Consonance M100SE tube amp, but 10-20 is typical for a tube amp due to its higher output impedance.

The Ø Audio Frigg 02’s

The Ø Audio Frigg 02 is a 3-way bass-reflex design with a floor-vented port. SEAS, also of Norway, made all three drivers for Ø Audio for their proprietary use on this model. The TeXtreme® Spread Tow carbon fiber Metamodal 1-inch TPCD Dome tweeter with DXT-lens waveguide is exceptionally stiff, lightweight, and well-damped, mounted in its specially designed waveguide. The hand-coated 7-inch paper-cone midrange driver uses a titanium former for its voice coil, and its rear wave travels through the rear 2.5-inch x 7-inch vent near the top of the cabinet’s rear panel, enhancing this speaker’s performance. The speaker’s 8.66-inch woofer is also a hand-coated paper-cone driver that uses a titanium former for its voice coil. Titanium offers high stiffness, low damping, and medium conductivity compared to aluminum, which can introduce distortion.

The Ø Audio Frigg 02 boasts a frequency range of 29Hz – 30kHz, a sensitivity of 90dB, and an impedance of 8 ohms (minimum 3.8 ohms). Its crossover is a hybrid low-order crossover, assembled using very high-quality parts. Its enclosure is a resonance-free, strategically damped, and braced sandwich design. This speaker is available in four finishes: Arctic White Matte, Fenrir Black Matte, Dark Nordic Oak, or Light Nordic Oak.

This Ø Audio Frigg 02 review pair features asymmetrical cabinets finished in matte white, with black speaker elements, black footers, and thin, magnetically mounted, black speaker grills. Minimalist in form, they make quite the impression at first glance, with their cabinets tilting back as the width tapers from bottom to top, as their top and bottom planes remain horizontal. Each cabinet is 8-9/16 inches wide at the top and 10-5/8 inches wide at the bottom, and 12-9/16 inches deep. Each cabinet has feet that extend away from the cabinet and are user-installed in pre-drilled holes on the bottom of each speaker.

The attention to detail in this build is impressive. This pair, in Ø Audio’s matte white painted finish, features a recessed front Ø Audio logo that is elegant and barely visible. I assume it’s the same in the painted black matte finish. The cabinet’s front vertical edges are more rounded than all other edges. The veneered versions have straight cabinet lines and black front logos.

Turning attention to the cabinet rear, the metal lower panel cover is printed with the logo above what appear to be substantial binding posts, a design I’ve not seen before. Each cabinet features a fabric-covered rear midrange vent near the top. Each cabinet features a bottom-firing bass reflex port that’s “tuned for both low-end extension and a dynamic bass sound,” according to the manufacturer’s white paper.

Reaching out to the distributor, Harmonia Distribution, I asked for the designer’s thoughts on the top rear midrange vent, to which they replied, “With the rear vent, we are guiding all the backfiring energy of the midrange driver through a carefully dampened channel and out to the rear. This helps us get rid of a lot of the problems associated with midranges in closed chambers with standing waves and lots of sound coming back out through the midrange cone. The final result in sound quality is hugely improved in regards to openness, naturalness, and musicality.” These observations are, indeed, accurate.

Ø Audio, in Their Own Words

From the Harmonia Distribution site: “Ø Audio was founded in 2017 by Sveinung Mala and Jonathan Magnus Cook, and quickly became known for the Icon, a two-way floorstander with horn driver and 12” woofer in an asymmetrical cabinet. It garnered multiple awards, a vindication of its “anti-commercial” ethos, which prioritizes sound quality and innovation over vanilla mass-market appeal.

In 2021, Ø Audio expanded its line-up and grew the company with a plan to conquer the global market, adding to the team and making significant infrastructure investments. Ø Audio has a close partnership with nearby SEAS Drivers, which has pushed the company to make very special custom drivers for its designs.

[Ø Audio delivers] “The best of Norwegian design and manufacturing with custom drivers, linear horns, and groundbreaking asymmetrical cabinets.”

Crossover Design

Quoting the white paper again, “we choose the solution that offers the best sonic outcome, using the fewest components possible – but never at the expense of performance. FRIGG 02 uses a proprietary crossover network topology optimized through both measurement and listening. Its low-order design ensures minimal phase shift and seamless driver integration, all while sounding effortless. The filter topology has a low-order electrical characteristic, but with elliptical acoustic performance. High-grade components are selected for transparency, longevity, and sonic integrity.

Listening

With a play of Anat Cohen’s “Quartetinho” (2022 Anzic Records), I heard a low-frequency bass response that had wholly changed from what I heard when using the tube integrated ­— It was far more balanced and harmonious, allowing the delicacy of the tweeter and midrange to glow (not at all disconnected as before). The presentation of the first three tracks from this album was lovely, with ample stage depth and locked-in imaging. Cohen’s clarinet sounded ever more real and wooden, and the percussive transients possessed speed and drive, along with an urgency in the lower frequencies, demanding to be heard.

I stopped to reposition the Ø Audio Frigg 02s, pushing them farther apart and moving the Double Impacts farther back and away from the outside. I also rotated each to see a bit more of each speaker’s inside face – the presentation widened noticeably. There was palpable realism to the drum skins, as well as the clicks, pops, and rimshots, and the Frigg 02s’ very spatial tonal balance and cohesiveness were excellent.

On Goods and Lu’s “Water/H2O” (feat. Sy Smith), from “Connected Vol. 1” (2023 RichMan Music), the bass was authoritative, deep, dynamic, and very tight, while the marimba work was 3-dimensional, hopping across the stage and panning side to side. The bowed bass, the extended depth and width of the soundstage, and the accompanying vocals delivered an engaging, lyrical musical moment. The drums’ weight rang with impact and power. The marimba strikes were very woody as they floated about in this interlude. This track can easily oversaturate and compress when played on lesser systems and through lesser speakers. The Ø Audio Frigg 02s did a masterful job dissecting the various elements herein, presenting them in full color, with dynamics, transients, and nuance intact.

Shelby Lynn’s “Just A Little Lovin’,” the title track from her album of the same name (2008, Lost Highway Records), was magical in its focus, spaciousness, intimacy, and tonal balance. Lynn’s luscious vocal captivates from the first syllable uttered. Beginning with “Gone Fishin’,” from Cardello’s 2025 formal debut, “Chapter One” (JazzBird Records), this album was a bass-forward beauty. From track to track, the ease, grace, and fluidity with which Cardello played was oh, so listenable. The rhythm section dove-tailed nicely as Carbello wove his keyboard spell, with a relaxed Evans-like feel, resulting in a wonderfully tight trio synergy. It’s going to be fun following his efforts over the years to come.

A play of the track “Take Five” from the Dave Brubeck Trio’s 1959 Columbia classic “Time Out” on the 32-bit Memory Player revealed a stunning stage presence, with more depth and dynamics than I’ve previously heard here at home.  As the bass drum entered, my gaze darted to where it appeared in a far more complex stereo image. Rhythmic drive and dynamics were also very well presented by the Ø Audio Frigg 02 floor standers. Over the following few tracks, I experienced both joy and near-disbelief at the whole cloth of musicality being delivered so effortlessly. While my Tekton Double Impacts do an impressive job at presenting dynamics and mid-range well, there was so much more there, from this, the Ø Audio brand’s point of entry model! While that shouldn’t be surprising for a speaker five times the price of my DI floorstanders, the Frigg 02s are notably shorter and smaller, yet delivering so much more of the complete audio picture that I found it nothing short of remarkable.

The Wrap

What a surprise the Ø Audio Frigg 02 proved to be: from those early days of break-in with the wrong amp to days of listening with my solid-state Class AB amp, the Frigg 02 proved itself a fantastic introduction to the Ø Audio line, where many would be pretty happy to end their search. The Frigg 02 is one pick you’ll see in my Most Wanted Components list as 2024 comes to a close. Very highly recommended!

Second Opinion

I was delighted to have had the chance to hear the Ø Audio Frigg 02 for the first time in a very familiar space: Greg Voth’s system. Only weeks prior, my good friend Oliver Solomon boasted that their larger Ø Audio Icon model was the best loudspeaker he’d ever owned (and he’d had plenty). Incredulously, I went over to Oliver’s home to hear them for myself and had to agree. The Ø Audio Icons are pretty amazing in how they remain neutrally balanced across all frequencies while delivering an expansive soundstage with a low-end you can feel. Moreover, they impart zero horn colorations.

Serendipity occurred when Ø Audio PR rep Bill Leebens asked if I would be interested in reviewing the Ø Audio Frigg 02s. Of course, I felt honored to have had the chance to have a pair on hand. Unfortunately, due to my other obligations, I wanted them dropped off at Greg’s place first for burn-in and side-by-side comparisons to other excellent and affordable loudspeakers, namely the Tekton Double Impacts (which remain Greg’s reference).

There was no question that, upon first blush, the sound was slow and lethargic.  My first thought was “they don’t sound like their bigger brothers in the Ø Audio Icons.” But then again, burn-in was still many hours from completion. I left only to return a week or so later and find that Greg had switched to SBS Design’s S2 Pro solid-state stereo amplifier (reviewed here). For those who don’t follow the crowd, the S2 Pro is swift, dynamic, and powerful. When Greg mentioned he switched amps, I invited myself over again, but this time our man John Heb’ert joined us. 

What a difference a day makes. I took the sweet spot first just to be sure the sound was better than on the first visit. It was vastly different. In the next moment, I confidently invited John to take the sweet spot. John’s a world-class musician and plays the bass. Whenever he hears it done right, he gets fired up. After only a few minutes of listening to We Got By by David Murray and featuring Kem, John let out a big, sly smile. I was thinking to myself, while sitting right beside John, that I had never heard a loudspeaker sound this open and transparent in this huge loft space. Ironically, the Ø Audio Frigg 02s look about half the size of the Tekton Double Impacts but delivered a bigger, more three-dimensional soundstage. John and I just looked at each other and shook our heads. Wow, these little Ø Audio Frigg 02s are the real deal. 

To be sure, we asked Greg to swap out the Ø Audio Frigg 02s and hook up the Tekton Double Impacts. He agreed, and it took all of two minutes. The Tekton Double Impacts have proven themselves worthy transducers here at Stereo Times over the past 7 years. They are beloved around these parts for their unusually high price/performance ratio. Going up against much more expensive loudspeakers never intimidated this brand. Going up against the Ø Audio Frigg 02s proved enlightening, however. As good as the Tektons sounded in Greg’s loft space, the Ø Audio Frigg 02s seemed to enjoy it even more. The bass from the Ø Audio Frigg 02s seemed both smoother and faster, while its pitch sounded more authentic. Both John and I sat there slack-jawed. The Ø Audio Frigg 02s’ soundstage is very different from the Tekton Double Impacts’. While the soundstage on the Tektons is outstanding, it doesn’t quite match the layering of the Ø Audio Frigg 02s. I think the Tekton Double Impacts cost about $3k today, which keeps them near the top in the price/performance category. The Ø Audio Frigg 02s retail for $15k, which makes them far from affordable. That being said, I find the Ø Audio Frigg 02s perform way beyond their asking price. What I detect they do in terms of authenticity of tonality and soundstage capability, with excellent low-end performance, makes them a brand to keep a close eye on.  

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Specifications: Product reviewed: The Ø Audio Frigg 02 floorstanding speaker
Price: $15,000/pr.US
Manufacturer (Head office)
Ø Audio
Askerveien 61      
Asker 1384
Norway
https://www.oaudio.no
post@oaudio.no
+47 35 55 44 48

Distributor:
Harmonia Distribution
1712 Corrigan Court
La Verne, CA, 91750
https://www.harmoniadistribution.com
(909) 931-0219

Technical specifications:
Construction: 3-way Hybrid Low Order
Sensitivity: 90 dB
Impedance: 8 ohms (minimum 3.8 ohms)
Frequency Range: 29 Hz – 30 kHz
Tweeter: Metamodal TPCD Dome with DXT-lens
Midrange: 180mm hand-coated paper cone (titanium former)
Woofer: 220mm hand-coated paper cone (titanium former)
Crossover: Hybrid low-pass filter
Bass Reflex: Bottom-firing port
Dimensions: 98.5 x 21 x 34 cm (H x W x D), 37 cm width with feet
Weight: 30 kg

Design and features:
The cabinet is a resonance-free design with internal bracing to minimize mechanical and acoustic resonances.
High-quality metal feet help decouple the speakers from the floor.
The bottom-firing bass-reflex port is designed to distribute bass energy throughout the room.
The tweeter uses a unique Metamodal Spread Tow Carbon Fiber (TPCD) design to reduce unwanted resonances.
The drivers are a collaborative effort between Ø Audio and SEAS engineers.
The speaker is available in four finishes.