In a positive sense, the Verona NEO sounds different from most other heavyweights: it forms a powerful, large-format sound foundation that even sub-chassis fans will get their money’s worth.

I sometimes joke about how audio designers create products that resemble themselves, not just in how they look, but also in the design approach used, and especially the way they sound.

The latest creation from the Swabian luxury manufacturer Acoustic Signature is called Verona NEO. It’s a mass-produced drive unit that has a completly unpretentious, classic look, doesn’t flaunt its technology and yet is a (sensitive) powerhouse that outclasses most of what our author has heard so far.