The Frida from SV-Audio by Storgaard & Vestskov had already astonished me at the 2024 Hamburg HiFi Days to such an extent that I lingered in the Danes’ room for a long time, listening intently to their presentation. This loudspeaker so clearly defied its physical size that it was impossible not to be captivated. Now, this precious creation from Bornholm has finally found its way into my home.

For seasoned hi-fi veterans like myself, moments of inpiration at trade shows and exhibitions have become increasingly rare. And I don’t mean this as a comment on my fading state of mind, but rather on how seldom genuine innovations appear that can still excite me. After all, how often can this industry reinvent the wheel? But when I least expected it at the beginning of 2024 during the Hamburg HiFi Days I was completely swept away by the debut of Storgaard & Vestskov. As a Northerner, this annual event at the start of the year feels like a home game, a must-attend tradition, and I know all the regular exhibitors well. Yet these likeable Danes were new to me: Storgaard & Vestskov.

Being attuned to analog, tube amplifiers, and high-efficiency loudspeakers, standmount loudspeakers with only moderate sensitivity don’t typically fall into my hunting grounds. But what had already fascinated me just by strolling past and taking a first brief listen I had reported in my coverage of the 2024 North German HiFi Days: “This young company presented their two loudspeakers, ‘Frida’ and ‘Gro,’ of which the smaller two-way model was playing and left a lasting impression on me. Frida sounded extraordinarily lively, with the music detaching itself beautifully from the loudspeakers, rendering them acoustically almost invisible. They played with great clarity and neutrality, supported by surprisingly powerful, well-defined, and textured bass. When I asked whether a hidden subwoofer was helping out somewhere, the answer was no, and as everyone knows, Danes don’t lie! (Danes don’t lie” is a reference to the song “Dänen lügen nicht” performed by German comedian Otto Waalkes (recorded c. 1976) and a series of ads, that Dynaudio booked in many magazines later on) Very impressive, especially considering that repurposed hotel rooms usually present particularly difficult acoustic conditions.”