Aretai Contra 100S Bookshelf Speaker Review

Aretai 100S Bookshelf Introduction

One of the great things about being an audio reviewer is the opportunity to attend audio shows all over the country, and sometimes even the world. You get to experience so many different systems of all shapes and sizes with varying setups and layouts. Sometimes the rooms seem to all blend together, but occasionally, you come across a setup that makes you pause, sit, and just listen. At the Florida Expo in 2023, after a long day of listening and talking to various manufacturers, I stumbled upon a room featuring Aretai Audio speakers and the excellent Viablue cables from Germany. In this review, we take a look at the Aretai Contra 100S, a 2.5-way bookshelf speaker featuring dual 6” midbass drivers and a 1.75” ring radiator tweeter housed in a custom-built waveguide horn positioned atop this unique speaker.

Upon entering the room, I was immediately greeted with a warm smile from Janis Irbe, the chief speaker designer at Aretai. What truly caught my attention was the phenomenal sound emanating from a relatively small pair of bookshelf speakers. Initially, I thought there might be a subwoofer hidden somewhere, but Janis assured me there was no additional subwoofer. Skeptical, I did the traditional subwoofer check, and to my amazement, there was indeed no subwoofer.

As I continued to listen, I noticed people coming in and out of the room, all searching for the elusive subwoofer that just wasn’t there. The speakers playing were the Aretai Contra 100S 2.5-way bookshelf speakers. The dynamic, crisp sound and expansive soundstage that filled the room was remarkable. The bass response sounded as if it were coming from a small to medium-sized tower speaker or a compact subwoofer.

I had never heard of Aretai speakers before, but as I sat there listening, I was blown away and felt like I was in the presence of a new reference product. These speakers were powered by $50,000 worth of equipment, including high-end amplifiers and a tube pre-amp. Aretai is a relatively small speaker company based in Latvia, in the Baltic region of Europe. Over the next two days, I found myself returning to their room repeatedly, simply to sit down and listen. Janis obliged me by playing a multitude of different types of music, including one of both of our favorites, Tool's "Chocolate Chip Trip."

Another aspect that truly impressed me was Janis’s incredible passion for high-end audio and sound reproduction. He proudly shared details about the design and implementation of their fantastic speaker line. Janis mentioned that he has read almost every book ever written on speaker design and acoustics, essentially teaching himself the intricacies of speaker design. He refers to his unique sound signature as the "Northern Sound," inspired by the crisp, clear northern winters prevalent in Latvia.

After spending a few hours listening with Janis, I asked if I could review them. This request led to a long journey, and eventually, it was heartbreaking to have to return them after the review period.

Aretai Contra 100S Design and Build Quality

The Contra 100S is a 2.5-way design featuring a 45mm ring radiator tweeter housed in a custom-built waveguide horn that sits on top of the speaker. This innovative design enhances high-frequency dispersion and minimizes distortion. The speaker also includes two 150mm drivers: one front-firing, dedicated to midrange and bass frequencies, and the other rear-firing, handling only the lower frequencies to enhance the system's bass response.

These speakers are substantial, with an immediately noticeable build quality that ranks among the best available. The Contra 100S is a very heavy bookshelf speaker, and I noticed zero resonance during playback, a testament to its robust construction. The rear of the speaker features high-quality, well-built speaker binding posts connected to a custom hand build crossover.

With an efficiency of 87dB and a nominal impedance of 4 ohms, the Contra 100S requires a quality amplifier to perform optimally, but Aretai claims them to be “Tube Friendly”.  I recommend a minimum of 70 to 80 watts of power, but these speakers will deliver their best performance with much more powerful amplifiers. The waveguide atop the speaker, which houses the tweeter, is an unconventional design with an interesting, somewhat contemporary look that won the prestigious Red Dot Award for industrial design. The review pair I had were finished in black matte with a white waveguide on top, which my girlfriend lovingly called "Mickey Mouse speakers." I appreciated the design, finding it fit well into a variety of environments without drawing too much attention—that is, until you turn them on and start listening. That's when the real magic begins.

Editorial Note regarding "tube-friendly" positioning that applies to all Contra collection speakers 

It's about the gentle impedance plot. The minimum impedance of the Contra 100S is 3.6 ohms within the 20–100 Hz range, and it increases above that, so they aren't overloading the load-sensitive transformers of valve amps. This is especially important in the upper midrange, where some competitors' products can have impedance dips as low as 2 ohms, leading to unnecessary distortion in amplifiers. And you're right: the Contra 100S needs at least 100 watts to unleash its full dynamic potential; having at least 150 watts is even better.

--Jānis Irbe - Aretai Founder, CEO

Aretai Contra 100S System Setup

I have stated in previous reviews that I am very fortunate to have multiple listening environments to test speakers. From a small desktop setup in my acoustically treated office/studio, a medium sized Master Bedroom to a large, cavernous family-type room, this really helps me understand how speakers sound in different environments and relay this info to the reader. Here is a detailed account of how I tested the Aretai Contra 100S speakers. As we all know that a speaker’s placement relative to the back wall can greatly affect its bass performance. In my office, the speakers were set approximately 10 inches from the back wall and about 35 inches from my listening position, acting somewhat as studio monitors. In my larger two-channel listening area, the speakers were placed about 2.5 feet from the back wall, which significantly affected their bass performance.

Aretai Contra 100S Desktop Listening Session

For the initial listening session, I set up the Contra 100S speakers on my desktop stands in my acoustically treated office. I used the Cambridge Audio Evo 150 streaming amp, connected via USB directly to my computer, and streamed music through Qobuz. I did not use a subwoofer during this session, allowing the speakers to perform full range, which was an ideal way to see how much low-end they could handle on their own.

I started with "Differently" by Marian Hill, a track known for its prestigious bass and dynamic arrangement. The Contra 100S delivered a surprising amount of bass for a bookshelf speaker. The depth and richness of the bass filled the room, making the speakers sound like much larger floor standers. The basslines were deep but controlled, though being close to the wall slightly exaggerated the low end, creating a bass-heavy response. However, after toeing the speakers in about 15 degrees toward my listening position, and moving them slightly away from the back wall, the soundstage widened, and the imaging became incredibly precise, almost like listening through high-end studio monitors.

Switching to Chris Stapleton’s "Death Row" from his Traveler album, I immediately noticed the warmth and authority of the Contra 100S’s midrange. Stapleton’s raspy, soulful voice was projected perfectly in the center of the soundstage, with each note carrying the weight of emotion. The guitar strums were rich and well-defined, with just the right amount of resonance and decay. As I slowly increased the volume, I was impressed by the speaker’s ability to handle dynamic shifts without losing detail or balance. The bass guitar was thick but never overbearing, maintaining a natural presentation even at higher volumes. I did find that reducing the bass slightly with tone controls helped tame the extra low-end energy caused by the close wall placement, resulting in a more neutral and refined sound.

   

I finished this session with "Shape of My Heart" by Sting, as covered by Sing and String Affair. This track is full of layered vocals and intricate arrangements, and the Contra 100S made each layer crystal clear. I could hear the singers’ breaths between phrases, and the interplay between the lead and background vocals was presented with such clarity and separation that I felt immersed in the performance. The imaging was spot on, placing each instrument and vocal line exactly where it should be in the stereo field, making it one of the best representations of this track I’ve heard from any bookshelf speaker.

Aretai Contra 100S 2CH Room Listening Session

For the second session, I moved the Contra 100S speakers to a larger two-channel room setup, pairing them with the Naim Uniti Star. I placed the speakers about 2 feet from the rear wall and slightly toed them in, which opened up the soundstage considerably. This setup allowed me to push the speakers harder and see how they handled larger room acoustics without the reinforcement of nearby walls.

I began with Alanis Morissette’s "You Oughta Know" from her Jagged Little Pill Acoustic album. This track is filled with emotion, and the Contra 100S captured every nuance of Morissette’s voice. The clarity in the upper midrange was breathtaking, with her raw, gritty vocals filling the room. As the track progressed, the cymbal crashes were airy and detailed, while the bass guitar had a nice thump without being overpowering. In this larger space, the bass response felt tighter and more controlled than in my office, offering a more accurate representation of the lower frequencies. The separation between instruments was fantastic, and the overall presentation was dynamic, yet smooth.

 

Next, I played Marcin’s cover of Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams." This track is a great test for imaging and detail, with its eerie guitar lines and complex sound textures. The Contra 100S reproduced the guitar tone with a haunting realism, and each note decayed beautifully, leaving a sense of air and space around it. The depth of the soundstage was remarkable; I could clearly discern layers within the mix, with Marcin’s guitar floating in the center while other elements were placed farther back. The speaker’s tweeter shone here, providing all the high-frequency sparkle and detail I could ask for, without any harshness or sibilance. The speakers seemed to disappear, leaving just the music floating effortlessly in the room.

Aretai Contra 100S Home Theater Listening Session

For the third session, I connected the Contra 100S speakers to my NAD T778 surround amplifier, replacing my usual Focal Kanta No.2 speakers in a 5.1.4 surround setup. I spent time calibrating and level-matching the Contra 100S with the rest of my system, including dual SVS subwoofers, and the results were impressive.

I started by streaming Pink Floyd’s "Time" from the Dark Side of the Moon 50th Anniversary edition in spatial audio. The track’s grand soundstage and immersive details were reproduced with remarkable precision. As the iconic clocks and alarms rang out, the Contra 100S handled the complex dynamics of the piece with grace. The highs were crisp but never fatiguing, and the midrange was rich and engaging, giving each element of the song a clear place in the mix. When the bass kicked in, it was punchy and tight, though the subwoofers filled in the lowest octave with authority. Even in this larger surround sound setup, the Contra 100S continued to shine as the main speakers, proving that they can deliver even in multi-channel environments.

 

Switching to two-channel mode with the SVS subs engaged, I played "1000 Shards of Heaven" by Lunatic Soul. This track has a slow, atmospheric build-up with haunting vocals and delicate instrumentation, which the Contra 100S handled with finesse. As the song progressed toward its climactic electronic beat, the speakers kept up with the fast-paced, rhythmic shifts without losing detail or clarity. The integration with the subwoofers was seamless, with the Contra 100S delivering an immersive, full-range experience that felt effortless. The soundstage was massive, and every element of the track—from the deep bass to the soaring highs—was conveyed with a sense of realism that made me feel like I was inside the music.

Aretai Contra 100S Speaker Conclusion

In full disclosure, after I picked up the speakers for review, Janis and I broke bread and enjoyed a wonderful meal while watching a flamenco dance show at the world-famous Columbia Spanish restaurant in Tampa. During this experience, I really got a chance to get to know this passionate and intelligent man, and his absolute commitment to music and its playback science.

Now with a smile, I told him this personal time hanging out would not hold sway on my review, and with a smile back, he told me he would expect no less.

I had these speakers for over a year, so I really had the chance to play them with just about every possible type of music, and I’ll say this: If you are willing to spend the time to find the proper positioning along with investing in the right amplifier, the Contra 100S will reward you with exceptional sound that literally transcends all genres and delivers the high-end goods. These speakers compete right alongside other high-end bookshelf offerings from bigger and more established brands. They offer solid build quality, crystal-clear midrange, beautiful extended highs, and more usable bass output than any similarly sized passive bookshelf speaker I have yet to hear. From classical to electronic, the Aretai Contra 100S will truly deliver the goods.

Regardless of the great sound quality, there are a couple of considerations to keep in mind with this speaker. The price—$9,900 per pair for a bookshelf speaker—is a significant ask, especially when there are incredible tower speakers available that will play much louder and give you fullrange sound in larger rooms, such as the Arendal Sound 1528 Tower 8, the Paradigm Founder 120H, or even the Perlisten R5t, which are $1,000+ less! If you prefer to stick with the bookshelf form factor, you should also take a hard look at the Perlisten S4b (MSRP: $7,995/pair) or the new Arendal Sound 1528 Monitor 8 ($5,900/pair) as less costly alternatives.

When Gene first saw the Aretai Contra 100S, the white waveguide reminded him of the old scratch collars used on pets back in the day to prevent them from scratching their ears. While the aesthetic may be off-putting to some, I think they look cool and I think Gene warmed up to their look after he heard them at the show.

Setting price aside, if you're in the market for exceptional high-end bookshelf speakers and have the budget, and dig their look, the Aretai Contra 100S should be at the top of your audition list.

The Score Card

The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:

Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating

Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.

Audioholics Rating Scale

• — Excellent
• — Very Good
• — Good
• — Fair
• — Poor

Metric	Rating
Build Quality
Appearance
Treble Extension
Treble Smoothness
Midrange Accuracy
Bass Extension
Bass Accuracy
Imaging
Dynamic Range
Fit and Finish
Performance
Value