The Kayak

"The Kayaks are... Amazing."

"... the Role Audio Kayaks ... are still among my favorite desktop speakers, and I often choose them over my more expensive Aerial Model 5 ($2,200/pair) speakers."
(Steven Stone, Reviewer)

Shown: natural birch
Dimensions: 8 X 5.5 X 6.5 inches, 20 X 14 X 17 cm
Frequency response: 65Hz - 20kHz
Sensitivity: 66 dB 1 watt/m

Prices below are for a pair of Kayaks

Price
satin black: $795
red birch and black:$ 895

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED

"The speakers disappear more completely than any mini-monitor I've
heard in recent memory. ... the speakers are literally invisible."
Ed Kobesky, Positive Feedback Online

"It wasn’t just the speakers that seemed to vanish, I vanished - everything seemed to vanish...There was only the music, and that friend is a real treat."
"The Kayak doesn’t sound like a small speaker..."
Review by Russ Gates of Stereo Mojo

"... the Role Audio Kayaks ... are still among my favorite desktop speakers, and I often choose them over my more expensive Aerial Model 5 ($2,200/pair) speakers."
Steven Stone, Reviewer

"The Role Audio Kayak speakers are masterpieces! Fantastic mid and high range clarity with beautiful balance of sound that contains no harshness of any kind!" 
David Friesen - Jazz bassist/composer/educator

"...the Kayak is impressively designed, assembled & outfitted." 
(M.L. Gneier, tnt-audio.com, Italy)

"...the Role Audio Kayaks best the [BBC/Rogers] LS3/5as quite nearly across the board. When we consider that the final version of the BBC monitor was priced at almost $1500 the amazing value of the Kayak is fully understood." 
(M.L. Gneier, tnt-audio.com, Italy)

"Cymbals and other transients were laser-quick through the Kayaks; imaging was mesmerizing...They sound great and look great; that the Kayaks are better for the environment than their predecessors ices the cake....the “all green” version of Role's Kayak, which comes covered in a lovely birch plywood finish ... is available direct from Role for $995/pair."
Todd Whitesel Audio VIdeo Revolution's

"The Kayak is one of the most relaxed, non fatiguing speakers I’ve ever heard."
"The voicing is fantastic – the timbre and tonal balance was very natural and real."
"Male and Female vocals shine, and do I mean shine."
Russ Gates of Stereo Mojo

"For me the Role Kayak speakers are the desktop equivalent of the original ProAc Tablettes. They don't look like much, yet they are monumental miniature speakers. I've rarely heard desktop speakers that can so totally vanish while creating a seamlessly convincing soundstage."
(Steve Stone, enjoythemusic.com)

"The Kayaks are... Amazing."
David Ogden Stiers: Actor; Director; Associate Conductor Newport (Oregon) Symphony Orchestra

"... I really felt Jeffrey would prefer the Minuets for their greater oomph and kick. So I was a bit surprised that he decisively picked the Kayaks as his speakers of choice - not only over the Silverlines, but over his own Meadowlark Shearwater Hot Rods (which I believe were about $3K when he got them a decade ago). He cited the speed and detail of the midrange, which made his tracks come alive with a crispness and life that he never got with his Meadowlarks."
Bound for Sound Audio Report

"Even when placed less than two feet from my listening position a pair of Kayaks not only become sonically invisible, but they produce a humongous soundstage that rivals my reference Aerial Acoustics Model 5A. The Kayak's image also has just as much lateral precision as the Areals. But unlike the Areals, and every other speaker I've had in my desktop system, the Kayaks just vamoose." 
(Steve Stone, enjoythemusic.com)

"...the Kayak does much of what the LS3/5a is reputed to, yet with better midrange dynamics than I remember hearing from my old Rogers pair and certainly improved transient response. They're also exactly $1000 less expensive than the celebrated, current-production LS3/5a V2 from Stirling Broadcast."
Ed Kobesky, Positive Feedback Online

"...I was completely captivated by the Kayaks. Once you hear the Kayak speaker in nearfield environment you may flip out..."
(Steve Stone, enjoythemusic.com, 9/05)

"I was doing some work on my computer when the sound of the Adagio-Allegro wafted down the hallway and into my office. The sound of the strings, the very music, was breathing with life. I went into my listening room and was enthralled. The Kayaks capture the spirit of the baroque instruments and the sense of space superbly, for a speaker of any price. Once again, truth of tone and timbre creates an emotionally stirring musical experience. Excellent..." 
(M.L. Gneier, tnt-audio.com, Italy)

"...the Kayaks do an astounding job of creating a three-dimensional depth. On my own live concert recordings even the wall reflections at the far back of the stage have realistic separation from the back row of instruments."
(Steve Stone, enjoythemusic.com)

Profile

The Kayak, like other of Role Audio loudspeakers, is designed to deliver the performance of large loudspeakers in the smallest possible design. It is so accurate that it sonically disappears at a distance of less than two feet from the listener.

Although it measures only 5.5 inches wide by 8 inches high by 6.5 inches deep the Kayak will fill any moderately sized room with accurate, full range, non-fatiguing music.

It is small and beautiful enough to place almost anywhere. And it is fully magnetically shielded so it may be placed near to CRTs. You can play loudly of softly. Either way, it will out-class the competition.

When it comes to construction, the Kayak is as high-end as it gets: From its immaculately finished acoustic suspension cabinets, which are constructed in-house for the highest quality control, to its transducers and crossover components, no cost is spared. It uses one of the finest soft dome tweeters available which is mated to an extraordinarily accurate woven carbon fiber cone woofer.