With the proliferation of high-definition televisions in the home entertainment space these days, many users may be asking what else they can do to improve their home cinema experience. The next logical step is to add some high quality speakers to the mix and Tannoy's entry-level Mercury F1 Custom units are a great choice in this regard.

While for many users a home-theatre-in-a-box style package complete with speakers, receiver and DVD player will be adequate, those after a more robust and complete surround experience will want to pursue a DIY option. The Mercury F1 speakers offer brilliant audio quality and pack it into a compact frame making them ideal for those working with space constraints. The price tag is also quite low, so for those on a budget they are a perfect solution.

The speakers themselves are a simple affair. They are packaged with no accessories so do keep in mind you'll need both a receiver to connect them to and speaker wire to do this with. The system we looked at comprised of just two standard bookshelf speakers; however, the Mercury Custom range is made up of a variety of speakers in different sizes and shapes such as the large floor-standing F4s, and thus you can put together a package that fits your environment and needs, be it 2.1, 5.1 or 7.1.

As it stands, we could only review the two satellite speakers on their own, with no subwoofer or surround units to complement it, but they still performed fantastically. The bass wasn't as powerful or deep as it would be with a full surround system, but it was punchy and detailed which was great for rock and jazz music. It also decayed very quickly which gave our music a very natural feel.

The mid-range was detailed with a slightly forward presentation. It tended towards being quite neutral which is good for those after a perfectly accurate reproduction of their music, but some users may prefer a slightly coloured more fun sound. We found guitar strings had a slightly gritty, metallic sound which sounded great for rock tunes.

Meanwhile the highs were rich and sweet with great range. Separation was brilliant with all the different musical elements coming across very distinct and clear. We were impressed by the surround field created considering it was just two speakers; instrumental placement was spot on.

These are single driver units so they simply have two speaker wire connections and that's it. As with most speakers, no external power connection is required. Aesthetically, the Mercury F1s look fairly plain with a basic wood grain finish and black speaker grills. Their biggest advantage is the aforementioned size, which means they are well suited to a shelf or small, enclosed space.