You do not know high fidelity until you have heard two speakers produce what sounds like a live performance. That effect is the lifelong goal of Vivid Audio loudspeaker designer Laurence Dickie.Though it is a British company, Vivid Audio' s futuristic-looking, pod-shaped amplifiers are crafted in a modest Durban workshop.The company has won every prize that counts in its field: Stereophile Product of the Year, AV Magazine Excellence Awards 2015, Stereo Sound Grand Prix 2012, Hi-Fi Choice UK Best High End Speaker - and the list goes on. The speakers cost upwards of R20000."Because of the design, people think that we're design-driven," said Dickie."We start by trying to make the most accurate sound reproducer possible, but I do understand the importance of design."Indeed, the distinctive curves of Vivid Audio speakers contribute to their function. "The engineering drives the shape, the curvature is important," said Dickie."It's all about purity of reproduction. Every loudspeaker has some degree of colouration. We try to keep that colouration to an absolute minimum."Colouration refers to the sound speakers emit on their own, sounds that colour or alter the music.Asked how many tries it took to perfect their speakers, Dickie hesitated to brag."We scored a pretty close hit the first time around," he said.Vivid Audio has distributors in 40 countries. Of the numerous awards and endless stream of praise that is sent his team's way, Dickie enjoys the feedback from clients the most.He said: "When it's just the ordinary guy who has bought our speakers sending an e-mail saying he enjoys listening to his records on it, that is what it is about."Visit vividaudio.com..