Monitor Audio testen

 BX2 Test What Hifi

Monitor Audio BR2 test in HI-FI CHOICE juni 2007
Monitor Audio BR5 test uit What Hifi? sound and vision

	Nog niet zo lang geleden kende Engeland een groot aantal luidsprekerfabrikanten. Veel daarvan zijn samengegaan of op een andere manier aan onze aandacht ontsnapt. Even dachten we ook nooit meer iets van MONITOR AUDIO te horen Het merk is echter nog volop in leven en heeft zelfs een fraaie serie luidsprekers voor het home theater.' Lees meer over de Silver 8i van MONITOR AUDIO in DVD Plus van februari / maart 2001.
	'Ze zijn klein, flexibel en bruikbaar voor zowel twee- als meer-kanaals installaties. Een actieve subwoofer zorgt voor Voelbaar Laag. De indrukwekkende 'Baby's van MONITOR AUDIO dus.' Meer over de 'Baby's in de Luidspreker test van Multi Media Totaal van januari / februari 2001.
	'MONITOR AUDIO is niet zomaar een speakerbouwer maar mag gerust een specialist genoemd worden. Een groot deel van het aparte van deze set komt op zijn conto en dit maakt de speaker een goede keus.' Aldus Jo Mullers in MusicHome van 11 november 2000. Lees meer over de Audio Silver 5i.

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Monitor Audio Silver RS 6 Speaker System
Chris Lewis, December, 2005

Quality drivers in quality cabinets equals quality sound-at a nice price.

It's easy to find your eyes dazzled, and your mind befuddled, by the outpouring of new speakers over the last few years, particularly those of the nontraditional variety. In-walls, plasma-friendly speakers, and even flat-panel speakers are all the rage with the general public. This is hardly a bad thing-anything that can get people to recognize that the speaker realm extends far beyond the two-dollar paper drivers in their televisions serves a valuable purpose. Many of these people may also come to realize that, at this point, most of these recent unconventional designs embody some degree of compromise, and they hopefully won't fall victim to the dreaded anything-that-is-new-is-better philosophy. It is true that manufacturers are getting more out of unconventional designs than ever before. But, generally speaking, the best speaker sound still comes out of old-fashioned cone drivers and dome tweeters in cabinets with the proper interior and exterior qualities, along with the proper space for them to do their work.

 With the spotlight shining elsewhere, conventional speakers have had to perform that much better, and become that much more inexpensive, to still get noticed-and the speaker buyer who still favors the traditional approach clearly benefits from this. The new Silver RS speakers from Monitor are the perfect case in point, as they enter the scene at price points that are being bombarded by ever-smaller and more aesthetically driven competition. It seems obvious to me that the top priority with the Silver RS line is sound performance, although they happen to be pleasing to the eye, as well. They may not dazzle anybody who has a preference for outlandish or rebellious appearance-but appearance isn't what speakers are supposed to be about.

I went to work on a 5.1-channel Silver RS system made up of RS 6s in front, an RS LCR in the center (which, as the name suggests, can also be used vertically for left/right applications), two RS FX surrounds, and an RS W12 subwoofer. The 2.5-way RS 6 and RS LCR each put two of Monitor's highly regarded, 6-inch C-CAM drivers into play, with one reproducing only bass and the other functioning as a midbass unit. The C-CAM drivers, which are designed and built by Monitor, use a ceramic coating applied to an aluminum/magnesium core that allows them to exploit the benefits of both substances (e.g., the rigidity of ceramics and the strength of metal). The tweeters are also C-CAM drivers that are single 1-inch domes on both the RS 6 and RS LCR. Well-placed internal bracing at critical resonance modes keeps the cabinet performance purer, and reflex ports at the front and rear of both the RS 6 and the RS LCR help reduce internal pressure that can lead to low-frequency compression. Two sets of good-quality, five-way binding posts allow for biamping or biwiring.

The RS FX uses a 6-inch C-CAM driver on its front baffle that always operates in phase and a 1-inch C-CAM dome tweeter on each of its side baffles that you can switch between dipolar and bipolar output. A low-slope, linear phase crossover helps deliver 180-degree dispersion characteristics. The RS FX's relatively lightweight and manageable dimensions, as well as the attached keyhole brackets, make for easy wall mounting.

Fairly manageable dimensions characterize the RS W12 subwoofer, as well. It is on the heavy side for its size, though, thanks to a healthy 500 rated watts of internal power, in addition to the 12-inch C-CAM woofer and the impressive motor assembly behind it. The back panel offers an adjustable crossover control (40 to 120 hertz) and a crossover-bypass switch. There's also a phase switch (0 or 180 degrees) and line-level inputs and outputs (RCA). The front panel supplies gain control and two EQ settings-one flat and the other with a 4-decibel boost.

Strong midpriced speakers deserve strong midpriced backing, so I set up the RS Silvers with a Parasound C2 pre/pro, a Sunfire Cinema Grand amplifier, and a Marantz DV8300 universal player. I set the front speakers a couple of feet out from the side and rear walls, with a slight toe-in. I then set the center channel on top of the TV, which conveniently put its drivers right around ear level in the seated position. I placed the rear speakers on the side walls, about 2 feet above ear level and approximately 120 degrees from the listening position. Finally, I placed the sub halfway along the side wall, firing to the rear.

The first thing to grab me about the RS 6s with two-channel material was their prodigious bass. It was punchy, full-bodied, and deep, but never bloated or forced. Granted, these aren't exactly bookshelf speakers, but they aren't room-dominating towers, either. Call them mini towers if you must-and be impressed that this much clean, potent bass can come from two 6-inch drivers in a cabinet this manageably sized. They knocked out the driving bass line of Sara K.'s rendition of "Brick House" (Super Audio Collection Vol. 2, Chesky) with a clear sense of authority and composure. Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" from the second Burmester collection tested both ends of the frequency range. The bass remained impressive, and the upper frequencies avoided almost all of the trappings that characterize inferior metal tweeters. They maintained their clarity and immediacy without becoming harsh or fatiguing.

Good-quality speakers usually live or die in the midrange, and, after I'd listened to the RS 6s' midrange performance, especially with high-resolution material, I found myself doing a double-take at their price. Vocals were entirely natural and full bodied, and midrange-dwelling instruments, which includes most instruments, had a presence and dimensionality that you don't often get from speakers at this price level. Whether it was blues or bluegrass, jazz or rock 'n' roll, the Silver RSs responded with a blend of effortlessness and enthusiasm that was altogether engaging. Their treatment of Ralph and Carter Stanley's magical pipes from "Angel Band" (O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, Lost Highway Records) was especially memorable, with an accuracy that was every bit the equal to much more expensive speakers.

The Silver RSs' impressive musicality continued with movie soundtracks. They developed stage dimensions that belied their physical dimensions and gave music-heavy soundtracks like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Blues Brothers, and Almost Famous ample space to work with. To the eye, the RS LCR is probably the classic definition of a medium-sized center channel. But, to the ear-and that's what really counts-it has the sound of a much bigger speaker, one that wouldn't fit as well as the RS LCR does atop a medium- or small-sized TV. Quality drivers, a quality cabinet, and a quality crossover design all contribute to the speaker's avoidance of virtually all traces of boxiness. It's highly successful at sorting out dialogue, music, and effects, as well, and resists being overwhelmed by even the densest center-channel tracks. Jake and Elwood's purposefully mundane banter in chapter 10 of The Blues Brothers had an easygoing sonic characteristic, even while police cars and a shopping mall were demolished all around them.

The RS W12 and RS FXs had their say during soundtrack demos, as well. As good as the bass was on the RS 6, the RS W12 enthusiastically took over the low-end rumble for soundtracks. Like the RS 6, The RS W12 carries a big punch in a relatively small package and does its work without resorting to boominess or monotonality. The C-CAM driver is also impressive in its 12-inch form, with a quickness and bite that lets large sonic events like explosions finish properly and then quickly reload for the next sortie. The RS FXs are agile, throwing surround effects around the room with little in the way of localization, especially in the dipole mode. Their compact size doesn't allow them to develop the largest surround field you've ever heard, but they provide more than you'd expect from their cabinet dimensions and more than enough to fill up the back of most regularly sized listening rooms.

There's no denying that speaker shopping at this price level is a daunting task these days, primarily due to the sheer number of available options. But, then again, the more options you have, the better chance you have of finding exactly what you want. Something like Monitor's Silver RSs would be a pretty good place to start. The speakers are well designed and well built, and they were clearly designed with audio performance as the top priority. It doesn't hurt that they are space friendly and manageable-and easy on the eyes, as well. They don't tout revolutionary technology or radical form; they just sound good-and that's my kind of speaker.

Highlights
• Big sound in a relatively small package
• Excellent build inside and out

At A Glance: Monitor Audio Silver RS 6 Speaker System

Subwoofer: RS W12 Connections: Line-level in, line-level out Enclosure Type: Sealed Woofer (size in inches, type): 12, aluminum/magnesium/ceramic Power Rating (watts): 500 Crossover Bypass: Yes Available Finishes: Black Oak, Rosenut, Walnut, Natural Oak, Cherrywood, Silver Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 13.2 x 13.2 x 15.2 Weight (pounds): 56 These listings are based on the manufacturer's stated specs; the HT Labs box below indicates the gear's performance on our test bench. Speaker RS 6 Type: 2.5-way tower Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1, aluminum/ceramic dome Midrange (size in inches, type): 6, aluminum/ceramic Woofer (size in inches, type): 6, aluminum/ceramic Nominal Impedance (ohms): 6 Recommended Amp Power (watts): 10-120 Available Finishes: Black Oak, Rosenut, Walnut, Natural Oak, Cherrywood Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 33.5 x 7.25 x 9.8 Weight (pounds): 40

Speaker RS LCR
Type: 2.5-way L/C/R
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 1, aluminum/ceramic dome
Midrange (size in inches, type): 6, aluminum/ceramic
Woofer (size in inches, type): 6, aluminum/ceramic
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 6
Recommended Amp Power (watts): 10-120
Available Finishes: Black Oak, Rosenut, Walnut, Natural Oak, Walnut, Natural Oak, Cherrywood, Silver
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 7.2 x 19.7 x 7.8
Weight (pounds): 18.75

Speaker RS FX
Type: Bipolar/dipolar surround
Tweeter (size in inches, type):1 (2) aluminum/ceramic dome
Midrange (size in inches, type): 6, aluminum/ceramic
Woofer (size in inches, type): 6, aluminum/ceramic 6, aluminum/ceramic
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 6
Recommended Amp Power (watts):10-100
Available Finishes: Black Oak, Rosenut, Walnut, Natural Oak, Cherrywood, Silver
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 11.5 x 11.25 x 5.2
Weight (pounds): 8.75

Ratings: Monitor Audio Silver RS 6 Speaker System
Build Quality: 94
• Significant driver quality
• Significant cabinet quality

Value: 93
• The speakers easily outperform their price tag
• Built to last

Features: 94
• Switchable bipole/dipole surrounds
• Sub has all of the controls you'll need

Performance: 93
• The speakers sound much bigger than they are
• Strong with music and movies

Ergonomics: 95
•Relatively small and manageable
• Built-in keyhole mounts on surrounds

Overall Rating: 94
There are some speaker manufacturers who truly get it, and Monitor Audio is one of them. The new Monitor Silver series picks up right where the old one left off, delivering warm, natural sound in a package that is much smaller, and much less expensive, than it sounds.

HT Labs Measures: Monitor Audio Silver RS 6 Speaker System

L/R Sensitivity: 88.5 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

 Center Sensitivity: 90 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

Surround Sensitivity: 86 dB from 500 Hz to 2 kHz

This graph shows the quasi-anechoic (employing close-miking of all woofers) frequency response of the RS 6 L/R (purple trace), RS W12 subwoofer (blue trace), RS LCR center channel (green trace), and RS FX surround (red trace). All passive loudspeakers were measured with grilles at a distance of 1 meter with a 2.83-volt input and scaled for display purposes.

The RS 6's listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/-15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.48/-2.40 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The -3-dB point is at 60 Hz, and the -6-dB point is at 52 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 5.28 ohms at 181 Hz and a phase angle of -36.27 degrees at 80 Hz.

The RS LCR's listening-window response measures +2.50/-4.32 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. An average of axial and +/-15-degree horizontal responses measures +2.67/-4.21 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The -3-dB point is at 81 Hz, and the -6-dB point is at 69 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 5.10 ohms at 3.3 kHz and a phase angle of -29.90 degrees at 2.2 kHz.

The RS FX's three-face averaged response in dipole mode measures +1.64/-4.23 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The -3-dB point is at 88 Hz, and the -6-dB point is at 75 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 3.68 ohms at 13.4 kHz and a phase angle of -49.34 degrees at 3.4 kHz.

The RS W12's close-miked response in EQ2 mode, normalized to the level at 80 Hz, indicates that the lower -3-dB point is at 59 Hz and the -6-dB point is at 48 Hz. The upper -3-dB point is at 108 Hz with the low-pass filter switch set to out.-MJP

Luister - december 2003

Indrukwekkende kleintjes.
geschreven door: Hans Goddijn

Ruim dertig jaar geleden richtte Mo Iqbal, een ingenieur uit Kenia, Minitor Audio op. Het bedrijf vestigde zich in de jaren 80 in Cambridge en later in het Britse Rayleigh.
Iqbal heeft het bedrijf inmiddels verkocht, maar de kwaliteit en betrouwbaarheid van de producten zijn nog steeds optimaal. Dat bewijst ook de nieuwe Radius serie.

Conclusie
Eén van de fijnste kanten van mijn werk is dat je ongestraft naar muziek kunt luisteren op tijden dat anderen achter saaie bureaus of dito computers zitten. En dat ‘fijne' bereikt hoogtepunten als de muziek wordt weergegeven door goede, muzikaal klinkende apparatuur en dito lidsprekers. Duidelijk is dat de Monitor Audio Radius luidsprekers, in combinatie met de uitstekende Marantz receiver en Denon speler, een échte verrassing zijn. Persoonlijk geef ik de voorkeur aan grote luidsprekers boven satellieten met een subwoofer, maar die zijn lang niet in elke huiskamer te plaatsen. En dan vormen de Radius luidsprekers een uitstekend alternatief. Daardoor heb ik, zoals vaker gebeurt, weer véél langer zitten luisteren dan verantwoord is. Negatieve aspecten heb ik in het geheel niet kunnen ontdekken. Indrukwekkend waren vooral de Radius luidsprekers, zowel wat muzikaliteit en afwerking betreft als de uitstekende prijs/kwaliteitsverhouding.

 Luister - november 2002

Verbazingwekkende Monitor Audio Bronze 2 luidsprekers.
Instapkampioen
geschreven door: Hans Goddijn

Toen in 1999 de eerste Bronze 2 van Monitor Audio werd geïntroduceeerd reageerde de vakpers enthousiast: het ‘instapniveau' had een nieuwe kampioen. Onlangs werd de nieuwe Bronze-serie gelanceerd, bestaande uit de Bronze 1, B2, B4 en de Bronze Centre voor gebruik in multichannel-luidsprekeropstellingen.

Conclusie
Na het beluisteren van genoemde CD's en SACD's kan ik niet anders dan nogmaals zeggen dat de Monitor Audio Bronze 2 een verbazingwekkende luidspreker is. Je hoort hem niet, er is geen kastklank, er is alleen muziek. En die klinkt, mede gezien de kleine afmetingen van de B2 en niet te vergeten de aantrekkelijke prijs, buitengewoon fraai. Ook voor weergave van het grotere orkestwerk is de B2 uitermate geschikt. Kritiek? Ik zou het echt niet weten, of het zou het ontbreken van spikesmoeten zijn. Bij het testen heb ik er maar even eigen spikes onder gezet om ongewenste resonanties te voorkomen. Maar voor 170 Euro kun je niet alles verlangen. Hulde en complimenten voor Monitor Audio, dat het levenswerk van Mo Iqbal op deze serieuze wijze voortzet.