M-Audio M3-6 Three-Way Active Studio Monitor

Well-designed 160W three-way active studio monitor that uses high quality drive units and exhibits really outstanding performance. In its sophisticated MF/HF design, the midrange and tweeter are mounted in-line with each other (the tweeter is actually mounted at the apex of the midrange) at precisely the same point in space. Doing so means the sound of the two drivers integrates perfectly, without the “time/arrival distortion” of conventionally-spaced drive units. Instead, the all-important midrange and treble information reaches the ears at precisely the same time, delivering the ultimate in detail and clarity. No speaker with conventionally-mounted drivers can equal the monitor’s incredibly natural, three-dimensional sound field. Kevlar is an ideal driver diaphragm material: incredibly strong, stiff and light. It is used in both 6” woofer and the 5” midrange, providing these units with an incredibly fast transient attack, excellent sensitivity and great resistance to cone flexing and resonant breakup at high power levels. The 1” woven silk dome tweeter uses Ferro-fluid voice coil cooling for added reliability at studio power levels and this tweeter imparts virtually no harshness or “listening fatigue,” as is often the case with metal dome tweeters. This is extremely important to the recording engineer who spends hours in the studio, listening to his mixes, relying on his unfatigued hearing to make subtle adjustments. Additionally, the tweeter is mounted in an integrated waveguide, which precisely focuses and directs the treble energy into the listening field, ensuring a solid and stable sonic image and minimizing the random acoustic “scatter” that would distract from properly evaluating the recording’s playback. Three individual internal amplifiers provide power to each of the three speaker elements. These amplifiers are specifically tailored to the drivers they are matched with, for smooth operation and system synergy that is virtually impossible to equal using outboard amplifiers and passive speakers. A total of 160 W of Class AB amplification empowers the monitor with ample headroom for even the loudest mixes. The carefully-selected crossover points divide the frequency spectrum into very precise bands so that each individual driver only handles the exact frequency range where it is most accurate. The powerful three-band (LF, MF, HF) EQ provides the flexibility to shape the sound to match the listening environment. The switchable low-cut filter is perfect for tailoring the monitor’s bass response for use with a subwoofer, like M-Audio’s BX Subwoofer. Pinhole-mounted blue LEDs provide an easy-to-use visual aid for perfect speaker placement. The attractive real wood-veneered baffle is chamfered at the top edges to aid in dispersion and to reduce audibly-destructive edge diffraction. The cabinet also features an optimized internal bracing to ensure that the drivers have a solid, vibration-free platform from which to launch their sound. The monitor further provides XLR and 1/4'' balanced inputs plus a RCA unbalanced input, and a rear-mounted volume and power control. Frequency response: 40 Hz - 22 kHz. Dimensions: 235 x 381 x 230 mm. Weight: 10.5 kg.