Updated Aug 30/10
STUDIO MONITORS
Demo models of all the speakers are in the store for your listening pleasure. General note on the watts spec - it means nothing.
Cakewalk MA-7A Stereo Reference Monitors
Black - $129 - in stock
2 Piece, 14 watts, 2 separate inputs (one mini-jack, one RCA), so you can have it plugged into the computer and your video device at the same time without re-cabling. Wood cabinet. Separate bass and tweeter. Bass and treble control. Headphone jack on the front. Bass Enhancer switch, so you can crank the bass and annoy your neighbours. Made by Roland.
M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 Desktop Speakers - $189 - in stock
The compact Studiophile™ AV 40 powered reference monitors deliver the same proven M-Audio technology favored by top producers, recording engineers and musicians around the world. The combination of 4 in. polypropylene-coated drivers and 3/4 in. ferrofluid-cooled silk dome tweeters provides punchy lows, crisp highs and a balanced, uncolored response. Custom cabinets with dense wood construction deliver more accurate bass response than you could ever get from plastic multimedia speakers. And for the highest possible fidelity, the Studiophile AV 40 monitors also feature OptImage III wave-guide technology and a 20 watt-per-channel internal amplifier that utilizes Class A/B architecture. The Studiophile AV 40 reference monitors are the perfect solution for traveling musicians or anyone who wants top-notch sound from their desktop multimedia system.
Cakewalk MA-15D Speakers
Black - $199 - in stock
Formerly known as Edirol, the Cakewalk MA-15Ds are a high-quality, powerful set of reference monitor speakers to use in a relatively confined space. The MA-15D's offer a wide range spectrum and crystal clear audio reproduction. The MA-15D's offer input from digital sources through either the Coaxial or Optical S/PDIF ports, supporting up to 24-bit/192kHz sources. With this, you can connect digital sources directly to your speakers, keeping an unadulterated audio signal all the way to the power amplifier in your speakers.
M-Audio Studiophile BX5a Speakers - $339 - more in soon
70 Watt Bi-Amplified Studio Reference Monitors
M-Audio's new BX5a employs Kevlar for low-frequency driver construction. The same material used in bulletproof vests, Kevlar's high resilience makes it ideal for use in speaker cones, although it is typically reserved for monitors with higher price tags than the BX5a. Needless to say, Kevlar represents a significant improvement.
Unchecked, the electromagnetic waves emanating from your speakers can wreak havoc with your computer's video monitor or a nearby TV. The BX5a is magnetically shielded so that all of your electronic equipment can coexist on your desktop without interference.
Active monitors have a distinct advantage over unpowered monitors, in that the built-in power amps are designed specifically to work with the drivers and crossovers in a tuned system. Bi-amplification further refines the concept by dedicating separate power amps to the highs and lows. Combined with a finely tuned crossover, this design insures that both the high- and low-frequency drivers are asked to deliver only the frequencies they are more efficient at reproducing.
