Golden VELVET for Your Ears!
The high-fidelity market never ceases to amaze us with truly extraordinary products. The Studio 89 loudspeakers by Monitor Audio definitely belong in this category. Beautiful and original in many ways, they are packed with good ideas and cutting-edge technologies. The Studio 89 by Monitor Audio stand out from any other model in their category. In fact, they are beginning to attract a lot of interest from the specialized press. One of the reasons for this is that the sound of the Studio 89 by Monitor Audio is noticeably different from that of most loudspeakers today. Here, then, is a pair of loudspeakers that is likely to redefine what can be offered in this price category. Enough said, let’s dive in and explore these astonishing loudspeakers.
Monitor Audio Group est un fabricant de produits audio britannique très intéressant. L’entreprise regroupe les produits électroniques et les platines Roksan, les meubles pour produits audio Blok et, bien sûr, les enceintes Monitor Audio. La société possède un bureau d’études très sophistiqué en Angleterre. Elle est animée par une jeune équipe de conception, dont des jeunes femmes, qui ne craint pas d’innover ni de sortir des sentiers battus. De plus, elle a à sa disposition des outils informatiques de pointe, dont des logiciels de conception et de mesure. Monitor Audio dispose aussi d’une salle anéchoïde afin d’être en mesure de valider la théorie avec un protocole de mesure très rigoureux. Évidemment, lorsque l’on met à la disposition des concepteurs de tels outils de développement, il n’est pas surprenant de voir naître des produits comme les fabuleuses enceintes Hyphn de Monitor Audio. Ces enceintes, très ambitieuses et très performantes, sont un véritable festin de technologie et d’innovation. Elles sont la preuve que l’équipe de Monitor Audio est maintenant en mesure d’offrir un produit très haut de gamme qui n’a rien à envier aux autres manufacturiers de haut-parleurs. Pour le modèle du présent banc d’essai, l’équipe de conception désirait créer un produit qui célébrerait la fameuse série Studio, produite par Monitor Audio durant les années 1980. Plus particulièrement le modèle Studio 15, dont le fini laqué noir avec ses transducteurs dorés, avait un look iconique. Pour ce faire, l’équipe de Monitor Audio s’est basée sur le modèle Studio qui avait été lancé en 2018 et dont j’avais eu le privilège de faire le banc d’essai. À l’époque, je fus l’un des premiers à affirmer que le modèle Studio avait un potentiel considérable et une très belle musicalité. Bien que le nouveau modèle Studio 89 ressemble beaucoup à son prédécesseur, il s’agit en réalité d’un tout nouveau haut-parleur, avec des nouveaux transducteurs, un filtre retravaillé et, évidemment, un nouveau fini absolument magnifique. De plus, un support parfaitement adapté au Studio 89 est maintenant offert. Il est, lui aussi, très intéressant et vient compléter l’ensemble avec panache. Voyons maintenant les secrets techniques expliquant le succès des Studio 89 de Monitor Audio.
Technical Description
The Studio 89 by Monitor Audio are two-way bookshelf type loudspeakers with an d’Appolito configuration. This technique, invented by Joseph d’Appolito, involves placing two mid-bass drivers, as is the case here, around a tweeter. The idea is to simulate, with three drivers, a point-source sound emission, like with a full-range loudspeaker. This method has many advantages, as it allows for better horizontal and vertical dispersion control uniformly. It often results in a very stable and wide stereophonic image, producing an impressive holographic effect. The d’Appolito configuration is often used for home theatre center channels and delivers excellent results. I’m always a little surprised to see how few models adopt the d’Appolito configuration for music listening loudspeakers. Good news, as Monitor Audio has chosen the d’Appolito configuration for the Studio 89. The MTM module consists of two custom-made 4-inch woofers and a ribbon tweeter.
This module, containing the three drivers, is tension-mounted at the front with two large screws that run through the cabinet to the back. This mounting technique ensures maximum rigidity and helps control resonances. The two mid-bass drivers feature a cone made of a very clever sandwich of materials. The back of the cones is made of carbon fiber, the interior is a curved honeycomb structure, and the visible golden exterior is an aluminum sheet. This cone is exceptionally rigid, and as we’ll see during the listening sessions, it delivers a rather convincing punch. The tweeter completing the MTM module is a ribbon or Air Motion Transformer type, entirely designed and manufactured by Monitor Audio. Monitor Audio is no stranger to this type of tweeter, and it was specifically designed for this model. It directly results from research and development work on the ribbon tweeter of the prestigious Hyphn model.
The MTM module allows for ideal driver alignment for perfect phase coherence with the two woofers. The approach aiming to simulate a single driver is also inspired by the Hyphn loudspeakers. Moreover, the protective grille sports a similar and very elegant design.
The crossover of the Studio 89 by Monitor Audio was crafted with great care following many hours of listening. This crossover uses fairly steep third-order slopes to ensure distortion-free performance from the tweeter and optimal integration. The components chosen for the crossover are of excellent quality, including polyester and polypropylene capacitors carefully selected. The Studio 89 by Monitor Audio are ported loudspeakers. These laminar ports, two in number, are located at the rear of the loudspeaker.
The loudspeakers are connected via a single pair of rhodium-plated terminals, custom-made by Monitor Audio. The Studio 89 cabinet is made of high-quality MDF and displays very respectable rigidity. However, it is the extraordinary quality of the black lacquer mirror finish that will certainly catch your attention. It is just absolutely flawless, zero defects! You can search for the slightest bubble or micro bump with a magnifying glass, and you won’t find anything.
Unpacking and Installation
Before starting to unpack the Studio 89, I wanted to address a somewhat controversial topic and express my opinion on it… Like many products today, the Studio 89 by Monitor Audio are indeed manufactured in China. At first, this bothered me a bit, especially for a pair of loudspeakers in this price range. However, once unpacked, they exude such a quality impression that my opinion on the matter quickly shifted.
In fact, there are several ways to look at Chinese production. In the case of the Studio 89, it was certainly not to cut corners to produce a cheap product. The approach was definitely to offer a high-quality product at a reasonable price. Today, Chinese factories are much better at mastering quality; they are modern, efficient, and capable of producing an almost perfect product. Just look at the assembly quality of an iPhone to be convinced. One thing is certain, if the Studio 89 by Monitor Audio had come from an English factory, their price would be significantly higher, and far fewer people could afford them.
Once the loudspeakers are unpacked, you’ll need to assemble the stands, which, by the way, look great. They screw under the Studio 89 for optimal coupling. The design of the stand spikes is very well thought out and a real pleasure to use. As for positioning in the room, the Studio 89 will need air and space to work their magic. Don’t be fooled by their size; these little demons can fill a fairly large room without too much trouble. With a reasonable efficiency of 86 decibels and an impedance of 6 ohms, the Studio 89 by Monitor Audio are a relatively easy load for an amplifier. A quality solid-state integrated amplifier, and even a class D model, will do just fine. However, given the very soft nature of the Studio 89, I would avoid pairing them with a tube amplifier. A small suggestion for Monitor Audio: include a pair of foam plugs for each speaker — a practice that is quite common among many manufacturers. In some setups, this would help facilitate the integration of the Studio 89 by Monitor Audio near walls or corners.
Soft and Gentle Tones
What immediately strikes you is the very British origins of the Studio 89 by Monitor Audio‘s personality. The tone is definitely on the warm side of the spectrum, with a nicely present bass that will need to be controlled rather than enhanced with a subwoofer. The music sounds very full, with lots of texture and substance. The excellent album The Astounding Eyes of Rita by Anouar Brahem is perfect for demonstrating the smoothness of these tones. The main instruments, the oud and bass clarinet, can sometimes resonate particularly sharply, with peaks that can be irritating. With the Studio 89 by Monitor Audio, everything passes as smooth as butter. The famous Monitor Audio ribbon tweeter certainly plays a part, offering beautifully detailed music without ever making a misstep. Not the slightest hint of aggressiveness, just first-rate transparency that remains understated and never falls into hyper-analysis. As for the bass frequencies, they are abundant and contribute to the sense of foundation and weight that a large speaker could deliver. As I mentioned earlier, don’t hesitate to give them space away from the walls; they will reward you with a grandiose ambiance.
A Rock-Solid Stereophonic Image
Regarding the stereophonic image, the Studio 89 by Monitor Audio work wonders, as demonstrated by the album Destination Rachmaninoff masterfully conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and featuring soloist Daniil Trifonov. This well-recorded album shows how Monitor Audio’s approach with the d’Appolito configuration in the Studio 89 can yield spectacular results. The soundstage is immense and stretches from wall to wall in my room with a nearly rectangular shape. It is very easy to locate the different sections of the Philadelphia Orchestra and feel as if you are present during the performance. The Studio 89 also have a knack for reproducing large classical symphonic music with disconcerting ease. They do this with transparency that is never too bright, even somewhat subdued, while reproducing small ambient details that add richness to the sound reproduction. The music seems to float behind the loudspeakers for our greatest pleasure.
Extraordinary loudspeakers
for ordinary musical pleasures
With their slight overweight in the low frequencies, the Monitor Audio Studio 89 digest so-called audiophile recordings a little less well, the low frequencies often being somewhat inflated to give a spectacular sound. This is their slightest fault, which we can quickly learn to forgive when we realize how versatile they can be in all other aspects of musical reproduction. Give them anything as a musical source, even of very ordinary quality to reproduce, and they will do masterfully. Whether it’s FM radio, MP3 internet radios or overly compressed rock, they will find a way to convey the essential musical message in a catchy way, without causing any headaches. Well honestly, it feels good to discover a product that has this ability to play music, without constantly needing excuses. The Monitor Audio Studio 89 go against the grain of the current range of loudspeakers with brilliant, detailed and analytical sound found on the market.
If you think you’ve suffered too much from cold and sterile loudspeaker syndrome, the Monitor Audio Studio 89 will be the perfect antidote. They positioned themselves differently, with a very soft and rounded presentation that remains transparent and open. These loudspeakers are also the undisputed champions of musical reproduction at low, or even very low, volume. A tour de force where they manage to maintain a very fleshy presence, playing discreetly until the early hours of the morning. This ability to perform at very low volume is an essential quality for acoustic loudspeakers, which many of you should seriously consider before making any purchase.
Conclusion
Monitor Audio‘s Studio 89s have already been praised by the international press. So, I’m just adding my voice to this concert of well-deserved praise, by awarding them the Best Buy rating. The Studio 89s are full of musical qualities of their own and what’s more, they are crazy chic. Magnificently well designed with intelligence and good taste, they will allow you to enjoy all styles of music, regardless of their recording qualities. Champion of all categories of discreet listening, they will be appreciated by whispering your music until late at night. The Monitor Audio Studio 89s are also very dynamic and capable of a very impressive punch. Golden velvet for your eardrums, to consume without moderation.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Studio 89 Loudspeakers
Price : $2,999 / a pair
Warranty : 5 years, parts and labour
Studio 89 Speaker Stands
Price : $799 / a pair
Warranty : 5 years, parts and labour
Distributor : Kevro International Inc., T. : 905.428.2800, https://www.kevro.ca/ ; https://www.monitoraudio.com
