Monitor Audio has announced the launch of the new and reimagined Studio 89 taking inspiration from the original Studio 15. Born in the 1980s, the legendary Studio Series brought studio monitor quality sound to the home. The new Studio 89 is a loudspeaker that takes inspiration from the culturally explosive ‘80s decade and the sense of excitement and creativity that decade represents, but in terms of technology it is a very modern loudspeaker.
Small, compact and visually unique, Studio 89 benefits from a host of cutting-edge Monitor Audio innovations, is resplendent in a unique finish, and is born of the same Transparent Design Philosophy as the statement Hyphn.
Studio 89 is compact, but its topology ensures that even in large rooms, the soundstage, imaging and detail levels are completely enveloping and remain true to the ethos of bringing ‘studio monitoring quality’ into the home. This is in no small part down to the ’point source’ MTM (Mid-Tweeter-Mid) Array drive unit configuration.
Every drive unit must work in harmony with the others, and the frequency transition between each needs to be seamless. Therefore, Monitor Audio states the crossovers have undergone hours of listening and part selection using only the very best bespoke polypropylene and polyester capacitors, air-core and low-loss laminated steel-core inductors to provide maximum signal transfer and reduced distortion for optimum sound delivery.
Studio 89 benefits from an extremely strong and rigid cabinet structure. Its compact proportions include an 18mm front baffle with rigid 15mm side walls. Precisely calculated and positioned internal walls provide additional strength and bracing, while their clever configuration allows airflow to funnel via the top and bottom of the cabinet through the high-velocity HiVe II slot ports, reducing potential turbulence and air noise.
True to the 1980s vibe, the Studio 89 is resplendent in a high-gloss black finish, coupled with metal cone drivers finished in gold. Studio 89 is the only model Monitor Audio makes that is available in this luxurious finish.
The twin bass-mid driver cones are made up of three ultra-thin layers to ensure rigidity and strength. A Nomex honeycombed core is sandwiched between an ultra-thin and ultra-rigid C-CAM (Ceramic-Coated Aluminum Magnesium) layer and a twin-layer of uni-directional Carbon Fibre, which are layered and bonded at 90 degrees to each other for even greater strength. The Studio 89 drivers to boast the lowest distortion of any speaker in Monitor Audio’s history.
The Studio 89 positions the latest MPD (Micro-Pleated Diaphragm) III high-frequency transducer between twin RDT III 4 ¼” bass-mid drivers, while a highly optimised third-order crossover ensures a perfect frequency response across each drive unit for total symmetry and controlled sound dispersion. The resulting high-fidelity sound is of a scale and quality that belies Studio 89’s size.
To ensure optimum rigidity, bespoke metals have been used for each section of the dedicated Studio 89 Stand. The top plate is laser-cut steel, the pole is extruded aluminum, and the base is die-cast aluminum. The four adjustable feet are supplied with both chrome-plated spikes for carpeted floors and domed rubber feet for hard floors, ensuring that the stands are anchored perfectly in all situations.
Monitor Audio is exclusively distributed by Kevro International and the Studio 89 have an MSRP $2,999 /pr and $799 /pr for the stands.