Monitor Audio Studio 89

[What Hi-Fi?]

The name makes for a tenuous link to the past but extensive changes have turned the latest Monitor Audio Studio speakers into something special.

Monitor Audio Studio 89 : Read more

 

[podknocker]

I really like these and I just checked on their website and the speakers actually screw into the bespoke stands, so they won't be balanced precariously and fall off if knocked. Wow! If only other companies thought of this.

 

[Gray]

Wow! If only other companies thought of this.

My old B&W CDM1-NT speakers were doing it years ago 👍

 

[podknocker]

B&W are better than most with screw in stands, but usually don't allow this with their cheapest range of standmounts. My QA are screwed in and I looked at the PMC Prodigy 1 recently as a possible upgrade, but they just give you 4 rubber bumps for your expensive speakers to sit upon. Not for me.

 

[Gray]

....but they just give you 4 rubber bumps for your expensive speakers to sit upon. Not for me.

That limits your future options a bit too much pod (if/when you need future options).

My bumps are door buffers 🙂

 

[DougK1]

Nice looking speakers but they are horrendously deep, think I'll stick with my cheaper shoe boxes 🙂

 

[Gray]

Nice looking speakers but they are horrendously deep, think I'll stick with my cheaper shoe boxes 🙂

I was just reading the review and, looking at the specs, noticed that they were 2.1cm deeper than they are tall.
....then I saw the comment from you Doug.
I know it's done for a reason, but I don't like the trend for deep speakers.
But I do welcome the trend for AMT (and ribbon) tweeters.

 

[podknocker]

I think I prefer speakers to have greater height/depth than width. My QA 3030i are quite deep, but I think their proportions are just right. The MA Studio 89 are also quite deep, but you tend not to notice depth in speakers, even with a slight toe in.

 

[podknocker]

Depth is an issue if they stick out into the room too far. Perhaps this is why you keep knocking yours over.

I don't keep knocking them over, but I do go very close to them when I open my windows. There's plenty of room behind them and they could easily be moved further into the living room without being too close to my listening position. These MA Studio 89 speakers only appear to be quite deep, because they are very narrow at the front. They are by no means unusually deep speakers and I'd have no issues with them in my fairly average sized living room. My only concern is the dual reflex ports at the rear. They can't be closed using foam plugs, so there is a chance of creating a resonance with the walls. The port frequency should be different to the QA speakers I have now, but only having them in my living room will reveal this. Demos in shops are never a reliable exercise, because the chances of the shop having the same acoustics as your living room are very remote. High frequencies can be catered for by using less stuff that's reflective, or absorbing. Bass is trickier because the long wavelengths need to 'fit' within the room boundaries. Many average sized rooms struggle with bass and that's why you get honking and droning effects.

 

[podknocker]

I just looked on WHF at the QA3030i review. Dimensions (hwd) 32.5 x 20 x 33cm

The new MA Studio 89 Dimensions (hwd) 34 x 15.7 x 36.1cm

So very similar sizes, with the MA being a bit on the narrow side.

The MA stands do have a larger footprint over my QA stands, but I would cope.