5 out of 5
MONITOR AUDIO STUDIO 89 STANDMOUNT SPEAKER REVIEW
Introduction
We at Hifi Gear have been lucky enough to have the brand-new Monitor Audio Studio 89 speaker in the store for the last month. The nice part about this is that we've had a good amount of time to get to know the speaker before its launch and to have it set up on a variety of different kit and in various positions. Being big fans of Monitor Audio speakers we jumped at the chance to get these speakers in the shop early and we're not disappointed.
Design
Measuring 340 x 157 x 361 mm they are a beautifully compact and stylish speaker which when mounted to the matching stand wouldn't look out of place in many differently styled rooms. They come in one finish only, which is a high-gloss black with gold highlighted twin 4 1/4 drivers and an MPD III transducer sat between them with a small studio 89 logo on each outer edge. When taking the speaker out of the box you can tell you are in for something special. Monitor Audio has gone to great lengths in the packaging, everything is separated and wrapped individually with great attention given to the quality of all the accessories, my personal favourite being the spike feet supplied with the stands. An unboxing video can be found on our Studio 89 page
The speakers can be used without the optional stands but for our listening sessions, we decided to bolt the speakers to these. For the aesthetic, we used the cable tidy management integrated into the bass and the rear of the stand.
Test equipment
To test out the speakers I decided to use our Rotel Michi X3 S2 integrated amplifier, offering a quality DAC, a vast array of connections and a more than capable 350-watts per channel. For CD playback I went for Cyrus audio CD-i, Vinyl playback was handled by the Rega Planar 10 using the Vertere Sabre Moving agent cartridge and for streaming, I went with Naims NDX2 and for fairness, everything was wired together with Chords Shawline range of interconnects.
1st impression
Before sitting down with the speakers for a serious listen, I left them running in the background playing a little radio paradise for a few days. Even in this state, I found the speakers kept grabbing my attention from across the room and they were just a joy to have keeping me company. As with any speaker of this calibre, you need similar quality amplification and source to get the best out of it and you will find that careful placement can make massive differences. Before I get into testing speakers properly I like to check everything is just right as the little things will add up. 1st I checked the alignment and tracking force of the cartridge and all the cables were securely attached. I found while setting up the system in our demo room that slighting toeing in the speakers helped bring the stereo image together and put everything in its place and to have a small distance from the wall helped keep the bass how I liked.
Proper listening
To start things off simply I go for my 1st track which is Elvis Presley and Fever using the Naim NDX2 and Tidal streaming. I like this track due to its stripped-back nature which allows Elvis's deep, rich voice to shine. The authority and detail immediately hit you, as does the low frequency which is controlled, deep and with plenty of detail. The imaging is remarkable with Elvis practically sitting in the room with someone on bass playing in the background.
Quickly I shifted to something a little more updated with the Muse Album, The 2nd Law and the single Madness. Playback was handled by the Cyrus CD-i for this part of the test. This is much more electronic and almost has a dance/dubstep feel to it which the speakers delivered with impeccable precision. The depth of the bass comes in quickly and shifts with ease as the track builds and more layers are added. Where the speaker shone for me with this track was the delicacy of Matt Bellamy's voice. The MPD III transducer offered a real tangible presence to the vocal which never felt lost or forced. The bass is consistent throughout the track but never felt like it was overstated and blended beautifully with the midrange to give a stellar performance.
The Last track I went with was L.A Women by the Doors on Vinyl using the previously mentioned Rega Planar 10 & Vertere cartridge. The track starts with Krieger's electric guitar impersonating the sound of an accelerating car engine and slowly builds from there. Again the speaker's imaging and placement were outstanding with incredible control over all aspects of the music. The sound can be energetic when required and subtle and nuanced at the drop of a hat. Morrison croons in parts of the track which is gentle and soft and delivered with care and expression. As soon as the track finished I started the album from the start and listened to both sides and the one word I would say best describes the Studio 89 is engaging. I listened intently from start to finish and found my foot and hand tapping along with the music on more than one occasion. The balance of this speaker is something Monitor Audio should be very proud of, the soundstage, separation and tonality are excellent and I didn't find anything they couldn't handle.
I think that these speakers will be a popular demo in-store due to the high-quality finish and styling (they will most definitely end up in our front window for a time) but the fact that they sound better than they look will be the real hook. So long as they are paired well, this speaker will sing and sing.
If you are interested in having a demonstration of the speakers with any of the equipment we stock, please let us know on the below. If you would like to bring in your own equipment to test the speakers, we can happily arrange that.
Contact Jamie or Charlie at info@hifigear.co.uk or call us on 01432 354921.
