User Manual

4
A Brief Tutorial on Studio Monitors
Active vs. Passive. Active studio monitors have onboard
power amplification that has been designed to optimally
power the drivers. This takes the guesswork out of choosing
the right speaker/amp combination, because engineering
teams have ensured an ideal match. Passive studio
monitors do not have an onboard amp and require external
power. Some monitors, like the Eris E3.5 and E4.5 media
reference monitors, have the power amps for both speakers
in one cabinet. In general, a higher power rating (in watts)
will result in more headroom and a stronger, cleaner output.
Crossover. The crossover separates the frequencies
coming into a speaker and distributes them appropriately
to the woofer and tweeter. This helps the speaker run more
eciently and reproduce the frequency spectrum more
reliably.
Low Frequency Driver High Frequency Driver
Crossover
Frequency
Frequency
Level
Biamplification. A biamped studio monitor has two
amplifiers inside: one dedicated to powering the high-
frequency driver and the other dedicated to powering the
low-frequency driver. By separating the frequencies before
they hit the amplifiers, a biamped system removes one
of the major sources of intermodulation distortion. The
resulting sound is more open and clear and less fatiguing.
Other Variations
In addition to conventional two-way designs like the
PreSonus Eris E5, E5XT, and E8XT, there are other
configurations that oer unique benefits:
Midwoofer-Tweeter-Midwoofer (MTM). MTM
configurations such as the PreSonus Eris E44 and E66
feature two midrange drivers that cover the same frequency
range, with a high-frequency driver nested between them.
Because the two woofers cover the same frequency range
and are placed so that their acoustic centers are less than
one wavelength apart, the combined signal of the two
drivers propagates forward as a single waveform. This
provides a much more dynamic output than their relatively
small size would normally aord. The two woofers also work
to partially contain the dispersion of the tweeter, minimizing
phase displacement. This results in smoother frequency
response and an ultra-wide, detailed stereo soundstage.
Eris E44
Coaxial speakers. A coaxial speaker like the one used in the
Sceptre® S6 and S8 places the high-frequency driver in the
center of, and on the same axis as, the low-frequency driver,
which is similar to the way the human ear works. Coaxial
designs oer a symmetrical response both horizontally and
vertically. This means a wider “sweet spot” that is more
consistent throughout the room. Properly designed coaxial
speakers can also oer a seamless crossover transition
because of their symmetrical response.
Horn loaded Coaxial Dispersion
Because the high- and low-frequency elements come
from the same point source, coaxial speakers can oer an
ultra-wide sweet spot, more realistic and reliable transient
reproduction, and an amazing 3D soundscape. However,
to get the benefits that a coaxial speaker can theoretically
provide, great care must be taken to ensure that the phase-
and time-alignment are accurate. Copious amounts of
processing, such as provided by the DSP onboard each
Sceptre studio monitor, is required to run the alignment
algorithms and FIR filters needed for optimal coaxial
performance.
Crossover Transition