M-Audio Studiophile DX4 Professional Desktop Monitoring System, Silver

by M-Audio

Product Features

• 4" LF drivers; 1" HF drivers
• Advanced crossover design
• OptImage wave guide technology improves imaging
• 18 watts per channel
• Custom tuned cabinet

Product Details

• Item Weight: 15 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 15 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0002X861A
• Item model number: US51115
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,400 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)

Product Description

The StudioPro 4 Desktop Multimedia Audio Monitors are used by audio engineers in studios around the world. Now they're commercially available for professional sound fidelity on your desktop. With its custom-tuned cabinets, optimized speaker design and advanced crossover technology, users are practically guaranteed perfect sound. The proprietary OptImage wave guide technology also improves stereo definition, for great audio from all your music, games and DVDs. RCA input connectors Attenuation - Mid-cut switch HF driver - 1 mylar cone with OptImage dispersion-controlled wave guide LF driver - 4 coated paper cone Dynamic Power - 18 watts per channel Dynamic Range - >95dB Crossover Frequency - 2.8Khz Signal-To-Noise ratio - >90dB (typical, A-weighted) SPL - 101.5 dB Impedance - 20k ohms balanced, 10K ohms unbalanced

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some Here Apparently Don't Get It, January 8, 2007

By 

William Polhemus "Polhemus Engineering Company" (Katy, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: M-Audio Studiophile DX4 Professional Desktop Monitoring System, Black (Electronics)

I'm surprised at the reviews I see here.

I bought a pair of these speakers for one reason and one only: I've begun setting up a small home recording studio, and I need a pair of monitors for mixing.

They don't need to be:

A) "Room filling" because they are "near-field" audio monitors, meant to set close to you while you are going through the mixing process, to accurately gauge the sound you are working on;

B) Nice and "bassy" or "high-pitched" or anything in between as regards emphasizing any part of the sound spectrum, because they're not SUPPOSED to add or subtract anything from the sound. FLAT RESPONSE is a FEATURE, not a BUG in this case, because you need a reference from which to build your mix.

Anyone here (or out there) who buys these for any other purpose other than to sit close by them and listen to audio that you are working with (recording, mixing, etc.) is not doing themselves a favor. Just get a nice set of Logitech computer speakers instead.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for Recording and Editing Work, February 22, 2007

By 

S. Barnes (Stillwater, OK United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: M-Audio Studiophile DX4 Professional Desktop Monitoring System, Black (Electronics)

I bought a pair of these M-Audio Studiophile DX4 speakers a week ago to pair with M-Audio's M-Audio FireWire Audiophile Digital Audio Interface (also recommended with 5 stars) for use in editing video and some audio recording work. I am delighted. They are the best small speakers I have heard in 25 years of audio work for churches and non-profits. These are control room quality, but priced for the prosumer market, and worth every penny.
As a casual test, I compared them to the Martin Logan's in the living room, using the same music and tuner. The DX4s are brighter and lack the bass of the MLs, but that is expected of something this size and given that the MLs are almost 15 years old. For music that does not depend on a strong bass line, the DX4s compared very well indeed.
Note that these are not designed for room thumping bass, but as reference speakers for use in recording work. They come with a MLS frequency response plot that is essentially a flat line. Mine vary by less than 4 dB between 200 and 15,000 Hz, and fall off a modest 2 to 4 dB between 15K and 20K. It is hard to ask for better in a small reference speaker. Enjoy.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent as monitors, May 16, 2006

By 

James Jarvis "Jimbo" (Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: M-Audio Studiophile DX4 Professional Desktop Monitoring System, Silver (Electronics)

As my title says, these are excellent monitors. I took a risk when buying these because I wanted a decent hi-fi but couldnt afford one so thought what the hell I'll get these as an alternative. After having them for nearly 5 months I have concluded a number of things.
Advantages:
-Reproduce music accurately and are surprisingly detailed
-Wonderful soundstage, although small the sweet spot is engaging
-Guitars sound particularly clear and various guitars can be defined
-They have midrange-hurrah!!
-Great little tweeters produce tonally correct and revealing sound
-Fairly small and compact, built well


Disadvantages:
There are however things which I have found a problem and this is where my risk taking of purchasing these as not intended for use as monitors comes in..
-Not that room filling.
-Small soundstage
-Dissapointing low bass. Although the bass does go down to 60hz as I've tested, there isnt much bass extension
-Drums can sound distant and not well expressed
-The sound can seem a little too bright at times

-Finally I shall point out the topic of blown tweeters that a lot of people tend to mention. Originally I thought my right tweeter was bust. I moved the stereo field to the right to balance the soundstage out and I think that the amp inside the main monitor is the issue. When volume is turned up past the 1oclock position, the right tweeter makes a 'flapping' sound. This tells me the amp doesnt have much headroom and the cross over is being affected because one amp powering both monitors. Despite what I've said about the bass being weak, the bass is however accurate and not boomy.
I cant be bothered to send them back, I'll stick with these until I can afford a good hi-fi.

CONCLUSION:
I have to say that these still really impress me at times with its interesting soundstage. They play very complex music (various forms of metal) very clearly. Classical music is one of the best music genres it plays I think. I have used a 4 channel hardware eq however on my soundcard to put a gain at certain frequencies to make music more enjoyable. Im kind of cheating here to get a fairly cheap half decent hi-fi.
Be warned though, if you buy these really are monitors and dont go greatly loud. They are great for listening at your desk but elsewhere in the room you'll want to turn them up to find you cant without them crackling. You'll be looking around to buy a compatable sub like I was but gave up.

I give them 5 stars for being so small and producing such accurate sound for what they are; monitors!

Thanks for reading.