Meyer Sound Amie Monitor Review

[Robbo99999]

This is weird because I agree with your comments about not wanting sound that easily comes from the speaker. I have the JBL 708P which, in stereo, I find that the speakers disappear but you have very little front to back cues and I get more of a headphone like sensation.

With the Meyer, the speakers disappear in stereo, the center focus wasn’t as crisp actually but it may be the FR, but it feels like the walls of my room just moved back a lot!

I think the “spatial” effects from the room reflections that make it sound bigger in mono are different in stereo. You do get outside the speaker effects too, which I have been told is achieved with phase effects.

We certainly agree the speakers disappear in our two cases (you with your 708p and me with my 308p (both JBL)), and it's perhaps a little true what you say re headphone sound, but that's only because the speakers disappear and I feel totally engulfed by the musical stage - it spreads within me and all around to the sides - it's an imaginary soundfield that is a result of the music design and fact that the speakers dissolve (no sensation of two point sources). On some tracks there are effects that even reach behind my head - I think this is on tracks where they have purposefully baked in HRTF effects into the music, so they've probably used some kind of generic HRTF to simulate effects moving behind the head. Crazily there was this one track from Massive Attack where there was one effect that was doing a figure 8 motion (lying on it's side, infinity symbol) behind my head (so height effects baked in too). Now some of these baked in HRTF effects are very dependant on how attentive I'm being and how involved I am in the music, and it doesn't always work to the same extent on each listen - I don't do drugs by the way, lol! I've noticed similar effects in some tracks by other artists too, Aurora's Forgotten Love is one example that comes to mind; but, yeah, you can do a lot with two channel with the right system (and highly dependant on the tracks).

 

[dfuller]

I think the “spatial” effects from the room reflections that make it sound bigger in mono are different in stereo.

Yes! Substantially so, in fact.

 

[changer]

Phase trickery in special recordings and movie effects does not replace spaciousness that results from early reflections / pattern width. Which is why it is possible to asses from mono listening to the width of the pattern if the speakers will sound spacious or not.

The Neumann KH150 is the pacing challenge to beat. At $3500, they are a true bargain compared these. In keeping with my belief about measurements and science, it's pretty clear they're the better choice for most people, most of the time.

Why not test them, before the return window has closed?

 

[Ilkless]

I scratched my head at their entrance into the studio/hifi market. This review further proves the point that they clearly know what they are doing in a general sneaker design context, but the value and performance is just not at the same level as the competition which has been dedicated to this field for decades. 8351a is in the same price bracket and is clearly objectively ahead.

Exactly -- above 100Hz, the 8351B is cleaner at 96dB than the Amie is at 86dB. That really puts it into perspecti

I don’t think I will get into trouble for saying this but for companies like meyer, selling low volumes of products to consumer/individuals is extremely inconvenient and that is reflected in the publicly advertised cost. In fact Meyer is the only company in the “big3” that has any sort of publicly available purchasing and pricing info, which has always surprised me.

The majority of customers for these will be companies and firms which have an existing relationship with Meyer and have/are making $100k+ large volume orders, in which case the Amie’s will be heavily discounted down to dealer cost or lower.

Thanks for pointing this out. It's just hard to reconcile this performance level with Meyer's billing in pro audio as the pinnacle of engineering.

 

[AudioSceptic]

Actually, a virtual ruler discreetly placed to one side (discreetly so it doesn't encroach on the pic) would be better. I like the panthers on their own next to the speaker, a CD case in every shot would eventually detract from the aesthetic, a thin virtual ruler all the way off to the right would be way better, at far far right of frame, just a few black lines & marks.

Oh, yes, that would do just as well, but why not a real ruler, with inches and centimetres?

 

[jhaider]

With the caveat that these speakers are really not targeted at the consumer hifi, pro-am, or small studio markets on grounds of price (KH150 size class but nearly KH420 price!) finish, lack of grilles, etc., the two most interesting things to me are:

1) The target of sloped rather than constant treble directivity. Constant directivity is actually pretty rare. Most speakers with directivity control target this kind of slope, including Revel generally, KH150, the new JBL lifestyle 8” 2-way.

2) Lack of attenuators. There’s no way to reduce noise by running the preamp hot and cutting at the amp.

 

[craigenputtock]

$4,080 each? What contempt shown to the public.

 

[sigbergaudio]

This is unacceptable for home listening IMO especially regarding the price.

To be fair, that's not what they're built for.

 

[Pearljam5000]

 

[changer]

To be fair, that's not what they're built for.

Absolutely, not an issue when used in a multichannel setup.

This is also the reason why I keep insisting that many monitors, despite their often superior performance, are not well suited for home stereo listening at common listening distances.

 

[flowjm]

Some people seem weirdly emotionally invested in forgiving the pretty obvious flaws of this speaker. Also funny that the company itself seems to be aware of them, but because they say they're 'intentional' then somehow they should just be accepted. Whatever Amir's subjective listening test tells us/him, why would anyone buy these feature-poor monitors with second-rate performance over the demonstrably superior offerings from Neumann or Genelec, and at (more than) double the price?

 

[Mr. Widget]

$4,080 each? What contempt shown to the public.

Professional tools typically cost more than consumer products, at over 10 times the price for a similar product, would you also say that Hilti is showing contempt to the public?

 

[uwotm8]

why would anyone buy these

To make this man even more happier

for sure

The idea to buy these to became closer to some studio equipped with such monitors just makes me frustrated
No offence but all that 'doing by heart"... makes no sense for me in such a case

 

[holdingpants01]

Professional tools typically cost more than consumer products, at over 10 times the price for a similar product, would you also say that Hilti is showing contempt to the public?


View attachment 315969View attachment 315970

You're seriously comparing Black and Decker to Neumann or Genelec? KH150 measures better or as good on any front and their monitors at this price point are just better on every front (8351B is the same price, or KH420). Meyer in the studio world is nowhere near as highly regarded or widely used as products from those companies

 

[uwotm8]

Professional tools typically cost more than consumer products, at over 10 times the price for a similar product

The problem is that PRO tools here are Neumanns and Genelecs while Meyers are more like niche product. Would you buy a power drill from them for 2-3x Hilti price just because they are nice and smiley guys, and it's made in USA, and some of famous people who inspire you said that they use it (for mounting Meyer monitors to their studio walls as example)?

 

[enricoclaudio]

Thanks @amirm for another great review. Meyer Sound is very well known for their great PA arrays and it is considered one of the top 3 high end PAs manufactures. I personally run Meyer Sound M2Ds arrays in our 1800 people worship center since 2006 and they sound amazing.

 

[ocinn]

why would anyone buy these feature-poor monitors with second-rate performance over the demonstrably superior offerings from Neumann or Genelec, and at (more than) double the price?

Like has been said many times in this thread.

Let’s say “AVRentalHouse” is looking to buy a new rental package. They order a million dollars of gear from Meyer. Panther, Leopard, X40, Subs etc….

Meyer says, oh do you need monitors for your broadcast truck or for your recording engineer? We have amie, we will throw them in with your package, no problem. AVRentalHouse solves their monitor problem without hassle, maintains good exclusivity relationship with Meyer and saves time and energy having to research and source from different brands and retailers.

This point is made even stronger once you realize these are tuned to match their Acheron cinema system. If you are a cinema sound studio, and your main engineering room uses Acheron, and you have a smaller room for smaller projects, amie exists and is a no-hassle solution for surrounds or even lcr that doesn’t require massive amount of time and effort to use DSP to match the system to the main room.

This is not a product that is intended for an individual to buy over a Genelec. No one is cross shopping these to Neumanns. Totally different target market and use-case.

 

[holdingpants01]

Like has been said many times in this thread.

Let’s say “AVRentalHouse” is looking to buy a new rental package. They order a million dollars of gear from Meyer. Panther, Leopard, X40, Subs etc….

Meyer says, oh do you need monitors for your broadcast truck or for your recording engineer? We have amie, we will throw them in with your package, no problem. AVRentalHouse solves their monitor problem without hassle, maintains good exclusivity relationship with Meyer and saves time and energy having to research and source from different brands and retailers.

This point is made even stronger once you realize these are tuned to match their Acheron cinema system. If you are a cinema sound studio, and your main engineering room uses Acheron, and you have a smaller room for smaller projects, amie exists and is a no-hassle solution for surrounds or even lcr that doesn’t require massive amount of time and effort to use DSP to match the system to the main room.

This is not a product that is intended for an individual to buy over a Genelec. No one is cross shopping these to Neumanns. Totally different target market and use-case.

I wish this kind of context would be a normal part of a review, they doesn't make sense by themselves or without a sub, so all the comparisons or price point discussions are rather pointless

 

[Mr. Widget]

You're seriously comparing Black and Decker to Neumann or Genelec? KH150 measures better or as good on any front and their monitors at this price point are just better on every front (8351B is the same price, or KH420). Meyer in the studio world is nowhere near as highly regarded or widely used as products from those companies

No, did I mention Neumann or Genelec?

 

[ocinn]

I wish this kind of context would be a normal part of a review, they doesn't make sense by themselves or without a sub, so all the comparisons or price point speculations are rather pointless

This forum is generally lacking in knowledge of how the pro AV world operates. Which is to be expected considering what products are focused on here.

But there are a handful of people incl myself that are from the pro world and are here to offer insight.

I wish that some people would maybe pause and think or wait before commenting however. There was a thread awhile ago where a guy was asking for mobile PA suggestions to bring to bars for his band and people were suggesting Kef LS60 and Devialet Phantoms. Luckily my fellow live sound users and I caught wind of it and set the record straight before poor OP got his $7000 hifi speakers absolutely destroyed by a drunk patron or instantly blown up by a guitarist accidentally kicking on a pedal with too much gain.