Kali Audio IN-8 Studio Monitor Review

[Charles Sprinkle]

I don't understand why all in a sudden everyone wants studio monitors at home. These are meant to be placed on a mixing console without wives around...

You know, when I set up M2s in my living room, my wife looked at them, smiled and said "Now that's what I'm talking about". (Direct quote, no embellishments.) She had been asking for a pair of tower loudspeakers for some time and I was happy to help her with that.

 

[LTig]

No, studio monitors are optimised for their intended use which is in a studio.

And that is what?

 

[JohnYang1997]

I don't think so, most of studio monitors are good only nearfield, say listening point at 1 meter (if you want more distance the increase of cost is relevant), they are optimised for console reflections and are not a good fit for a domestic environment with a listening point at a couple of meters.

Where are your measurements supporting this? Optimized for console reflections? Majority doesn't even have option for it where this one does have a switch for it.
Also I can say all speakers benefit from a bit longer range 1.5-2m.

 

[thewas]

I don't think so, most of studio monitors are good only nearfield, say listening point at 1 meter (if you want more distance the increase of cost is relevant), they are optimised for console reflections and are not a good fit for a domestic environment with a listening point at a couple of meters.

Thats another typical erroneous hifi myth, due to their smooth directivity good monitors sound often better outside of the nearfield compared to most Hifi speakers were due to not smooth directivity either the direct sound is smooth or the sound power.

If I understand you correctly yourself you have some Harbeth speakers. If true you can check yourself or ask Alan Shaw for the differences of his Hifi and studio versions, they are smaller than you think.

 

[carlob]

Where are your measurements supporting this? Optimized for console reflections? Majority doesn't even have option for it where this one does have a switch for it.
Also I can say all speakers benefit from a bit longer range 1.5-2m.

I don't need any measurement, there are manufacturers specs like this (Genelec). Check the cost to increase distance:

 

[carlob]

Thats another typical erroneous hifi myth, due to their smooth directivity good monitors sound often better outside of the nearfield compared to most Hifi speakers were due to not smooth directivity either the direct sound is smooth or the sound power.

If I understand you correctly yourself you have some Harbeth speakers. If true you can check yourself or ask Alan Shaw for the differences of his Hifi and studio versions, they are smaller than you think.

Yeah, I have Harbeths but also JBL and Neumann. I use the small monitors for the home theater (with a couple of sub). Harbeths aren't small, believe me.

 

[LTig]

First of all, I need to frame my response from the perspective of the intended use case. These loudspeakers are studio monitors and I need to prioritize design elements based on the requirements of the professionals that use them to make decisions in content creation. Keep in mind, we aren't just make these speakers pleasant to listen to. Along with good directivity and neutral timbre, low distortion is important for content to translate well. At the same time, where we address and improve distortion is relevant from the standpoint of value optimization. This is why we prioritized the midrange transducer which would produce distortion in the most audible range.

I would submit that where we landed is a good balance to bring the benefits of a three-way coaxial monitor to our customers at a price that makes them very affordable.

I fully agree. Never heard an IN-8 but the data are good, and taking the price in account very good.

Please can someone send a Neumann KH310 to @amirm. Both speakers are partly simiIar (size, 3-way, FR, max SPL), partly different (dome midrange vs. coax, AB power amps vs. class D, sealed enclosure vs. vented, weight). I like to see how much improvement an investment of 4 to 5 times brings with it.

 

[thewas]

I don't need any measurement, there are manufacturers specs like this (Genelec). Check the cost to increase distance:

View attachment 48447

Well the difference is that Genelec considers for serious listening/monitoring that the reflected sound percentage shoudn't exceed the direct sound, which makes you, unlike to most classic Hifi systems, listen into the recording.
If you use similar sized Hifi speakers the listening distances to get a similar intimate feeling of the recording are similar, if not even smaller due to the not so controlled and increased directivity.

 

[carlob]

btw, Neumann specs. You need a KH 420 for midfield:

 

[JohnYang1997]

I don't need any measurement, there are manufacturers specs like this (Genelec). Check the cost to increase distance:

View attachment 48447

So does this support your claim? Smallest model still works fine with 1.5M according to this chat. And IN-8 is 8-inch. facepalm.....

 

[JohnYang1997]

btw, Neumann specs. You need a KH 420 for midfield:

View attachment 48449

Did you see 2.0 m for recommended for kh120? And 2.5m for 310?

 

[edechamps]

I don't think so, most of studio monitors are good only nearfield, say listening point at 1 meter (if you want more distance the increase of cost is relevant), they are optimised for console reflections and are not a good fit for a domestic environment with a listening point at a couple of meters.

Measurements tell a different story.

I don't need any measurement, there are manufacturers specs like this (Genelec). Check the cost to increase distance:

Please don't cite charts out of context. Here's the full, untruncated picture from Genelec's website:

You left out the legend which explains the rationale behind Genelec's recommendation to not listen to small monitors from far away: it's because they advise against listening in the diffuse field (reverberant sound dominates). This recommendation makes sense for production studios because many sound engineers dislike working in a reverberant environment. But that concern does not apply to recreational listening in a living room. Note that what I just said is not just my opinion - it's documented in @Floyd Toole's book.

 

[thewas]

I fully agree. Never heard an IN-8 but the data are good, and taking the price in account very good.

Please can someone send a Neumann KH310 to @amirm. Both speakers are partly simiIar (size, 3-way, FR, max SPL), partly different (dome midrange vs. coax, AB power amps vs. class D, sealed enclosure vs. vented, weight). I like to see how much improvement an investment of 4 to 5 times brings with it.

I have had the KH310 for a couple of weeks in my place, I would say the IN-8 which I have now are something like 80+% of their sound quality for me, something I can gladly live with for only 25% of their price. The Pareto principle is valid on most well engineered stuff.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Also there's nothing bookshelf speakers do that make them superior for long distance for the same size. Nothing....

 

[carlob]

Well the difference is that Genelec considers for serious listening/monitoring that the reflected sound percentage shoudn't exceed the direct sound, which makes you, unlike to most classic Hifi systems, listen into the recording.
If you use similar sized Hifi speakers the listening distances to get a similar intimate feeling of the recording are similar, if not even smaller due to the not so controlled and increased directivity.

That's what I'm saying, studio monitors are for direct sound/nearfield. If you want to have the direct sound experience from your sofa the KH 80 for instance aren't going to make it. Studio monitors are a professional tool, obviously they might also sound good in a home.

 

[carlob]

Did you see 2.0 m for recommended for kh120? And 2.5m for 310?

You have a small room, my loudspeakers are at 2,7/3 meters from my listening point and is a midsized room.

 

[JohnYang1997]

That's what I'm saying, studio monitors are for direct sound/nearfield. If you want to have the direct sound experience from your sofa the KH 80 for instance aren't going to make it. Studio monitors are a professional tool, obviously they might also sound good in a home.

There's no supporting material that says other speakers provides direct sound experience for longer distance for the same size.

 

[thewas]

That's what I'm saying, studio monitors are for direct sound/nearfield. If you want to have the direct sound experience from your sofa the KH 80 for instance aren't going to make it. Studio monitors are a professional tool, obviously they might also sound good in a home.

Again, a similar sized tiny Hifi speaker like the KH80 won't sound better at higher distances, opposite is actually true due to reason I wrote above.
Same if you compare a 6,5" or 8" monitor to a 6,5" of 8" Hifi speaker, the only difference is that for serious monitoring the recommendations of maximum listening distance are more strict (direct sound > reflected sound) than for recreational listening were you are mainly listening in diffuse field conditions.

 

[BDWoody]

That's what I'm saying, studio monitors are for direct sound/nearfield. If you want to have the direct sound experience from your sofa the KH 80 for instance aren't going to make it. Studio monitors are a professional tool, obviously they might also sound good in a home.

They would sound good wherever good sound sounds good....

I'm not sure what you think separates studio monitors from 'regular' speakers so that they would in effect be different.

My JBL 708p's aren't good for my medium size listening room? They are ugly, but the handles do come in...well...handy sometimes.

Sitting on a pair of Hsu Subs...for the moment...

 

[LTig]

Did you see 2.0 m for recommended for kh120? And 2.5m for 310?

And maximum (which means still in the allowed range) of 4m (KH120) and 6m (KH310)?

BTW I use K&H O300D (predecessor to KH310 with very similar characteristics) in a 50 squaremeter room and 3.5 m distance. Without sub very good, with sub excellend SQ.