New Kali Audio monitor

[songOVERsound]

My in8’s measure flatter (in my room) than speakers that cost much much much much more

 

[Palladium]

My in8’s measure flatter (in my room) than speakers that cost much much much much more

My experience over the years with various speakers is there's little correlation between price and sound quality in a typical untreated room with suboptimal placement and low SPL. In this scenario, having wide dispersion is way more important than FR flatness IMHO. I think that's the magic for good speech legibility at ~40dB outside the nearfield.

 

[songOVERsound]

My experience over the years with various speakers is there's little correlation between price and sound quality in a typical untreated room with suboptimal placement and low SPL. In this scenario, having wide dispersion is way more important than FR flatness IMHO. I think that's the magic for good speech legibility at ~40dB outside the nearfield.

For sure. My room is heavily treated with all kinds of treatment including PSI AVAA’s. Room is flawed due to size

The in8’s measure well because I can place them upside down and have the woofer closer to the ceiling, which just works out best. Although they have measured the best so far, they definitely don’t sound the best, and they only go down to 40 hz - as a caveat

 

[abrxxx]

Actives announced!

 

[jean-benoit]

there seems to be a new video coming soon, according to their youtube channel:

 

[kemmler3D]

Looks like the SM5 active was released today. $1700 (each) with 8 bands of PEQ on board. Would love to see measurements of these, the design looks pretty promising and the specs ain't bad.

Kali Audio — Kali Audio SM-5 Powered Studio Monitors

www.kaliaudio.com

 

[Pearljam5000]

Looks like the SM5 active was released today. $1700 (each) with 8 bands of PEQ on board. Would love to see measurements of these, the design looks pretty promising and the specs ain't bad.

Kali Audio — Kali Audio SM-5 Powered Studio Monitors

www.kaliaudio.com

Wow
Same price as KH150

 

[kemmler3D]

Wow
Same price as KH150

Slightly less bass extension but maybe slightly more SPL. Coaxial could make the Kali more versatile. Can use your own room calibration mic instead of getting the MA1. I think that and the actual measurements will decide it, but I agree it's close competition just based on the spec sheets.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

 

[Matias]

I am curious to see their spin. Should be great as the IN and LP series were already.
Cool decision to launch passive and active versions, like Ascilab too.

 

[jean-benoit]

looks rather interesting!

there are some design choices that are too gimmicky for my taste, like that USB port in the front (sure its handy), the touch sensitive logo and those tiny dip switches in the back. but as you only have to set it up once, it also wouldnt bother me that much. but for speakers in a certain price range, i feel, there should also be some level of proper industrial design/ aesthetics to it.

cant wait to see some measurements and subjective impressions.

 

[decryption]

Also looking forward to seeing how the SM-5 compare to similar priced speakers, but as an overall package the software/DSP side of things is still a bit immature versus Genelec's GLM or Neumann's Automatic Monitor Alignment. No subwoofer with networkable DSP from Kali either. But I'm sure Kali is working on all this stuff, great to see another competitor in the market.

 

[dfuller]

Looks like the SM5 active was released today. $1700 (each) with 8 bands of PEQ on board. Would love to see measurements of these, the design looks pretty promising and the specs ain't bad.

Kali Audio — Kali Audio SM-5 Powered Studio Monitors

www.kaliaudio.com

Powered, not active. Looks like they just bolted on a single channel plate amp/dsp with the passive crossover, vs doing a proper multi-amp setup.

 

[kemmler3D]

Powered, not active. Looks like they just bolted a single channel plate amp with the passive crossover, on vs doing a proper multi-amp setup.

Hmm, good catch. But they also have DSP on board, so I guess they are supplementing the crossover with that.

 

[jhaider]

Slightly less bass extension but maybe slightly more SPL.

Than KH 150 with a smaller woofer? Doubtful.

At best, where it counts (upper bass and lower) output is more likely to be at or below JBL 705/Neumann KH 120 II, but with more flexible vertical placement. Same sized woofer.

Powered, not active. Looks like they just bolted a single channel plate amp with the passive crossover, on vs doing a proper multi-amp setup.

I don’t see that as a problem. JBL 705i/708i are no better biamped than single-amped. The lack of grilles is a killer for home use though, IMO.

 

[dfuller]

I don’t see that as a problem. JBL 705i/708i are no better biamped than single-amped. The lack of grilles is a killer for home use though, IMO.

I do. Passive crossovers and a single channel of amplification is fine if the amp is separate, but for $1700 a pop it's a little bit absurd to use a single channel plate amp, especially considering their cheaper speakers are multiamped.

705i/708i are a solution only for multichannel installs and make very little sense elsewhere. We already have that option with the passive SM5. The 705p/708p are aimed at more typical studio setups and are biamped. The SM5 powered is not, for some reason.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

What's behind the conclusion that it uses a single-channel amp? That seems like a very odd design decision for a relatively upscale three-way monitor given that the much less expensive -- and very popular -- IN-x models have separate amps for each driver.

 

[Sacha]

Call me superficial, but they just look... cheap. Which was fine, when they where cheap, but this is now in the 'not cheap' price range. I'm sure if they sounded amazing I could get over it but still.

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Call me superficial, but they just look... cheap. Which was fine, when they where cheap, but this is now in the 'not cheap' price range. I'm sure if they sounded amazing I could get over it but still.

These are clearly intended for full-time recording pros -- or seriously dedicated amateurs -- rather than for folks' home listening spaces, where visual aesthetics are often a major consideration.

 

[Bruce Morgen]