In this Video
@Nuyes analyzes the
Palmer Orbit 11 active studio monitor, a speaker that has recently attracted a lot of attention in audio communities and is often described as a potential
“game changer.”
Nuyes explains that this reputation mainly comes from the
combination of several advanced design concepts at a very low price (under $800 per unit).
Design Concept
The Orbit 11 combines three technologies that normally appear only in much more expensive speakers:
- 3-way coaxial design – the midrange and tweeter share the same acoustic axis to create a point-source behavior and precise imaging.
- Cardioid radiation pattern – the speaker reduces sound radiation to the sides and rear to minimize room reflections.
- Dual Opposed Subwoofer (DOS) – two woofers are mounted in opposite directions to cancel cabinet vibrations.
Comparable speakers using similar concepts include models from
Genelec, Dutch & Dutch, Kii, and Barefoot, but those are usually far more expensive.
Because of this unusual feature set combined with a low price, the speaker has been widely discussed as a
possible “bang-for-the-buck revolution.”
Measurement Results
Nuyes performs extensive measurements.
Frequency response
- The on-axis response is very flat and well balanced.
- Bass extension reaches roughly 26 Hz, which is remarkable for a speaker of this size.
Directivity
Measurements such as spinorama, contour plots, beamwidth, and polar plots show:
- very consistent directivity
- stable radiation from about 400 Hz up to the highest frequencies
- effective cardioid behavior that reduces rear radiation.
Both horizontal and vertical dispersion are smooth, which is one of the typical advantages of coaxial designs.
Distortion
- From about 70 Hz upward, distortion remains very low.
- Below that frequency distortion rises significantly.
This is explained by the design:
- two 8-inch woofers are placed in a very small enclosure
- strong DSP bass boosting is used to achieve the unusually deep bass extension.
Despite this demanding setup, the speaker still shows
impressive mechanical stability and remains relatively clean even at high levels.
Multitone distortion and compression measurements also indicate
very solid performance, with distortion staying low even at
high output levels around 96 dB.
The Fatal Drawback
Despite the excellent acoustic measurements, the reviewer identifies
one major problem that does not appear in the performance graphs: self-noise (hiss).
When the speaker is turned on, the internal electronics generate
audible background noise.
Measurements made with a microphone
10 cm from the speaker show that the Orbit 11 produces significantly more noise than several well-known monitors, including:
- Neumann KH120A
- Genelec 8030C
- Kali Audio LP6
- even a budget Edifier MR4
Lowering the output level reduces the hiss slightly, but it remains
noticeably higher than competing products.
Conclusion
Nuyes concludes that the Palmer Orbit 11 is
an extremely impressive and ambitious design:
- excellent frequency response
- very well controlled directivity
- strong output capability
- advanced engineering at a remarkably low price.
However, the
high self-noise is considered a fatal flaw, especially for nearfield studio use.
Since one advantage of coaxial monitors is the ability to listen at very short distances, audible hiss undermines that benefit.
Therefore:
- At longer listening distances (around 2.5–5 m) in normal living environments, the Orbit 11 could offer exceptional value for money.
- For professional nearfield monitoring, the reviewer suggests waiting for a future revision with a lower noise floor.
