EVENT ELECTRONICS Studio Precision 8 Active

May 1, 2004 12:00 PM, Rob Shrock

Event Electronics' new Studio Precision 8 Active monitor is part of the Studio Precision line, which consists of two powered and two passive models with 8-inch or 6.5-inch drivers. Event has always made good monitors, and the Studio Precision 8 Active, or ASP8, is as good as any close-field monitor on the market at any price.

PRODUCT SUMMARY
Event Electronics Studio Precision 8 Active active close-field monitor $1,499 per pair
FEATURES	5.0
EASE OF USE	5.0
AUDIO QUALITY	5.0
VALUE	5.0
RATING PRODUCTS FROM 1 TO 5
PROS: Compares favorably with the best close-field monitors on the market. Flat frequency response with extended low end and smooth top end. Good imaging and wide sweet spot. HF and LF trims allow adjustments to room. 80 Hz highpass for use with subwoofer. CONS: None.
Manufacturer
Event Electronics tel. (805) 566-7777 e-mail info@event1.com Web www.event1.com

THE DETAILS

The face of the Studio Precision 8's cabinet sports a high-gloss black finish and attractive gold lettering. The monitor looks gorgeous, and the quality of its sound is even better. I knew after a few minutes of listening that it was a great speaker.

The active ASP8 includes controls for contouring the monitor to your room. High- and low-frequency trims allow you to adjust the response by ±3 dB above 2.6 kHz and below 100 Hz. An 80 Hz highpass filter can be used when a subwoofer is added to the system. I initially set the input trim to maximum (it is variable down to -20 dB), set the frequency-response trims to flat, and disengaged the filter. I didn't need to touch these settings again other than to verify that they did what they claimed. I was quite pleased with the ASP8's response in its neutral configuration.

Listening to some favorite CDs, I was surprised at details I heard for the first time in recordings I thought I knew inside out. It was especially fun to listen to old standards that aren't overly compressed, like Steely Dan's Aja and Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, and hear all of their depth, dynamics, and dimension. I could even discern a few questionable punches and overprocessed moments I hadn't noticed before. Modern titles by Juanes, Josh Groban, Maroon 5, and Liz Phair all sounded great within the context of their respective production styles. (And yes, the excessive compression of today's pop music was apparent.)

These monitors sounded pleasantly flat and even. The low end was smooth and extended without any noticeable rippling. The ASP8's 80 Hz highpass filter is specifically designed for use with a subwoofer, and Event's 20/20 S250 sub is designed to be a perfect match, especially if you're setting up a surround system of Studio Precision monitors. However, for normal stereo music mixing a subwoofer isn't necessary. The ASP8's low-end response is so good I wouldn't hesitate to mix a whole record on these speakers alone.

The midrange and high end were equally impressive. The mids were neither strident nor scooped but simply neutral. I had no particular awareness of any anomalies at the crossover point, which can be obvious in other speaker designs. I suspect that that has partly to do with the tweeter (or radiator, as Event calls it), which has a concave housing similar to the one used in Mackie's HR824. The result is a smooth top end with a wide sweet spot that sounds very accurate rather than hyped and scooped, a sound popular in other monitors.

The transient response is very good, which gives the ASP8s a stable stereo image with a lot of front-to-back dimension. The active models are well powered with 200W amplification for the low-frequency driver and 80W for the tweeter.

To my ears, there is always a trade-off in warmth between monitors with faster and slower transient response. Those with a faster response have good imaging but can sound unnaturally hard and tight. Slower responses can mean a monitor that sounds warmer but has a smeared image. The ASP8 possesses a balance that ultimately sounds very natural.

IN THE MIX

Having grown tired of most of my monitors and of how hard I was working to get good mixes, I was just days away from dropping about $3,000 for a new set of large close-fields when the ASP8s arrived for review. When I pulled up my first mix on the ASP8s I immediately noticed compression artifacts, EQ flaws, and ambience level problems that had not been apparent on my older monitors. I quickly grew to trust what I was hearing on the ASP8s.

At one point, the proprietary amplifier for my NHT A-20 speakers died. Those have long been my “small” close-fields of choice. Having only the ASP8s (and my little Apple speakers) as references, I trudged along without resorting to another pair of speakers from the storage closet. As it turned out, I didn't need any other monitors, and I was as happy with the resulting mixes as I've been with any I've done. Mixing is an elusive task, but it sure helps when you can trust what you're hearing, and with the ASP8s I didn't have to work as hard as I usually do to get good results.

HOME RUN

I wouldn't change anything in the design of the ASP8. Although I don't believe a “perfect” monitor exists, I do believe Event has hit a home run — no, a grand slam — with these monitors. I think their value is particularly great because I actually prefer these monitors to a very popular studio mainstay that costs double their price.

Above a certain level of high-end performance, choosing monitors becomes very subjective. However, there are a handful of specific monitors that show up in a lot of control rooms around the world for a good reason: experienced professionals are familiar with them, trust them, and can consistently work well with them. Without qualification, I believe the Studio Precision 8 should be in that select group of speakers that comprise the professional's short list. I also can't think of a better combination of monitors and subwoofer than Event's ASP8 and 20/20 S250 for a surround system that provides this combination of bang for the buck and critical monitoring quality.

Studio Precision 8 Active Specifications
Audio
Frequency Response	35 Hz-20 kHz (±3 dB)
High-Frequency Equalization	trim control, continuously variable, ±3 dB above 2.6 kHz
Low-Frequency Equalization	trim control, continuously variable, ±3 dB below 100 Hz
Highpass Filter	80 Hz in/out, second-order slope
Peak Output	111 dB SPL
Amplifiers
Power Rating	80W (HF amplifier); 200W (LF amplifier)
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (HF amplifer)	104 dB (unweighted, 22 kHz bandwidth); 106 dBA
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (LF amplifer)	102 dB (unweighted, 22 kHz bandwidth); 105 dBA
Input Impedance	40 kž (balanced)
Total Harmonic Distortion	<0.04% (HF amplifier); <0.03% (LF amplifier)
Power Consumption Speakers	10W (idle); 350W (full program)
High-Frequency Driver	1" soft-dome neodymium radiator
Low-Frequency Driver	8" mineral-filled polypropylene cone
Input Connectors	XLR, ¼" TRS
Crossover
Crossover Slope	2.6 kHz, active fourth-order asymmetrical
Enclosure
Material	0.75" vinyl-laminated MDF (internally insulated)
Dimensions	12.5" (W) × 16.0" (H) × 11.9" (D)
Weight	32.5 lb.