ALESIS Monitor One User Manual
ALESIS
Monitor One
Reference Manual
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: ABOUT THE MONITOR ONE
1.0 A LITTLE HISTORY............................................... 2
CHAPTER 2: INSTALLATION
2.0 SPEAKER PLACEMENT........................................ 4
2.1 CONNECTIONS .................................................... 7
2.2 POWER AND PROTECTION .................................. 8
CHAPTER 3: SPECIFICATIONS AND SERVICE
3.0 SPECIFICATIONS................................................. 10
3.0A Architectural and Engineering Specifications........... 11
3.1 MAINTENANCE /REPAIR INFORMATION .............. 10
3.1A Cleaning........................................................................... 10
3.1B Service............................................................................. 11
CHAPTER 1: ABOUT THE
MONITOR ONE
Your new Alesis Monitor One™ Studio Reference Monitors will
deliver accurate mixes in near-field digital and analog studio
monitoring applications. The Monitor Ones offer wide frequency
response, accurate transient reproduction, clear imaging and high
power handling capability and were designed by experts with
decades of experience in professional loudspeaker design.
This speaker system uses a proprietary 6.5" high-power low
frequency driver with a special mineral-filled polypropylene cone,
a highly damped linear rubber surround and a 1.5" diameter voice
coil wound on a high-temperature Kapton former. The 1" high
frequency driver employed has a soft natural silk dome and is
ferrofluid cooled. The system's crossover network uses low
dielectric loss non-polarized capacitors and an oversized low-loss
low frequency inductor. Rear panel connections are made via 5way binding posts suited to large diameter wires as well as
banana plugs.
The cabinet design uses Alesis' exclusive SuperPort™ speaker
venting technology. Most small speakers used for near-field
monitoring give disappointing results in their lowest frequency
range. They are either sealed (which limits the amount of air the
driver can move) or have an undersized vent whose function at
low frequencies and high acoustic output is nullified by the effect
of turbulence in the restricted port tube. The Monitor One's large
folded SuperPort overcomes this limitation by minimizing vent
turbulence at high air velocities, thereby ensuring that the
enclosure tuning remains stable, the acoustic output remains
linear during heavy low frequency attack transients, and that the
reactive load above and below box resonance seen by the driving
amplifier does not dynamically shift in frequency. This all
translates to tighter bass with higher definition.
The Monitor One's 4 ohm load impedance takes advantage of
today's modern professional amplifiers which are generally capable
of a 1-3 dB increase in output power with 4 ohm loads over their 8
ohm ratings. The result is a similar increase in the Monitor One's
acoustic output over conventional 8 ohm monitors.
Reliable handling of this additional acoustic output is ensured by
the Monitor One's substantial power handling capability. Typical
near-field monitors are rated at 50-60 watts maximum whereas the
Monitor One carries a 120 watt continuous power rating and has
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been successfully tested to over 200 watts using the industry
standard EIA-426A method. This a rugged speaker system
designed for serious professional use.
Covered with a non-slip rubber textured laminate for stable
mounting, the Monitor Ones come in a mirror image left/right pair
for symmetrical horizontal mounting.
1.0 A LITTLE HISTORY
In the early days of recording, most recording studios used big
monitor speakers almost exclusively. Unfortunately, they also
required high powered amplifiers and expensive acoustic
treatment (often poorly done) of the
well-constructed big monitoring system really was impressive to
listen to, a fact not overlooked by the studio owners who wanted to
impress the record company executives who paid for the big
studio's time. These big systems had big level control knobs, and
clients enjoyed "cranking-up" the volume.
Fortunately, recording engineers and producers eventually
learned that this was not the best way to accurately mix music
because it wasn't the way people listened to their radios, cassettes
and CD players (metalheads excepted). Also, big monitor systems
and the costs for the required control room acoustic treatments
were going through the roof (no pun intended), particularly beyond
the budget limits of smaller project and home studios which were
growing in numbers. A new way of accurate monitoring was
needed: near-field monitoring.
entire
control room. Still, a
Near-field monitors, by their definition, are intended for
mounting close to the listener. The idea here is to improve the
direct acoustic path between the speaker and the listener by
making it shorter, thereby giving less opportunity for the always
present indirect (reflected) sounds to get back in and muddle
things up. With near-field monitoring, the surrounding acoustic
environment becomes a much less significant factor in
establishing the monitor system's sound character.
A good set of small monitors properly placed in a reasonably
non-reverberant room and powered by a 100-watt amplifier will
yield surprisingly accurate results at budget prices. Carried to
another studio, the same monitor should also provide
results. In fact, some recording engineers carry their own
speakers around because they know how they will sound in
almost any room. Now, even the big studios use smaller speakers
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repeatable
to augment their big monitoring systems, and near-field monitors
have become proven tools in the recording business.
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