Topic: The Perfect Near Field monitor - Yes!

I am so excited to let you all know about this amazing speaker. Super Cubes 5 from DMAXaudio http://www.dmaxaudio.com/en/sc5 (I received them this week).

I have expensive Event Opal monitors, I also have IK Multimedia MTM, and Sennheiser HD800 headphones. Testing done - in use they totally destroy the MTM and Opal and are a match the for HD800!. The phase and near linear frequency response is spectacular, and the depth of the sound stage defies believe!

When you sit and play, it's like the grand piano is there in front of you. The imaging is so accurate such as when you go note by note up or down the keybed, you can here each key and where it is placed in the sound stage!!

You do not need a sub woofer, that would only cloud the imaging, (DMAX state not to use any sub woofer with them). The bass is extremely detailed and goes down to 50hz and Pianoteq sounds incredible through them. I have taken great care with putting them about 120cm apart and about 120cm to the piano player position, and they are at a height of approx 124cm to the middle of the cone - which is the alignment to the height of my ears.

The amplitude-frequency linearization has a latency of 5ms, I run Pianoteq at a 128 sample buffer at 96khz, and they do not impact the feel of live playing at all.

Also for listening enjoyment I can hear details that I have never heard before on the recordings! Also for folks who need a small / accurate monitoring solution when tracking or mixing, I totally recommend them.

I do not know how to post images on here but you can view my studio setup from this address: https://d.pr/i/fWUHTQ

Last edited by musicchamber (24-05-2021 08:19)

Re: The Perfect Near Field monitor - Yes!

Congratulations with your speakers, I like your perfect triangular setup, if only I would have a room like that.  Only downside would be the narrow sweetspot.  I know what it is to suddenly get such a magical experience, and thanks for sharing the discovery.  It must be similar to what I experienced on a more modest budget with my Tozzi One single driver speakers. Still every day I am waiting for the moment I can put down my headphones and listen to the beautiful sounds coming out of my VPC1 concert grand.  Looks like these single driver setups are really the way to go.

Re: The Perfect Near Field monitor - Yes!

Kepijapa wrote:

Congratulations with your speakers, I like your perfect triangular setup, if only I would have a room like that.  Only downside would be the narrow sweetspot.  I know what it is to suddenly get such a magical experience, and thanks for sharing the discovery.  It must be similar to what I experienced on a more modest budget with my Tozzi One single driver speakers. Still every day I am waiting for the moment I can put down my headphones and listen to the beautiful sounds coming out of my VPC1 concert grand.  Looks like these single driver setups are really the way to go.

Yes, and the transient response with the Super Cubes is crazy good! Glad you liked my room, alas it's a bit of a mess at the moment, I just wanted to quickly get the speakers setup and test. The piano and speaker setup will now go into my dedicated piano room at the studio. That way I can get my desk back, and get the studio organised! Haha.

Re: The Perfect Near Field monitor - Yes!

I bought a pair as well last week. Amazing things.
(The only problem is that now I want to do new mixes of everything I've ever done ...)

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Re: The Perfect Near Field monitor - Yes!

Piet De Ridder wrote:

I bought a pair as well last week. Amazing things.
(The only problem is that now I want to do new mixes of everything I've ever done ...)

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Congrats with the purchase. Yes, they are simply stunning and accurate. I sent an email to Andrew at DMAX with some positive comments and enquired if there are any more monitor designs in the works. Andrew said he is creating the next monitor called '621' 2 x 6.5 plus 1 x tweeter. They will be interesting when they come out.

Enjoy your monitors

Re: The Perfect Near Field monitor - Yes!

2 x 6.5 plus 1 x tweeter ??? Where is the "single" speaker concept gone ???

Re: The Perfect Near Field monitor - Yes!

Luc Henrion wrote:

2 x 6.5 plus 1 x tweeter ??? Where is the "single" speaker concept gone ???

If that's his aim hopefully he would make it a D'Appolito arrangement.

This will better suit listening from a greater distance. However full range drive unit can work to highly satisfying levels in most domestic rooms at sensible levels.

That said a well designed D'Appolito arrangement can work well in near-field too.

Re: The Perfect Near Field monitor - Yes!

I find for nearfield monitoring, coaxial monitors are just awesome, because treble and bass both come at you from exactly the same point.

This is an interesting speaker, I gotta say. However, I don't feel like wasting 2U on an amp driving them, personally....

Hard work and guts!

Re: The Perfect Near Field monitor - Yes!

EvilDragon wrote:

I find for nearfield monitoring, coaxial monitors are just awesome, because treble and bass both come at you from exactly the same point.

This is an interesting speaker, I gotta say. However, I don't feel like wasting 2U on an amp driving them, personally....

To avoid confusion for anyone reading this comment the Dmax Audio  loudspeaker is not coaxial. It doesn't have two drivers per speaker, only the one full range drive unit.

Re: The Perfect Near Field monitor - Yes!

musicchamber wrote:

I am so excited to let you all know about this amazing speaker. Super Cubes 5 from DMAXaudio http://www.dmaxaudio.com/en/sc5 (I received them this week).

My Speaker for Pianoteq inspired by the Super Cubes 5:

My Equipment:

Seiler piano with Adsilent as midi source.
Raspberry 4, 64bit OS, RealVNC and Pianoteq 7.4.2, Android tablet

Additional hardware:

MDF plates for the Cube 20x20x20cm (32€)
EAGLE L022B 13cm Hifi full range speaker (30€)
TinySine TSA1701 2x4 DSP Module Mini Digital Signal Processor Board ADAU1701 USB, with programming interface (46€)
Auna CLass D Amplifier with Bluetooth (*)
Cable, connector, microphone, .... (*)

Software:

Audacity (Linux) and SigmaStudio (Windows in VM)

Other:

Time (one weekend) (*)

(*) .. was still available

Compared to the iLoud Micro monitor (https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/iloudmm/), the result surprised me positively.

https://ibb.co/4KvqBFf
https://ibb.co/VT4BJDf
https://ibb.co/fr0zTQK
https://ibb.co/2MNLLt1