Random opinions on Alesis Monitor Ones - brightness factor

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lassoharp

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Jan 3, 2009
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I'm interested in hearing if anyone has ever been left with the impression that the Alesis Monitor Ones(Originals - not the MKII)  are unnecessarily bright - Does anyone feel there's some boosting of the high end response going on with these monitors? Or do you think they're fairly accurate in the high end?

I've heard this in various forms through the grapevine over the years.  After using them for several months as  speakers for listening tests on DIY gear I've reason to believe I'm being fooled on the high notes.  Just curious to hear what anyone else around here has to say on this. 
 
I always found them fatiguing over long periods.  After years of using them, and noticing the differences at varying volumes, I am left with the impression they have significant distortions that give a brighter harder edge than is really there.  I found the power amp made a huge difference.  I don't know what they claim on paper.  I sometimes have them hooked up to an antique set of 10W cathode biased tube amps, and they really don't perform well with that sort of drive. 
 
I found them to be more like hi-fi speakers than flat reference monitors. I actually did not mind the mids but the highs were a little bright and the bass was boosted and boomy.
 
I use a pair of monitor one (mkII not the original) and I find them too bright.
Things are better now that I've treated my room, but I'm still mixing kinda dull because of them.

Also comercial mixes are actually really hard to listen to on them..... Bright speakers + bright mixes = ear pain........

I really need to get something better, but I keep spending my $$$ on DIY
 
Yep.  Thinking Alesis had no business calling these "reference monitors", or should I say they generated big business with these based on their popularity.

I do think they are best left as playback speakers for casual listening unless you can calculate the amount of roll off needed to compensate.  Spent a lot of time applying de-emphasis networks to an amp that actually needed just the opposite.  Apparently thanks to their technology for presenting "stunning clarity in the high freq response".  I suppose in the listening rooms the 'dull' speaker gets passed by just like an SM7 might when wrongly compared to a beta 58.  Mars Music I remember, strictly forbade any adjustment of the mixer preamp gain under any circumstances . . .   
 
Yes, i have owned a few pairs.  I used them for grunt-work editing, but usually loosely taped tissue over the tweeters to deal with the highs over long periods... not too scientific, but it relieved the icepick-in-the-ear pain while editing cymbals.
 
aletheian-alex said:
Yes, i have owned a few pairs.  I used them for grunt-work editing, but usually loosely taped tissue over the tweeters to deal with the highs over long periods... not too scientific, but it relieved the icepick-in-the-ear pain while editing cymbals.


I may have to try that!
 
lassoharp said:
Yep.  Thinking Alesis had no business calling these "reference monitors", or should I say they generated big business with these based on their popularity.

You have to remember they were actually better than anything else in the same price range when they came out, and that lasted for a few minutes into the future. 
 
A friend uses them.  Socks stuffed into the reflex ports to curb the bass and a sheet of tissue taped over the tweeter to control the highs were the (admittedly ridiculous looking) solutions that he came up with.  They did the job too.
 
Does anyone feel there's some boosting of the high end response going on with these monitors? Or do you think they're fairly accurate in the high end?

I had the MK1 and MK2(amplified).

MK1: for me they are not 'reference monitors' at all. Accurate in the high end certainly not, fatiguing and over detailed yes. Boomy and bass boosted: definitely yes (100/200hz really untruth...) making them delivers much more bass than my 15" 3 ways reference monitors.... Low Medium/Medium?... Well a total loudness frequency response making masking of medium unusable for me... And worst i never found how to place them (tweeters on top, bottom, far right, left... same problem: too much directivity, soft spot of 20cm wide).
I just opened them for reussing the boomer in a small pratice bass amp and was horrified with quality of speakers (my car's speakers looks far more better quality). Same problems as EMRR with amps... Even with the better amp i've heard (and buyed! ::) :Klinger Favre Precision amp) it only make the weakness appears worst.

mk2: easiest to position but overall same problems: loudness frequency response. Those one are in my living room for dvd's and radio and as 'worst conditions' verify of work.

As EMRR said they were the better price/quality at the time... if you didn't want to make your own monitors! DIY rules.    
 
Oh yeah; look at the crossovers.  Mine have vibrated resistor and cap leads apart on several occasions.  As they go, they sound worse for awhile.  I have intended to rework the crossovers in mine, but they are rarely used secondary speakers here. 
 
They were definitely the best deal on the block for a short while.  I remember liking them better than a couple other monitors in the next price bracket up.

I've been wondering too if there's any possibility of reworking the crossover or eliminating whatever technology they used to achieve the perceived boosting effect on the highs. The extra low end kick doesn't pose as much of a problem for me in the application I'm using them for and I actually kind of like it blown up like that.
 
I mean vibration severs the leads of the resistors and caps, causing them to go open. 
 
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