You get an amazing pair of speakers for the money.
If you are a DIY person & can change the poor quality bipolar capacitors of the crossover with good polypropylene capacitors the sound of these will move to a high end level..

Heavy. Cool looking. Fairly small. TONS of sound for size. Seem to give it all to you. Convey, with right electronics I guess, the EMOTION of a song - key. An amazing deal, either at $10 or $100 - as I see them for used all the time. Play fairly loud, and also quietly.

Mmm. Maybe a little hollow sounding. Honestly, for $100 used - there aren't any.

This is for the Monitor One - first version. I read about them on this site. Got these little guys off some dude leaving town, along with the Aiwa all-in-one he was using - for $10. Yup! They were beat up, but working. So coughed up 10 bucks and put the Aiwa out immediately,(people put and pick up stuff off the street in San Francisco all the time - we call it sidewalk shopping), and brought these inside and hooked them up to my Proton D940 - a pretty sweet receiver.

What I noticed: First off - these things are hefty! Which is always a good sign. Very impressive for something I see for $100 used consistently. Also - kinda cool looking, another plus.

I hooked them up....wow. A LOT of sound coming out of these little things. And really seemed to present all the music that was there - ie. flat response I suppose, especially compared to all the home audio stuff I'd been using. But just the amount of sound - REALLY impressive. Bass response also - for such a little thing. Pretty much all you could ask. Now it wasn't until I got them home that I noticed that one of the tweeters was blown. No big deal - I paid $10 - I was glad to cough up for a new tweeter - which are still available at this point $34 including shipping. (I think it took 5 biz days.) But I'll tell you something...

With these things set up poorly, with one tweeter blown, listening off axis,(bad tweeter away from me) - I heard a song I'd heard a ton of times. Never paid any attention to it before - just thought it was un-notable in every way. Boring - some lame no-talent guy. But hearing it through these hooked up to my Proton, I noticed myself listening to it. After it was over, I was shocked - THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD SONG! lol. No - it wasn't the detail presented, necessarily. Or the soundstage or flat response etc. It was that these monitors conveyed the FEELING of what this guy was doing - his emotion. And THAT is why I started getting stereo equipment in the first place - to get that.

Needless to say - I'm not an audiophile. I'm not even really an audio enthusiast per se. I was going to put casual listener - but there's nothing casual about my listening. I love music. Now soundstage, imaging - all that crap - it's great. It can be amazing, I know. But I don't give a rats @ss about that stuff really - in the end I'm into music, ie. expression - that's what I love. Played in school bands through college - and however well executed something can be - or however thick someone's attitude - if there's no feel - it's crap. And these cheepo monitors delivered that feel,(and the Proton). Maybe all monitors do - have no idea. But these things made me realize what a good artist some guy is who I thought was just boring. Anyway...

They play pretty well at low levels. So they'll be my night speakers - when I don't want to wake anyone up with my Cerwin D-5 cranker speakers that even quiet go through the walls. Highly recommend for how cheap they are, how small they are, and how well they perform. Am no fool - if someone knows something notably better for $150 or less used - tell me. (fstliferdr@yahoo.com). Other than that - I'm going to enjoy these very much.

They get 4 stars because I'm personally not qualified to give them 5.

Thanks Alesis and the reviewers on this website.

Similar Products Used:

JBL L36, Cerwin VS-120, Cerwin D-5, ADS L420 (awesome with a warm amp), and PSB 50R's. Marantz 2238, Proton D940, Luxman R405, and a late 80's Onkyo.

Very revealing, superb lack of sonic masking, clean bass response, wide sound field. Absurdly cheap price for the performance.

Picky rear porting and hence placement. Requires well balanced electronics to drive with efficiency. Proof that silk domes are not neutral in terms of vocal performance.

Unlike some of the previous posts, my purpose of getting these dudes was for casual PC listening. However, after sampling many of the dire offerings in that category I elected to go with a pair of competent monitors. My next decision was to opt for passive monitors as opposed to active ones. I coupled my Alesis monitors with a matched set of B&K ST3030 power amp and AV2000 pre-amp along with Adcom GDA 600 external D/A converter. Considering the reputable neutrality of B&K gear and my ability to drive 400wpc at 4ohm, I have better than average electronics than these speakers were designed for. They can be driven fairly hard with good electronics. In terms of performance, I agree pretty much with all of the above. Very revealing when placed correctly, and a tad fussy with electronics requiring a stable/well balanced pre-amp and gutsty amplifier. Very steep crossover roll-off allows for incredible layering and virtual lack of sonic masking that plagues virtually all Hi-Fi speakers in the same price range. The drawback is the Alesis are somewhat harsh in their vocal rendering, and a bit 'dry' over-all, somewhat like older B&W's of years past. In most cases this is an advantage when studio mixing, especially when you want to flag poor bit compression and artifacts with conventional digital mastering, which the Alesis do brutally. Othwerwise, I'll stick to well attentuated ribbons and metal domes for 'lounge' listening where I don't want vocalists to all sound like they are on day 100 of a 101 day concert tour. One aspect of the Alesis I found interesting was their very wide dispersion, which allows for a generous sweet spot and somewhat exagerated sound stage. While they are at their best in the 'sweet spot', they are great speakers for off center listening. The rear porting is something I have no mercy for. Typical of most rear ported designs the Alesis requires very picky rear wall placement to avoid mid bass reinforcement and muddying the sound field. Oddly, I found mine sounded best when placed just an inch or so away from the rear wall which tended to dampen and disperse the rear porting. Still, no matter where they were placed the bass extension was quit remarkable and very clean. Looking at my digital sound graph I can see where lesser recordings used smaller monitors where the Alesis showed the dynamic gap.

Clarity,smoothness of frequency response,and surprising bass punch.Very fatique free listening for hours on end.

For their size you really have no performance weaknesses.They will absolutely blow away any consumer speaker in their price range.A quick one,two punch they're out!

I've owned these marvelously accurate and affordable speakers for a year now.If all reference studio monitors are this smooth and accurate to input signals then the majority of consumers are being misled. Stop reading audio magazines for advise on what to purchase.Get out and do your own listening after you've armed yourself with a basic knowledge of loudspeaker theory!Decide if you want accurate sound reproduction or noise makers.If accuracy is your aim then the nearfield reference monitor is the only objective choice for an individual on a budget.The Alesis monitors aren't the only speakers I listen to ,I also have a pair of dynaudio 1.3 monitors that cost me too much to mention.Don't get me wrong,these Dynaudios are better performers than many floor standing models for their detailed sound and smoothness.Stereo imaging,neutral response ,unexaggerated clarity,and treble of the highest order is what you get with these Dynaudios. But when I listen to the Alesis MkII's their isn't much difference in the sound of these true monitors when compaired to the much more expensive speakers.I'am willing to bet that in a double blind listening test the average audiophile would be hard pressed to tell which is the more expensive speaker playing.This goes to show the importance of very flat frequency and impulse accuracy to input signals in which these speakers display in spades.Having lived with speakers that are properly designed I find it hard to listen to NHT's ,Bostons',and other designs that make music formats sound better than they really are.If you want the truth and nothing but truth from your music then nothing out there will beat the Alesis monitor one MkII's(price wise) except another competently designed reference monitor in which accuracy to input signals is of paramount importance.Don't take my word,go out and listen for yourself.Truely affordable and extremely accurate speakers are out their but sadly not from sources most consumers think.You have to get this type speaker from pro audio dealers.They sell to people in which performance matters or major money will be lost due to poor performing products.Accurate hifi loudspeakers are out there but it's hard to find them ,until you do I highly recommend the Alesis monitor one MkII.If accuracy of reproduction matters to you,then these are your speakers.

Similar Products Used:

Dynaudio 1.3

Flat, uncoloured frequency response, powerfull for the size.

need carefull positioning to get good results.

Monitor 1 Mk II: Remember these are reference monitors, they play the sounds as they are and do not bias the sound in any particular freq. range unlike HI-FI speakers, so are suited to producers and sound engineers/technicians.

Tight bottom end, clear and distinct mids and highs, well able to take the pace at high volume levels without distorting, choose a good clean amp (I use the Samson Servo 260 studio Power amp, the mixing desk providing pre-amplification)

WARNING: these babies are rear ported, positioning with these speakers is the key to how they sound. Get it wrong and you may not be impressed, get it right and they are an absolute joy, so experiment.

Overall probably the best you can get at the price, if you want much bigger bass, almost into the sub region get some Alesis monitor 2's they rock!!!.

Similar Products Used:

HHB Circle 5.

Substantial bass (for studio monitors), unusual clarity for the price, neutral at moderate volumes

Limited sweet spot, no low bass, no grilles, no bi-wire option, 4ohm resistance restricts choice of amplifier

At the risk of igniting a rather contentious and oft-debated topic, it should be pointed out that studio reference monitors are made for a very specific purpose, and that purpose is NOT home listening. Hence, if you go to any of the reviews of reference monitors (See Yamaha NS-10M or NSM-10) on this site, you will see a wide disparity of ratings, usually polarized at the very lowest and highest.
Having said that, you CAN use these monitors at home, provided that your listening conditions are close to what you would find in a studio: the room should not be too "live", and the listener should be at a definite sweet spot close to the monitors, which again, are closer together than in a typical room setup. In fact, these monitors are designed to be lain on their "sides", so both drivers are at or just above or below ear level.
What this achieves is basically to take the room, and indeed the boxes themselves, out of the equation as much as possible. These monitors are, in a way, a substitute for headphones.
So why don't studio engineers use headphones? because a) it would be too tiring, and b)most home listeners use speakers.
The Alesis Monitor One should then be judged by different criteria from home speakers:
Neutrality- from thrash metal to opera via chamber jazz and boy band pop, these speakers are rarely outstanding in all areas But they are outstandingly BALANCED. By the nature of their application, they have to be a compromise, and as it happens, they are a very good one. The Monitor Ones add very little color to the music. In fact, this makes them great for hearing the differences between amplifiers.
Clarity- with the listener at the apex of a 2-3 meter triangle, the speakers reveal excellent detail throughout the spectrum, which is what you need in a studio. The trade-off is that the treble is really not natural, and in fact almost bright. It can get harsh when driven loud, and sibilant when a none-too subtle amp is employed. The bass is a good compromise between British and American tastes- felt AND heard, although neither to an excessive degree. Bass response rapidly deteriorates (muddies) the further away you move from the sweet spot. Rear porting means you need space between these monitors and the wall.
Listener fatigue- At moderate volumes, the sound is just rounded enough so that you can listen to them all day.
Power handling- rated at 4 ohms, the Monitor Ones demand an amp with headroom-- not necessarily high rated power. They love my brother's S.G. Jolida 256 tube integrated, but are happy with my old Luxman solid-state separates.
Caution: they start to sound high-mid harsh at loud volumes, especially when playing horn music, driven by a solid-state amp in a live room. But then, that's not what they were made for. Nevertheless, they'll take an amazing amount of abuse. I bought mine from an audio repo yard, and the scratches on the vinyl covering testified to a hard life. But they still sound great.
Compared with other products- The venerable Yamaha NS-10M has finally met its match. The Alesis is head and shoulders in terms of bass power and clarity. But of course the Monitor Ones fall short of Genelecs. At a fraction of the price, what would you expect?
I wish they came with speaker grilles to protect the rather exposed drivers-- you can always take them off for critical listening. Bi-wiring posts would be good, too.
The Alesis Monitor Ones are great for someone who has limited listening space but won't settle for mediocre sound-- as long as they were content to listen in a fixed position all day. For the same reason I would guess they'd do well as AV speakers in a low-budget HT setup, although I'm not sure if they're shielded, so don't use them as a center.
For the project studio musician or recordist, the choice between these and the NS-10M's is a no-brainer. Sure, there are better studio reference monitors out there. But not for this kind of money.

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha NS-10M, Genelec, RA Labs reference monitors

very flat clean and detailed/

none

all speakers have ther limit/but with the alesis mk11
monitor there are almost no limitations on what these speakers can do for the price payed.I resently went to a hiFI SHOP TO PURCHASE A NEW PAIR OF SPEAKER TO USE ALONG WITH MY NAD C350 INT AMP/I TRIED SEVERAL DIFFERENT HIGH END SPEAKERS IN THE 2 WAY 6 1/2 INCH RANGE ALL VERY EXPESIVE/IN THE 499.00 TO 1200.00 PER PAIR RANGE/NONE AND I MEEN NONE OF THESE SPEAKER EXIBITED THE EXCELENT SOUND CARACTERISTICS OF THE ALESIS MK11.THESE OVER PRICED HI FI CRAPPERS ARE A RIP OFF/ITS PATHETIC THAT A 249.00 PAIR OF SPEAKERS CAN OUTPERFORM SPRAKERS THAT COST ALMOST FIVE TIMES AS MUCH.DONT FORGET THAT YOUR AMPLIFIER AND SOUND SORCE PLAYES A HUGE ROLL IN SOUND/YES THESE SPEAKERS ARE NERE FIELD MONITORS/BUT WITH THE WRIGHT EQUIPMENT THESE THINGS SOUND GREAT AT LONGER THAN NORMAL DISTANCES FROM THE LISTENER//THESE ARE GREAT SPEAKERS AT A GREAT PRICE/BUY THEM AND THE NAD C350 INTEGRATED AMP AND YOU WONT BE DISAPOINTED WITH THE SOUND/

Similar Products Used:

psb/yamaha/tannoy/

I have had my Monitor One's for almost two years now, and with out fial thy are the best near-field monitor you can buy for the money. There have been alot of complaints that these little guys are to harsh on the mid and high end ranges, though this can be easily overcome by wisely choosing your amp/preamp combinations. For studio work, mind your EQ especially in the 7-11k range. For home listening, these little guys sweeten up nicley with an analog source. Try the c/j PV10A preamp with the RA100 amp (also by Alesis) for a near reference system under $1500 excluding source.

Don't trust these puppies!!! Lots of people have claimed good things about these speakers, but, compare them side-by-side with better monitors, and you'll hear how much they screw-up the sound! Ever see the freq. response graph? The good news: Yes, for small speakers, these have very respectable bass - extended, and very smooth/flat up into the midrange.The bad news: The midrange and beyond is where things go to hell in a handbasket - big dips and peaks, with a massive peak at 10K, then severe drop off. So, they sound very bright and sizzly, but you can't trust the extended upper range.
My advice for these in your studio: Use them for your "crap reference speakers", but, they are worthy of checking the lower end with. They certainly are not suitable for main monitors. I fear all the stuff that has been recorded where these were used as main monitors...

Rich, accurate sound.

For the size of the speakers themselves, these are amazing. I get more accurate bass response (above 40Hz) with these than most any other speaker I've tried. I've heard the criticism of how flat the response is on the high end when compared with other "reference monitors," but when compared to any other speaker of the same size, these are AMAZING. I use them in a DJ/Turntable setup and they provide the deep, tight, pumpin' bass and the crisp, clean treble needed, even at extremely high volumes. Pair these up with a real subwoofer, and you could practically throw a concert.