Monitor Audio Studio 89: A two-minute review
At the time, the “Studio” was Monitor Audio’s most expensive and most aspirational speaker line. And now the name is back, with an “89” attached for good measure, in a speaker the company reckons is “Formula 1” rather than “sports car”.
It’s a distinctive look, that’s for sure – whether the proportions are attractive or not is one thing, but there’s no denying that the glossy black cabinet with the copper-coloured vertical driver array is dramatic. Screw the speakers to matching stands (if you don’t mind the extra cost) and the look is cohesive and, at least to me, noticeable.
The use of driver and crossover technology originally developed for the $92,000/$70,000-a-pair speaker is also quite promising – and the way it’s deployed shows similarly little inclination to compromise. Heck, even the speaker terminals on the back of the speakers are rhodium-plated and rather extravagantly shaped.
How does this more affordable option compare to the best stereo speakers on the market? Well, the above star rating is a good start, isn’t it? But let’s dive into the nuts and bolts of the thing – and of course the sound.
Monitor Audio Studio 89 review: Price and release date
- Released on July 1, 2024
- $2,500 / £2,000 / AU$4,000
The Monitor Audio Studio 89s are available now and yours in the UK for £2,000 a pair. It costs $2,500 in the United States, while the asking price is $4,000 in Australia.
When you consider that Monitor Audio is perhaps best known recently for releasing the $92,000 Hyphn offering (once called the Concept 50, originally unveiled at High End Munich 2022), this is affordable territory.
That’s just for the speakers though, you understand – if you’re into custom stands too (and they have a lot to recommend them, apart from the harmonic aesthetic), you’re looking at an extra $625 / £500 / AU$1,000.
Most of this test is done with the Studio 89 bolted to the matching stands – but not completely. I also placed the speakers on my Atacama Moseco 6 reference stands, where they are perfectly happy (although they don’t look as snappy). So this review is purely an evaluation of the speakers and only the speakers.
Monitor Audio Studio 89 Review: Features
- MPD III tweeter; 2 x 108mm RDT III mid-bass drivers
- Rear bass reflex slots
- Frequency response 48Hz – 60kHz
Of course, these are passive speakers, so the “features” on the ground are quite thin. However, what features Studio 89 does have are thoroughly researched and thoughtfully applied.
The front baffle of the speaker is, for example, a sheet of aluminum, which is isolated from the main body of the cabinet by a thick layer of foam. The enclosure and the drive units that are placed in it are then secured using “through-both” technology running from the back of the drivers to the back of the cabinet. The idea is to create a very rigid cabinet structure in which the drive units can operate in isolation – offering a cleaner and less colored sound. The fact that this methodology means there are no visible mounts or screw heads doesn’t hurt the Studio 89’s looks either.
The drive units themselves are arranged vertically – a pair of 108mm RDT III mid-bass drivers sit with an MPD III tweeter between them. This “MTM” (Mid/Treble/Midrange) arrangement, says Monitor Audio, offers the advantage of great sound dispersion thanks to its “vertical symmetry”.
The RDT III mid-bass drivers are the latest evolution of the ‘C-CAM’ technology that Monitor Audio has loved for years. The combination of three very thin layers of ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium, carbon fabric and a Nomex honeycomb core combine to create a lightweight, responsive driver that sits in front of a powerful motor system that uses a magnet larger than the cone itself.
The MPD III tweeter, meanwhile, uses its low-mass diaphragm folds a bit like an accordion for a smooth and fast high-frequency response. Its square radiating surface is designed for equal directivity both horizontally and vertically. Its carefully designed waveguide also contributes to its directivity and soundstage capabilities – and the fact that it looks pretty dramatic doesn’t hurt either.
The foundation of this driver array, sonically speaking, is a pair of narrow speed ports located at the top and bottom of the back of each cabinet. The relatively large area of ​​the ports keeps both the internal pressure and the airflow inside the cabinet in balance and reduces turbulence – the result, says Monitor Audio, is a smooth airflow and a strong bass response.
Elsewhere, the crossover that feeds the electrical signals to the drivers is a meticulous new design that uses polypropylene and polyester capacitors. Along with an air core and low-loss laminated steel-core chokes, the design is designed for optimal signal transmission and minimal distortion. Robust rhodium-plated, precisely machined speaker terminals complete the impression of perfectly uncompromising engineering.
Feature Score: 5/5
Monitor Audio Studio 89 Review: Sound Quality
- Balanced and informative sound
- Detail and dynamics in equal measure
- Articulate rhythms
There are plenty of speakers that can peer deep into the mix and come back with every scrap of information there is. There are plenty of speakers that can entertain with the punchy character of their delivery. However, there is rather a shortage of speakers that can handle both. So it’s nice to be able to add Studio 89 to your list.
What’s perhaps most pleasing about the way the Monitor Audio sounds is how much fun it’s having. When playing uncomplicated quality recordings like You! Me! Dance! From Los Campesinos! the presentation has the right energy and vitality, a sense of engagement that is by no means taken for granted, no matter how much you spend on your speakers.
But it is not at the expense of insight. The Studio 89 creates a large, well-organized soundstage that allows even a fairly compressed and foggy mix like this to stretch out and give each individual element room to operate. The level of detail is high at every turn, and Monitor Audio can place even the most fleeting, transient events into a convincing context. Studio 89 makes it easy to identify individual racks without any part of the recording sounding distant or alienated – yet the unity and togetherness of its presentation gives a real sense of ‘performance’.
Something a little less impulsive and a little more thoughtful – Bad kingdom say from Moderat – allows the Studio 89 to showcase a nicely neutral tonal balance and extremely smooth frequency range integration. Carryover between drivers is imperceptible, and no part of the frequency range is overly under or over-emphasized. Low frequencies are deep, properly varied and textured and controlled to the point that rhythmic expression is never in doubt and momentum levels are always high. The opposite end of the scale is bright and punchy, so the treble shines without veering close to harshness. And in between, the midrange is open and articulate to the point that vocalists of all types, all techniques, all characters and all emotional states are able to fully communicate.
Dynamic headroom is substantial, so large shifts in loudness and/or intensity are faithfully tracked. And the less obvious but no less essential dynamic of harmonic variations is also given just the right amount of emphasis. No matter how reserved or how complex the recording, Monitor Audio has authority over it.
The only area where the Syudio 89 could be called “deficient” is in the area of ​​simple attack. There’s nothing substantive about the way these speakers deliver a recording, you understand – but there are a few alternative designs that have more bite and assertiveness. But the more I think about it, the more I would describe it as a ‘feature’ rather than a ‘flaw’. If you’re one of those listeners who likes maximum drive and attack, you may find the deliberate and balanced nature of the presentation here to be just a tad noncommittal. The rest of us, however, will just marvel at what utterly convincing sound is available.
Sound Quality Score: 5/5
Monitor Audio Studio 89 Review: Design
- Glossy black finish
- 340 x 157 x 361 mm (HxWxD)
- 7.6 kg (each)
There’s a disproportionately tall, skinny elephant in the room when it comes to the design of the Monitor Audio Studio 89 – so I might as well get there. With dimensions of 340 x 157 x 361 mm (HxWxD), these are undoubtedly rather oddly sized speakers. When viewed from the front, they look quite tall and thin, because they are. But move around them and you realize that they are even deeper than they are tall. It’s an unusual effect, and it makes the custom stands that Monitor Audio has developed for use with these speakers seem more of a necessity than an option.
Somewhat awkwardly proportioned, but these are beautifully crafted and quite good-looking speakers. The driver arrangement in the aluminum front cabinet kind of freaked them out, but the gloss black finish (your only option) is shiny and deep – and contrasts nicely with the copper/bronze color of the mid-bass drivers. The little badges that wrap around the bottom of each speaker with the ’80s Ford Sierra font are also nicely judged.
Design rating: 4.5/5
Monitor Audio Studio 89 Review: Value
Of course, the usual caveats apply here – you should really only consider Studio 89s if you’re going to be using them in a similarly expensive and capable system, and it’s almost certain that you’ll need to find the money for matching stands. But if you can live with those Ts & C’s, there’s no denying the value for money these speakers represent both as objects and most importantly in the sound they produce.
Score Value: 5/5
Monitor Audio Studio 89 Review: Should You Buy Them?
Buy them if…
Don’t buy them if…
Monitor Audio Studio 89 review: Also consider
If you have that kind of money to spend on a pair of compact passive speakers, you have a great choice from many highly regarded manufacturers.
KEF’s R3 Meta, for example, are maybe $120 cheaper than the Studio 89 – and while they don’t look as dramatic, they certainly have a lot to recommend them in terms of sound quality.
Or you could decide to throw even more money at it and look at Bowers & Wilkins’ 705 S3 – there’s nothing retro about the way they look and the stands will cost you even more money than the Monitor Audio equivalent – but if Given that are these speakers ready, they are among the most grateful.
(And if not? The B&W 600 series might be worth a look).
Monitor Audio Studio 89 Review: How I Tested
- Using premium racks – and using my racks
- Connected to Naim Uniti Nova, listening to Qobuz and Tidal tracks
- He also joined the Rega Apollo for CD; Cambridge Audio/Clearaudio for vinyl
My time listening to the Monitor Audio Studio 89s was split almost 50/50 between bolting them to their custom, rather expensive stands, and sitting on the more affordable (but remarkably capable) Atacama Moseco 6 alternatives.
They were powered by a Naim Uniti Nova streamer/amplifier capable of cranking out 70 watts of power per channel. Being both a streamer and an amplifier, I used the Naim to listen to Qobuz and TIDAL.
I used a Rega Apollo for listening to CDs and both Cambridge Audio Alva TT v2 and Clearaudio Concept turntables for listening to vinyl.
The speakers stayed in my listening room for the duration of the test – the space is nothing esoteric, it’s a fairly ordinary (though not particularly reflective) room that works very well for my purposes. And I listened to a lot of different recordings from these different sources, from many genres and from a wide range of periods.