Nothing better
In all our years testing monitors there is really no better feeling than playing a mix you have been working on through better monitors; just hearing the clarity, the extra width and extra dynamic range. The only issue here was that we weren’t expecting this euphoric moment as these speakers come in at half the price of our reference monitors. At best we were expecting them to hopefully match the response of the more expensive speakers; instead they gave us that ‘wow’ moment anyway.
At first this was due mostly to the physical ‘size’ of the sound. These are big monitors so in our small-to-mid-sized space they not only pack a punch power-wise but also dimension-wise. It’s like a wall of sound enveloping you in the most intoxicating way. But after that initial impact, it’s the detail that shines through. On our trusted (that is professionally mixed) tracks, we could enjoy the layers of bass being distinguished where necessary (rather than muddied up which you find on cheaper speakers).
And then there’s the width. You don’t often believe the claims with speaker manufacturers as very often the end results can be so subtle that you barely notice them, instead simply stroking your chin in a knowing way like you really did hear that extra 0.1dB in the high mids. So here we weren’t really expecting that claimed greater sweet spot but we certainly got it, so much so we nearly wore our chair wheels out rolling around the studio space finding its limits.
We’ve enjoyed reviewing the IN-8s so much that it almost pains us that we can’t recommend them to everyone. Their girth, power and physical size will be too much for many small studios (who should consider the Lone Pines, which boast much of the tech in a smaller package). For anyone else, with a space less limited than their funds, we can think of no better speakers for this kind of money. Quite simply: extraordinary. kaliaudio.com