First we addressed the
Cabinet
Design...
The original 5C Sound Cubes™
were made of ½” particleboard covered with a glue-on wood grain contact
paper.
We chose to use thicker,
denser MDF board because of its high rigidity and inherent low-resonance
characteristics.
We started with a 165mm
(6 1/2") sealed cube design with radiused edges.
We then chose an elegant
Polyurethane high gloss “RETRO-CREAM” finish.
The originals had
either screws or on later models plastic binding posts mounted on a recessed
plastic cup.
We upgraded to high-end
nickel plated, machined solid metal binding posts (Dual banana spacing) mounted
on a black anodized ,milled and silk-screened aluminum terminal plate.
Next we added a 7mm
thick neoprene pad embedded into the base of the cabinet to serve as a
skid-resistant acoustic isolator.
Additionally,
for creative mounting situations, we recessed an industry standard 5/8”-27 mic
stand mount into the base.
Second,
we addressed the Driver
Design...
The
originals were a basic 5” stamped frame design.
We
designed a proprietary 5.25” die cast aluminum frame driver/cone assembly to
exceed the performance of the originals. The mounting bezel is then polished for
an elegant appearance.
The
paper cone, chosen for its musical character, is custom designed & crafted
using the finest New Zealand pulp with mica fibers added for lighter weight
& rigidity.
The
cloth surround is made in Japan to exacting uniform thickness tolerances.
The
Top Plate and T-Yoke of driver are made of Sumitomo 1008 low carbon steel
enabling the highest modeled flux density in the gap.
The
magnets are Y- 40 GRADE (MIL-SPEC) yielding a 43oz. High Power-low
distortion motor structure.
PERFORMANCE
OBJECTIVE
Studios primarily use
2-way & 3-way larger monitors designed to represent a wide range reference
viewpoint at higher listening levels.
However, in this newly
developing age of High Definition Audio, there is still a need to also
hear what your mix will sound like when played back over small
“bass-challenged” systems such as televisions, clock radios, computers, car
stereos, ipod docking stations, etc.
It is important to make
mixing judgments based partially on listening to reference monitors that will
not impart tonal anomalies caused by crossovers or inferior full range drivers.
Particular attention is always paid to the critical mid-range
vocal/guitar/keyboard areas. This is where having a full-range monitor without a
crossover is truly revealing.
Ten months of R&D
comparative listening & tweaking went into the voicing of the AVANTONE MixCubesÔ.
The result is a very
smooth sounding, full range upgrade from the original 5C Sound CubesÔ.
Listening tests reveal
that the MixCubesÔ
have a smooth, more open, transparent top end response with extended bass while
maintaining their basic original character.
AMPLIFICATION
and WIRING
Recommended
power rating is 50-200 watts of solid state power or 10-100 watts of tube power.
It is advisable to use a high quality studio-grade power amplifier.
The metal binding posts
on the rear of the speaker can accept bare wire, spade lugs, or single or dual
banana plugs. It is best to use 12 -16 AWG wire for runs longer than 6 feet.
PLACEMENT
When positioning the AVANTONE MixCubesÔ
on stands or console bridges it is best to keep them at ear level and slightly
angled in towards the engineer.
Since they are shielded
it is ok to place them near a CRT video monitor or TV without causing any
problems.
The bottom mic stand
mounts will also allow you creative positioning options in unusual studio
playback situations.
DESCRIPTION:
5.25" Shielded Passive
Full range 8 ohm drivers
6 1/2" Cube Cabinet
with multiple coats of "Retro-Cream"
High Gloss lacquer finish
Precision-milled
high-rigidity MDF Cabinet sides & Baffle for low resonance
Radiused corners &
edges reduce edge diffraction for better imaging
Custom
Paper Cone is crafted using New Zealand pulp with mica fibers
added for light weight & rigidity
Cloth surround made in
Japan to uniform thickness tolerances
Top Plate and T-Yoke of
driver are made of Sumitomo 1008 low carbon steel
The 43oz. low distortion motor
structure magnets are Y- 40
GRADE (MIL-SPEC)
High-Rigidity DIE CAST
Aluminum frame with polished mounting bezel
Nickel Plated
"high-end" binding posts (properly spaced for dual banana plugs)
Anodized milled Aluminum Terminal Plate
1/4" soft
Neoprene Pad is recessed into the cabinet base to serve as a non-skid
acoustic isolator
Standard size
(5/8"- 27 threading) female microphone stand mount is built into
the cabinet base
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"...
the MixCubes yield a
microscopic-style view of critical
midrange
tracks-such as guitar, keys or
vocals-which would fall somewhere along
a crossover point on most other
monitors.
The Avant MixCubes are serious
audio tools that fulfill a necessary
role in any pro studio setup and at a
most reasonable street pricing of
$199/pair, there should be some square,
butter-cream speakers gracing your
meter bridge in the future."
George Petersen
Mix Magazine
“… as a proxy for bass-challenged
consumer playback systems, used
alternately with full-bandwidth
monitors, the MixCubes provide unique
and invaluable insight.… despite their
Lilliputian size and band-limited
response, these are not toys or
entry-level monitors. The MixCubes are
professional tools that provide a highly
useful alternate reference when in
pursuit of the perfect mix that will
translate well to consumer playback
systems. Simply put, these are
outstanding monitors. What's more, the
price is ridiculously affordable. The
Avantone MixCubes get my highest
recommendation.”
Michael Cooper
Electronic
Musician Magazine
