Monitor Audio Studio 89 Speakers

Brand new from Monitor Audio and available in store from the 1st July 2024 at Yorkshire AV.

Conceived in the 1980s. Reimagined for today.

Born of a decade fuelled by cultural change-makers. The iconic Studio Series.

A legendary speaker range born when music, television, and video tape ruled. An era of bold styles, vibrant colours, early computer gaming and breathtakingly rapid technological innovation that fuelled an unrivalled explosion of popular culture and laid the foundation for today’s digital era. 

Lee gives an overview of the Studio 89

Glam metal, new wave, synth pop ruled the airwaves, and the birth of the music video revolutionised how artists connected with their audiences. Consumption, individuality and self-expression defined the times.

Studio 89 takes inspiration from this culturally explosive decade but is a thoroughly 
modern loudspeaker. Inspired by individual expression and the culture that shapes it, 
Studio 89 is the loudspeaker for the new change-makers.

Designed to be different.

Studio 89’s radical design is inspired by the individuality and self-expression that made the 1980s such a culturally significant decade. 
 
The implementation of Monitor Audio’s latest cutting-edge acoustic technologies and a beautifully detailed design connect Studio 89 to the artists of today – bringing the sound of the original recording home with more lifelike realism than ever before.
 
In a nod to the original Studio 15, Studio 89 is resplendent in high-gloss black, with our most technologically advanced metal cone drivers finished in gold. It’s the only model Monitor Audio makes that is available in this luxurious finish. 
 
Studio 89 is fearlessly unconventional. Just like the 1980s. Listen Again.  

 RDT III C-CAM bass-mid drivers 

Studio 89 is compact for good reason. We know space is at a premium within the 
home, while large room-filling sound is a must. Advances in metal driver cone 
technology and powerful motor systems mean that the two things aren’t mutually 
exclusive.

Studio 89 utilises twin 4 ¼” bass-mid drivers. These have been specially designed 
to ensure the three ultra-thin layers of C-CAM, Nomex honeycomb core and carbon 
weave act pistonically when they are driven by the powerful motor systems, which 
boast large 85mm diameter magnet structures (the magnet is larger than the cone!) 
This high-strength magnetic field provides exceptional control over cone motion for 
pristine performance.

25mm overhung voice coils and a linear cone excursion of 4.5mm allow the 
drive units to react to even the most dynamic passages with ease, producing an 
exceptionally large soundstage and presentation into the room.

An effective ‘point-source’

MPD III high frequency transducer 

Studio 89’s ability to transport the artist’s vision from the studio into your home is 
the result of Monitor Audio’s Transparent Design Philosophy. An important element 
in this ability is the advanced acoustic engineering and design of the Micro Pleated 
Diaphragm (MPD) III high-frequency transducer. 
 
MPD III works with lighting speed and accuracy; its lightweight, pleated design 
acts like an accordion, producing a wide linear HF presentation into the listening 
area. Lifelike realism, precision and clarity are produced with ease – from a delicate 
whisper or note to a growl or shout, every single detail is delivered as the artist 
intended, in truly spine-tingling high fidelity.

Carefully configured crossovers

An important element of Studio 89 is the delivery of signals to the innovative drive 
units.

Every drive unit must work in harmony  with the others, and the frequency 
transition between each needs to be seamless. Studio 89 is built around a purity of 
design, and simplicity, that neither adds nor subtracts anything to the recording. 
Therefore, the crossovers have undergone hours of listening and part selection, using 
only the very best bespoke polypropylene and polyester capacitors, air-core and low
loss laminated steel-core inductors to provide maximum signal transfer and reduced 
distortion for optimum sound delivery.

Isolated aluminium front baffle.

The front of Studio 89 features a unique aluminum baffle that houses the powerful 
twin RDT III 4 1/4” bass-mid drivers and MPD III high-frequency transducer.

The acoustic intention and engineering of the baffle is that both itself, and the drivers that fix to it, have less physical interaction with the main body of the cabinet. 
This is achieved by employing a layer of dense foam suspension, which sits between 
the baffle and the cabinet as well as between the face of each drive unit.

Each part is perfectly isolated, yet all are connected for strength and ultimate performance. 

The baffle housing and drive unit are then secured in place via through-bolt 
technology, which runs from the rear of the drive units through to the rear of the 
speaker cabinet. It is then tightened up to a highly specific gauged torque to achieve 
both optimum force and the most secure fixing. 

The result is an extremely rigid cabinet structure with little interference to the drivers 
themselves. They’re left to operate in complete sonic isolation for a cleaner, larger 
high-fidelity sound presentation

Specification