M-Audio CX5 manual It’s in the details

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*About anechoic chambers:
An anechoic chamber is a room in which the floor, ceiling, and all walls are covered with sound-absorbent acoustical wedges. These wedges prevent sounds created within the room from reflecting back and influencing the acoustic measurement of the loudspeaker.
Anechoic chambers are considered to be acoustically “neutral” spaces since the room itself does not impart any kind of sound to an acoustical source contained within the room. Because of this, loudspeakers (including CX monitors) are commonly measured and tuned in such rooms.

Note that the placement and orientation of the CX monitors within your studio is important and correctly placed speakers will result in improved imaging, clarity, and overall performance. This topic is covered in detail in the “Setting up CX Monitors” section of this guide.

Also note that the CX monitors feature several switches that help you contour the speaker to your specific studio. When these switches are left in their default positions, the CX monitor

will exhibit the response characteristics found on the printed acoustic frequency response plot that ships with each speaker. These anechoic* measurements represent performance of the speaker in an “ideal” environment similar to that found in a high-end recording studio with carefully tuned acoustics. In the real world, however, the acoustics of your specific studio (or the placement of your speakers within the studio) may cause your monitors to exhibit too little (or too much) bass, midrange, or treble.

To help compensate for this, the rear-panel switches contour the frequency response of the speaker specifically to your studio. These switches are covered in detail in the “About the Rear-Panel EQ Contour Switches” section of this guide.

It’s in the details:

Did you know the shape and materials of a speaker cabinet can greatly affect the overall sound of a speaker?

Your CX monitors feature thick walls and a carefully placed internal brace to prevent the speaker from resonating at low frequencies. This means that the speaker cabinet itself will not ring along with the low frequency sounds in your mix (such as a kick drum or a bass). This translates into more accurate bass response.

Furthermore, the rounded (“radiused”) edges and contoured waveguide surrounding the tweeter are not just cosmetic touches intended to improve the appearance of the speaker. These features help spread high frequencies evenly around the room and widen the “sweet spot” between the two speakers.

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CX5 Introduction What’s in the Box?About CX Studio Monitors It’s in the details CX5 Product Features & SpecificationsRear Panel Hardware Controls and IndicatorsFront Panel Connection Diagram Speaker Orientation Speaker HeightPlacement of the CX monitors within your studio About the Rear-Panel EQ Contour SwitchesAcoustic Space Switch Using a subwooferMF Boost Switch HF Trim SwitchLF Cutoff Switch Appendix a Technical Specifications Warranty Terms Warranty Registration WarrantyBenelux