Review: Monitor Audio C3M Creator Series In-Ceiling Speakers

Architectural audio is a reasonably mature class. New audio system come out on a regular basis, however the fundamentals of manufacturing sound via in-wall circles and rectangles have stayed just about the identical for a number of many years. I wouldn’t name myself jaded, however I don’t exit of my strategy to solicit opinions for these merchandise as a result of it’s exhausting for me to get enthusiastic about them.

When Monitor Audio requested me if I needed to take a crack at their new C3M Creator Series in-ceiling audio system I agreed, however I wasn’t anticipating something particular. Was I about to have my thoughts blown or reaffirm my “meh” angle towards true in-ceiling speaker innovation? I set off to search out out.

Unboxing

Monitor Audio C3M Creator Series in-ceiling audio system ship in unassuming brown cardboard bins, clearly geared toward a busy installer who simply needs to get on with it.

Here’s our unboxing video, which is much more enjoyable that studying about it:

Just a few different telltale indicators of pro-grade audio system jumped out at me, specifically a modular connector (Monitor Audio calls it a “Quik-Link”) permitting the connection of cable conductors to a small snap on piece versus balancing the speaker in a single hand whereas attempting to push a proverbial camel via the attention of a needle. According to Monitor’s web site, the audio system sport options like “RDT III bass driver, IDC II midrange driver, and IDC II tweeter with UD Waveguide II.” While I wasn’t positive what all these fancy advertising and marketing phrases meant, I acquired the drift that these had been Monitor’s prime of the road (what it calls Tier 3) audio system.

Installation

The crew members at my customized set up firm, Livewire, are typically loath to let me contact energy instruments, so our ace crew of Josh McDonough and David Hicks set to work unboxing and putting in. After a couple of minutes of reducing, pulling recent wire and making all of the connections, we had the brand new audio system put in, changing the same (however acoustically inferior) pair. The different facet of the audio system related right into a Sonos Amp with LFE out to an SVS in-wall subwoofer. I began to get a bit of excited, realizing the mix of Monitor Audio’s at all times stable sound paired with the subwoofer would probably produce some stellar outcomes.

Configuration

We left the adjustment switches for nook, excessive frequency, and midrange alone (oddly sufficient we couldn’t discover any reference to those switches in Monitor’s documentation). Our set up sat in the course of a big room, so the traits of the area had been nothing out of the peculiar.

I fired up my TIDAL app and began taking part in a number of tunes at low ranges to see how the C3M audio system sounded. First up got here Sailing to Philadelphia by Mark Knopfler. The sound was clear and pure with good voice isolation. I cranked the quantity up a bit of greater and ensured that the LFE crossover was set to 80Hz. The midrange and excessive frequency replica coming from the ceiling was chic as I continued via extra songs, together with A Forest by The Cure, Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by Handel, Uprising by Muse, and SICKO MODE by Travis Scott. I began to zone out, transported in the best way solely superb sound can transfer us. Here I used to be, not anticipating something monumental and ending up with my face melted off.

Final Report

Monitor Audio C3M Creator Series In-Ceiling Speakers retail for $1,000 every. How a lot would you pay for a transcendental sound expertise? Most audiophile-grade audio system promote for a heck of much more than $2k a pair. The C3M audio system are a cut price for the quantity of energy and high quality they ship. I extremely suggest you rip out all your in-ceiling audio system and trade them for these. You’re welcome.

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March 4, 2024 at 06:44PM