KRK VXT6

KRK VXT6 Two-Way Powered Studio Monitor (Each)

The KRK VXT range is a slightly upmarket studio monitor from the RP Rokit series and is aimed at the more discerning home/project studio owner, the VXT 6 is the mid sized monitor in the range and is a seriously good studio monitor that has been designed and crafted with care, it uses the very best base materials to produce professional level results albeit perhaps in smaller style control/mixing environments ...

The VXT 6 deploys custom-designed drivers in a curved housing, in order to reduce diffraction and cabinet resonance, however rather than using wood or cast metal, the KRK cabinets are made from ABS structural foam, which is both strong and well-damped. The moulding process means that parallel walls can be eliminated, which reduces the build-up of internal standing waves at specific frequencies. Omni-mount points are fitted to the cabinets for fixed installation purposes and the metal rear panel doubles as a heat sink whilst mains power comes in on a conventional IEC socket - a kettle plug to you and I, with a power switch located on the back of the monitor.

The VXT6 is a ported, active, two-way design, combining a one-inch, silk-domed tweeter with a six-inch bright yellow woven Kevlar-cone bass and mid driver, both of which are fitted to a metal baffle and are flush with the front of the cabinet. The audio signal comes in on either a balanced jack or an XLR via a Neutrik Combi socket, wired to the usual convention (pin 2 hot), though you can also plug in an unbalanced jack. In addition to the two-way active crossover driving the amplifiers, there's also a subsonic filter to remove frequencies below those that can be reproduced by the speakers. Use of a slot-shaped port helps reduce port wind noise, while the shape of the baffle has been designed to help keep the off-axis response even (whatever that means ...?)

Round at the rear of the cabinet you'll find an input-level control, and there's also a switchable Ground Lift and Auto Mute on or off, as well as a Clip Indicator LED whilst a limiter circuit is also included. The limiter can be configured as ON or OFF, but it should be left switched on if you're in the habit of pushing your monitors hard, as it protects against driver damage. Switching is done using the three-way Clip Indicator/Limiter switch on the rear panel however in the ON position, the limiter is by-passed and instead you get a red warning LED when clipping is imminent - In the OFF position, there's no warning LED and no limiter. In the Limit position, the limiter is active, and a green LED shows when it has been activated.

The larger models in the series such as the VXT 6 (depicted here) and the VXT8 have HF (High Frequency) and LF (Low Frequency) adjustment to help compensate for the placement of the speakers in the room, but on the VXT4's they are omitted, presumably because the more limited low end makes speaker placement less critical. All models also have an Audio Mute switch that shuts off the power supply to save energy if the speakers are not fed an audio signal for 20 minutes and the speakers re-activate as soon as audio is detected. The switches on the rear panel are miniature toggles that are protected by a perspex cover, so they're unlikely to be reset by accident ? in fact, you'll actually need to use a small screwdriver or similar tool to flip the switches through the open bottom edge of the cover.

Weighing-in at a hefty 11.6 Kg each, the monitors measure 36.5 x 26.2 x 24.5 cm, a 30 Watt amplifier drives the tweeter, while the Bass/Mid range driver is powered by a separate 60 Watt amp with an overall frequency response of 52Hz - 22kHz +/-1.5dB. 

I've owned a pair of the VXT6's for around the last two years and have to say that they are the best purchase I have ever made for my studio, the top end has crisp presence without being harsh, the mids are defined and clear and the bass end usually has me rubbing the thighs of my trousers until they appear shiny and worn ... But the real wow factor for me personally is the sonic detail within the stereo image, the VXT6's uncover every shred of sonic excellence and you start to hear things on tracks that you've listened to countless times before that you never knew existed ... However I must stress that they do not colour the sound in any way - they merely enhance with great clarity and accuracy what you've got on your tape/sequencer/sampler. I cannot recommend this range high enough and KRK monitors in general - they have revoutionised my own studio and hopefully they can do the same for you ... Check them out at the Nevada Music Warehouse ...