In this article Julian picks 6 of the best monitors which use DSP. Rather than a list of “best” monitors, he highlights the different strengths of each monitor and their differences.

Use of DSP in audio hardware can be a difficult concept to grasp because it is so open-ended. In the same way as “using a computer” doesn’t really tell you very much about what work is being done, DSP is just a way of doing signal processing. Exactly what signal processing is being done depends on the specific case.

Nowhere in audio is this more apparent than in DSP monitors. There is a common perception that DSP speakers are very different to their analogue counterpart but that isn’t necessarily the case. It’s just that we only notice DSP implementations which draw attention to themselves.

DSP can be used to do some really clever stuff but it can also be used to replicate the behaviour of analogue components and nothing more. In this article we look at 6 DSP monitors which range from super sophisticated networkable solutions through to budget speakers which use DSP as a more reliable alternative to analogue components. Find out more about the different ways DSP can be used in monitors in our article DSP In Studio Monitors - Do You Need DSP To Get A Great Sound? We Look At What Some Of The Top Brands Are Doing

Here are our pick of 6 monitors which all use DSP, though all in different ways and have different strengths.

Money No Object - Kii Three

If we’re going all-in then the Kii Threes are one of those products which use DSP to change what has traditionally been possible using analogue technology. Courtesy of their six drivers, each driven by its own amplifier, the Kii Three can control the directivity of its out put all the way down to the deep bass. While carefully designed conventional speakers can control directivity down into the midrange, the bass has always been omnidirectional and as that is where the most serious acoustic issues issues in a typical listening room are situated this is a huge benefit in less than ideal rooms (read - nearly everyone’s studio). It is the DSP controlling which signals go to which drivers and how those drivers, including four bass drivers, two on the sides and two on the rear, combine which gives this low frequency directional response, effectively keeping the sound away from the walls and allowing you to minimise the reflected sound in your room. Very, very clever.

Kii Three Monitors - Do They Really Live Up To The Hype? Test

Best Speaker Calibration - Genelec The Ones

If you want your DSP to offer no holds barred control over almost every aspect of your setup then Genelec’s Smart Active Monitors (SAM) paired with the Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM) software is the place to be. Offering deep control over anything from the simplest stereo setup to the biggest Dolby Atmos installation there really isn’t much you can’t do with this system. If you’re looking for specific monitors then the smallest of The Ones range, the 8331 is an excellent place to start. Compact enough for desktop use but with a sound which belies their modest dimensions you can get series monitoring performance from these little three way tri-concentric monitors.

Setup doesn’t have to difficult either. Calibrating these monitors to your room takes seconds with the optional but essential GLM network adapter kit and measurement mic. If you’re looking for clever, effective, scalable monitoring which uses DSP to improve how monitors work together, this is the way to go.

Genelec 8331 SAM & 8341 SAM "The Ones" Studio Monitors & GLM™ 3 - Do They Re-Write The Rule Book?

Impressive Top End - Adam S Series

DSP can do a lot of things analogue can’t but DSP can be used to run filters which are functionally identical to their analogue counterparts. The big difference is that these digital filters are 100% consistent, something which isn’t the case with analogue components. Analogue tolerances vary and even high quality components age and degrade. This is why some manufacturers choose to implement their crossovers in DSP.

The ADAM S series are an interesting case in point as although they have powerful DSP built in, the focus of these monitors is performance, not tweaky DSP. These monitors sound excellent and just happen to use DSP to get there. Watch out for developments here though as there is a lot os potential to do some really clever stuff, they just need to update the control software and there might be some interesting new possibilities on the way!

ADAM Audio S3V Monitors - Tested

Budget Choice - Fluid Audio FX 80

Fluid Audio have taken the very pragmatic route of using DSP to enable them to get better performance out of a very inexpensive speaker. These dual concentric monitors are a steal and part o the reason they can deliver so much for so little is that they use DSP to implement their crossover filters. Given enough DSP and the software to run on it and you can do almost anything but these monies are the perfect example of keep it focused and keep the costs down.

Fluid Audio FX80 - Tested

Compact Studio - IK Multimedia iLoud

For a much more involved take on what DSP can do for a modestly priced speaker look no further than the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM. These super compact monitors look more like computer speakers but they have very serious aspirations. Use of DSP time aligns the drivers, shapes and extends the frequency response and even features IK’s ARC Speaker calibration technology. Even if you are short on space or on the move, you don’t have to be limited to headphones.

IK Multimedia Reveals New iLoud MTM Reference Studio Monitors

Straightforward DSP - EVE Audio SC305

DSP offers so much and can get complicated. Manufacturers have found that if DSP features aren’t intuitive then a large proportion of users simply leave them in their default state. This is what led Dynaudio to change direction when updating their sophisticated AIR monitors to the new and much simpler, but equally powerful, CORE series

EVE Audio have long offered DSP based speakers which prioritise ease of use over deep features and menu diving. A single knob can be used to access EQ for voicing and compensating for desk reflections, no network cables or measurement mics needed.

EVE Audio SC305 Monitors - Tested

DSP can bring huge performance gains to your monitoring but its possibly more widespread than we realise as many monitors use them in place of analogue filters. Some people are suspicious of DSP but it’s been here for a long time and it’s not showing any signs of going anywhere because it benefits monitors at all price points. Do you use DSP monitors?