Soundfield Audio MONITOR 2

The reviewer found the standard woofer's output never lacking, and reports that AXPONA listeners felt its bass depth made a subwoofer unnecessary. Bass is also described as “beefy,” an especially strong result for a stand-mounted design with a powered low-frequency section.

Although the woofer-to-horn handoff occurs at 1kHz, the reviewer heard no midrange notch or noise through this potentially sensitive region. That suggests a well-integrated crossover and a clean, coherent vocal band.

The planar driver is credited with adding a light, creamy quality to the treble compared with the Omega speakers used as a reference. The review gives little further detail on ultimate extension or behavior with difficult recordings, but its description is clearly positive.

The optional rear-firing dome driver is intended to create a larger soundstage and greater ambience. The review does not provide a detailed account of image focus, depth, or placement sensitivity, so the spatial presentation is less fully documented than the speaker's tonal balance.

The Monitor 2 did not fully come alive when driven by a 15-watt EL84 tube amplifier, indicating that amplifier matching matters. Beyond that observation, the review says little about large-scale punch or dynamic headroom with more suitable power.

Strategically placed support brackets are said to give the cabinet rock-solid rigidity, with the intent of minimizing cabinet effects on reproduction. The reviewer also found no serious deficiency in the speaker's construction, while the separate powered stand assembly reflects a purposeful, highly engineered approach.

At $2,600, the Monitor 2 is described as remarkably capable for the money. The reviewer calls it a solid bargain against familiar passive cone speakers costing as much as $7,000 and considers it among the more competitive and compelling loudspeakers available.