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Photos too small? Click on photos, screenshots and diagrams in articles to open a Larger View gallery. January 2010
Other recent issues: | Studiomaster PAX12+Stage monitor speakerPublished in PM July 2009  Printer-friendly versionReviews : PA: Active This affordable powered wedge monitor from Studiomaster can also double as a small PA speaker and even includes an input for a dynamic microphone.  I’ve always had a soft spot for Studiomaster, and while their early UK-built mixers and speakers had a distinctly basic look, they always managed to sound good and to offer good value. Today, the company are coming up with slicker cosmetic designs, but they have the same design engineer who always seems able to stamp his mark on the sonic personality of whatever he develops. A few extras  The mains socket and extension speaker jack are located at the side of the unit. Cutting to the proverbial chase, the PAX12+ is an affordable powered wedge monitor with a few extra niceties, such as a switchable, variable-frequency 12dB notch filter (300Hz to 6kHz) to help tackle the main feedback frequency of the venue if problems arise. There’s also a three-band cut/boost EQ operating at 95Hz, 1.8kHz and 5kHz. It offers balanced XLR (mic level with no phantom power) and TRS jack (line level) input connectors, plus a hard-wired jack link from the input jack for connecting further active components. Having a mic input means you can plug a mic directly into it for rehearsals or even for use as a basic one-mic PA at very small gigs, though the mic gain is a little on the low side, so you may need both the gain and volume controls set to maximum. The internal power amplifier is designed to have enough power to drive an additional passive PX12+ via a side-mounted extension jack, giving a total power of 120W into 8Ω when used alone, or 150W into 4Ω when used with the extension cab. The maximum SPL available is 116dB at 1m, which is a lot of level for close-up use and also loud enough for that ‘corner-of-the-pub’ gig PA. As with the majority of wedge monitors, the PAX12+ is a two-way design, in this case based around a custom-designed 12-inch woofer and a conical horn-loaded HF unit with integral power amplifier and passive crossover. All this is built into a ported, angled ply enclosure with a black ‘carpet’ covering with chunky plastic corner protectors. The cabinet even has a pole socket built in for use on a stand, which could work well for sidefill or small PA applications. A contoured steel grille protects the two drivers, while all the necessary controls and signal-level connections are on the front panel, where they are recessed below the lip of the cabinet to offer some protection in transit. In all, there are six rotary controls: three for adjusting the EQ, and three others for taking care of the notch frequency, the mic/line input gain and the overall level. An amber LED lights when the notch filter is active, and the green power LED turns red either if you push the power amplifiers too hard or if the input gain is set too high. Both the mic and line inputs will work at the same time, but there’s no independent level control for them, so the Line input would need to be adjusted at source. Both the mains inlet and Extension Speaker jack socket are located on a metal plate at the side of the unit, and there’s an inset plastic carry handle on the opposite side. Those worried about the amount of space left in the back of the car may wish to know that the PAX12+ weighs 16kg and measures 553 x 450 x 380mm overall, though its wedge shape means it takes up a little less space than these figures might imply. There’s no frequency response spec in the manual, so the performance will have to be judged purely subjectively in this area. However, deep bass response is of little concern in most monitoring applications, as enough low bass tends to leak onto the stage from the PA to bolster what you hear from the monitors anyway. What does it sound like? With the monitor powered up but with no input connected and the gain controls turned right down, there was some audible mains buzz, but this would probably not be noticeable in a performance situation. Nevertheless, I’d have been happier without it. Plugging in a dynamic mic reveals a clear vocal tonality with the EQ set flat and a surprisingly good resistance to feedback. However, more mic gain may have been useful. When you crank the gain high enough to provoke feedback in a normal stage monitoring situation, the notch filter is very effective in killing it, but at the expense of colouring the sound in a very noticeable way, presumably because the notch is fairly wide. Even so, coloured-sounding monitoring is always better than feedback, so having the notch filter is a useful addition for difficult situations. Ergonomically, the monitor works fine on the floor, with a fairly standard 30-degree slope to the front baffle, which directs the sound where you need it. Tested with full-range music, the sound comes across as reasonably clear with decent mid-range coverage, though it inevitably strays towards the brash side at higher power levels if you compare it with something more ‘hi-fi’. There’s no really deep bass, as is to be expected for a 12-inch driver in a fairly small box, but the porting means it goes low enough to give some impression of punch on drums and bass. There’s also plenty of level available, so there would be no problem using the PAX12+ either on its own or with a passive extension speaker as a small vocal PA for venues that are too small to use your usual PA system. Solid performance Everything has to be judged in the context of its price, and with the PAX12+ you get a clean, ‘wood box’ sound, offering strong vocal projection and better-than-average mid-range coverage for more complex material. The sound stays clear up to higher power levels and is definitely more natural-sounding than most of the plastic box systems in a similar price range. The extra features make it very versatile, but in its main role as a monitor it offers a solid level of performance with good resistance to feedback, which is pretty much all you need. It would be easy to be picky about the constant low-level mains buzz and the limited mic gain, but this isn’t an expensive piece of gear, and in that context it does a great job, upholding the Studiomaster tradition of offering just that bit more on the sound-quality front without stinging you on price. 0  Published in PM July 2009  | Studiomaster PAX12+ £219 The PAX12+ is a very practical and affordable studio monitor that can also double as a small PA speaker, and the mic input and notch filter add to its versatility.
Tech Spec PAX12+ 12-inch, custom-design, high-output speaker and HF tweeter. Power output (@ one percent THD): 120W @ 8Ω; 150W @ 4Ω (with additional PX12+). Distortion (amp): 0.008 percent (120W @ 8Ω). Maximum SPL @ 1m: 116dB. Input impedance: 6kΩ balanced (mic); 33kΩ balanced (line). Input sensitivity: -30dBu (mic); -10dBu (line). EQ: ±12dB @ 5kHz (Q=2), ±15dB @ 1.5kHz (Q=0.9), ±12dB @ 90Hz (Q=3.6). Notch filter: -12dB from 300Hz - 6kHz (Q=3.3), switchable with LED. Connections: balanced XLR and jack, link out, external speaker output. Power requirements: 230V (±10 percent) 50Hz - 60Hz (4A max), 115V (±10 percent) 50/60Hz (8A max). Dimensions (WDH): 553 x 450 x 380mm. Weight: 16kg. |
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