Typical mass-market loudspeakers sound pleasing because their designs incorporate a deliberately uneven, non-linear frequency response that artificially enhances certain bass and treble frequencies. While it may be quite enjoyable to hear finished albums on such speakers, actually mixing on this type of monitor is not recommended since such speakers tend to “smooth over” problem areas and do not reveal everything that should be fixed during a mix. Unlike typical mass-market speakers, M-Audio’s CX line of bi-amplified studio monitors have been designed to provide accurate, highly detailed, reliable playback that is free of distortion or coloration. This is done by having a tightly integrated system in which the CX drivers, internal electronics (amplifiers, crossover, etc.), and enclosure all work together to provide accurate bass, smooth high-frequency transient response, and a highly linear frequency response through the entire audible range of the speaker. This allows you to hear everything in your recorded tracks—the good and the bad things—so that you can spot and fix problems and ultimately create great mixes that “translate” well to other speakers and audio playback systems. Note that the placement and orientation of the CX monitors within your studio is important and correctly placed speakers will result in improved imaging, clarity, and overall performance. This topic is covered in detail in the “Setting up CX Monitors” section of this guide. Also note that the CX monitors feature several switches that help you contour the speaker to your specific studio. When these switches are left in their default position, the CX monitor will closely resemble the response characteristics shown in the acoustic frequency response graph in the appendix. These anechoic* measurements represent performance of the speaker in an “ideal” environment similar to that found in a high-end recording studio with carefully tuned acoustics. In the real world, however, the acoustics of your specific studio (or the placement of your speakers within the studio) may cause your monitors to exhibit too little (or too much) bass, midrange, or treble. To help compensate for this, the rear-panel switches contour the frequency response of the speaker specifically to your studio.
