3DsoundSurge Reviews: Monsoon MM-1000 Flat Panel 2.1 System

Important Info:

Speakers By : Monsoon
Price : $199
Power Output:
Subwoofer: 25 watt RMS
Satellites: 12.5 watts RMS x 2
Frequency Response: 50Hz - 20kHz

Minimum/Recommended System Requirements

Sound card or other audio device with 2 speaker outputs

Reviewer PC:

Mark
- Win98
- Celeron 333a o/c 416
- 128 MB PC100 ram
- Creative TNT
- Creative Voodoo Blaster 12 M
- 6.1 and 13 GIG EIDE HD
- Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! (EMU 10K1), Guillemot Maxi Sound Fortissimo, Aureal SQ2500, Diamond MX400, Best Data Theatrix

Specifications:

Satellites: 4 X 8 inch dipole-radiating planar magnetic
Satellite enclosure: None Amplifier power*: 25 watts, woofer; 2 X 12.5 watts, satellites
Crossover: Active, third order at 200 Hz Woofer drive unit: 5.25-inch, Xmax = +5 mm (per DUMAX measurement)
Woofer cabinet: 8.2 liter, tuned to 53 Hz; 11"H X 10"W X 11"D
Controls on woofer: Volume, bass volume and bass punch (6 dB boost at 55 Hz)
Controls on puck: Volume and mute
System frequency response: 50 Hz to 20 kHz +5 dB in workstation environment
System time response: Less than .25 ms dispersion to -20 dB Maximum SPL at 1 meter: 102 dB RMS using EIA 426B noise.

*Short term, continuous average with less than 1% THD over powered driver's frequency range.

Monsoon multimedia speakers are built with proprietary planar magnetic speaker technology developed by Sonigistix, a privately held developer, manufacturer and marketer of audio products based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. In this review we are going to look at their first multimedia product, the Monsoon MM-1000. The MM-1000 was introduced in August of 1998, but unlike sound cards and video cards, a good speaker in 1998 remains a good speaker in 2000. Sonigistix has subsequently introduced two new multimedia speakers, both of which take advantage of the planar magnetic technology. These are the MM-700 and MH-500. When we contacted Monsoon about their speakers they asked what we wanted to start out with. I quickly indicated that I wanted to start at the top end MM-1000. I have been largely unimpressed by the entry-level flat panels that I had tested from two other manufacturers. For that reason I wanted to give Monsoon and Sonigistix every chance to make a good first impression. In this review I will share those impressions as we put the MM-1000 through our usual slew of tests and see how it stack up against the