Avalon Mixing Monitor User manual

Avalon Professional Products
Serial Numbers
____________________
This product is certified to meet the requirements of the European Union (EU)
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive (89/336/EEC). Because the permanent
magnets attached to the loudspeaker drivers produce magnetic fields, it is
recommended that the product not be positioned in very close proximity to computer
monitors or television sets.

Table of Contents
1 Introduction...................................................................................................................3
2 Unpacking Instructions .................................................................................................4
Introduction..............................................................................................4
Contents...................................................................................................4
2.1 Opening the Container..................................................................................5
3 Wiring Instructions .........................................................................................................6
Introduction..............................................................................................6
Connecting the Speaker to the Amplifier ................................................6
4 Break-in Period .............................................................................................................8
5 Maximizing Performance..............................................................................................9
Break-in.....................................................................................................9
Speaker Placement and Symmetry..........................................................9
Toe-In ........................................................................................................9
Mounting Feet Spikes................................................................................10
First Reflection Points.................................................................................10
Corner Treatment .....................................................................................10
Port Selection............................................................................................10
6 Care of Your Avalon Loudspeakers....................................................................................12
Cabinet (Black Textured Finish) ................................................................12
Drivers .......................................................................................................12
7 Technical Details...........................................................................................................13
Background..............................................................................................13
Basic Architecture ....................................................................................14
How to use the Mixing Monitor.................................................................17
8 Room Position ................................................................................................................18
Introduction..............................................................................................18
An Optical Analogy..................................................................................19
Basic Room Acoustics...............................................................................19
8.1 Standing Waves .............................................................................................20
8.2 Flutter Echo ....................................................................................................21
8.3 Early Reflections .............................................................................................22
Avoiding Early Reflections ........................................................................22
8.4 Bass reinforcement.........................................................................................24
8.5 Summary of Recommendations ....................................................................27
Flutter Echo and Standing Waves ............................................................27
Speaker Placement..................................................................................28
Early Reflections........................................................................................28
8.6 A Control Room Example...............................................................................29
9 Warranty .......................................................................................................................31
In the Event of a Problem.........................................................................31
Warranty Statement .................................................................................31
10 Features ......................................................................................................................33
11 Specifications..............................................................................................................34
12 Notes...........................................................................................................................35

1 Introduction
The Avalon Professional Products Mixing Monitor was designed by Neil Patel in
cooperation with several of the most accomplished recording engineers
currently working in the recording industry. Over the years, some of the
world’s finest recordings have been created using Avalon Acoustics
consumer products. Although not designed with the recording professional in
mind, Avalon Acoustics high-end products have already brought impressive
results into the studio. Special demands, such as robustness, nearfield
monitoring focus, extremely high resolution, low noise floor, etc., have
prompted us to produce a reference transducer specifically conceived for
the astute audio professional.
In spite of the fact that the tonal balance, phase coherence, and impulse
response of all traditional Avalon Acoustics products is impeccable, a
professional product had to surpass these qualities. Loudspeakers used for
the professional recording practice tend to be moved around a lot and play
a determining role in the final mix of an audio production. Soundstaging in
the monitoring phase of recording must precisely match the actual
placement of microphones and instruments. Phase cancellations between
microphones must be clearly heard; a half-inch change in mike position must
be easily hearable through the monitoring system. They must, above sounding
very good, be ultimately revealing towards flaws in the rest of the recording
chain. This is evident not only in issues of misplacement of microphones or
instruments, but even things such as broken cables or other related
disturbances. This means a speaker that is correct in all possible audio
disciplines, easy for transportation, and with a robust finish that fits a
professional outfit. The recording engineer and record producer are integral
elements in creating the mood and dynamic of a recording. We believe that
only by providing those artists with the proper tools, will their contribution to a
project be fully realized.
What we offer you now is a product that has all of those qualities…

4
2 Unpacking Instructions
Introduction
Your Avalon Professional Products loudspeakers were shipped in heavily padded
cardboard containers to ensure their safe arrival. It is recommended to save these
containers for possible future use.
Contents
The two shipping boxes contain the two loudspeaker units, the owner's manual, and an
accessory bag.
The accessory bag contains two pairs of alternate loudspeaker ports, assembly screw
and tools, and eight mounting spikes.
Avalon Professional Products loudspeakers are carefully matched in pairs for sonic
performance and aesthetics. All matched pairs are sequentially serial numbered, and
the lower of the two serial numbers is even. For example, serial numbers MX024 and
MX025 are a matched pair. Please check the serial numbers on the loudspeakers to
insure that you have received a matched pair.
Note: Matched pairs of loudspeakers are sequentially serialized, with the lower of the
two serial numbers as even. Contact your dealer immediately if you have NOT received
a matched pair.

5
2.1 Opening the Container
Carefully cut the packing tape on the top side, and open the flaps to the container (See
Figure 2.1).
Next, lift the top cardboard panel off of the loudspeaker. The Mixing Monitor can then
be picked up straight out of the box.
Figure 2.1 – Unpackaging the Mixing Monitors
2.
Lift off top panel.
3.
Lift loudspeaker straight
out and remove bag.
1.
Cut packing tape and
open flaps at top.

6
3 Wiring Instructions
Introduction
The Mixing Monitor is equipped with a dual-position advanced material binding Post for
connecting the speaker cables. Spade lugs designed for #10 screws are recommended
for cable termination.
WARNING: Do NOT over-tighten the screw.
Connecting the Speaker to the Amplifier
1. Carefully unscrew the large fastening knob on the binding post, allowing the fastening
plate to expose the posts. (see Figure 3.1).
2. Insert the spades from your speaker cables under the terminal plate.
3. Fasten the spades in place by tightening the large fastening knob.

7
Figure 3.1 – Connecting to the Loudspeaker Binding Posts. Check to
insure the correct polarity (positive lead connected to the (+)
terminal and negative lead connected to the (-) terminal.

8
4 Break-in Period
Your new Avalon Profession Products loudspeakers have an initial break-in
period. They will not perform to their full sonic potential when first installed in
your system. This is partially due to a residual polarization of the dielectric
materials used in the crossover capacitors and internal wiring.1As music is
played through the loudspeakers, the electrical signal will gradually anneal
these materials. Similarly, the suspensions of the drivers will reach their optimal
mechanical properties as the speakers are played. Only after the break-in
period will the full performance of your Avalon Professional Products
loudspeakers be realized.
The break-in process will occur naturally as music is played through the
system. To reduce the time required, it is recommended that the system be
played continuously, using either a digital source in the repeat mode or an
FM broadcast signal. The recommended break-in procedure is as follows:
•
Initial warm-up: three to six hours of quiet music.
•
Extended break-in: 100 to 150 hours of moderately loud and dynamic,
full bandwidth source material (e.g. Tangerine Dream, Optical Race,
RCA 2042-2-P). Many commercially available break in discs
containing sweep tracks are also helpful, but should not be substituted
entirely for dynamic music material.
During the break-in period, the sonic properties of your loudspeakers may
undergo several gradual shifts as the various components break-in at
different rates. Midrange attacks may be quite hard with an overall lack
of bass impact giving the overall presentation a bright and etched
quality. This condition is temporary. It is therefore suggested that the
fine-tuning of the system be delayed until after the break-in period is
completed. However, during the final phases of the break-in period, the
sonic image will open up, the sound-stage will gain specificity, the bass
control and impact will increase, and the overall sound will have a more
relaxed, involving presentation.
1A high-voltage test is applied to wiring and capacitors during their manufacture.
This results in a residual polarization of the dielectric materials.

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5 Maximizing Performance
These details are imperative to obtaining optimum results from your Avalon
Professional Products Loudspeakers.
Break-in
The break-in period is critical to maximizing sonic performance and should
take place before other adjustments (see the discussion on page 8).
Speaker Placement and Symmetry
Selecting the proper room position for your Avalon Professional Products
loudspeakers can dramatically improve their performance. The following
points highlight the fundamental concepts in loudspeaker positioning from
the in-depth discussion in Chapter 8, Room Acoustics and Speaker Position
(beginning on page 13):
•
Left to right room symmetry aids in producing a balanced sound
stage.
•
Image depth is enhanced when the distance to the rear wall is
increased.
•
The most even bass response will be attained when the distances to
the side and rear walls are not overly similar.
Toe-In
Adjusting the toe-in angle of the speakers is useful in tailoring the sound to
best match the characteristics of your system and listening room. When the
speakers are facing straight forward, they tend to create a large, expansive
sound-stage, painted with broad brush strokes. As they are rotated toward
the listening position, the image becomes more compact, with increased
focus, creating a greater sense of intimacy.
Start with the loudspeakers facing straight forward, and play either a mono
source, or a stereo source with a distinct center image, through both
channels. Carefully rotate the loudspeakers inward in small increments to
bring the image in precise center focus. Toe-in adjustment is rather delicate,
and experimentation is necessary to achieve the proper angle for your
listening situation. The optimum angle is usually between three and ten
degrees inward, never any more than this. If you find yourself attempting a
greater toe-in angle, there must be a flaw elsewhere in the set-up. This is a
sophisticated design, with little difference between on and off-axis frequency
response. Toe-in greater than 10 degrees will flatten images and reduce true
depth information.

10
Mounting Feet Spikes
Supplied with your Avalon Professional Products loudspeakers are eight
mounting spikes, used to couple the speakers, thereby minimizing
time-smearing resonance effects. For maximum articulation and proper tonal
balance, the spikes should replace the rubber feet. The result is an increase in
focus and solidity of the sonic images.
The rubber feet are removed by simply unscrewing them from the cabinet;
the spikes are then installed by inserting them into the same threaded holes
from which the rubber feet were removed.
First Reflection Points
Since the ear/brain system tends to integrate the sounds arriving within a 10
millisecond time window, it is important to control the early reflections arriving
from the sidewalls to the listening position. A hard-surfaced wall can produce
a strong frequency-dependent reflection that can interfere with the
reproduced sound-stage, as well as change the perceived tonal balance of
the system. Therefore, damping these first reflection points is strongly
recommended. Using a narrow bandwidth absorption device (e.g. Sonex)
will color the overall tonal balance. Natural fiber materials are always the best
choice.
Corner Treatment
It is important to control the first reflections of low frequency sound, which
normally occur at the corners behind the loudspeakers. These reflections can
cause significant distortions in phase and amplitude, resulting in muddy bass
definition and smeared bass transients. Placing DAAD Bass Traps (available
from Acustica Applicata http://www.acusticaapplicata.com) in the room
corners can significantly control these bass colorations and restore the
quickness of bass transients.
Port Selection
The Mixing Monitor is supplied with a 2.5” long port installed from the factory,
which is tuned to a frequency of approximately 36 Hz. Included with your
Mixing Monitors are two additional pairs of ports for fine tuning of your system.
The 1.5” long ports are tuned to approximately 42 Hz, and the 3.3” long ports
are tuned to approximately 32 Hz.
The installed port is optimally tuned to the internal box volume for best
balance of transient response and low frequency extension. Raising the
tuning frequency to 42Hz will reduce transient accuracy while increasing the
tonal "weight" in the warmth region of the frequency spectrum. An inverse
result will be found in lowering the tuning frequency to 32Hz. Transient
accuracy will be slightly overdamped, giving the presentation a low Q sonic
characteristic. The warmth region will be lean, giving the impression of
greater midrange clarity.