Alesis M1 Active 620

When monitoring at close range in a project studio, positioning the speakers against a wall or in a corner often makes an audible difference to the bass. The active two-way reference monitor adjusts its bass response to suit its position and combines a 6.5-inch woofer with a 1-inch silk-dome tweeter. The two integrated amplifiers deliver a total of 100 watts.

An active crossover divides the signal between the drivers at 2.8 kHz. The woofer has a polypropylene cone with a rubber surround; the rear bass reflex port supports low-frequency reproduction. An acoustic waveguide on the tweeter shapes the sound dispersion. The cabinet also has a 25.4 mm-thick front panel.

When the monitor is positioned close to a wall or in a corner, reflections can increase the bass. The Acoustic Space switch offers settings of 0, 2 and 4 to adjust for free-standing, wall-adjacent and corner placement. For further adjustments, three switchable frequency settings are available: Hi Boost raises or lowers the high-frequency range, Mid Boost adds a midrange boost, and Lo sets the low-frequency high-pass filter to 56, 80 or 100 Hz. The 80 Hz Lo setting is also suitable for use with a subwoofer.

There is one XLR and one 6.3 mm jack input for connecting a mixer, audio interface or other line source. Both inputs handle balanced and unbalanced signals; only one input may be used at a time per monitor. As the amplifiers are already built in, you can connect the line output directly and do not need an additional power amplifier. The Gain control adjusts the input level.

Magnetic shielding allows the monitor to be positioned next to computer or TV screens. The power switch is on top; the indicator on the front lights up blue during operation and red when clipping. For stereo imaging, upright positioning with the tweeter at the top is recommended. When positioned horizontally, the tweeters should face inwards towards the listening position.

The M1 Active 620 is designed for project and recording studios where you want to use an active nearfield monitor with adjustable room and frequency settings. The XLR and jack connections, together with the integrated amplifiers, suit setups with a mixer or audio interface; Acoustic Space and Lo help you adjust the sound to suit the positioning and use with a subwoofer.