Behringer B3030A 2-Way Active Studio Monitor

No longer available at zZounds
Examine every note in your recordings with the Behringer B3030A, which has built-in 80 and 35 watt amps.

When it comes to your studio recordings, you want honesty. In fact, considering how important your art is, you should demand it! That's why they designed the B3030A and B3031A Reference Monitors to speak nothing but the Truth. Oh, they still sound great hooked up to your stereo or your video surround system, but they were really built with the studio in mind -- where every note you play or sing is "under the microscope."

Features

- Ultra-linear frequency response with individual frequency diagrams
- Built-in 80 and 35-Watt power amplifiers with enormous power reserve
- Ultra-high resolution, 2-inch velocity ribbon transducer for ultimate sound reproduction
- Long-throw 6 3/4-inch woofer with deformation-resistant Kevlar cone and aluminum die-cast chassis for ultimate bass response
- Controlled dispersion characteristics and extremely large "sweet spot" owing to the unique Behringer wave guide technology
- Active crossover network with 4th order Linkwitz-Riley filters
- Adjustable to a wide range of acoustic conditions and subwoofer operation
- Separately controlled limiter for low and high-frequency overload protection
- Magnetic shielding allows placement near computer monitors
- Servo-balanced inputs with XLR and 1/4-inch TRS connectors
- High-quality components and exceptionally rugged construction ensure long life
- Conceived and designed by Behringer Germany

Built on a Legacy

Their Truth B2030A and B2031A monitors have been so wildly successful that they've read more sold thousands upon thousands of them to some of the most critical ears on the planet. So, from the moment they started this project, they knew these speakers would have to be something really special, and indeed they are!

Years of R'n'D

For the past two years their Research and Development team has been on a mission to create the "perfect" studio monitor. Since the Truth B2031A had already become the industry standard, the acoustic engineers decided to start there and see just how far they could push the envelope. They tried a variety of transducers and enclosure designs, along with existing and emerging technologies. When all the dust settled, they chose to deploy an ultra-high resolution, 2-inch velocity ribbon transducer and a long-throw, Kevlar-coned woofer in a deformation-resistant, die-cast aluminum chassis.

Why Kevlar?

Glad you asked. Kevlar has an incredible strength-to-weight ratio -- that's one reason it's used in bulletproof vests. Kevlar gives the LF transducer the strength to handle the extremely high energy levels required for distortion-free, chest-pounding bass. And since they have such low mass, Kevlar speaker cones also respond much more quickly than those made of paper, important for not only maintaining bass content integrity, but critical for midrange accuracy and definition. The Kevlar transducers reproduce even the subtlest nuance of the low-frequency realm without muddying the midrange.

What's With the Funny-Looking Tweeter?

Ribbon tweeters bring a level of accuracy and sophistication to high-resolution studio monitors that was previously unattainable. They provide exceptionally wide horizontal dispersion (for a larger "sweet-spot"), while holding the vertical dispersion extremely tight. And since the ribbon transducer diaphragm is virtually weightless, it reacts instantaneously to changes in the high-frequency content. Now, not only do you hear the dulcet tones of a flute, you hear the breath flowing through it... You hear the wind chimes bouncing off each other... You can hear the fingernails on the nylon strings of a classical guitar...

Another reason why ribbon tweeters are so supremely accurate is their ability to reproduce frequencies far above the normal hearing range. Even though you can't hear these "ultrasonics," the lower harmonics they generate do affect the way they experience the stereo image. For instance, a 30 kHz signal is too high for you to hear, but you can hear its first sub-harmonic (15 kHz), second sub-harmonic (7.5 kHz), and third (3.75 kHz), etc. All these sub-harmonics combine with the primary sound to create stunning realism. Power to the People It takes quite a bit more than just a "bulletproof" woofer and a high-tech ribbon tweeter stuck inside a fancy box to make a studio monitor of this class. It also takes power -- and lots of it! But even more importantly, that power has to be matched to the individual high and low-frequency transducers. While some of the competitors are content to stick whatever speakers they have on the shelf into haphazardly designed boxes and then strap on a one-size-fits-all amplifier package, they build every single component from the ground up.

They pack 225-Watts of bi-amped technology (including a time- and phase-corrected active crossover) into every B3031A (110-Watts for B3030A), ensuring that you have the enormous power reserves you'll need to drive them really hard.

Power to the People

It takes quite a bit more than just a "bulletproof" woofer and a high-tech ribbon tweeter stuck inside a fancy box to make a studio monitor of this class. It also takes power -- and lots of it! But even more importantly, that power has to be matched to the individual high- and low-frequency transducers. While some of the competitors are content to stick whatever speakers they have on the shelf into haphazardly designed boxes and then strap on a one-size-fits-all amplifier package, they build every single component from the ground up.

They pack 225-Watts of bi-amped technology (including a time- and phase-corrected active crossover) into every B3031A (110-Watts for B3030A), ensuring that you have the enormous power reserves you'll need to drive them really hard.

Designed to Work in Your Environment

The ideal environment for listening is a room that is "flat," neither too reflective (echoes) nor too absorptive (where the sound is muffled). But since all rooms are not the same acoustically, all Truth monitors come equipped to function in a wide variety of situations. Switches are provided to adapt the monitor's low- and high-frequency characteristics for optimal performance specific to your listening environment.

Placement is also critical. Ideally, all loudspeakers should be placed away from walls to ensure proper bass response. But fear not, B3030A/ B3031A monitors feature Room Compensation switches so you can place them against walls, or even in corners. Walls tend to enhance low-frequency content, and corners exaggerate bass even more, but your Truth monitor can be custom-tailored to provide honest bass response for your situation, with the simple flick of a switch or two.

Non-fatiguing, Wide "Sweet Spot"

While some of the competitor's studio monitors have a highly focused "sweet spot" (the optimal listening position for a pair of loudspeakers), the wave-guide is designed to create a much more generous, broader listening zone. That means you won't wear a hole in the carpet in that one spot where everything sounds great.

You are free to move around inside the stereo image to find the ideal spot in the mix for subtle instrument or effects placement opportunities. You also won't suffer the ravages of "monitor fatigue syndrome," an ailment that comes from listening to harsh high-mids and treble content for hours on end. The 2" velocity ribbon transducer, along with the proprietary wave-guide design, generates silky-smooth high-end that is non-fatiguing, even during those all-night mix-down sessions that can test your nerves.

Hearing is Believing

The technical jargon might bore you to death(if you really like that stuff, there's a special treat at the end), but hearing the Truth will make you a believer. From the "bulletproof" bass of its Kevlar woofer to the silky top-end of its ribbon transducer, you'll agree that nothing in this class outperforms the B3030A and B3031A monitors. Compare them to the competition and own Behringer!
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For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Web: https://www.behringer.com/service.html

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars. (8 ratings)
Submitted January 12, 2012 by a customer from sbcglobal.net

"Best Value, Best Sound for the money... B3030A's"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I shouldn't have to replace these speakers for quite a while

Sound
I bought the Behringer B3030a's because in the store they lived up to the reviews I had read about in being very similar to the Adam speakers. When I got them home I was not dissappointed. They have a great stereo field, very good mids and hi's and more than enough bass. The settings for room placement works great. They are quite loud as well.

Features
I like the fact that these speakers are solid. they are heavy and the fact that the cabs are real wood makes a lot fo differnce. The ribbon tweeaters are crisp and clean and they fit really well in my studio space.

Ease of Use
Right out of the box and on the desk... voilla.. sound

Quality
C'mon you can't find another pair of speakers that sound this good for $329. I mean really aside from a slight difference in the mids and hi's they sound just as good as the Adam speaker they are compared with. I use them all day and they do not fatigue my ears.

Value
At 329 bucks this is the best value I've seen around. Even if they were $529 for the pair they would be a better value than their rivals the Adams at almost $1400 a pair. Don't let anyone tell you different either. You need to hear them.

Manufacturer Support
I haven't had to use any tech support or return them and I'm read more hoping I don't have to. But we'll see. I usually don't blow my speakers and if they are built as sturdy as they feel, I won't be replacing them for a while... unless I get rich and then I'll still be using them.

The Wow Factor
I know everyone bags on Behringer, but truly I've had several of their products and so has my friends and we never have problems with the stuff. I think those that do are probably idiots that don't know how to use products and then plame failure on the product when it was their fault. Maybe not everyone, but a good portion of the people that buy gear don't know what they're doing and then blame it on the product.

Musical Background:
33 years
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