Behringer B3031A 2-Way Active Studio Monitors

Product Description

When it comes to your studio recordings, you want honesty. That's why Behringer designed the 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."

Years of R'n'D

For the past two years, Behringer's 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, Behringer's 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" velocity ribbon transducer and a long-throw, Kevlar-coned woofer in a deformation resistant, die-cast aluminum chassis.

Why Kevlar?

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. These 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 this 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 we can't hear these "ultrasonics," the lower harmonics they generate do affect the way you 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 highand low-frequency tranducers. Behringer packs 225-Watts of bi-amped technology (including a time- and phase-corrected active crossover) into every B3031A, 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, 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 manufacturers' studio monitors have a highly focused "sweet spot" (the optimal listening position for a pair of loudspeakers), the B3031As' waveguide 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 a 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

All of the technical jargon is boring (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 B3031A monitors.

Features:

- Ultra-linear frequency response with individual frequency diagrams
- Built-in 150 and 75-Watt power amplifiers with enormous power reserve
- Ultra-high resolution, 2-inch velocity ribbon transducer for ultimate sound reproduction
- Long-throw 8-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
- Automatic standby mode (defeatable)
- Magnetic shielding allows placement near computer monitors
- Delivered as "matched pairs" with individual frequency diagrams
- 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 zZounds is an authorized dealer of Behringer products.

Dimensions and Weight in Packaging

Shipping Weight: 71 lbs

Shipping Dimensions: 26 x 20 x 15 in