ESI uniK 08+ Professional Active Reference 8'' Studio Monitor (single)
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The uniK 08+ studio monitor offers true full range quality with extended low end in a small case and an entirely new signal processing and amplifier unit with a perfect order low-z and low noise design. Mos-Fet Bi-amplification ensures a high slew-rate and fast setting, featuring true analog vintage sound processing with LC-like gyrator technology for a stressless and silky sound.
A completely new feature is the unique one knob sound character adjustment from smooth to bright, allowing you to change parameters for every room and preference. The additional high resolution High and Low switches add additional control. And of course the uniK 08+ studio monitor features a real precision gain attenuator, instead of a simple volume control.
The new design of the crossover ensures an excellent phase response and safe power limitation, to drive the woofer and tweeter efficiently. The tweeter features a newly upgraded magnetostatic design with extremely low moving mass for extended frequency and fast transient response and high sound resolution. The matching woofer consists of a kevlar composite cone with high stiffness ensuring better piston motion and excellent low-end sound reproduction.
Another new feature is the flexible rubber feet with discrete height adjustment. They are not only helpful to reduce unwanted vibrations, but also allow you to tilt the speaker towards the precise listening point - a great feature for typical near field applications.
Other new special features that are not standard in this class are standby to save power consumption (can be disabled) and a ground lift switch. And with its copper color woofer cone and high quality matte cabinet finish, it looks quite uniK, too!
Specifications:
• Biamp 2-Way Powered Speaker System
• Active Studio Monitor Speaker
• HF Driver: extremely low mass magnetostactic tweeter Φ49 x 26 mm
• LF Driver: 8" kevlar curved cone (magnetic shielding type)
• Output Power: 140W (HF: 70W, LF: 70W), 160W AC consumption power
• Frequency Response: 37Hz - 25kHz
• Input Impedance: 27.2kOhm (balanced) / 13.6kOhm (unbalanced)
• Crossover Point: 3.2kHz
• SPL: 105dB, Peak 108dB
• Input Connectors: XLR / TRS 1/4" combo connector, balanced / unbalanced
• Gain Control: -14 .. 0dB .. +14
• Room Adjustments Control: Character: -6 .. 0dB .. +6; Low: -5 .. 0dB .. +5; High: -5 .. 0dB .. +5
• Rear Bass-Reflex ventilation, optimized for near field application
• Ground lift switch
• Standby function: can be turned on and off
• Indicator: multi color LED on front panel, power on orange, standby red
• Feet: 4 pieces rubberized, adjustable height separately
• Working Voltage: AC100-240V 50/60Hz
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 252 x 352 x 319mm
• Weight: 8.1 kg
Q & A
Reviews
The combi jacks allow TRS balanced, XLR balanced and 1/4” unbalanced connections. If the speakers need to be close to your walls, you can simply utilize the included (rear) baffle blocker to tame the robust bass response. Although the frequency response is very flat, there are small, inset controls to tailor the monitor’s bass and high end curves to best suit your personal mixing environment. There is also a bias/smoothing control that functions somewhat like a tilt control, but is actually more technical than a simple tilt EQ.
These clean, powerful mosfet amps can be set to auto-standy — cutting down 90% of the power after five minutes of inactivity.
It is my honest (experienced) opinion that you would need to pony up for a set of Genelecs or PSI Audio monitors to do better than the ESI Unik 8+. Their smaller brothers, the Unik 5+, are also very potent units that perform far above their paygrade. ESI-Audio is a German-based company that isn’t very well known,in Canada and USA, but havng owned two sets of their monitors and five of their audio interfaces, I can tell you very honestly that they all high quality products at moderate prices.
Protect your investment with the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty
A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
instrument or piece of studio gear, however, many people want to have the peace of mind in knowing that their investment will be protected should the product no longer be performing at 100%.
Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.
How does the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty differ from most manufacturers' warranties?
- Performance Guarantee: Normal wear and tear is covered, so your product will be performing as well as the day you purchased it for the entire duration of the coverage. Band and Orchestral Performance Warranty does not include replacing pads or cleaning for woodwind instruments, unless deemed necessary by our repair staff. Ultrasonic cleaning for brass instruments will be provided if deemed necessary by our repair staff, but is not routinely offered under the Performance Warranty.
- Product Replacement: If your product cannot be fixed or costs too much to fix, we will replace it with the equivalent model for no additional charge. If this is not possible, a full refund will be provided.
- No Lemon Policy: Your product will be replaced should the same problem occur multiple times.
- Convenient: Easy drop off and pick up of the product at any Long & McQuade location.
- Guitar Setup: Guitars purchased at Long & McQuade come with 1 free setup, to be redeemed within 1 year for new guitars and 90 days for used guitars.
- Loaners Available: A loaner product may be given while the product is being repaired.
- Power Surge Protection: Your product is covered even if damaged from a power surge.
- Accessory Coverage: Any peripheral devices or accessories that come with your product (i.e. foot pedal, case) are also covered.
- Commercial Use Coverage: Music and recording professionals who purchase gear for “heavy-use” commercial purposes will still be covered.
Long & McQuade reserves the right to restrict the purchase of additional years of Performance Warranty. Used products come with a 3-month Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Some products (i.e. computers, software, cymbals and other items) are covered only by the manufacturer‘s warranty. Consumables (i.e. strings, reeds, drum sticks, batteries, tubes, cross faders) are excluded as they are designed to be replaced. Cosmetic Damage, Accidental Damage, or problems caused by Humidity or Temperature Issues are not covered. Speakers damaged by overpowering are generally not covered. Our coverage does not provide compensation for loss of use. As of June 2018 the Performance Warranty is no longer transferable. The warranty is only valid in Canada.
Purchasing additional years of coverage
Some manufacturers provide warranties for longer than 1 year; however, these are usually limited warranties that do not provide the same coverage as the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Customers interested in more complete and convenient (but not necessarily longer) coverage are still able to purchase additional years of the Performance Warranty.
If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:
- NEW products: Starting at 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. Starting at 4% for each additional year.
- USED products: Starting at 4% of the current new selling price to increase the warranty from 3 months to 1 year. Starting at 4% for each additional year.
- GUITARS: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year. $45 maximum. An additional free setup is not included with additional purchased years of Performance Warranty.
- BAND and ORCHESTRAL instruments: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.