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What is it?
Eve Audio has a solid reputation for high-quality studio monitors. Typically equipped with AMT (air motion transformer) tweeters, options include the highly-regarded flagship series, the Eve Audio SC2070. Its latest range, EXO, sticks with the AMT design and aims to offer monitors equally well suited to stereo and multi-channel environments. On the review bench we have the EXO 24.
EXO 24 is a 2-way ported monitor with a rear-positioned slotted port and onboard Class D amplification. With a 4” LF driver and Eve’s latest Precision AirMotion (PAMT) tweeter, it’s the smallest design in the EXO range and, at just over 25cm high, looks pretty compact. That said, at 4.3kg, it also feels pretty robust.
The new PAMT tweeter sits in a new advanced waveguide designed to produce an ultra-wide sweet spot and better stereo imaging. Meanwhile, the LF unit, also a new design, makes use of a lightweight coated aluminium diaphragm with a resonance-damped dust cap. The enclosure is a low diffraction design with rounded edges, and there are no front-mounted controls, although the backlit logo doubles as a power and status indicator.
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Rear panel connections include balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) analogue inputs (though no ¼” jacks), S/PDIF digital input and output (RCA) and Ethernet (RJ45). In terms of settings, these are digitally controlled and accessed via the rear-positioned mini OLED display and smart knob. Options include volume, EQ (Smart Filters), input connector, operating level and input delay (up to 18ms), in addition to system settings. These aspects are also accessible from Eve Audio’s Ethernet-based software control package, although this wasn’t ready in time for our testing. Finally, on the underside are M6 threaded mounting points, so you can use a wide range of third-party brackets and hangers.
Performance
The EXO 24 has a slick and quite understated design, with the grey aluminium cone, gold folded AMT diaphragm and backlit logo adding visual accents. The large tweeter waveguide dominates the upper section of the baffle.
The mini OLED screen provides access to four EQ room correction options. Band 1 is either a low shelf at 300Hz (up to +3dB) or an adjustable 24dB/octave low-cut filter (61Hz to 106Hz). Band 2 is a desk correction filter set at 650Hz (+3/-5dB). Band 3 is a bell-shaped EQ at 3.5kHz (+3/-5dB). Band 4 is a high shelf at 5kHz (+3/-5dB). Collectively, these provide plenty of options, and the display delivers good visual feedback as you make the changes. Even so, we found the process of adjusting them a bit fiddly, and this aspect will be greatly improved once the control software is available.
From a sonic perspective, initial impressions are good. The top end is open and engaging and lower frequencies are delivered with plenty of punch. Understandably, the size of the enclosure influences things and much like other speakers this size, the low mids feel slightly lacking. We were able to correct this to some degree using the desk correction filter and low shelf, and overall we think the delivery is very good for a speaker of this size. The mid-range in particular provides plenty of detail and is ideal for mixing. Meanwhile, the horizontal sweet spot is quite broad. Finally, the low end is reasonably flat to about 65Hz and then tails off gently. The quoted free field response is -3dB at 54Hz.
Verdict
Smaller speakers can easily come up short, but the EXO 24 delivers impressive scale for a speaker of this size. Couple this with a smooth, detailed top end and good stereo imaging, and you have a very capable offering.
Hands-on demos
EVE Audio
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Specifications
|
Price |
£750 / $849 / €899 per pair |
|
Configuration |
2-way rear ported |
|
Free field frequency range (-3dB) |
54Hz to 24kHz |
|
Drivers |
LF 4” coated aluminium, HF air motion transformer (AMT) |
|
Inputs |
XLR, RCA, S/PDIF digital in/out, Ethernet |
|
Output power |
140W (LF) 140W (HF) |
|
High shelf EQ |
5kHz +3/-5dB in 0.5dB steps |
|
Mid bell EQ |
3.5kHz +3/-5dB in 0.5dB steps |
|
Desk correction filter |
650Hz +3/-5dB in 0.5dB steps |
|
Low shelf or filter |
300Hz 0 to +3dB, low cut filter 24dB/oct at 61-106Hz in 5Hz steps |
|
Delay |
Adjustable per speaker up to 18ms |
|
Display |
Rear mounted OLED with encoder knob |
|
Max SPL |
108dB (half space), 102dB (full space) |
|
Crossover |
2.2kHz |
|
Mounting |
50.8 x 107.9mm M6 mounting points |
|
Dimensions |
171(w) x 252(h) x 194(d) mm |
|
Weight |
4.3kg |
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Contact |
