Avantone MixCubes

Among the many powerful and efficient Hi-Fi speakers that exist on the market, few of them really allow you to isolate , mix and process sound in the mid frequencies. Speakers like the Avantone MixCubes have the particularity of offering more detail and sound clarity in the midrange in order to optimize the mix .

Does its purchase therefore represent an advantageous investment for a home studio project ? Below is our opinion and test about the Avantone MixCubes speaker!

Overview of the Avantone MixCubes speaker

The Avantone MixCubes is a recording speaker dedicated to sound mixing that comes in an active and passive version . In professional recording studios, this monitoring speaker remains effective in perfecting sound enclosure at a specific frequency range covering the mids.

The monitoring speaker is therefore used to locate and isolate all sounds located in the mid-range frequencies at high listening levels. Likewise, it makes it possible to enhance the quality of Hi-Res sound rendering at a sampling rate much higher than that of a CD.

In addition, the rise of digital technologies and the current predominance of HD (High Definition) audio encourage sound engineers to equip themselves with an adequate monitor . The aim being to have a clear, complete and detailed overview of the mix (therefore, without mid-high confusion), the sound once read through different audio systems with relatively low Watt power.

This is particularly the case for: televisions, Focal or other brand car radios, audio and video players, portable speakers, PC speakers, woofers from Reflex Audio or Rcf, speakers, computers, headphones and audio earphones, mini intelligent speakers with assistant Alexa voice, Smartphones, tablets, etc.

Please note that it is important to carry out correct mixing based on active listening through the use of a specific speaker such as the Avantone MixCubes. This loudspeaker avoids erroneous listening which is often caused by the predominance of treble and bass. This muffles the mids and therefore prevents the sound found in the mid frequencies from being clearly isolated.

Moreover, we should always pay particular attention to critical areas of the voice or instruments such as the guitar and the keyboard in the mid frequencies. Using the Avantone MixCubes allows you to obtain a high sound level without crossover or distortion.

Neumann KH 120 test guide . It is a compact monitoring speaker with a wide frequency range. It is specialized for an active studio or listening room.

Avantone MixCubes speaker: conception and design

Free of subwoofers and tweeter dome, the Avantone MixCubes are a complete and stripped-down sonic upgrade of the 5C Sound Cubes from the 80s and 90s. Listening tests, however, revealed that the Avantone MixCubes offered a better frequency response .

This in particular with a compact sound , softer , precise and transparent than the original 5C Sound Cubes speaker. The Avantone MixCubes with rounded edges benefit from an ingenious cabinet design made from robust, non-laminated MDF.

Its elegant and Butter-Cream polyurethane enhances its design. Its base includes a 7 mm thick neoprene cushion to serve as acoustic insulation and limit vibrations . The Avantone MixCubes even incorporates a standard 5/8″-27 mic stand mount into its base to allow for cleaner , more creative mixes .

The Avantone MixCubes are made the old-fashioned and custom way, but they also benefit from a modern design. This is based on the best choice of pulp material from New Zealand and mixed with mica fibers for greater strength and durability. Its purchase can therefore only represent a safe value in the long term.

The surround of the speaker is essentially made up of a specific fabric made in Japan to offer a more harmonious sound reproduction . The exterior of the speaker, made of aluminum frame, is polished and helps to refine its design. Everything has been designed to offer the Avantone MixCubes the performance essential for demanding sound mixing in the midrange.

Avantone MixCubes speaker: rear panel description

The rear of the Avantone MixCubes features an input for XLR connectors , an input for power , an on/off switch, a ground switch a gain regulator at the input:

• BALANCED INPUT input : this “ XLR combo ” input receives a male You can even make an asymmetrical connection using a TS connector.

In this case, the negative signal will be systematically grounded. To bring out the sound of a simple auxiliary audio device, you can even use either a mini-jack adapter, an RCA adapter, an HDMI adapter or even a card. Its equipped with a USB port.

• The “ SYSTEM GAIN ” regulator: this controller allows you to adjust the sensitivity of the incoming signal . This sensitivity increases when the regulator is turned clockwise and will decrease when the knob is turned counterclockwise.

This gain range is adjustable from -30 to +6 dB . +6 dB setting will increase the gain without risk of damaging the amplifier integrated into this active speaker. To avoid any risk of audio overload likely to shorten the lifespan of the Avantone MixCubes, care must be taken to balance the gain perceived at the input by reducing the gain each time it is necessary.

• ON/OFF Switch: This illuminated switch turns the amplifier section built into the Avantone MixCubes Pro Active speaker on or off.
• AC INPUT : This input is only compatible with Avantone's proprietary power supply. The power supply itself has a voltage selector to choose the appropriate operating voltage depending on your country.
• GROUND LIFT switch : This ground switch greatly helps in removing the ground loop from the analog signal in Input.

Placement of the Avantone MixCubes speaker

In order to obtain optimal audio rendering in Stereo , it is recommended to purchase a pair of Avantone MixCubes Hi-Fi active speakers and therefore equipped with an internal amplifier. Installed on suitable supports, these must be located at ear height and inclined respectively at an angle of 60° towards you . Using a single active Avantone MixCubes speaker remains effective, but this configuration only allows sound diffusion in mono.

We can then obtain an optimal listening perspective in stereo by placing the two monitors at an equal distance from our ears. This is to form an equilateral triangle. The Avantone MixCubes being quite robust can be placed near a powerful video monitor or a television without risk of damaging it.

Its mounting on a 5/8″x27 stand will also compensate for interference likely to be caused by poor installations in the Studio.

In addition, you can also consult our test guide and review on the Genelec 8040 BPM monitor . This test guide presents the sound quality, technical characteristics, positive and negative points of this monitoring speaker, as well as how to use it.

How to connect your Avantone MixCubes speakers optimally?

In terms of connectivity, the Avantone MixCubes remains above all a wired speaker since it needs to be connected to a mains power supply . In the event of an outage, it will therefore systematically stop working. The slightest overvoltage will also risk damaging it.

Therefore, we will always start by ensuring that the Avantone MixCubes is connected to an appropriate operating voltage. Once this is done, you will set all the faders and controls on your mixer or Phono preamp module (like the SPL Goldmike 9844) to a minimum sound level.

You must also ensure that all your other audio and sound equipment (microphones with high Ohm impedance, preamp, mixing desk) are powered on before turning on the Avantone MixCubes. From then on, we can adjust the “SYSTEM GAIN” input potentiometer to the lowest level and increase it gradually , gently, to avoid any accidental overload .

Gradually, you can readjust the output gain ( from your preamp or mixing console) and do the same at the speaker input for greater safety. Like any other new powerful and efficient sound equipment, the Avantone MixCubes requires a certain break-in time for this speaker to function optimally.

We can then begin to test the full potential of the Avantone MixCubes by playing any playlist from a CD in a loop for 24 to 48 hours at an average volume. This process proves practical for normalizing the driver's environment by making it flex.

Focus on the sound quality of the Avantone MixCubes speaker

To make the most of the sound quality of the speaker and to be able to mix the sound in optimal conditions in the midrange, we recommend the use of a pair of Avantone MixCubes active speakers associated with a pair of passive speakers of the same model and from the same brand. But how does this speaker differ from other high-performance speakers (like the KRK Rokit 5 G4 monitor ) in terms of Rms in Watts ?

The Avantone MixCubes allows you to clearly hear the sound mixed without the midrange with audio devices, without a dome tweeter or woofer or subwoofer such as: classic car radios, clock radios, television sets, smartphones, tablets, ordinary speakers for PCs and for Mac. The speaker eliminates crossover effects which tend to muffle the sound in the midrange.

With the Avantone MixCubes, all frequencies are directly channeled into the speaker to produce a sound that is homogenized , compact and richly focused on mid-range frequencies .

The advantage with the pairs of Avatone MixCubes (active and passive) lies in the fact that they can be connected to a Docking Station (for iPod for example) in order to manage the volume. This speaker also remains effective in controlling vocal dynamics with the advantage of clearer and more detailed .

When mixing vocals and different acoustic and electronic instruments, we will hear less and less harmonic content in the highs and lows. Instead, we will have a really clear overview of all the sounds that are in the mid frequencies and we will be able to rectify any anomalies related to them.

We can therefore use pairs of Avantone MixCubes to ensure the accuracy of the note in the mid-range frequencies. So, to test the Avantone MixCubes, we chose to play several songs (ranging from rock to classical through various musical genres such as hip-hop, reggae, RNB, techno, electro, Jazz and even polyphonic singing in acappella) with very accentuated bass and treble levels.

The sound filtering in the mid frequencies was really surprising with the Avantone MixCubes. We were pleasantly surprised by the results. The speaker has smoothed out the low frequencies and highs to enhance all the frequencies that are in the middle (i.e. mid).

The Avantone MixCubes effectively stimulated sound harmonics above the bass note and below the high notes. We can also do the same to purify the sound of a wideband microphone, a large diaphragm microphone or that of different types of dynamic moving coil microphones at the mid-frequency level.

All in particular, so as to be able to color the mid frequencies in a richer , more pronounced and more detailed . It can also be used for sound monitoring in order to optimize digital processing in the mid-range frequencies without resorting to a DSP ( Digital Signal Processor ) or a DAC ( digital to analog converter ).

Used in combination with a Bluetooth speaker, a soundbar, a floor-standing speaker, a wireless speaker, a hi-fi system, a powerful speaker, or other high-performance sound speakers, Avantone MixCubes monitors offer even more dimension, power, clarity, detail and depth of sound. Likewise, we will be able to have a totally immersive listening experience for the sound diffusion of films or video games.

The technical characteristics of the Avantone MixCubes speaker

• Speaker type: active recording speaker dedicated to professional mixing,
• Model: Avantone MixCubes,
• Brand: Avantone,
• Frequency response: 90 Hz to 17 kHz (accessible musical range),
• Maximum sound pressure (Spl): 104dB ,
• Integrated amplifier: class A/B,
• Internal amplifier power: 60 Watts RMS at 0.005% THD ( 1 kHz ),
• Frequency response of the integrated amplifier: 22 Hz to 50 kHz ,
• Noise reduction: S/N -113 dB “A” weighted,
• Cooler: convector / heat sink – aluminum fins
• Driver: Exclusive design – cast aluminum frame / paper cone / shielded
• Housing: sealed design / 18mm MDF / with Dacron acoustic padding,
• Inputs: XLR & TRS +4/balanced and -10 unbalanced,
• Dimensions: 165mm x 165mm x 165mm (6 ½” x 6 ½” x 6 ½”),
• Weight: 3.55 kg / 7.8 lb (for each speaker),
• Maximum warranty: 3 to 5 years from the direct supplier.

Our opinion on the Avantone MixCubes speaker

Considering everything that has been raised, the Avantone MixCubes remains a very good reference in terms of home studio sound mixing. The design of the speaker itself follows that of the original 5C Sound Cubes models.

The Avantone MixCubes benefits from the qualities of its ancestors, but does not inherit any of their faults, and even adopts a certain number of improvements. For the most common among us, the Avantone MixCubes is just a simple speaker, therefore without almost any particularity given that it does not cover the entire sound bandwidth or musical. However, it is precisely on this point that this speaker distinguishes itself from its peers.

If you only intend to use it to listen to music, you might very quickly be disappointed since the speaker does not accentuate the bass or the treble. And yet, its use remains very effective for correctly mixing sound in this frequency band which is quite difficult to define, color and purify, which is the medium.

Sound engineers know this perfectly, since it turns out that our ears can be easily distracted and therefore disturbed by other frequencies. By using only powerful and efficient speakers (like those from Rcf among many others), we will have great difficulty hearing (or locating) clearly the sounds we wish to process when they are located in the mids.

With the Avantone MixCubes, this problem is solved since you can hear the midrange clearly. In addition, you can perfectly combine its use with that of a woofer, a subwoofer, or a home cinema speaker to enrich the multiroom listening experience. Particularly with a view to covering a very wide sound bandwidth.

For uses for recording and audio processing purposes in a home studio, we will be able to identify with more precision the sounds to which we will need to make improvements. Then, we can easily readjust the sound mix of all types of musical work with the Avantone MixCubes and improve its rendering, in addition to the sound bars, monitoring speakers and high-performance speakers (wired or connected) at our disposal .

In the end, whether for mixing, for audio mastering or for listening, purchasing a pair of Avantone MixCubes with the best quality/price ratio will always be an asset. Even better if you want to use it to complete your sound equipment.

Special Offer at Avantone 🔥