Presonus R-80 What is it?
Presonus R-80 is a high-quality, professional-grade monitoring system that offers great sound across the entire frequency spectrum, especially mids and highs.
Who is it for?
Ideally suited for Music Producers who are looking to upgrade from any beginner-level 5-inch monitor to 8-inch monitors. The Presonus R-80 will help to improve the quality of their mixdowns or production in general.
Style:
These monitors are equipped with an 8-inch Kevlar woofer coupled with a 6.5-inch AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter; which in my opinion is the best thing about these monitors. As per Presonus, these tweeters allow you to hear the ‘air’ and the greater sense of space that is characteristic of audiophile recordings.
When I tested the Presonus R-80 out in my studio, I was really impressed by the mid-range depth and crisp high-frequency response that these studio monitors have. Although, I felt that the bottom end was not as tight as some other monitors in this price range, but that should only be a problem if you’re specifically producing/mixing bass-heavy electronic dance music. To fix that, you always have the option to add a subwoofer to the arsenal.
Having said that, if you’re someone who produces or mixes various styles of music and require a pair of monitors that are versatile and transparent, you must definitely check these monitors out.
Lastly, you can change the front panel colour from blue to black simply by unscrewing the custom-fitted plate and replacing it with another. If you’re industrious, you could make the plates on your own and colour match your monitors to the overall ambience of your studio, or your sneakers. Just a thought.
Usability:
As far as inputs are concerned, the Presonus R-80 monitors give you various options to choose from. The back panel houses a balanced XLR input, a balanced 0.25-inch TRS input and an unbalanced RCA input. My personal preference while using monitors are XLR cables, but it is always nice to have options.
R-80’s acoustic tuning section is on the back panel, offering various different options that enable you to set the monitors according to your listening space and preference. The ‘Acoustic Space’ lets you control the bass response, ‘HF Driver’ settings lets you control the high-frequency response. There is also a high-pass filter setting that lets you choose between three different cut-off frequencies which is great if you’re using these with a subwoofer.
R-80’s Upside:
Clean mid-range, crisp high-end, wide stereo image, great overall sound, lightweight and status LED indicator.
R-80’s Downside:
Considering the price point, I would expect a little more tightness in the low-end from the Presonus R-80.
Final Call:
In my humble opinion, the Presonus R-80 monitors have a very good sound and will definitely be a great addition to your studio gear. However, there are a lot of other options available at this price range, so do your research before you make your final call.
| What’s in the Box | Tech Specs |
| • Monitor • Power Cable • Documentation | • Frequency Response 40 Hz – 22 kHz • Crossover Frequency 2.6 kHz • Diaphragm 6.8-inch2 (4,400 mm2) • Width 9.5” (241 mm) • Depth 12” (309 mm) • Height 15” (379 mm) • Weight 19.8 lbs (9 kg) |
| Approximate Price: Rs. 90,000/- (Pair) |
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