Launched in early 2018, the Kali Audio brand might be a newcomer to the pro audio world, but it’s a company founded by some of the industry’s most talented and passionate individuals.
Based in California – a state that gives its name to both the company itself and each of its product lines – Kali has made an immediate impact on the studio monitor market with its Lone Pine series of active nearfield monitors, which blend top level performance with an eye-catching accessible price.
Now Kali is building on that success with the introduction of its IN-8 monitors, the first product in the Independence Series. The IN-8s use the same woofer and tweeter designs as the brand’s well-regarded LP monitors, but here those are accompanied by a new 4-inch midrange driver that surrounds the tweeter and acts as a waveguide.
In practice, this reduces the workload on both the tweeter and woofer, meaning less distortion and a clearer sound. This coaxial design also has the effect of making each speaker an acoustic point source. This means that, unlike many studio monitors where the tweeter and woofer are separate, there’s no loss of spatial information, resulting in excellent imaging that lets producers get truly creative with stereo effects and techniques.
At the low end, the IN-8s have the same low-noise port tube as their siblings in the Lone Pine series, which has been engineered using airflow simulations to provide powerful, clear bass response. It all adds up to an exceptionally accurate studio monitor, providing the trustworthy response you need to craft mixes that will translate on any system. The results speak for themselves, and have already won plaudits from producers across the musical spectrum.
“The speakers are amazing,” explains Hero Jr. producer Ken Rose. “What was most surprising was how well the mix translated to NS10s, which have always been my trusted guys. The stereo imaging is amazing and they are warm yet totally flat. These out-perform speakers that cost four times more.”
“The monitors are an absolute pleasure to listen to,” mastering engineer Will Borza tells us. “Sonic bliss from top to bottom and incredible imaging too!”
Gussie Miller, producer for the likes of Cher and Marcus Miller, agrees: “They are the most accurate monitors I’ve ever worked with in this range. Whatever is present on your mix is what you'll hear in these monitors. The clarity and truth you hear is striking. The ability to set them up with the dip switches is fabulous.”
The real highlight of the Independence series is that its stylish, Californian looks and professional sound all come in at a very competitive price of $399 per speaker.
The IN-8s are available now in the United States and are available for pre-order elsewhere. The IN-8s will be arriving in Europe before the end of 2019, and global availability is currently slated for the first quarter of 2020. You can read more and sign-up for pre-order info at the Kali Audio website.