Avantone MixCubes Review
Intro
To understand why Avantone created this speaker, you need to know about the original. The MixCube was a staple in many top studios over the last 25 years, serving as a key reference speaker. The classic passive Auratone featured a single 5-inch driver, which produced a somewhat mid-heavy sound. This was perfect for checking how a mix would translate to radio and the consumer audio gear of that era.
Auratone speakers are no longer made. After carefully studying what made the originals special, Avantone set out to recreate them. They found that there were several versions of the Auratone driver, each with different frequency responses and inconsistencies. Avantone chose the most linear design, very close to the original, but added a few modern improvements along the way.
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Avantone MixCubes |
Avantone MixCubes Usage and Design
The unique appeal of the Auratone 5C lay in its ability to simulate real-world playback—just as customers (listeners) would actually hear their records. Let’s face it: even today, many playback systems use just a single, or a pair of, full-range drivers. Deep bass and sparkling highs are great, but do your mixes hold up on speakers with limited frequency range?
The Avantone Mixcubes are inspired by the now-unavailable Auratone, keeping the best aspects of its audio quality while upgrading the cabinetry and components. The new Active Mixcubes carry forward the Auratone philosophy with a rational and thoroughly modern approach. The cabinets are thoughtfully designed and solidly built using MDF construction.
Features include radiused edges, a high-gloss polyurethane “Butter-Cream” finish, a 7mm neoprene pad, and magnetic shielding. Inside, Dacron acoustic stuffing keeps things sounding tight, and there’s a 5/8-inch threaded insert for mounting on a mic stand. Inputs are via a Neutrik combo connector—accepting XLR, 1/4-inch TS or TRS—as well as an RCA input.
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Avantone MixCubes |
Driver Design
The originals featured a fundamental 5″ stamped frame design. They used a proprietary 5.25″ cast aluminum frame driver engineered to meet or exceed the performance of the originals. The mounting bezel is polished for an elegant appearance. The paper cone was chosen for its musical character; it is custom-made from the finest New Zealand pulp, reinforced with mica fibers for reduced weight and added rigidity.
The fabric surround was specially manufactured in Japan to maintain precise, uniform depth tolerances. The Top Plate and T-Yoke are crafted from Sumitomo 1008 low carbon steel, maximizing flux density in the gap. The magnets are Y-40 GRADE (MIL-SPEC), delivering a robust 43oz. high-power, low-distortion motor structure.
Amplifier design
Avantone designed the amp module from the ground up to be a truly professional-grade amplifier. They used top-quality components and prioritized safety at every step. The result is a no-compromise amp with impressive headroom and reliability. It rivals the performance of much more expensive studio rack mount amps.
Specifications
- System Type: Active (self-powered), shielded full-range stereo pair
- Frequency Response: 90Hz – 17,000Hz (covers the useful musical range)
- Impedance: Nominal 8 ohms
- Max SPL: 104 dB at 1 meter with 1% THD (pink noise)
- Amplifier Type: Class A/B
- Amplifier Power: 60 watts RMS at 0.005% THD (1kHz)
- Amplifier Frequency Response: 22Hz – 50kHz (+0dB/-3dB), 90Hz – 50kHz (±0dB)
- Noise: S/N ratio of -113 dB
- Sensitivity: 0dBu (0.775V RMS) input at maximum volume (+6dB) produces 104 dB SPL
- Driver: Proprietary 5.25″ driver with cast aluminum frame, paper cone, and magnetic shielding
- Cabinet: Sealed enclosure made from 18mm MDF with Dacron acoustic stuffing
- Inputs: XLR & TRS combo jack, supports +4dB balanced and -10dB unbalanced signals
- Weight: 7.13 lbs per monitor
- Dimensions: 6.5″ x 6.5″ x 6.5″
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Avantone MixCubes |
