Overall verdict
“The Monitor 8s are going to be tough to beat.”
“They look awesome, sound great.”
“A lot better than the 1723s that we took for a spin a few years ago.”
“Well done, Arendal. You have my respect.”
“They are an easy recommendation for audiophiles who obsess over every single detail.”
Treble performance
“The Monitor 8s sound exceptionally clear, precise, and present a squeaky clean window into treble territory.”
“Arendal absolutely nails it with these.”
“I also heard what happens after the initial strike, the shimmer, the decay, and just how long that cymbal hangs in space before the next hit arrives.”
“All of the air, ambience, and articulation living in those upper octaves comes through with ease.”
“This ended up being my single favorite characteristic of the Monitor 8s.”
Midrange
“Female vocals were nothing short of astounding.”
“I found myself continually impressed by just how effortless the Monitor 8s revealed those tiny nuances.”
“The sheer level of resolution quickly distracted me enough to stop analyzing and simply enjoy the performance.”
“Piano showcase the percussive strike of each note with remarkable clarity.”
“Exposing both micro and macro details that many speakers tend to smooth over or gloss past entirely.”
Bass
“When it comes to bass, these things deliver the goods.”
“Bass on the Monitor 8s is crazy deep and it hits like a freaking Mack truck.”
“For those who are willing to trade off a little texture for seriously deep extension, these will do that in spades.”
“I would be in no rush to drag out the subs.”
Soundstage & imaging
“Soundstage on the Monitor 8s is wide.”
“Layering is quite good.”
“Imaging is pinpoint accurate.”
“The top end does an excellent job conveying decay structure and ambience.”
Detail & resolution
“They are an easy recommendation for audiophiles who obsess over every single detail.”
“Highly detailed.”
“Precision.”
“A lot more than just cymbals, crashes and splashes.”
Engineering & measurements
“The measurements… all of them look great.”
“This is a speaker that is well engineered.”
“From an objective point of view, I got nothing but flowers and nice things to say.”
“The on-axis response is pretty much straight as an arrow.”
“The horizontal response looks textbook.”
“The waterfall… looks squeaky clean.”
“Arendal did a great job with these speakers.”
“They know exactly what they are doing.”
Build quality
“The dedicated stands… are built like a tank.”
“I love the looks, the materials, the execution.”
“The speakers also ship with magnetic grills, which is awesome.”
Dynamics
“For those looking for a speaker that can play insanely loud…”
“Works perfect for both two-channel audio and home theater.”
