Small nearfield monitors with one low-frequency driver and one tweeter are as common in studios as empty latte cups. Far less common is the compact speaker with two woofers working the same frequency range. The PreSonus Eris E44 and E66 use just this design, flanking a single tweeter with two identical 4.5-inch or 6-inch woofers. PreSonus calls it an MTM (or “D'Appolito”) design: mid-woofer, tweeter, mid-woofer. The main benefit, according to PreSonus, is more even dispersion and a wider sweet spot. In this review, we test these claims with the Eris E44 monitors.
Double Bump
The Eris E44 has two woven Kevlar woofers with a subtle blue tint. Between the woofers sits a 1.25-inch silk dome tweeter offset by a company logo of the same dimensions. Symmetry abounds. Powering the woofers and tweeter are class A/B amplifiers delivering 50 and 35 watts respectively. This power drives the Eris E44 to a stated max SPL of 103 dB.
PreSonus was generous in the input and electronics department with the Eris MTM line. Inputs include balanced XLR and 1/4-inch, plus an additional RCA input (which could come in handy for some users). These inputs feed a level knob with center detent for unity gain. Two tone controls offer +/-6 dB adjustment over the high-frequency and mid-frequency output of the speaker. At a price point where control over just treble and bass is the norm, the midrange EQ is a pleasant surprise.
Beyond the knobs, the Eris E44's back panel offers two switches to control bass response. The first adjusts bass level based on acoustic space, reducing output when the speaker is getting help from a nearby wall or corner. The second switch controls a high-pass filter designed to make the Eris E44 play well with a subwoofer. This switch has flat, 80 Hz and 100 Hz settings.
Standing Up or Laying Down
The Eris MTM speakers have their tweeters positioned in such a way that they can be used standing upright or laying horizontal (even the backlit PreSonus logo rotates easily to accommodate both orientations). Considering that most mixing and production consoles are cramped for space, I suspected most Eris E44 monitors will end up positioned vertically.
This is a good thing, as I found the tweeter dispersion to be bit more even and broad with the speaker upright. This doesn't make a lot of sense, as I was expecting a true conical pattern from the Eris E44's soft-dome tweeter. Several A/B comparisons later, though, I was convinced I heard a slightly elongated dispersion pattern oriented perpendicular to the front of the speaker. A true scientific test may reveal otherwise.
Is the Eris E44's sweet spot as wide as PreSonus would like you to believe? That's hard to quantify without expensive test gear and an anechoic chamber. My ears found the Eris E44's dispersion pattern to be wide and quite even, placing it near the top of its class. Whether this is a result of the MTM design or a good tweeter is irrelevant--the Eris E44's top end just sounds nice.
On the bottom end the Eris E44 doesn't fare quite as well. With a stated low-frequency cutoff of 55 Hz (likely -10 dB), the Eris E44 leaves most of the lowest octaves shrouded in mystery. I've heard lower bass from speakers this size, making the Eris E44's bottom end seem a bit weak in comparison. At higher volumes, the Eris E44's two narrow bass tuning ports blow enough air to puff out a candle. In bass-reflex speaker design, high air velocity in ports is generally frowned upon.
If you need deeper bass than the Eris E44 can deliver, consider its larger sibling: the Eris E66. The Eris E66 has a low-frequency cutoff of 45 Hz, a full 10 Hz lower than the Eris E44. Want even more bass? Add a subwoofer and switch in the Eris E44's high-pass filter.
A good old-fashioned “crank it up” test revealed that the Eris E44 get a bit compressed and gritty-sounding several dB before the internal limiting kicks in. The drivers are tapped at that point, and the only solution is to back off the throttle. Staying in the Eris E44's clean output range doesn't leave you enough volume to knock you out of your chair, but it's adequate for most nearfield monitoring applications. If you need enough output to fill a large room with sound, you'll need a bigger (and more expensive) speaker than the Eris E44.
For overall sound, the Eris E44 earns high marks. The speaker's top end is smooth yet detailed. Though not deep, the speaker's bass response is trustworthy. Having 12 dB of adjustment in both the mid- and high-frequency bands allows for extensive sound contouring for personal preference or room correction. If you have $500 to spend on a pair of nearfield monitors and don't need deep bass or high volume, the Eris E44 is definitely worthy of your consideration.
