Audio Video News

Monitor Audio has upgraded and expanded its Radius Series line of speakers. The new eight model lineup includes the R200 center-channel speaker and Radius One soundbar—both slimmed-down to 2.5 inches deep—and two reengineered compact powered subwoofers, the Radius 380 and 390.

The line uses refined versions of the company’s ceramic-coated aluminum/magnesium alloy (C-CAM) woofers and a new 1-inch C-CAM tweeter. Unlike conventional drivers, which incorporate a center aperture for the voice-coil, the new woofer cone has a continuous rigid surface coupled to a longer voice coil and larger motor for longer excursions and lower distortion, Monitor said. The tweeter vents internally through a specially designed housing and around the outside of the magnet system to a rear-loading chamber for lower resonance and better damping, which is said to result in smoother response around the tweeter/woofer crossover point.

Highlights of the lineup include:

• R45 wall-mountable cube speaker ($375/pr)
• R90 compact, two-way monitor (shown above, $500/pr)
• R225 compact LCR speaker ($400)
• R200 center speaker designed for mounting on a rack, cabinet, or shelf ($375)
• RadiusOne three-channel soundbar with three woofers and three tweeters; each channel has its own ported sub-enclosure ($825)
• R270 compact tower ($1,250/pr)
• R380 and R390 subwoofers featuring DSP control, an “ultracompact” enclosure, and a dual-driver system with side-firing active and passive drivers. The 200-watt R380 has 8-inch drivers and the 220-watt R390 has 10-inch drivers ($725 and $900, respectively); finish options are white with silver-cone drivers or black/dark wood with black driver cones.

All models are available in gloss black, gloss white, and walnut.