Offering a wide frequency response in a space-saving enclosure, the Fluid Audio FX80 is an 8″ two-way 110W coaxial active studio monitor that’s ideal for producers, engineers, musicians, and audio editors in small- and medium-sized rooms. The coaxial design arranges the drivers in a stacked point-source configuration to ensure phase-accurate emanation of sound.

 

A full 110W of bi-amped Class-D amplification drive the 8″ paper pulp woofer and 1.2″ soft-dome tweeter, which are loaded in a vinyl-wrapped MDF cabinet outfitted with a bass-reflex slot port. The resulting sonic range is an impressive 35 Hz to 22 kHz frequency response from a monitor that can be placed in a variety of locations, even close to a wall.DIP switches and an accompanying guide on the FX80’s rear panel make it easy to tune the monitor to your room and listening preferences; tweak high- and mid-frequency EQ, bass cutoff, and acoustic space attenuation. Also found on the rear panel are the input jacks—a balanced 3-pin XLR, a balanced 1/4″ TRS, and an unbalanced RCA—and a volume knob.

 

Keeping true to the original keyhole design of the Fluid Audio’s F Series, the FX enclosure has been updated with a complex-radius front baffle, which improves cabinet defraction and adds visual excitement.

Mounted in the center of the woofer is a 30mm dome tweeter in a coaxial configuration. This point-source configuration means that all sound emanates from a single point, improving off-axis response and reducing the cabinet’s footprint.

Boundary control EQ switches allow you to compensate for spaces that may not have been tuned or just need to be adjusted due to the proximity of the speakers to the wall behind them. The rear panel sports a guide showing how the DIP switches work.

Another update from the F Series is Class-D amplification for more headroom and clean, reliable power. Powerful DSP integration and a digitally controlled crossover make each speaker more consistent.

The illuminated LED on the front panel is not only a status indicator, displaying whether the monitor is on, off, or in standby, but also acts as an alignment beacon that allows you to properly align your speakers to your ear level.

The bass-reflex slot port tunes the cabinet to maximize the low-frequency output efficiency of the speaker. It is placed on the front panel to directly radiate the bass energy toward the listener, and enable flexibility of placement in your studio.

Updated Tweeter Grille Protection

The FX coaxial design provides enhanced protection for the woofer. Protection of the tweeter’s silk diaphragm is handled by a small, perforated steel grille.

Painstaking crossover design and listening sessions were undertaken to optimize a flat on-axis frequency response and a deep soundstage, ensuring accuracy and dependable mix translation.

An array of built-in protections—RF interference, output current limiting, over temperature, power on/off transient, subsonic filtering, and an external mains fuse—guard against common problems that often plague studio monitors.

 

IN THE BOX