Audio-Technica AT-SP3X | Technical Audio Group | RRP: $399
If you’re in the market for a compact pair of monitors that pack a punch, Audio-Technica have got you covered with their brand new AT-SP3X powered bookshelf speakers. Featuring a convenient minimalist design that suits any room of your home, the AT-SP3X deliver an elevated listening experience with both wired and wireless Bluetooth connectivity. Specifically tuned to deliver rich, full-range audio whilst taking up minimal space, the sound of these speakers given their compact size is truly impressive.
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Audio-Technica was first established in 1962 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, by Hideo Matsushita as a phonograph cartridge manufacturer. As business rapidly developed, Audio-Technica swiftly and successfully expanded into a broad range of audio fields. Since then, Audio-Technica have become well-loved in the music world for their precise craftsmanship and affordability and are known for making reliable products at a variety of price points.
AT-SP3X Powered Bookshelf Speakers
Today, Audio-Technica’s product range includes a wide variety of speakers, microphones, headphones, and audio accessories, used in applications from live sound and recording to broadcasting, podcasting, and consumer audio. The company remains committed to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction, and is widely recognized as one of the most respected and trusted names in the audio industry. Now, with the AT-SP3X, Audio-Technica provides us with the perfect wireless monitor for home use in a super convenient package.
The Audio-Technica AT-SP3X have a simplified design that does not require an external receiver or amplifier, perfect for modern home setups. An ideal audio solution for turntables, PCs, tablets, smartphones and TVs, Bluetooth connectivity makes these speakers highly adaptable and convenient for a myriad of uses, including audio mixing. There’s a few pairs of speakers intended for use as bookshelf speakers that have found their way into the annals of recording studio history, their flat, true-to-source response perfect for detailed listening.
Coming in at 200mm x 125mm x 136mm, the AT-SP3X is roughly two thirds the size of your average compact studio monitor and weighs only 1.5kg. Featuring extremely simple controls, these speakers couldn’t be easier to use with a simple power switch, Bluetooth pairing switch and volume dial. The AT-SP3X has analog audio input terminals for more traditional setups and is powered via a standard AC adapter. All in all it takes less than five minutes to set these little gems up straight out of the box. Basically, the AT-SP3X has all the convenience we’ve become accustomed to with portable Bluetooth speakers, but closer to studio-quality sound.
The ATX-SP3X features a 76mm speaker, 27mm tweeter and frequency response of 55hz-20khz. With an output of 30w, these units have plenty of volume on tap for entertaining at a rowdy house party, getting immersed in a film or even doing some mixing work. Whilst exhibiting an impressive amount of bottom end for their size, it’s in their incredibly crisp and detailed highs that the ATX-SP3X’s really shine. With an airy, articulate top end that brings out every sonic detail, you’ll be hearing previously unnoticed nuances in all your favourite songs with these speakers.
Bookshelf speakers
A rich and full midrange response makes them as perfectly suited for listening to vinyl as they are for catching every word of dialogue in a film without having to crank up to neighbour-scaring volumes. As at home sitting either side of your desktop as they are on your bedroom shelf or in your living room, the ATX-SP3X’s small size and unassuming all-black design helps them blend into any room.
With a tight, punchy and full low end that never sounds flabby, the AT-SP3Xs provide a joyful listening experience at any volume. Even at very modest levels, their bass response comes through clearly, maintaining an honest and well balanced sound that is bound to please your ears. When cranked to the max, these speakers maintain that balance and remain clean, clear and articulate with no distortion, perfectly capable of filling a large room with their rich, full sound.
Bottom end aside, clarity really is the name of the bookshelf speaker game, with the top end sizzle of cymbals and the shimmering string-talk of acoustic guitars coming through in immense detail. A strong but not overpowering transient response ensures the AT-SP3Xs remain articulate at low volumes but never become piercing when turned up.
A brilliantly compact (and mobile!) way to expand your listening, as well as your mixing and monitoring setup, Audio-Technica have really knocked it out of the park with this product. With many turntables now having Bluetooth capabilities, the AT-SP3Xs are perfect for daily home use across all your listening methods and devices. Swapping from streaming music from your phone, throwing a record on and watching television with the same speakers is as quick and simple as pressing a button.
Whilst not designed for the increased sonic weight and bottom end of full-fledged studio monitoring, the AT-SP3Xs certainly provide enough clarity for audio work and mixing duties at home, making them an extremely versatile product across a range of uses. All in all, Audio-Technica have nailed that now famous bookshelf speaker format with a unit that successfully bridges the gap between small Bluetooth speakers and fully fledged studio monitors in a compact product perfect for the average home setup.
Whether you’re streaming music from your phone, listening to vinyl, making demos with your DAW of choice, gaming, watching TV or anything in between, they are a great choice for anyone looking to upgrade the sonic quality of their home speakers, without the need to fuss around with amplifiers or external receivers.
Audio-Technica have a long history of creating excellent audio products for both professional and casual settings across a spectrum of price-points. They continue to grow and evolve, proving many times over why they are one of the most successful and reliable brands in the game. Everyone from the average home listener to full blown audiophiles could get some great use out of the AT-SP3Xs across several devices and formats, their compact size and excellent sound quality making them a versatile and convenient addition to the Audio-Technica product lineup.
Interested? Keep reading, shop and buy the Audio-Technica AT-SP3X Powered Bookshelf Speakers here.
