Kali Audio Santa Monica, 3 way Coincident Passive Speaker

About: Kali Audio Santa Monica, 3 way Coincident Passive Speaker

The SM-5-C is a passive 3-way studio monitor with a 5-Inch woofer, and a 4-Inch midrange with a coaxial 1-inch metal dome tweeter. Part of Kali’s flagship Santa Monica series of speakers, the SM-5-C combines Kali’s proven 3-way coincident architecture with uncompromising components to deliver unparalleled imaging, accuracy, and detail for critical mixing applications.

Like Kali’s acclaimed IN-Series loudspeakers, the SM-5-C is an acoustic point source, and special care has been taken with the unique geometry around the midrange to ensure a seamless transition to the edge of the speaker. This gives the loudspeaker an ideal directivity characteristic, resulting in an engrossing stereo image where details are lifelike and crisp. Off axis lobing that is unavoidable in 2-way loudspeakers is virtually eliminated in the SM-5-C.

The transducers on the SM-5-C are similarly precision engineered for high dynamic range, smooth response, and low distortion. The woofer design has been refined, and incorporates features that reduce magnetic flux modulation, bringing distortion down dramatically.

The midrange has been optimized not only for its own frequency handling, but also for its role as the tweeter’s waveguide. The tweeter is an aluminum dome with a special geometry that reduces high-Q ultrasonic resonances, eliminating the harsh sound that can plague metal dome designs.

All of these features contribute to impressive performance from the SM-5-C. THD of the loudspeaker is less than 1% and lower frequency response is 39 Hz at -10 dB. With 200W of power handling, the SM-5-C can deliver 117 dB continuous SPL.

The SM-5-C can be mounted using hardware from Triad Orbit, or any other speaker mount that uses a 4.25x2 Inch hole pattern and can support the loudspeaker’s 25 lb weight. Tuning files are available for LEA Connect-Series power amps, and 3rd party amps can be used with loudspeaker tunings available at kaliaudio.com.

3-Way, Coincident Architecture

The SM-5-C is a coincident 3-way design. The midrange and tweeter are coaxial, meaning that they share an acoustic center. In other words, the tweeter sits within the midrange. They are also coincident, meaning that they are physically time-aligned. This eliminates directivity and phase problems that are unavoidable in non-coaxial designs.

This architecture, together with the physical placement and crossover of the woofer, makes the SM- 5-C an acoustic point source. This gives the loudspeaker an ideal directivity characteristic, resulting in a lifelike stereo image where details are placed clearly and consistently.

Being a 3-way, the SM-5-C has a dedicated midrange transducer. This unburdens the woofer, resulting in lower distortion from the lower response of the loudspeaker through the high mids. This makes the SM-5-C a very natural, musical sounding loudspeaker, and it makes it very easy to hear every element of your mix clearly.

• Loudspeaker is an acoustic point source, which makes for excellent imaging
• Lower distortion vs. comparable 2-way designs

Flux Stabilized woofer

The SM-5-C’s woofer incorporates components that assist in inductance linearization and flux stabilization. These features reduce magnetic flux modulation, meaning that the voice coil is moving through a clean magnetic field, which dramatically reduces distortion.

• Deep, clear, powerful bass
• Elimination of magnetic flux substantially improves distortion

Optimized Profile Midrange

The midrange is not only optimized for its own frequency handling, but also for its role as the tweeter’s waveguide. It controls the directivity of the tweeter so that off-axis reflections in all directions are congruent with the direct sound of the loudspeaker, which is part of what gives the SM-5-C such excellent imaging. Peak-to-peak excursion on the midrange does not exceed 1mm, eliminating intermodulation distortion that is typical in coaxial designs.

• Lifelike imaging
• No intermodulation distortion in tweeter.

1-Inch Aluminum Dome Tweeter

The tweeter on the SM-5-C is a 1-inch aluminum dome. The dynamic response of the aluminum is excellent, resulting in clear high frequency response without distortion. The tweeter uses a unique geometry to reduce high-Q ultrasonic resonances, eliminating harshness that can make metal tweeters fatiguing over time.

• Responsive, low distortion high end
• Elimination of harshness from metal tweeter

Low Diffraction Baffle

The baffle around the midrange follows the shape of that driver, blending seamlessly from the edge of the driver and into the rest of the speaker cabinet. This eliminates on-axis diffraction artifacts in the frequency resposne, and helps reinforce the excellent imaging characteristics of the SM-5-C.

• Excellent imaging
• Smooth on-axis response without anomalies

Optimized Crossover Network

Since the SM-5-C uses amplifier tuning to handle frequency response optimization, the crossover network can be purely optimized for its use in directivity transition. This level of optimization allows for premium components to be used, including ultra-low dissipation polypropylene capacitors, air-core inductors, and ultra-low inductance resistors.

The crossover network is fully optimized for bi-wire (LF+MR/HF) use, but care has also been taken to allow for single-wire use.

• Very low distortion
• Optimized directivity transition

Mountable

The SM–5-C features mounting holes on both the top and bottom of the loudspeaker. Kali recommends using a speaker specific U-bracket from Triad-Orbit, but any speaker mount with a 4.25x2-Inch bolt pattern that is capable of holding the SM-5-C’s 21lb weight will also work.

• Put the speaker wherever it needs to be in the room
• Atmos

LEA Amps

Tuning files for the SM-5-C for use with LEA Connect series amplifiers can be downloaded from kaliaudio.com Simply load these files onto your amp, and you’re ready to go. The LEA Connect Series is also available with Dante inputs. 3rd party amplifiers are also supported please find minimum performance specs and tuning parameters at kaliaudio.com

The LEA Connect series amplifiers are also available with Dante connections, allowing easy networking of your audio with Kali’s speakers.

• Really easy to amplify
• Dante if you want it

Low Noise Port Tube

On most port tubes, air leaves at different speeds from different points of the opening, creating noisy turbulence. This turbulence can be heard as "chuffing," or

an audible air sound coming from the system. This sound will add to the noise floor and obscure the details of the low end.

The port tube on the SM-5-C was designed to ensure that all of the air leaves the port tube at the same velocity. This helps add to the low end response of the subwoofer, while keeping the bass clean, tight, and devoid of extra noise.

• Extended bass response
• Port tube does not add to noise floor
• Air leaving the port tube is neither heard nor felt

Specifications

• Self-Powered -  No
• Amp Options -  Single Wire, Bi-Amped (Woofer, Midrange+Tweeter)
• MR+HF Power Handling -  20VRMS into 3 Ohm (100W at 4 Ohm)
• LF Power Handling -  20VRMS into 3 Ohm (100W at 4 Ohm)
• Single Wire Power Handling -  20VRMS into 3 Ohm (100W at 4 Ohm)
• HF Driver -  1-Inch Metal Dome Tweeter
• Midrange Driver -  4-Inch Optimized Profile Paper Cone
• LF Driver -  5" Optimized Paper Woofer
• LF-to-Midrange Crossover -  280 Hz
• Midrange-to-HF Crossover -  2800 Hz
• Frequency Response -  (-10 dB): 39 Hz - 28 kHz
• Frequency Range -  (+/-3 dB): 47 Hz - 21kHz
• Recommended Listening Distance -  4 Meters
• Max SPL -  (Peak at 1 meter) 117 dB
• Loudspeaker THD -  (90dB SPL at 1M) <1%
• Inputs
  • Single Wire Phoenix Connector
  • Bi-Wire Phoenix Connector
• Enclosure -  Front Ported
• Height -  15.6 Inches (39.6 cm)
• Depth -  9.8 Inches (24.8 cm)
• Width -  7.9 Inches (20 cm)
• Weight -  21 lbs (9.5 kg)