Believe Everything You Hear
Kali Audio’s Santa Monica Series are the best studio monitors we’ve built so far. With unpar- ralled accuracy, imaging, and translation, they present every detail of your mix with pinpoint precision and fidelity.
The SM-Series features user-editable DSP to process room calibration profiles on board, for a perfect fit in your room.
Available in 5- and 8-Inch versions.
Starting at $1699
SM-5:
225W
Class D Power
39 Hz
Lower Frequency Response
39 Hz
Lower Freq. Response
< 1% System THD
90 dB @ 1M
117 dB
Max SPL
SM-8:
300W
Class D Power
37 Hz
Lower Frequency Response
37 Hz
Lower Freq. Response
< 0.5% System THD
94 dB @ 1M
119 dB
Max SPL
Kali’s Ultimate Speaker
Kali’s founding principle is to deliver the best possible product for the price. Our speakers have always been praised for their accuracy, translation, and ease of use. The SM-Series builds on these ideals, and incorporates the best available materials, components, and manufacturing.
The result is a high performance studio monitor that is ready for the most demanding mixing and mastering applications.
With onboard processing for room calibration, each speaker can be programmed with delays, trims, and EQs to deliver accurate response in your room.
The SM-Series gives users full control of 8 parametric EQs, delay up to 12ms, and loudspeaker trim. These parameters can be accessed and edited using our Kali Control Panel application, available for both Mac and Windows.
Importantly, since these parameters are processed by the same DSP hardware already in line, using user-defined DSP adds no additional latency to the system. Total digital latency is acceptably low to allow tracking using the SM-Series.
Onboard calibration removes the need for a dedicated room calibration processor. It also prevents some of the confusion and mishap that is possible with a plug-in based processor. Calibration is available for any source you could plug into the speaker, without needing to route it through software, and it will never be active on a mix you print.
Kali has fully documented our recommended room calibration procedures. When you perform the measurement yourself, we can provide room tuning files for a small fee per speaker. More information can be found at Kaliaudio.com/santa-monica-how-to
Software
User-editable DSP is available using Kali Control Panel software, available for both Mac and Windows. You may find links to download the latest version below.
Kali Control Panel works in both Online Mode, meaning that each speaker is connected to a network with an ethernet cable, or Offline Mode, meaning that you can use a USB thumb drive to load files onto the speaker.
MUCH more information may be found at kaliaudio.com/santa-monica-how-to.
Kali Control Panel is currently in beta, and not all features may work as intended at this time.
Software Downloads
Mounting
The SM–Series 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 4.25 x 2-Inch bolt pattern that is capable of holding the SM-Series’ weight will also work.
Passive Versions Available
Both the SM-5 and SM-8 are available in passive versions for enterprise customers. The passive versions have equivalent output, distortion, and frequency response specifications when used with Kali-specified amplification. Minimum order quantities and build-to-order lead times apply. Please contact sales@kalaudio.com for more information.
Specifications
| SM-5 | SM-8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Powered: | Yes | |
| Amplifier: | 3-Channel Class D (discrete LF, MR, and HF) | |
| Amplifier Power: | 225 W | 300 W |
| HF Driver: | 1-Inch Metal Dome Tweeter | |
| Midrange Driver: | 4-Inch Optimized Profile Paper Cone | |
| LF Driver: | 5" Optimized Paper6.5-Inch Optimized Paper Woofer | 8" Optimized Paper8-Inch Optimized Paper Woofer |
| LF-to-Midrange Crossover: | 280 Hz | |
| Midrange-to-HF Crossover: | 2800 Hz | |
| Frequency Response (-10 dB): | 39 Hz - 35 kHz | 37 Hz - 35 kHz |
| Frequency Range (±3 dB): | 47 Hz - 21 kHz | 45 Hz - 21 kHz |
| Recommended Listening Distance: | Up to 4 Meters | Up to 5 Meters |
| Max SPL (Peak at 1 meter): | 117 dB | 119 dB |
| Loudspeaker THD: (90 dB SPL at 1 meter) | <0.75% | <0.5% |
| Audio Inputs: | Balanced XLR/TRS Combijack AES/EBU over BNC | |
| Control Inputs: | Ethernet (RJ45) USB-A | |
| Other I/O: | AES/EBU over BNC Thru AC Power Input | |
| User-Definable DSP (Per Loudspeaker): |
8 Parametric EQs 10 ms of delay -12 to +6 dB trim |
|
| Enclosure: | Front Ported | |
| DSP latency: | <3ms | |
| Product Height: | 15.6 Inches (39.6 cm) | 19 Inches (48.26 cm) |
| Product Depth: | 9.8 Inches (24.8 cm) | 12 Inches (30.5 cm) |
| Product Width: | 7.9 Inches (20 cm) | 10 Inches (25.4 cm) |
| Product Weight: | 21 lbs (9.5 kg) | 32 lbs (14.5 kg) |
| Shipping Height: | 20.4 Inches (51.8 cm) | |
| Shipping Height: | 20.4 Inches (51.8 cm) | |
| Shipping Depth: | 11.3 Inches (28.7 cm) | |
| Shipping Width: | 13.6 Inches (34.5 cm) | |
| Shipping Weight: | 24 lbs (11 kg) | |
| GTIN: | 860007984228 | |
| GTIN-12: | 00860007984228 | |
Gallery
