KRK VXT4 Studio Monitor Speakers Review
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KRK is one of those companies that needs no introduction. If you have the tiniest bit of knowledge in music, chances are you're familiar with the company's iconic bumblebee-coned speakers. KRK's vast fleet of studio monitors find themselves being used in recording studios around the world. Whether you're a professional music artist or an audiophile geek, the VXT4 studio monitors we're reviewing today should catch your attention. KRK's VXT4 speakers bring precise, studio-grade referencing sound quality to any desktop environment for less than you think. Catch the full review down below!
Studio monitors don't come cheap, the VXT4 KRK sent us are the fancy white edition exclusive to Best Buy only and will cost you around $300 each. Yes, that's $300 for each monitor. A pair will set you back $600. And that's not even considered expensive as far as studio monitors go. The VXT4 are quite affordable and look immaculate. KRK makes the most aesthetically pleasing, modern studio monitors. The white enclosure will fit in right at home if you've got a Mac setup, but that doesn't really hold true these days so the black and yellow VXT4 might suit your fancy even more.
Initial setup was surprisingly easy. The VXT4 individually come with all the necessary cables and are plug and play friendly. Plugging each unit to a power source will take up additional outlets so you might end up needing additional power strips. After the power is taken care of, the included stereo 1/8-inch to dual-1/4-inch audio cable lets you connect both speakers directly to your computer's 3.5mm headphone/speaker port or any other audio source for that matter. No need for any 3rd party mixers and amps to go thru.
Around the back is where you'll find the VXT's special Neutrik combo connector input that allows you to connect XLR, 1/4-inch TRS plugs into the same connection point. It would have been nice to include a direct 3.5mm input and a volume controller with mute around the front. The back side controls also include an on/off switch, covered adjustment switches and a tiny volume level adjustment knob. Around the bottom is where you will find a mounting bracket should you want to put these on either one of the adjustable wall or floor stands available to purchase from KRK. I'd recommend mounting the VXT4 on a stand if you don't want to take up additional desk space and have the ability to control the tilt and angle of where the speakers face.
- 45 watts RMS system power
- 30W subwoofer power for quality sound
- Frequency response: 56Hz - 22kHz +/- 2dB
- 4" woven KEVLAR woofer
- 1" silk dome neodymium tweeter for a wide range of tones
- Controls include power, ground lift, auto mute and a clip LED indicator for simple operation
- Bi-amplified design with active crossover for powerful audio
- Video shielding with curved front panel for enhanced imaging
- XLR and 1/4" TRS combo input
Who would ever want to keep that beautiful bumblebee woofer covered up? If you prefer to see the inner workings of the VXT4's yellow woofer moving back and forth, the metal grille covers are removable by unscrewing four screws and then screwing them back in after you've removed each grille cover. If that's not cool enough, the KRK logo lights like an Apple logo on a MacBook up letting you know that the unit is powered on.
The VXT4 are considered to be a prosumer set of monitors not only because of their higher price tag, but because of their audio reproduction and studio-level features. The VXT4 are a part of KRK's VXT series that include the VXT6 and VXT8, both of which are respectively larger. Despite having that intimidating studio equipment look, the VXT4 are amongst the smallest studio monitors money can buy, and were designed to be used with any desktop computer and portable laptop making them the most ideal desktop speakers for small setups where space is critical. But that doesn't mean you're sacrificing sound being that you're using a smaller than usual set of studio monitors. Quite the contrary as we move on to how the VXT4 fare when you hit that play button.
The VXT4 are built like bunkers. Each monitor has such heft to it, 14lbs, that music it directly projected directly towards your ears. Their ABS enclosure is so well contained that it feels like it can double as a heavy duty vault. Their heft combined with the tough ABS construction dampens unwanted vibrations. The finish on the other hand, while smooth and semi-glossy, isn't very durable it seems and can chip, scratch and even discolor over time.
The VXT4 sound as good as you'd expect. Obviously being studio monitors, the VXT4 have a tendency so deliver accurate, true sound without all the unnecessary artificial bits. These are the most well balanced speakers that I've had the pleasure of using for music playback. Without saying much, the VXT4 are capable of breathtaking, warm sound quality using nothing but a simple straight analog connection to a computer, a MacBook Pro in this case.
Whether it's the lows, mids or the highs, the VXT4 do a tremendous job in delivering down right crystal clear, bright sound that's the next best thing to sounding life-like thanks to their open soundstage. I noticed the amount of brutal force these were able to achieve in pushing out really powerful, undistorted sound while only sounding better and better the higher you crank the volume. This brings me to another point in that if you play your music quietly most of the time, these might not be the best choice for you.
The bass and detail that comes out of that Kevlar reinforced 4-inch woofer is just jaw droppingly good without being too prominent or desperate to impress. With that said, the bass and bright details firing from that 1-inch silk tweeter aren't as noticeable at lower volumes. It's only when you turn up the volume, feeding more power, will the VXT4 perform their best and let lose a thumpy, thick bass. The first time using the VXT4 I thought the bass response was laughable at best. Unless you turn up the volume, you won't hear the true power of the low ends that can come out of these. It's pure joy. Even though the VXT4 have somewhat of a compact form factor compared to other studio monitors, they're so powerful that you could easily use them to run a small music concert.
Rock music is tough to handle, but it's only a piece of apple pie for the VXT4. They take instrument heavy music and spit out them out with gracefulness and maintain excellent instrument separation without losing the small detail in the process. The end result is just wonderful and everything you'd expect out of studio monitors to output. Audiophiles and casual listeners alike will surely appreciate the extreme capabilities of these studio monitors.
What ever it is that you like listening to, the VXT4 monitors will handle what ever you throw at them. Once you get settled with KRK's VXT4, going back to regular speakers will be difficult after your ears go the taste of top notch audio realism. The KRK VXT4 are just an outstanding pair of high-end speakers to own if you're serious about listening to music the right way. They'll remind you why you dropped all that hard earned money on them every single time you listen to them. You can't go wrong with the VXT4's compact-desk form factor, impressive sound and simple hook up. And for that, we highly recommend them.
