ICON SX-3A, User Manual

Setting up your SX series active studio monitor system

Background on the SX series active studio monitor system

The SX series active monitor system is a near field studio monitor 
featuring a custom design with 3.5”, 4.5”, 5.5”, 6.5” or 8.5” copolymer low 
frequency driver and a 1” silk tweeter employing a ferrofluid-cooled 
voice coil and neodymium magnet. The monitor's crossover has been 
carefully designed with high quality components insuring a linear 
frequency and phase response. The SX series enclosure is constructed 
from MDF. It has designed with tuned vent port that provides extended 
low-end response, and with a low turbulence design, the low frequency 
driver can move freely with minimal effect on the overall impedance. On 
the rear of the enclosure, you'll find a variety of input connectors 
including XLR balanced input and RCA unbalanced input. These input 
are connected to SX series internal Bi-Amp power module providing 
power to each monitor speaker. You will also find the pre-amp control 
such as volume knob, used to adjust the overall level of the internal 
power amplifier.

Positioning the SX series active studio monitor system 

Near field monitoring has become choice of 
many engineers in large and small studios 
because it minimizes the effect of room 
acoustics. By positioning the reference 
monitors in the near field (close to the 
listener), you can greatly reduce the effects 
of room acoustics.

The most important considerations when 
evaluating the effects of room acoustics are reflective surfaces that are 
around the monitoring area. These can include flat tabletops, glass 
mirrors, framed pictures, large open walls and even the surface of your 
mixing console. All reflecting sound will eventually reach the listening 
position, but since it is slightly delayed from the direct source, the result 
is random cancellation of some frequencies, or comb filtering. If possible, 
remove any and all reflective surfaces. You may also want to hang some 
acoustic foam on walls that are close to the monitors.

When positioning the monitors, you'll want to set up what is commonly 
referred to as the "mixing triangle". In this ideal configuration, the space 
between the left and right monitor is equal to the distance from the 
listener to each monitor, forming an equilateral triangle (as figure 1 shown).

Equal

Distance

Figure 1

studio

m o n i t o r

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