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$ 5 . 9 9 U S $ 5 . 9 9 C A N

OL. TWENTY SEVENUMBER THREE

DECEMBER 2013USA $5.99CANADA $5.99

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Wow, time really does fly. It was all the way back in our August 2008 issue that Iintroduced our readers to KRK Systems then new and upgraded ROKIT G2 moni-tors. Now I have the privilege to introduce the newest Generation 3 model.

The previous ROKIT G2 models have been the speakers in my office editing suitefor the past five years. So, as you can imagine, I was very interested in seeing whathas been changed in Generation 3. KRK sent me the 5" version; I received one ofthe first pairs in the country a few months prior to launch and was sworn to secrecy!

Third time around

Out of the box at a casual glance the new model appears similar to its prede-cessor. The 1" soft-dome tweeter, 5" yellow glass-aramid composite woofer, and theglowing backlit KRK logo (which indicates power) are all in the same place and

appear unaltered.Putting the G2 and G3 models side by side, however, one can see quite a bithas changed. The contours of the body are tighter and sharper, and the bass porthas been completely redesigned, as has the waveguide around the tweeter. Thereare no longer any screws on the faceplate and even the ROKIT logo has beenupdated. The G3 is made of MDF with a black vinyl wrap, measuring 9.7" x 7.4"x 11.2" and weighing 13 lbs. The G2 weighed 14 lbs.

Around back the ROKIT 5 still offers a trio of input choicesbalanced XLR, bal-anced 1/4" TRS, and unbalanced RCA. The power switch and 3-prong power sock-et is still there, near the controls to adjust the high-frequency range by 2 dB / 1dB / 0 / +1 dB, and volume which can be adjusted from 30 dB up to +6 dB. Anew feature on the back is a third stepped knob for adjusting the low frequency:2 dB / 1 dB / 0 / +2 dB.

Specs

Looking at the technical specs reveals further enhancements: Frequency Response: 45 Hz35 kHz Max Peak SPL: 106 dB Amplifier Class: Class AB Power Output: 50 W (20 W High/30 W Low) Input Impedance (Ohms): 10 K Ohm balanced

The big changes here are that the G2 only had a frequency response of 52Hz20 kHz and only 45 W of output, so the G3 has extended highs and lowsand better power distribution.

First tests: in the workplace

After about a week of bass-thumping burn-in, I put the ROKIT G3s straight towork. One of my jobs is as the Audio and Technical Director of Grace Churchin Racine, WI, and my tasks there include recording and editing podcasts, mix-ing sound for video, and mastering the music from Sunday morning services. AsI mentioned before, this is where the ROKIT 5 G2 monitors have lived for thepast half a decade, so I know them well.

The new ROKIT 5 G3 is very powerful for its size, sounding overall very clearand tight. The bass is full and punchy for a speaker this size, and I found theability to boost the low end up a few dB very practical for moderate volume lis-tening. As with the ROKIT G2, I found I preferred to boost the high frequency upa dB, which, while not drastic, helped open up the top end nicely.

After a few weeks of daily use, as well as just listening to music on them, I felt

it was time to take them to my studio and see how they fared in side-by-side testswith the ROKIT G2.

A big difference

I spent an afternoon with the ROKITs, old andnew, at my studio The Moss Garden. I hookedthem up with Drawmers MC2.1 monitor con-troller (reviewed September 2013) alongsidetheir big, big brother, KRKs flagship Expos E8b(reviewed February 2008). The E8b is a multi-thousand-dollar monitor that serves as my mainsystem for mixing, mastering and sound design.

After listening to everything ranging fromSade to Ray La Montagne to the Beatles, LedZeppelin, Porcupine Tree, Radiohead, MilesDavis, Bill Evans and more, I was quite sur-prised to learn that not only are these newROKITs a complete sonic upgrade from theROKIT G2, but they sound like a completely dif-ferent level of monitor altogether. This became

most apparent with four recordings:I find The Oscar Peterson Trios Things Aint

What They Used to Be off of 1962s Night Trainto be some of the best recorded trio jazz ever laidto tape, from the clarity of the piano, the intimateclose-up drums and especially upright bass. I wasimmediately impressed by how the G3 translatedthe low end. Not so much in a shake-the-room rum-ble, but in tightness and clarity. The finger noiseand string slaps retained their detail without gettinglost in low-end boom. On the high end the tapenoise shone through nicely and the ride cymbalwas present and clear, but not too bright or cutting.

Moving on to a modern piano trio, on Arild

Andersens ECM recording The Triangle I wasagain impressed by the improved clarity and

B Y P A U L V N U K J R .

KRK ROKIT Powered RP5 G3 MonitorsA popular line of affordable monitors is updated with enhanced performance

Excerpted from the December edition of RECORDING Magazine 20132013 Music Maker Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission.5408 Idylwild Trail, Boulder, CO 80301 Tel: (303) 516-9118 Fax: (303) 516-9119For Subscription Information, call: 1-954-653-3927 or www.recordingmag.com

8/11/2019 KRK REC Review 1213

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detail that G3 offered over the older G2.Again the low end was nice and appro-priate for speakers of this size. Even atextreme levels they were full and punchy,but not overblown.

One of my favorite test tracks is T-BoneBurnetts song Palestine Texas from2006s True False Identity. This song haslow end for days, again upright bass, butit also is a great balance of well record-

ed guitars, shakers and T-Bones grittyapproach to drums. Again the low endwas nice, tight and detailed, but thisrecording really showed off the G3soverall balance, clarity and separation ofthe instruments.

Lastly, on the time-tested BabylonSisters from Steely Dans Gaucho, thevocals came through full and clear andthe tom fills were distinct and round.

I was also pleasantly surprised howmany of my own mixes translated on theROKIT G3. This speaker has a tight,punchy and balanced sound. I also must

mention that the mids sit nicely forwardwith a very studio monitor sound thathelps place guitars and vocals in the mix.All-in-all these made the older model G2sound a tad distant in the mids andmushy in the low end by comparison.

Wrap up

For their price, build and sound, theROKIT 5 G3 completely impressed me!Bottom line, I feel I could trust these to workon, and everything I have done with themso far has translated very well, be it in mycar, on computer speakers, earbuds or

television speakers.You cant argue with the ROKIT legacy.

The ROKIT G2 is one of the most-usedbudget monitor speakers on the planet,and with this new model KRK has com-pletely upped its own game. I am blownaway by the improvement!

Price: $299/pair

More from: KRK Systems / Gibson ProAudio, www.krksys.com

Paul Vnuk Jr. (vnuk@recordingmag.com)makes his living working at the audio gigs

mentioned in this review, and a few othersas well from time to time. Excerpted from the December edition of RECORDING Magazine 2013

2013 Music Maker Publications, Inc. Reprinted with permission.5408 Idylwild Trail, Boulder, CO 80301 Tel: (303) 516-9118 Fax: (303) 516-9119For Subscription Information, call: 1-954-653-3927 or www.recordingmag.com