Kali Audio IN-5 Review: A Pro Engineer's Take on Affordable Coaxial Monitors

To celebrate hitting 100,000 subscribers, we're giving away a pair of Kali Audio IN-5 monitors! These compact coaxial speakers have been making waves, and in this video, we're diving deep into how a working pro engineer approaches them. We'll cover their design, sound, and how they stack up for mixing and production.

Key Takeaways

• The IN-5 features a coaxial design with a 1-inch tweeter inside a 4-inch midrange driver, aiming for better phase coherence.
• They offer a surprisingly wide sweet spot and a balanced frequency response, even when moving off-axis.
• The low-end is focused and accurate, not boomy, making them translate well.
• Onboard EQ settings are subtle and natural, but the flat setting is often preferred.
• They excel at exposing distortion and offer a pleasing, non-fatiguing listening experience.

First Impressions and Design

The Kali Audio IN-5 monitors are the latest addition to their lineup, featuring a compact coaxial design. This means the tweeter is placed right in the center of the midrange driver. The idea behind this is to have the sound originate from a single point, which can help reduce phase issues compared to monitors where the tweeter and woofer are separate. This design is usually found in much more expensive speakers, but Kali has a track record of making great gear accessible.

I've had these for a bit and mixed a few songs on them, plus listened to a lot of music. Honestly, I'm pretty impressed. The price is really low, and the coaxial design is something I've always been curious about from Kali. They're also a great size, perfect for any studio. If you have a big room, they work well as nearfields. If you have a smaller room, these could be your main monitors, maybe paired with a sub.

What's in the Box and Setup

Besides the monitors themselves, you get a quick start guide. It mentions that the tweeter should be at ear height, no more than 10 degrees up or down. A cool thing about the IN-5s is that you can position them vertically or horizontally, unlike some other Kali models. The guide also gives suggested starting points for monitor placement.

On the back, you've got your power connection, an on/off switch, and three input options: RCA (-10 dBV), TRS (+4 dBu), and XLR (+4 dBu). There's also a volume knob and a set of switches for the onboard EQ. These EQ settings are designed to help you adjust the sound based on where you place the monitors – near a wall, on a desk, or in a console. You can also adjust the low and high shelving EQs with subtle +2 dB, neutral, or -2 dB options.

Listening and Mixing Experience

When I started listening, the first thing that struck me was the sweet spot. It's surprisingly wide. Usually, with tweeters, if you move your head even a little, the high-end can sound different or even phasey. With the IN-5s, I could move around and the high-end stayed consistent. This is a big deal for me since I move around my desk a lot when I mix.

The overall balance is also really good. They aren't too bright, too boomy, or too mid-forward. They just sound balanced. Even without touching the EQ on the back, they measure pretty flat, and more importantly, they sound balanced. I did try the EQ settings for desk placement and a bit more highs and lows, and the changes were subtle and natural, which I like. However, I found myself preferring them flat, even on my desk.

They're also not fatiguing to listen to. The tweeter is smooth, but still detailed. The midrange lets you hear all the nuances in a mix without sounding harsh. Some monitors are so detailed they make you hold back when mixing, because everything sounds too piercing. The IN-5s strike a great balance between detail and being easy to listen to for long periods.

Low-End Performance

These are front-ported monitors, meaning the bass reflex port is on the front. This can have its pros and cons depending on the design. The low-end on the IN-5s is very balanced. Now, keep in mind these are 5-inch speakers, so you can't expect the low-end of a massive studio monitor. But they go low enough, and more importantly, the low-end is clean and accurate. It's very focused, which is exactly what you want. You don't want a boomy low-end that sounds good in your room but then makes your mix sound thin everywhere else.

I could hear the kick drum punch and the 808s clearly enough to mix a song with just these. Ideally, for a full-range system, I'd pair them with a Kali sub, but even on their own, especially for production, they are fantastic because they don't hype anything and they're very revealing.

Stereo Imaging and Transient Response

Listening to different tracks, I noticed the fast transient response. All the percussion details came through clearly. The stereo image is also impressive. Even with the monitors placed relatively close together, they give a really nice picture and soundstage, something you'd expect from much larger and more expensive speakers. They really tell you the truth about your stereo field – if something sounds wide on these, it will sound huge outside your studio.

Another thing they do exceptionally well is expose distortion. Many monitors can mask distortion or saturation, leading to surprises when you play your mix elsewhere. The IN-5s are revealing in this way, which is a huge plus for mixing. They're punchy, but not in a hyped way; they're genuinely revealing.

Final Thoughts and Giveaway

Overall, the Kali Audio IN-5 monitors are a really impressive package, especially considering the price. They offer a coaxial design, a wide sweet spot, balanced sound, and excellent transient response. They're great for mixing, production, and exposing issues in your audio. If you're looking for accurate, non-fatiguing monitors that translate well, these are definitely worth considering.

And remember, we're giving away a pair of these IN-5s to one of you! To enter, just comment on this video. We'll pick the winner in two weeks. Thanks to Kali Audio for supporting this giveaway and for continuing to make great gear. Thanks to all of you for the 100,000 subscribers – your support means everything. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more content!