A few years ago (I think? Time is a social construct…) at NAMM, Fluid Audio unveiled a groundbreaking new monitor that, much like their other speakers, punched far above their weight class. Dubbed Image 2, its goal was to take on companies like Barefoot without breaking the bank. But then…nothing. After much back and forth with the company, it turned out that they simply weren’t satisfied with the sound of the speakers. If you’re going to take on companies industry-leading companies, you better be able to deliver. Safe to say, the time has come and Fluid Audio has most certainly delivered. In the time since the initial announcement, Fluid has been able to add many new upgrades to their flagship monitors, including built-in room correction thanks to a collaboration with Sonarworks.
MAIN FEATURES
Image 2 is a dedicated nearfield/midfield workhorse. Using the latest DSP and Class-D amplification, Fluid Audio has pushed the limits to create stunning results. Image 2 delivers accurate imaging, an extremely flat frequency response, and incredible bass extension with very low distortion.
Sonarworks SoundID Reference is now industry-standard software that allows users the ability to remove unwanted coloration (caused by a not-so-perfect mixing space) and experience the flattest, and most accurate studio reference sound for any studio or home environment. Image 2’s most attractive feature is that it allows for the ability to import a calibration file from SoundID so that the room correction is integrated directly into the DSP of the monitors. Using Sonarworks this way enables calibration/correction to be applied universally, not just through the DAW running the software.
Image 2 is also a 2-in-1 monitor: A full-range mixing and mastering system that can switch into a console “mixcube” at the press of a footswitch. Mixcube mode emulates a single, full-range speaker, and enables engineers to dial-in low-end and midrange levels for even playback on many “bass-challenged” devices. It further helps with the adjustment of vocals, nailing the kickdrums, and overall balance.
Its future-ready USB port and Fluid DCT software expand Image 2’s incredible functionality and unlock the ability to upload and run exported room correction files natively at the monitor level, as well as switching between profiles (Image 2 supports loading 4 different SoundID Reference profiles) and mixcube mode.
MY EXPERIENCE
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, we’ve been waiting to test these monitors for quite a while. Unfortunately, they came after I’d already moved out of my ideal working environment, but nevertheless, Fluid Audio’s excellent engineering allowed me to enjoy the monitors regardless.
Visually, Image 2 looks refined, yet substantial, and bears similarities with many extremely high-end monitors. The dual side-firing woofers and AMT (Air motion transformer) tweeter instantly demand your attention and they look absolutely stunning on the desk. For those eagle-eyed producers out there, you might notice that the tweeter sits below the midrange cone. And you might be thinking, “hold on a sec, don’t we want tweeters at ear level?” Yes, you do.
Their initial idea was that these would be sitting higher up on a mixing console where the tweeters would be more at ear level. Many will use them this way, but what if you don’t have a massive mixing desk to allow such placement? They have an answer for that too: Image 2 can be flipped over so the AMT tweeter is towards the top of the cabinet, however, then the logo is upside down. That is easily fixed by taking off the faceplate, unscrewing the logo, and flipping it around to the correct orientation.
But how do they sound? My main monitors are a pair of IK Multimedia MTMs, which also punch far above their class, but it’s safe to say there is a massive difference in the way they deliver sound. The first thing I noticed was how wide the soundstage was. Everything feels much more defined and you can hear the textures and sounds clearly. I was hearing things I didn’t realize were there. The side-firing woofers are connected internally by what they call the “Vibracer”, which virtually eliminates cabinet vibrations and allows for a solid and accurate low end down to 40Hz.
Using Mixcube mode was definitely an exciting experience. In my Ableton template, I have a mono switch that I use to check mixes, which is somewhat similar, but pressing the footswitch goes much further. Listening to other people’s tracks in this way was really cool, as it helped me better understand what the engineers were thinking while working on the tracks.
As I mentioned earlier, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to use these speakers in my former studio, but with Sonarworks, that wasn’t a problem. More companies have started to incorporate room correction software into their monitors, and setup is easy. Simply take a survey of your room, upload the file to the speakers, and you’re done. No more forgetting to turn it off when you’re exporting files from your DAW. That being said, interestingly enough I actually preferred them without the correction. Obviously, it takes a minute to get used to the sound, but once I did I enjoyed them unadulterated. Should you choose to go sans-Sonarworks, the speakers have EQ controls on the back to help dial them in, as well as digital inputs if you chose to go that route.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I’m extremely impressed by the Image 2 monitors. They were most definitely worth the wait, and as with their other products, Fluid Audio delivers and then some. Even though I wasn’t in the best room for these speakers, the sound quality was incredible, so I can only imagine what they’d sound like in the proper environment. I said before they punch far above their weight class without breaking the bank. In saying that, each monitor is $1899 a pop, but when you take into consideration the quality and compare that to their competitors, that’s a steal. Once you start to get into that range, most speakers cost at least $1000+ more per speaker. With all that in mind, it’s safe to say that Fluid Audio has created something extremely special and it will be interesting to see how well they do in the market.
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