Avantone Pro - CLA-10A (la paire)

The Avantone CLA-10A are designed as a return to the fundamentals of studio mixing: a pair of active loudspeakers that don't seek to flatter, but to reveal. Inspired by the legendary white cone monitors, they adopt the same compact format with a black front panel, an 18 cm white bass driver and a soft dome tweeter. The aim is clear: to rediscover that very present, uncompromising midrange that immediately brings out the vocals, guitars, keyboards and everything else playing in the critical zone of the mix.

Each speaker incorporates a 120 W RMS Class AB amplifier, powered by a linear power supply with toroidal transformer, for stable dynamics and predictable behaviour, even at sustained volume. Avantone has deliberately avoided Class D solutions to stay close to the feel of traditional power amplifiers associated with original monitors. With a total power output of 240 W for the pair, the CLA-10A have the reserve necessary to work at levels close to the reality of a live performance or a large broadcast system, while maintaining a very low distortion rate.

The claimed frequency response of 60 Hz to 20 kHz is deliberately restrained in the bass, which is consistent with the spirit of this type of monitor: the aim is not to produce spectacular bass, but to give an honest reading of the low-midrange and high bass. The AV10-MLF bass driver and AV10-MHF tweeter have been specially developed to behave like the original speakers, right down to the membrane formulation and mechanical behaviour. The closed MDF cabinet, covered with a wood veneer, contributes to this dry, precise sound, with no artificial reinforcement from a bass-reflex port.

One of the most interesting features of the CLA-10A is the VTPC (Variable Tissue Paper Control) function, which allows the treble response to be adjusted to reflect the different historical signatures of these monitors, from the vertical 'M' model to the studio versions used with partially attenuated tweeters. This control makes it possible to fine-tune the listening experience according to the room, the listening position or simply the sound engineer's habits. The integrated volume control allows the speakers to be aligned in a multi-monitoring system, possibly with other main monitors or a more flattering pair.