Review written on 05/01/2004 by Will Zeagal on Audiofanzine FR. Update at the end of the review.

- Which technical specifications motivated your choice?
The sound

- What do you use it for?
Professional monitoring


SOUNDS

- Which amp do you use / in what configuration?...
Connected to an RME Multiface.

I tried out many monitor speakers together with other AF members.
For example:
- Yamaha MS-10 Studio (very good)
- Mackie Tapco S5 (very bad)
- M Audio Studiophile BX8 (not convincing)
- Behringer Truth (great speakers for the price but not for monitoring applications: too many lows and imprecise low mids... perhaps for rehearsals).
- Genelec 1029 (WTF? Ah, it's a trendy brand... well...)
- Yamaha MSP5 (they sound too hard and are not powerful enough. It's a good choice as a second monitoring system, but not as main monitors).
- Alesis Monitor One MK II (abort! Same as for Genelec: what a mush of sound!)
- Event Electronic TR-6 (or 8?): good choice as a second monitoring system: reverb effects and stereo imaging sound amazing! But not linear enough as main monitor: there is some sort of notch in the high mids).
- Samson Resolv 65A (awful, awful, awful)
- Dynaudio acoustic Air15 (very expensive)
- Krk V4 (perhaps with a subwoofer? But there is no subwoofer. It's a pity because they sound good).
- The new Blues Sky model. Interesting. Really good but the lows are a bit muddy due to a strange resonance). Considering the price of this 2.1 system, it can be a good choice. They will bring out a less powerful and less expensive system.

And some other products I can't remember right now.

All the other AF members who tried out these products with me and helped me to choose had the same opinion.

We listened to all these speakers along several days. We had the opportunity to compare most of them in the same acoustic environment.

We tried them out with a sample CD with different songs I know very well, including diverse music styles: classical, jazz, chanson, rock, latin, techno. Plus some of my own songs.

I excluded too expensive products, for example the Yamaha MS-10 Studio, which are amazing: I would buy them if I had the money.

I chose the best model I can afford: the Fostex PM1!
In this price range, It's the best product I've ever listened to.

Now that I've worked a couple of weeks with them, I can only confirm what I wrote. Excellent. To be attested at the end of the mix when I can listen to the end result on other systems.


OVERALL OPINION

[edit : update of my review from 05/01/2004]
The MP1 do a good job. I used them for my first LP, which received good technical comments (see my profile).
Finally, this monitor offers an excellent value for money. Although, you could know hesitate with the newly launched Yamaha HS80M. I find both products are very similar: the Yamaha are a bit better, but also a bit more expensive. But their lows are not as powerful.
I haven't had the opportunity to test the new generation called PM1 mk2.

Do note that they fall a bit short for professional use. When I worked with these speakers, I often had to enhance my mixes a bit after having listened to them with other speakers.
I now use a much more expensive product and I don't need to enhance my mixes afterwards.
However, I kept my MP1, which I still use as an additional monitoring system and for rehearsals.
A good investment!