Recording - September 2021 - 31

REVIEW
KRK Classic 7
A familiar sound, now in a 7 " monitor at an unbelievable price
REVIEW BY DAVID BLASCOE
A
Lucky 7
The Classic 7 is a 73W bi-amplified
(Class A/B, 48/25) active studio monitor
with a 7 " glass aramid composite woofer
and a 1 " textile soft dome tweeter. It has
a frequency response of (+/- 3dB) 47.5
Hz - 34.5 kHz, a peak SPL of 102dB,
and an input impedance of 10 K ohm
(balanced) or / 7 K ohm (unbalanced).
Blast from the past
The Classic 7 has a more straightforward
back panel than the current
ROKIT G4 series, with no LCD screen,
internal DSP or multiband EQ. Instead,
it has the tried-and-true layout of knobs
for high- and low-frequency adjustments,
and a volume level control. This means
no learning curve or menu diving, just
subtle tweaks to optimize the monitors in
your particular space. I found I was able
to keep the EQ completely flat with no
issues at all in my room.
28 RECORDING September 2021
familiar face is back with the KRK Classic 7. KRK has extended
the Classic line to include 7 " and 8 " options along with the
original 5 " model. While it's essentially the third generation
ROKIT recommissioned, the Classic monitor's streamlined features and
lower price point make this an appealing choice for anybody looking for
a no-frills, great-sounding studio monitor that has stood the test of time.
Editor Paul Vnuk reviewed the ROKIT 5 G3 in our December 2013 issue,
so it's about time we got our hands and ears on the Classic 7.
How do they sound?
After an initial burn-in period, I listened
to some songs that I am very familiar
with. From David Bowie to Billie
Eilish to The Fugees to Beethoven, I was
met with the sound quality I have come
to expect from KRK. I was impressed
by virtually every aspect of the Classic
7. The low-end thump of Eilish's 'Bury
a Friend' was rich and deep-no subwoofer
needed. The sound design at the
beginning of David Bowie's 'Slip Away'
sounded wide and detailed. I have nothing
negative to say about the sound of
the Classic 7. It's hard to argue with
these time-trusted bold, beautiful sonics.
Shootout
I was right in the middle of wrapping
up a mix for an artist I'm currently producing
when I received the Classic 7 for
review. It was perfect timing for me to dig
into their sound, as I had been previously
tweaking and mixing this song on my
personal ROKIT 7 G4 monitors (reviewed
March 2021). I was looking forward to a
bit of a friendly head-to-head showdown.
The big difference I noticed immediately
was, the Classic 7 had a slightly more
prominent and crisp high end to my ears,
compared to the silkier highs on the ROKIT
7 G4. The soundstage is noticeably open
and wide on the ROKIT 7 G4, while the
Classic 7 presented a more focused and
centered image. The low end was virtually
identical on both models, with the
ROKIT model reaching a tad lower. Both
sound great, and it didn't take long for my
ears to get used to the Classic 7 and what
it has to offer. The differences are slight,
and both sets sound great.
Can't go wrong
What more can I say? There is a reason
you see these iconic black and yellow
monitors in studios everywhere. Both professionals
and amateurs love the sound
and the reliability of KRK, as do I. They
just work. They sound good, and they look
distinct. Offering the Classic models at a
lower price point than the current ROKIT
G4 is sure to attract a whole new group of
people into the KRK world.
Price: $199
More from: krkmusic.com
http://www.krkmusic.com
Recording - September 2021

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