Kali Audio has swiftly established a notable reputation in both professional and home studios, and quite a few professional engineers have been quoted saying that Kalis match or outperform monitors costing significantly more. Therefore, I was curious to check out their new IN-UNF ultra-nearfield studio monitor system. The term "ultra-nearfield" implies that this is designed to be positioned on your desk, about 0.8 meters (32 inches) from your head. The system comprises a bass unit with two spherical satellite speakers that sit on either side of the bass unit. The stereo bass unit houses woofers, amplification, and the necessary connectors, electronics, and controls. The satellites connect to the bass unit with color-coded speaker wires, and each satellite sits on its own silicone pad and can be angled to your listening position.
Each satellite is powered with 60 watts and features the identical coaxial midrange and tweeter setup found in Kali’s IN-5 and IN-8 three-way studio monitors. The bass unit incorporates two horizontally-opposed 4.5-inch woofers to effectively minimize vibrations that could transmit to the desk. Each woofer is powered by a 100 watt amplifier. The bass unit provides audio inputs via two analog balanced +4 dBu 1/4-inch jacks and a stereo 1/8-inch TRS jack, as well as USB-C and optical inputs. When connected to a computer, the IN-UNF functions as a USB audio device without requiring any additional audio drivers. Phones, tablets, and game consoles can also be connected directly with the appropriate USB or Lightning adapters. For Bluetooth connections, one could add Kali’s Project Mountain View BT receiver [$119]. FYI, all the inputs are active simultaneously, so no input selector switch is required. On the other side of the bass unit is the IEC power connector, on/off switch, volume knob, and satellite speaker connections.
On the input connector side of the bass unit, there is a row of eight DIP switches. The setup guide provides detailed instructions on how to configure these switches to fine-tune the system’s frequency response according to your specific physical setup. For example, there are recommended settings for vertical or horizontal bass unit placement, as well as options to compensate for proximity to the front wall. Additional switches fine tune the overall frequency response to your liking, while the last two DIP switches serve to illuminate the Kali logo and enable a power-saving sleep mode.
As previously mentioned, the bass unit, measuring approximately 19.5 inches by 11.5 inches by 5.25 inches, is specifically designed to be positioned on your desk surface rather than the floor. It offers the flexibility to stand vertically behind your computer monitor or lay horizontally to serve as a stand beneath it. Unlike other speakers, the whole system has been tuned to sound correct when it sits directly on a desk surface. The bass unit is not a subwoofer, but produces stereo low frequencies up to 280 Hz.
The package includes life-sized paper printouts that ensure accurate placement of the bass unit and satellites on a desk. The included quick set up guide walks through the DIP switch settings that are appropriate for any environment. I found the set up process to be super simple, and spent a few minutes listening to music while auditioning horizontal vs. vertical placement of the bass unit. The full manual and printouts are also available for download via the QR code found on the side of the bass unit, or directly from Kali’s website.
After some experimentation, I chose to lay the bass unit down horizontally behind my computer monitor. This arrangement allowed me to position the satellites as recommended, a few inches to the right and left of my 26-inch monitor. The satellites, measuring 6.25 inches (16 cm) in diameter, don’t take up much desk space and are elevated only about an inch from the desk surface by their silicone pucks.
The system's frequency response matches that of the IN-5, delivering an impressive ±3 dB accuracy spanning from 47 Hz to 21 kHz, while the bass audibly extends down to 39 Hz. The IN-UNF plays comfortably loud, but not quite as loud as the IN-5s. In reality this doesn’t matter much. With the speakers only an arm’s-length from your head, they play plenty loud for critical listening while seated at your desk. Kali’s coaxial point source monitors produce a wide and accurate soundstage, so two people can sit side-by-side in front of these speakers and hear an accurate stereo image and frequency response.
The IN-UNF sounds very good. The frequency response is accurate, and familiar mixes are faithfully represented. The stereo field produced by Kali’s coaxial speakers is notably expansive, and the imaging is accurate and impressive. These speakers effectively combine the natural presentation of studio monitors with the clarity and presence of headphones. To illustrate, during my mastering projects I rely on my main monitors and then check the masters using headphones to identify and resolve any subtle issues, such as clicks or pops, that might go unnoticed on the speakers. However, with the IN-UNF I can easily detect these problems, eliminating the need for using headphones.
I thoroughly enjoyed using the IN-UNF, and while they may not replace my main monitors they certainly hold a significant place in the studio. I can offer three situations where these excel over other similarly priced and spec’d systems. First, the IN-UNF serves as an excellent solution for studios in homes or apartments, where playing loud music or producing ground-shaking bass would disturb neighbors. The bass unit doesn’t vibrate your desk or floor, and these speakers, being so close, only require a modest sound level to deliver a comfortably loud experience. Second, I found the IN-UNF to be exceptionally useful for tasks such as vocal tuning, drum editing, and noise cleaning. I hear vocal tuning and editing problems more clearly at low volumes on nearfield monitors and the clarity of these monitors keeps fatigue to a minimum during long sessions. For those who wish to play the IN-UNF loud, rest assured that built-in protection will keep from damaging the speakers. Third, these monitors are ideal for video editing suites or audio production rooms dedicated to podcast or audiobook production. Think of this system as a studio-quality personal stereo, offering exceptional sound reproduction that will translate effectively to average consumer playback gear.
Kali Audio has successfully broadened their product offerings to cover a range of studio applications, and the IN-UNF is bound to be a valuable addition in many production rooms, home studio setups, and even larger studio facilities as an alternate monitor. Priced at $599, the IN-UNF system offers great value, positioned below the cost of their three-way IN-5 speakers.
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