Yamaha HS4 Powered Studio Monitors Pair

Description

The Yamaha HS4 is a highly accurate and reliable compact studio monitor designed for professionals and serious hobbyists who value precision and transparency in their audio work. With its clean, balanced sound, efficient amplification, and flexible room controls, the HS4 is a solid choice for near-field monitoring in smaller environments. It’s especially ideal for users looking for a well-rounded speaker that doesn’t color the sound, allowing for true-to-source audio reproduction.

1. Key Features:

• Size and Design:
  • The HS4 features a 4-inch woofer and a 1-inch tweeter. This makes it a relatively small and compact monitor, ideal for smaller studio spaces or for users who need portability.
  • The speaker has a clean, minimalistic, and industrial design, available in a white or black finish with the iconic white-coned look that’s typical of Yamaha’s HS series.
  • It measures about 8.6 inches (H) x 6.5 inches (W) x 7.6 inches (D) and weighs around 10.6 pounds.
• Frequency Response:
  • The HS4 has a frequency response of 54 Hz to 30 kHz. This range offers good low-end response for its size and a wide high-frequency extension, making it suitable for a range of audio applications, including music production and mixing.
• Amplification:
  • Powered by an integrated Class D amplifier, the HS4 provides 70W of total power (45W for the woofer and 25W for the tweeter), which is quite efficient for its size. This ensures loud, clear sound without the need for an external amplifier.
  • It uses bi-amp design, meaning separate amplification for the woofer and the tweeter, which improves clarity and performance.
• Driver Components:
  • Woofer: 4-inch (approx. 10 cm) cone-type woofer made from a high-quality, lightweight material. This helps the speaker deliver clear and accurate low-end response, even at higher volumes.
  • Tweeter: 1-inch (approx. 2.5 cm) dome-type tweeter made from neodymium material. It helps produce sharp, precise high frequencies with minimal distortion.
• Port Design:
  • The speaker features a bass-reflex design with a rear port. This helps extend the low-frequency response, allowing for a deeper and more controlled bass response. However, the rear port means that the monitor requires some space behind it to avoid excessive bass reflection, especially in smaller rooms.
• Input Options:
  • The HS4 has a balanced XLR input and an unbalanced TRS 1/4-inch input. This makes it compatible with a variety of audio sources, including professional studio equipment and consumer-level devices.

2. Performance and Sound Quality:

• Accuracy and Transparency:
  • The HS4 is designed to be a highly accurate monitor, with a flat frequency response that helps audio engineers and musicians make critical decisions in the studio without the coloration or exaggeration of sound.
  • The bass is clear and defined, though it is not as deep as larger monitors. The midrange is especially transparent, making it suitable for vocal or instrument-heavy tracks.
  • The highs are crisp and detailed, but not overly bright or harsh, making the HS4 a well-balanced option for long mixing sessions.
• Ideal Use Cases:
  • The HS4 is designed for near-field monitoring, making it ideal for close listening in smaller studio environments.
  • It is particularly well-suited for mixing, mastering, and sound design, where an accurate and flat response is required.

3. Room Compatibility:

• Because of its size, the HS4 is well-suited for smaller rooms, such as home studios, or environments where space is limited. However, room acoustics will still impact its performance. Yamaha provides an attenuation control (on the rear panel) that allows you to adjust the speaker’s response based on the acoustics of your space.
• The Room Control switch allows you to attenuate the low frequencies (like bass) to better suit different room sizes and treatments, while the High Trim switch adjusts the high frequencies to accommodate room acoustics.

4. Build Quality:

• The HS4 is built with a strong MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) enclosure. The solid cabinet construction helps reduce resonance and unwanted vibrations, ensuring a cleaner sound.
• The baffle is designed to minimize diffraction, allowing for a more uniform sound dispersion, which contributes to a more accurate listening experience.

5. Comparison with Other Models in the HS Series:

• HS5: The HS4 is smaller than the HS5 (which has a 5-inch woofer), offering a bit more punch in the low-end response. The HS4, however, is more compact, making it better for those with limited space.
• HS7 and HS8: These models offer larger woofers (7-inch and 8-inch, respectively), resulting in more extended bass response and higher output. However, the HS4 offers more precise, near-field monitoring with less low-end energy, making it a great option for users who don’t require deep bass.

6. Advantages:

• Compact and portable, ideal for smaller studio spaces or mobile setups.
• Excellent clarity and accuracy in both high and low frequencies.
• Affordable price point for a high-quality studio monitor, making it accessible for home studios or beginners.
• Balanced sound that doesn’t overemphasize any particular frequency range, making it useful for various genres of music.
• Multiple input options for compatibility with a wide range of audio sources.