Kali - I've heard great things about Kali IN's series but I'm not really knowledgeable on their line of monitors. As stated in the Foreword, this written review is purposely a cliff’s notes version. For more details about the performance (objectively and subjectively) please watch the YouTube video.

Diagram 3: An on‑axis and 20‑degree off‑axis measurement of the IN‑5 (blue and green traces, respectively). Taking up the space in between in the hero of the IN-Series: the 4-Inch, profile-optimized midrange driver. This driver has a lot of work to do. In addition to reproducing midrange frequencies, it also acts as the waveguide for the tweeter. This means that the shape needed to be precisely engineered to provide an ideal dispersion characteristic for the tweeter.In Norah Jones’ Tell Yer Mama, the left singer was very distinct; moreso than in most other speakers I have auditioned.

The coaxial design of the IN-5’s mids driver and tweeter is what makes this monitor special. Essentially, all material above the 280Hz crossover frequency emanates from the same point source. This works wonders for phase coherency in a crucial chunk of the frequency spectrum, which in turn dramatically improves spatial imaging accuracy. And besides, that coaxial design means they are best suited to a space where you can really enjoy that fuller and wider sweet spot and are really designed for spaces where up to three people can listen at the same time. The 2nd Wave is our second generation of loudspeaker products. We’ve developed a new amplifier platform, and taken lessons that we’ve learned from our first (nearly) 3 years in business to enact several manufacturing improvements. The IN-5 is the first speaker to realize these improvements. That, dear readers, is monitoring in a couple of sentences. You want to hear all the detail, even the mistakes; in fact especially the mistakes so that you can correct them.The front port means you have more ability to move these speakers in to the prime spot for your needs. And thanks to the dip switches you have more ability to place the speakers where you need; whether free standing, near a wall or on a console. When listening, I noticed the HF tends to sound brighter the closer I was to the speaker. In the above in-room measurements you can see there is a gain of about 2dB when moving from 2.5 meters to 1.5 meters listening distance, so keep this in mind. Heat. I recently tested the Focal Twin6 Be and noticed that if the speaker was left on for a while - maybe an hour or so - the amplifier would get quite hot. Not scalding. But definitely warm to the touch. Leaving the IN-5 speakers on for hours at a time resulted in no heat at the amp. Not sure how important this is to you but I thought I’d mention it. At the same time, the coaxial architecture of the midrange and tweeter result in hyper-realistic imaging. This means that you’ll be able to hear subtle details in your mix with pinpoint precision.

This design, say Kali, delivers a “stereo soundstage that presents the listener with a hyper-realistic level of detail. The soundstage that you hear will have every detail that’s present in the mix”. Not only does this allow producers to create interesting spatial effects, but it means that you can work faster and with more confidence. An accurate soundstage lets you “see” each element of the mix in front of you, so you can hear exactly what happens when you make changes. We tried it with the IN speakers and the attention to detail down there is astonishing; not that you don’t get a great response already with the IN range, but this subwoofer presents you with an extra few Hz of detail and a more accurate picture. On the market for something that has clarity in all freq. ranges + an accurate and tight bass response that is just enough for mixing and mastering purposes. Do we recommend it? A little like the IN-8’s themselves, WS-12 is overkill if your studio is small – this thing is huge – but it is a great option for bass producers.Adam Audio - I'm pretty sold on their brand and also done a lot of research on the brand & both A & T series line of monitors, so this is what I'm leaning towards as of NOW.... All that’s to say the neutrality of the IN-5 is confidence inspiring if you want an honest representation of a mix. It won’t flatter, and it won’t lie. As I compared it to a few other monitors, I felt the IN-5 has a boldness, confidence and precision about it, like pulling a blurry image into sharp focus then turning up the contrast. Weak, flabby or hazy it certainly is not. All of this make the IN-5 and IN-8 extremely accurate and easy to mix on. You’ll be able to work faster and with more confidence, and your mixes are going to translate to other systems with less work.