What would the computer setup that has everything — in fact, two of many things — be missing? Well, in the case of today’s dual MacBook Pro workstation, it’s not excellent audio gear. Not only does it double up on high-end laptops, Studio Displays, Trackpads and more. It also mounts powerful Yamaha HS7 speakers and an AKG condenser microphone to help provide a fabulous soundtrack.
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Yamaha HS7 speakers and AKG microphone serve up sound in loaded MacBook Pro setup
Magazine editor and Redditor rapgamejordan (“Jordan”) showcased the beautiful setup in a post entitled, “Mac Desk Setup Update.” He claimed to be “keeping it simple,” but it’s a majorly well-equipped workstation that many folks would envy. This setup has pretty much everything. He possesses not one but two new M3 Max MacBook pros. One is a 16-inch model with 128GB unified memory and an 8TB SSD. The other is a 14-inch model with 64GB memory and 1TB SSD.
“I typically always purchase two computers,” Jordan said. “One for portability and the other stays stationary on my desk. I’m upgrading from the M1 Max series of laptops from Apple.”
The laptops drive not one but two 27-inch 5K Studio Displays, including one with a Xiaomi Light Bar on top. A fancy Opal C1 Webcam with DSLR quality sits in in the mix. But we covered the setup and its awesome hardware in detail not long ago, and we also delved into its dual Trackpad use. So now we’ll focus on its impressive audio.
Yamaha HS7 speakers and AKG C2000b condenser microphone
Photo: Yamaha
On either side of the setup, an imposing wired Yamaha HS7 speaker sits on a homemade stand. Together, once hooked up, the pair bypasses a MacBook Pro’s impressive but necessarily compact six-speaker array to put out an impressive 95 watts of sound. But as powered studio monitors, their emphasis is mainly on highly accurate sound at any volume, true to an original recording.
As Yamaha says, the speaker’s 2-way bass reflex bi-amplification “means that separate power amplifiers are used to drive the low-mid and high frequency speaker units, which eliminates any phase anomalies and lets both speakers perform at optimum levels.” That results in transparency and clarity in the mix.
And more careful engineering goes into these things than one might guess, per Yamaha:
The drivers used in the HS series monitors deliver superb audio performance that is enhanced by a sophisticated mounting system. A mathematical arrangement of screws and a specially designed mounting ring eliminates unwanted vibration and resonance, which lets the speaker realize its full sonic potential, without distortion or coloration. Another great feature that you will hear but won’t see are the extra-large magnets. Used with a state of the art circuit design these magnets provide powerful, yet tightly controlled flux field that gives you an especially smooth response and dynamics over a wider range of frequencies.
Speaker features:
- Each speaker contains a 6.5-inch cone woofer and a 1-inch dome tweeter.
- 43Hz – 30kHz frequency response.
- XLR and TRS phone jack inputs accept balanced or unbalanced signals.
- 60W LF plus 35W HF bi-amp system for high-performance 95W power amplification.
- XLR and TRS phone jack inputs accept balanced or unbalanced signals.
- Enclosure is designed to cancel unwanted resonances that can influence sound.
And for audio input, Jordan uses an AKG C2000b cardioid condenser microphone mounted on an InnoGear arm. That brings his best voice to video calls.
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This pair of 7-inch powered studio monitors put out a maximum of 95 watts of amplification with an emphasis on transparency and clarity.
