When I first did the measurements, I was concerned about the 1 meter graph. I had already been listening to the speakers set up at my desk for a while and that graph did not translate into what I was hearing. The 1/2 meter graph quelled those fears since that better reflected my listening experience. I expect most people will sit within a meter and probably closer to a 1/2 meter so that is the graph you want to be looking at. The low extension of the bookshelves gives you a lot of flexibility setting the crossover and may even preclude the need for a sub in some situations. The 49Hz claim is definitely going to be realized in nearfield listening.

Pixies: Doolittle
While not the highest fidelity of recordings, Doolittle has a lot of different… let's say frequencies involved. Everything from kick drums all the way up to cymbals and Frank Black screaming. With this album I was more interested in testing imaging and how well the sub integrated with the speakers in a nearfield placement (the speakers are within a meter and the sub isn't that much farther away). I ended up with the speakers toed in just a hair as their off axis response was much more linear than on axis. I did the "chicken dance" bobbing my head in and out looking for the perfect placement and testing the size of the sweetspot. While there was some deviation as I moved my head, overall the sweetspot was pretty large. The central image was always solid as long as I kept my head between the two speakers though the overall sound quality would change slightly. I found that it was fairly easy identify the spot I liked and then reorient the speakers so that they were at that same angle in a more comfortable working position.

Mating the 10s sub with the Rokit 6 speakers was much easier than I thought. After I level matched the two, I slightly tweaked the sub level and played a bit with the crossover. I was particularly vulnerable to localizing the sub if it played too high and ended up with a crossover point somewhere around 60-70Hz. With that crossover point, I generally had a hard time resisting the urge to go over and make sure it was still playing. It blended just perfectly with the Rokit 6's. The bass was suitably rich and punchy and didn't feel at all flabby or overdone.

Blue Man Group: Las Vegas Sampler
You can't get much better for bass, imaging, and soundstage than any of the Blue Man Group's offerings. This 4 song sampler I picked up in Vegas when I was there has come in handy a number of times. The imaging of the Rokit 6's was pretty amazing with the first track Drum Finale Throwdown. Percussive instruments were flying around my head with reckless abandon. I was impressed by the 3D soundfield the Rokit 6's provided. The midrange was deep and clear with the upper end well extended without a hint of fatigue. The 10s sub was definitely pushed with this test as the BMG are known for their bass. I was impressed by the depths it managed to reach. There is a part of the first track Drum Finale Showdown that has some "lowrider" bass. At first I thought the sub was breaking up but after a closer listen, it was just doing its job. The 10s managed to shake the desk when it needed. It was closer to the crossover point that I noticed some trouble. The overlap of the sub and monitors was creating a muddier and more congested sound than I experienced in the other frequencies. Whatever the problem with their crossover design, the overlap of the sub and the speakers with this album was creating a fidelity problem that I wasn't hearing in other recently reviewed systems with this listening material.

Marillion: Holidays in Eden
With Marillion, I was more looking for the high end of the speakers and perhaps seeing how the 10s handled different bass. Again, I found that the high end of the Rokit 6's was smooth and clear. The midrange really jumped out at me with this test. Very clear and articulate, I could hear a lot of the richness of what the original recording engineer was going for. The bass was again punchy and tight but it was mostly coming from the speakers with the sub just reinforcing the lower harmonics. The dynamics of the Rokit 6's really impressed with all the percussive and guitar elements plus tempo and volume changes. It seems that the problem with the sub crossover will really only manifest itself if you are listening to content with a lot of material at that point.

Conclusion

Overall, I was extremely impressed with the performance of the KRK Systems Rokit 6's. For most people I’m tempted to say that the bass response of the Rokit 6's might be enough, but for the diehard bass heads, an addition of a sub is a must. Unfortunately, the 10s' integration with the Rokit 6’s seemed to be less than ideal with some program material which may be discernable during critical listening when mixing (or just during playback) depending on the content. The biggest problem with this review is that KRK is one of those manufacturers that advertise a MSRP that is never seen at retail. As such, you can get the system for much lower than the MSRP would suggest. You should be able to find a pair of the monitors for the MSRP of one. So, while the value rating is fairly standard (as $400 a pop is a lot for the speakers), consider them a 5 at half price. I also dinged the system as a whole on Bass Accuracy because of the crossover issues with the 10s. The Rokits alone would have scored much higher.

KRK Rokit Powered 6 Bookshelf/ KRK10s Subwoofer

$399/each Rokit 6, $599 KRK10s, $1397 group

KRK Systems, LLC.
3000 SW 42nd Street
Hollywood, FL 33312

www.krksys.com

About KRK Systems:
A member of the Stanton Group of companies, KRK Systems is a leader in studio monitors and control room solutions for the professional audio market. KRK products are distributed throughout the world via a network of distributors and dealers in more than 75 countries. For additional information on all KRK Systems products, please visit us online at www.krksys.com.