The Ex Machina Quasar MKII is an active three-way studio monitor for demanding mixing, mastering and critical production work. Combining two dedicated 9-inch low-frequency drivers with a coaxial midrange and tweeter, it provides extended bass capability and substantial output within an integrated, individually calibrated monitoring system. This listing includes one loudspeaker; two units are required for stereo monitoring.
Quasar MKII uses an axisymmetric bass–coaxial–bass arrangement, with the midrange and tweeter positioned between the two low-frequency drivers. The coaxial assembly places the midrange and high-frequency sections on a shared acoustic axis, supporting stable imaging and consistent reproduction around the listening position. Its 90° conical coverage helps engineers assess panning, depth and spatial information without restricting critical listening to one narrow position.
The custom coaxial driver was developed through collaboration between Ex Machina, SEAS and Composite Sound. It combines a 176 mm midrange with a concentric 25 mm dome tweeter, both featuring Metamodal TX diaphragm technology based on TeXtreme spread-tow carbon fabric. Their geometry and fibre architecture are designed to control resonance, stiffness and directivity. The midrange diaphragm also acts as a waveguide for the tweeter, coordinating their radiation through the 2 kHz crossover region.
Two custom 221 mm SEAS aluminium low-frequency drivers provide the bass foundation. Each uses a long-throw suspension and an optimised motor structure, with 28 mm of linear peak-to-peak excursion specified by the manufacturer. The additional bass driver gives Quasar greater low-frequency extension and output than the smaller Pulsar MKII, making it particularly relevant for evaluating kick drums, bass instruments, sub-bass and low-frequency dynamics.
The heavily braced sealed cabinet is constructed from 19 mm and 30 mm Valchromat panels. Its sealed design avoids bass-reflex port noise and port-related compression, while the dense, well-damped enclosure helps limit cabinet vibration. For studios working with demanding low-frequency material, this provides a controlled platform for assessing bass timing and the relationship between deep-bass energy and midrange clarity.
Dedicated Hypex Ncore amplification supplies 500 W RMS to the low-frequency section, 100 W RMS to the midrange and 75 W RMS to the tweeter. Each driver receives its own amplifier channel, with 250 W available to each bass driver. The integrated active architecture eliminates the need for an external power amplifier and allows the drivers, amplification and crossover processing to operate as one complete system.
A fifth-generation SHARC+ AD21565 processor handles Ex Machina’s proprietary digital calibration and crossover processing, supported by AKM AK5572EN analogue-to-digital and AK4493EQ digital-to-analogue converters. Each loudspeaker receives a serial-number-specific measurement and calibration, aligning magnitude and phase response to the manufacturer’s target. Digital eighth-order crossovers operate at 200 Hz and 2 kHz.
The manufacturer specifies a frequency response within ±1 dB from 29 Hz to 30 kHz at the 30 cm calibration position, with a −6 dB low-frequency cutoff at 24 Hz. Phase response is specified within ±15° from 20 Hz to 30 kHz. Maximum continuous output reaches 114 dB SPL at one metre, including 109 dB at 50 Hz, providing headroom for professional monitoring and critical assessment of dynamic programme material.
Two processing modes accommodate different workflows. Full Calibration applies magnitude and phase correction with approximately 46 ms of latency. Low Latency mode retains magnitude correction while removing phase calibration, reducing system latency to approximately 3 ms for tracking and other time-sensitive applications. Both monitors in a stereo pair should use the same processing setting.
The balanced analogue XLR input connects to a suitable audio interface, monitor controller or preamplifier. Rear-panel boundary settings provide Full, Half and Quarter space compensation for different placements relative to room walls. The USB firmware connection is reserved for calibration and servicing and does not support USB audio.
Quasar MKII can be positioned vertically or horizontally without changing its processing settings, thanks to its coaxial driver geometry and conical coverage. Appropriately rated stands, suitable decoupling and considered room placement remain important. Its professional monitoring design also suits demanding audiophile stereo systems where accurate reproduction, extended bass and precise imaging take priority over conventional loudspeaker voicing.