I have a polarizing position regarding monitors. Either Ireallydig them (when my mixes sound good across many sources post-mix), or I simply donât have time for them. I also think we can all agree that when we like what weâre getting back from a set of speakers, weâre inspired, keep pushing, and ultimately do our best work. I donât want to fight with my nearfields â struggling to really hear whatâs going on at a deep level. I want them to properly respond to what Iâm doing at all times while allowing me to listen for extended periods without fatigue. Obviously, we all have differing opinions on what a âgood monitorâ is, but unless I hear thedetailscome back to me, I donât want to use them.
When the opportunity to review the HEDDType 20 MK2scame about, I was truly intrigued. I had been watching how HEDD, as a company, was beginning to make a serious name for themselves in the global audio world over the past several years, and I wanted to check out theType 20sfor myself. Unfortunately, the pandemic made it almost impossible for me to get a pair (in white) to audition when I began constructing my studio, SoundShop370. My space is bright, airy, and vibrant so having a set of monitors in white was a near must for me. After a long wait, a pair was sent to me via their manufacturing facility in Berlin specifically for this review.
HEDD stands for Heinz Electrodynamic Design and was founded by physicist Heinz Klaus and his son, Dr. Frederik Knop. If Klausâ name sounds familiar, itâs because he founded the famed ADAM Audio in 1999 before departing to start HEDD in 2015. HEDDâsMK2line includes four models: Type 05 and Type 07 2-way designs, the massive Type 30 3-ways (with two 7-inch woofers), and theType 20sIâm reviewing here. TheType 20 MK2is a 3-way active nearfield design configured with HEDDâs proprietary 7-inch and 4-inch honeycomb woofers plus a high definition Air Motion Transformer (AMT) tweeter, which boasts an extended top end with a âdistortion-free experience.â HEDD claims a very wide frequency response for theType 20 MK2considering its size: 32 Hz to 40 kHz. All three speaker components (individually powered by 300 watt ICEpower Class D amps) are arranged beautifully in a compact cabinet that is only 11-inches high, 14-inches wide, and 13-inches deep. That said, they are a hefty 43 pounds each! Below the woofer is a port that can be left open, or it can be closed off with the included custom foam plugs. Leaving the port open gives a bit more overall output, bringing the frequency response down to 26 Hz from a 7-inch woofer! If, like me, you desire a bit more defined low end detail, the ports should be closed. Be aware that closing the ports reduces the max SPL by 6 to 10 dB in the low end spectrum.
Apart from its surprisingly compact size and incredibly wide frequency range, another thing that impressed me was the overall appearance and feel of theType 20 MK2âsfinish. The pair I auditioned has a vibrant white color (also available in black) with a slightly matt finish, looking very elegant. The top and bottom front edges of the cabinet enclosures have a gentle curve, while the sides at 90 degrees have an ever-so-slightly rounded edge that whispers sheer class â âsophisticatedâ is the word that comes to mind when describing theType 20 MK2âsappearance.
On the rear of each unit are inputs for analog XLR and digital AES (XLR), plus some utterly refined DSP controls. One component on the tech side of these speakers is what HEDD calls Lineariser â which completely solves time-related delays between the two woofers and the AMT tweeter to achieve near zero phasing. This is accomplished by a simple turn of a pot, resulting in a âshort reaction of 10 ms,â improving transients and the overall imaging of the monitors. While this feature can be disengaged, I found it very important for me to have turned on. If you choose to use the monitors in âclosed-portâ configuration, you will also want to engage the CoP (Closed Operation) mode at the rear to reflect its appropriate setting.
Back to the comment I made in the first paragraph; everyone has their own âlistening preference.â The ability to craft how you want the speakers to perform to your taste is a plus but should also be expected in a pro nearfield design. Additional onboard DSP controls are located below the Lineariser section and will provide even the most demanding listener the ability to configure these monitors to taste. These include three desktop filters, two shelving filters, and a bass-extension mode to access even lower frequencies (at the cost of some SPL). All the controls can be accessed via stepped aluminum potentiometers. My attraction to theType 20 MK2follows all the way to how the knobs speak to purposeful design.
So, after tracking, mixing and listening to some of my favorite records through theType 20 MK2s, how do they sound? In two words: defined and revealing. Old mixes of mine showed idiosyncrasies that I wish Iâd heard before. And three tracks that I was working on over a three-week period seemed to come together quicker than expected. The detail in theType 20 MK2sis incredibly good. Closing the ports keeps the low end tight and precise while maintaining punchiness. The midrange was open, and the top end was pristine without any harshness â even with the rear high filter engaged at +4 dB! In full mixes, I felt vocals were right in front of me, and I could hear even small EQ moves incredibly well. High-budget commercial mixes that Iâve listened to hundreds of times sounded fresh, allowing me to hear elements that I hadnât noticed in prior listens, such as more detail in reverb tails.
Background vocals seemed to be more separated instead of just filling up sonic space. Percussion components seemed livelier while still sitting properly in the mix. Dense, Trevor Horn [Tape Op#89]-produced tracks (like Sealâs âKiss from a Roseâ) seemed more open and more detailed within the deep and sheer quantity of vocals he frequently uses. Stevie Wonderâs âSuperstitionâfelt like the drums were physically right in front of me â like I was listening to Stevie play if I was micâing his kit in real-time.I did feel, however, that the clavinet was slightly harsh and pokey, and couldâve used a slight cut or two in the high mids â something I never noticed before (I know, sacrilege!). The lead vocal of Peter Gabrielâs âIn Your Eyesâ was even more textured and three-dimensional than it had sounded previously to me â perhaps the tweeter articulated that better than any I had heard before. The strings on Mansunâs âThe Chad Who Loved Meâ were still smooth and expansive, but I could nearly hear the bowsâ texture against the strings of the violins and cellos. And BeckâsColorsremained punchy and tight yet with a more glorious sheen than on prior auditioning. The only thing that I struggled with a bit was while mixing a hip-hop track. While the frequency response goes down incredibly low on theType 20 MK2s, I didnât feel that I could properly get the low end to speak or feel as defined as I wanted â and this was even after removing the port closures. Perhaps adding one of the two HEDD subs would assist in that realm, but I was simply working with theType 20 MK2sfor this review. That being said, no matter what I listened to on them, all tracks seemed intricately specific, and I could pick out individual components with great ease. Obviously, this kind of detail makes mixing so much easier. In the end, in contrast to my prior monitors, all the mixes that I was working on translated better to multiple systems after mixing onType 20 MK2s.
I should mention that Nashvilleâs Music City Acoustics have properly treated my listening environment, so Iâm hearing content in a very detailed way. While the sometimes infinitesimal details described in this review may not be perceived correctly (or at all) in an untreated space â these details are crucial for me to hear. This pair ofType 20 MK2sare staying with me at SoundShop370. These monitors make my job easier and look super sexy, and they inspire me to work smarter without having to work harder! Iâm not sure anyone could ask anything more from a set of nearfields.
($2399/ea. MSRP;hedd.audio) Buy From Sweetwater! -Tony Vincent tonyvincent.com