Alesis ELEVATE 5 MKII Powered Studio Speaker Pair

Alesis Elevate 5 MKII Powered Studio Speaker Pair

The Alesis Elevate 5 MKII is a powered stereo speaker pair for home studios, video editing desks, gaming setups and general multimedia listening at close range. Each cabinet combines a 5-inch low-frequency driver in a ported enclosure with a 1-inch silk dome tweeter, driven by 40 W of amplification per channel for 80 W in total, so no separate power amplifier is needed: connect a line-level source, and the pair is ready to play. The published frequency response is 56 Hz to 20 kHz. Alesis builds the cabinets from high-density wood to suppress unwanted resonances, fits a front-panel volume control and headphone output for convenience, and includes the cables needed to get the pair running.

Key features

• Powered stereo pair: 40 W per channel, 80 W total, no external amplifier required
• 5-inch low-frequency driver in a ported enclosure for full, controlled bass at desktop distances
• 1-inch silk dome tweeter with an elliptical waveguide for smooth highs and a wide stereo image
• Frequency response of 56 Hz to 20 kHz
• RCA and 1/4-inch TRS inputs for interfaces, mixers and playback devices
• Front-panel volume knob, 3.5 mm headphone output and a bass boost switch
• High-density wood cabinets with a 15 mm front baffle to reduce resonance and edge diffraction

Driver and cabinet design

Alesis divides the work between the two drivers with a crossover, so the 5-inch woofer handles low and mid frequencies while the silk dome tweeter covers the top end. The tweeter sits in an elliptical waveguide that spreads high frequencies evenly across the listening position, which keeps the stereo image stable when you move in your chair, and the carefully formed baffle radiuses reduce edge diffraction that can blur detail. The ported wooden enclosure works with the woofer to produce the rich low end the frequency response promises down to 56 Hz, and the dense cabinet construction keeps the box itself from adding its own colouration at normal monitoring levels. For listeners who want extra low-end weight in a small room, a bass boost switch on the rear adds low-frequency emphasis without any external equipment.

Connections and controls

Two input options cover most desktop sources: unbalanced RCA connectors and balanced 1/4-inch (6.35 mm) TRS connectors, left and right, accept audio interfaces, mixers, controllers and media players. The two speakers link with the included 1/4-inch interconnection cable, and an RCA to 3.5 mm cable is included for connecting a computer or phone directly. The volume control is on the front panel where it can be reached without leaning behind the desk, and plugging headphones into the front 3.5 mm output mutes the speakers for late-night editing or listening. Power is a universal 110 to 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz switching supply, so the pair runs on Indian mains directly.

Placement for desktop monitoring

These are nearfield speakers, designed to be heard from roughly an arm’s length to a couple of metres. Place the pair symmetrically on either side of the screen, form an equilateral triangle with your listening position, and raise them so the tweeters sit close to ear height; small stands or isolation pads help if the desk surface resonates. Keep some distance from the rear wall where possible, start with the bass boost off, and judge the balance with familiar recordings before changing settings. Each speaker measures 184 x 221 x 269 mm and the pair weighs 5.7 kg in total, so they fit ordinary desks without dominating them.

For creators who need honest, full-range sound from a computer without buying a separate amplifier, the Elevate 5 MKII pair packages drivers, amplification, controls and cables into one straightforward desktop monitoring system.