Fender Studio Monitors: What Happened To This Iconic Gear?

The Fender Passport Studio is a portable studio monitor system that was developed in collaboration with Focal, a respected studio monitor manufacturer. The system consists of two speakers that lock together for easy transportation and feature a 150-watt power amp, Focal's Polyglass cone technology, and an inverted-dome tweeter design. The monitors offer intuitive level, bass, and treble room correction switches, and can be adapted to any listening environment. While the Fender Passport Studio provides a smooth and easy-going sound, it may not offer the same level of detail and user adjustment as more conventional competitors.

Fender Passport Studio's portability

The Fender Passport Studio is a portable active monitor system that builds on the original Passport PA system, which was one of the first "sound systems in a suitcase". The latest addition to the line, the Passport Studio, brings the Passport paradigm to studio monitoring.

The system uses Focal's own drivers in a pair of moulded plastic enclosures, which are designed to clip together face-to-face for driver protection during transit. The speakers lock together and can be easily transported using the top handle. The overall dimensions of the two cabinets when stowed are 457 x 356 x 210 mm, and the package weighs 8.5kg, making it easy to transport with one hand.

The Fender Passport Studio features a protective housing that allows for easy connection of the speakers for transport, as well as an integrated handle for carrying. The system is powered by a 150-Watt Class D power amp, and the tweeter is designed with an inverted-dome shape for high efficiency, precision, and energy. The tweeter is made of an aluminium/magnesium alloy, delivering dynamic and detailed treble frequencies.

The Passport Studio is a mobile, high-definition studio monitor system that provides top-grade components and innovative construction, resulting in accurate and detailed sound. The system's portability makes it ideal for modern studio recording, allowing producers, engineers, and musicians to work in multiple locations with ease.

The monitor's design and construction

The Fender Passport Studio is a portable studio monitor system that can be carried in one hand. The system consists of two moulded plastic enclosures that clip together, face-to-face, for driver protection during transit. The electronic circuitry is located in the left speaker, with a two-metre TRS-jack speaker cable linking to the right speaker. The speakers can be locked together and transported using the top handle.

The left speaker features a removable hatch cover at the rear, attached by magnets, which allows access to the main connectors and a mains-voltage selector switch. The right speaker has space to stow the TRS cable and a mains cable. The inputs are on balanced quarter-inch jacks, and the volume control, dual-colour power/clip LED, and a pair of three-way HF/LF tweak toggle switches are located at the bottom of the main speaker's front panel. This allows the monitoring level to be adjusted without the need for a separate monitor controller. The speakers automatically mute when headphones are plugged into the front-panel mini-jacks.

The tweeter is an inverted alloy-dome type, one inch in diameter, and is protected by a metal mesh grille. It is located in a shallow, elliptical waveguide above the five-inch polyglass-cone woofer. A shallow slot at the bottom-left of the cabinet acts as a reflex port. The overall dimensions of the two cabs when stowed are 457 x 356 x 210 mm, and the package weighs 8.5kg.

The frequency response of the Passport Studio system is 50Hz to 20kHz ±3dB, and the maximum SPL is 105dB peak at one metre. The woofers are powered by 50W of Class-D amplifier power per channel, while the tweeters are powered by 25W per channel. The THD-plus-noise ratio is better than 90dB.

The technology behind the woofer

The woofer is a crucial component of any speaker system, and the Fender Passport Studio monitors feature a 5-inch polyglass-cone woofer. This woofer size is larger than typical for portable studio monitors, contributing to the rich and less strained low-end sound that impressed reviewers.

Focal, the company that collaborated with Fender on the Passport Studio monitors, is known for its expertise in driver technology. Focal's exclusive Polyglass technology involves applying molten-glass microballs onto a cellulose pulp cone. This innovative process combines the excellent damping qualities of paper with the rigidity of glass. The result is a cone with exceptional linearity in its frequency response curve and highly defined midrange performance.

The rigidity index of the Polyglass cone exceeds that of single-skin Kevlar and is almost ten times more rigid than polypropylene. This enhanced rigidity, combined with the cone's mass and damping characteristics, contributes to the overall sound quality and performance of the woofer.

The woofer in the Passport Studio monitors is powered by a robust 50W of Class-D amplifier power per channel, ensuring ample headroom and dynamic range. The combination of Focal's advanced driver technology and ample power results in a woofer that delivers precise, powerful, and detailed low-frequency reproduction.

The woofer is also designed for protection during transport. The monitors feature a protective housing that allows for easy connection and secure transportation, making the Passport Studio a convenient choice for mobile recording sessions and studio hopping.

The inverted dome tweeter

Focal has continued to innovate and improve upon their inverted dome tweeter technology. They introduced an "M"-shaped dome, which further reduces directionality and distortion. The "M" shape lowers directionality, providing an even more flexible listening position. Additionally, it increases dome rigidity, minimising distortion. Focal also optimised the magnet construction, employing a Kapton®-supported coil to significantly reduce eddy currents and, consequently, distortion.

The product's reviews

The Fender Passport Studio Portable Powered Studio Monitor System is a lightweight, portable, and powerful set of studio monitors. The system comprises two FOCAL 5-inch polyglass cone woofers and two FOCAL aluminium/magnesium inverted dome tweeters, delivering 150 watts of total output power. The speakers lock together for easy transportation and can be carried with one hand, making them ideal for engineers and musicians on the move.

The monitors feature intuitive level, bass, and treble room correction switches, allowing users to adapt them to different listening environments. The amplification is contained in the left enclosure, with the right speaker connecting via a TRS jack cable. The right enclosure also accommodates the power and link cables when not in use, and both enclosures have rear cover plates held in place by magnets. The back panel of the left speaker features balanced inputs for left and right channels, as well as a link output and power switch. The front panel includes a volume control, two mini-jack sockets for auxiliary input and headphone output, and three-way switches for frequency adjustment.

The Fender Passport Studio monitors have received positive reviews, with users praising their portability, sound quality, and ease of use. The bass end is described as packing "a lot of punch", and the treble frequencies are dynamic and detailed due to the combination of aluminium and magnesium in the tweeter. The exclusive Polyglass cone technology, created by applying molten glass microballs to a cellulose pulp cone, offers outstanding linearity and definition.

One reviewer, a non-professional user, praised the ease of transportation and the dense sound the speakers delivered, although they noted a slight hiss from the tweeters and a lack of bass. Overall, the Fender Passport Studio monitors are a cleverly designed, affordable solution for those seeking portability and convenience without compromising sound quality.

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