The Evolution Of Event Studio Monitors: Where Are They Now?

Event Electronics' studio monitors have been a popular choice for many professionals, with their 20/20 BAS monitor finding its way into studios worldwide. However, the company's fate has been uncertain in recent years, with customers reporting a lack of response to inquiries, long shipping delays, and a dwindling social media presence. This has left many wondering if the company has quietly gone out of business.

In 2006, Event Electronics was purchased by Freedman Electronics, the parent company of Rode, which discontinued all Event products. Under new ownership, Event relaunched with an upmarket model, the Opal, which received positive reviews. They also redesigned and relaunched the popular 20/20 BAS monitor at an attractive price, employing design concepts from the Opals to improve dynamics and reduce distortion.

Despite this promising relaunch, Event Electronics seemed to fade away once more. A customer enquiring about the situation was told by an Event representative that the company that supplied all their parts went out of business, and they were unable to find an alternative supplier. As a result, their monitor lines, including the 20/20, 2030, and Opal, would likely not return.

While it is unclear if Event Electronics is still in business, their monitors are still sought-after, with some models available on the second-hand market.

Event Electronics' social media absence

One theory suggests that Event Electronics might be undergoing a comprehensive R&D overhaul and rebranding strategy, which could explain the lack of social media updates. This speculation is fuelled by the knowledge that Rode purchased Event Electronics, indicating a potential restructuring phase. Additionally, there have been reports of "unusually long shipping delays" for certain products, which could be indicative of ongoing adjustments behind the scenes.

Another possible reason for the social media silence could be supply issues. There have been mentions of Event Electronics facing challenges with their supply chain, particularly regarding the company that provided parts for their speaker line. This could have resulted in a hiatus while they work to resolve these issues and potentially redesign their product line.

Some customers have expressed disappointment with the lack of communication, noting that they have not received responses to support inquiries. This has further fuelled uncertainty about the company's status and future plans.

Despite the absence on social media, there are indications that Event Electronics may still be operational, albeit with a reduced product offering. There are reports of customers successfully contacting the company and receiving information about delayed production at the manufacturing plant. Additionally, some have mentioned that parts are still available through Rode, suggesting that Event Electronics may be continuing business operations to some extent.

The social media absence of Event Electronics has certainly sparked curiosity and concern among customers, and only time will tell if the company resurfaces with a new product lineup and an updated social media presence.

Event Opal monitors

The Event Opal monitors were designed by a new engineering team set up by Rode, with Marcelo Vercelli, formerly of Mackie and RCF, as the Director of Engineering. The team was based in Woodinville, close to the Mackie headquarters. The Opals were produced in Sydney, Australia, where Rode was already manufacturing its microphones.

The Event Opal monitors are known for their powerful sound and ability to deliver high output, low distortion, and superior dynamics. They have a frequency response of 35Hz-20kHz (±2dB) and are capable of providing peak power levels of up to 250W. The tweeter and woofer are powered by fully discrete class AB amplifiers, with a toroidal power supply ensuring sustained extreme low-frequency reproduction. The Opal monitors feature a 1-inch, ferrofluid-cooled, silk-dome tweeter and a 7.1-inch bass/mid driver.

The Event Opal monitors received mixed reviews, with some praising their sound quality and performance while others found them overrated, comparing them to PA speakers rather than mixing tools. There were also some reports of the speakers lacking speed and having a "cloudy" sound. Despite the divisive opinions, the Opal monitors left a mark on the high-end community and sparked discussions about their unique characteristics.

Event 20/20 BAS v3

The 20/20 BAS v3 features a frequency response of 35Hz-20kHz (±2dB) and is powered by a pair of Class-A/B amplifiers, providing up to 80W of peak power for the tweeter and 120W for the woofer. The tweeter and woofer also have field-cancelling magnets to minimise interference with CRT-style monitors. The tweeter is a one-inch, ferrofluid-cooled, silk-dome tweeter, while the woofer is a 7.1-inch bass/mid driver with a mineral-filled, polypropylene cone and a 1.5-inch, high-temperature polyamide and fibreglass voice-coil assembly.

The rear panel of the 20/20 BAS v3 includes balanced and unbalanced inputs, as well as controls for input gain and high and low-frequency shelving. The cabinet is made of 15mm-thick MDF, measuring 375 x 260 x 300mm and weighing 17kg. The styling is fairly simple, with a plastic-foil finish, rounded corners, and a matte-black baffle. The Event logo illuminates to indicate power.

The 20/20 BAS v3 offers improved dynamics and lower distortion compared to its predecessor, delivering clarity, transparency, and definition. It is well-regarded for its very clean and well-defined mid-range and high frequencies, excellent stereo imaging, and good bass extension.

Overall, the Event 20/20 BAS v3 is a significant upgrade from the previous version, offering improved performance and features at a very attractive price point.

Event Electronics' supply issues

Event Electronics, a US-based company, was purchased by Freedman Electronics, the parent company of Rode, in 2006. The new ownership discontinued all products in the Event catalogue and set up a new engineering team. The company's first new monitor, the Opal, was well-received, but supply issues and long shipping delays soon followed.

Event Electronics' social media presence has since diminished, and the company has not posted on Facebook since 2014 or on Twitter since 2015. Furthermore, they have cancelled all back orders and are not responding to support inquiries.

A representative from Event Electronics stated that the supply issues were due to their Chinese supplier, who provided all the parts, going out of business. As a result, the company was unable to find another supplier and had to discontinue their old lines: 20/20, 2030, and Opal.

Event Electronics intended to relaunch with the Opals as their only offering, but this plan was put on hold indefinitely. Currently, there are no Event monitors or spare parts available, and the company is considering finding new suppliers and designing a new studio monitor line.

Event Electronics' future

Event Electronics was purchased by Freedman Electronics, the parent company of Rode, in 2006. Since then, the company has gone through some changes, including discontinuing all products in the Event catalogue and setting up a new engineering team. While there was some speculation about the future of the company, with some wondering if they had quietly gone out of business, it seems that Event Electronics is still active and working on new products.

In 2012, the company launched the Event 20/20 BAS v3, a redesigned version of their popular 20/20 BAS monitor. This new model improved on the original with enhanced dynamics and lower distortion, while maintaining the transducer design and cabinet volume of the traditional 20/20. The 20/20 BAS v3 received positive reviews, with users praising its very clean and well-defined mid-range and high frequencies, excellent stereo imaging, and good bass extension.

Event Electronics also introduced the Opal, their first new monitor after the change in ownership. The Opal is an upmarket monitor that received acclaim for its performance and helped put the reborn Event Electronics on the map.

While there have been some concerns about the availability of Event Electronics products and spare parts, with some reports of long shipping delays, it appears that the company is still operational and continues to be a player in the studio monitor market.

Looking ahead, it seems that Event Electronics may be focusing on the Opal as their primary offering. There have been hints from the company that the Opal could be the only monitor they sell in the future. This strategy would allow them to streamline their product line and focus on refining and improving a single, high-quality monitor.

In conclusion, while there have been some uncertainties and changes in the past few years, Event Electronics appears to be moving forward with a renewed focus and commitment to delivering high-performance studio monitors. With their history of innovation and dedication to improving audio characteristics, we can expect Event Electronics to continue pushing the boundaries of studio monitor technology in the years to come.

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