The Sound
Having heard both small and large monitors from this company for years, I am well acquainted with “the Quested sound,” and there’s little wonder that Quested has been a popular choice among classical engineers. However, with the VS3208s, Quested has managed to create a monitor that not only offers sonic finesse and purity, but is more than capable of keeping up with the demands of hard-driving rock.

After experimenting with the contour controls, I ended up keeping everything in the “flat” settings except the HF boost, which rather than a huge bump, is actually an extremely gentle shelving slope and provided a slight high-end sheen that I found natural and never overbearing or shrill.

Placement of the VS3208s is not overly critical, as long as the tweeters are kept at ear level and the distance between the monitors is roughly equivalent to the distance to the listener. The speakers offer a wide sweet spot, with gradual roll-off at extreme listening angles. You don’t get a feeling that the sound disappears or changes in character when you need to reach to EQ a kick drum. However, the VS3208s are designed as mid-field speakers, and the listener really needs to be at least six to eight feet back from the speakers for coherent imaging. The monitors sound best on stands behind the console or would do nicely in soffits in a smaller room or recording truck. Quested offers 37-inch-tall stands as a $290 option.

As would be expected from all-cone-based monitors, the VS3208s’ response is extremely smooth. The 3-inch, soft dome mid does a wonderful job of providing flat, uncolored response in the critical vocal band, but is also able to keep up with the dual woofers. The bass was full and nicely balanced, yet capable of reproducing well below 40 Hz. The tweeter needed a bit of help maintaining balance with the mids—particularly at high levels, and this is where the +2dB boost setting on the HF contour control came in handy, putting the highs into proper perspective.

Without a doubt, the VS3208s’ strongest attribute is their ability to reflect their input precisely. This is not a monitor that’s designed to sound “nice.” Far from one of those “Emperor’s New Clothes” speakers, the VS3208s tell it like it is: Great mixes sound great on these, while less-than-great mixes are reproduced with all their flaws intact. While this isn’t always what the artist or novice producer/engineer wants to hear, such ruthless accuracy is exactly what pro users need from a monitor, and the Quested VS3208s deliver just that.

Dist. by Q.USA, Inc., 5816 Highway K, Wannakee, WI 53597; 608/850-3600; fax 608/850-3602; www.quested.com.

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Reprinted with permission from Magazine, November, 2000
© 2000, Intertec Publishing, A Primedia Company All Rights Reserved