Frequently Asked Questions

Strauss Elektroakustik designs reference monitoring systems and acoustic environments for critical listening. The product range includes:

• Nearfield, midfield, and large-format studio monitors
• Passive, active, and active-passive monitoring systems, including the SE AP-SW for AP Series systems
• Custom line source monitoring solutions
• Professional power amplifiers (SE PA-100, SE PA-250)
• Analog signal-chain components (SE PRE-1S, SE EQ-1S)
• Acoustic design services for studios, institutions, and performance spaces

Strauss systems are engineered for controlled directivity, time coherence, and very low distortion—designed to behave predictably in real rooms.

Strauss Elektroakustik is defined by physics-based analog design, true time alignment, controlled directivity, and ultra-low-loss components. The result is monitoring systems engineered to behave predictably in real rooms, without reliance on DSP correction. Clients also receive tailored acoustic guidance and precise loudspeaker positioning support directly from Jürgen Strauss or Strauss Elektroakustik's regional team, helping ensure each system is properly integrated into its room and use case.

DSP can shape frequency response and adjust timing at specific reference points.

Strauss systems are designed so the underlying physical behavior is already stable. Driver motion, timing relationships, and radiation are resolved mechanically rather than corrected afterward.

This approach produces predictable performance in real rooms and long-term reliability independent of software platforms.

It depends on room size, listening distance, required output, and application. Strauss systems are available in three topologies: passive, active-passive, and active.

Passive monitors (external amplification required) — SE NF-3, SE MF-4S, SE MF-4, SE MF-2.1
Recommended amplification:

• SE PA-100 — ideal for nearfield, midfield, and most residential listening
• SE PA-250 (dual-mono) — for larger rooms, higher SPL, or increased dynamic headroom

Active-passive systems (integrated analog amplification) — SE AP-1, SE AP-2, SE AP-SW
No external amplifier is required. The SE AP-SW is designed to integrate with AP Series monitors, extending low-frequency performance while preserving timing coherence and spatial stability.

Active systems (fully integrated analog amplification) — SE MF-20
No external amplifier is required.

Quick guidance by model and application:

• SE NF-3 — compact nearfield monitor for 1–2 m listening distances in smaller control rooms, production rooms, nearfield positions, desktop setups, and office reference applications. Pair with SE PA-100.
• SE AP-1 — compact active-passive monitor for nearfield to midfield listening where a large, coherent soundstage is desired from a 40 cm enclosure. Ideal for smaller rooms and compact full-range applications.
• SE AP-2 — larger active-passive monitor for nearfield to midfield listening with greater low-frequency authority and headroom. Suitable for more demanding compact monitoring applications.
• SE AP-SW — active-passive subwoofer designed to extend the low-frequency range of AP-1 and AP-2 systems, providing seamless integration and increased headroom for bass-heavy applications or where greater low-frequency extension is desired.
• SE MF-4 — midfield / main monitor for 1.5–2.5 m listening distances in mastering and mix rooms, or as high-resolution mains in larger control rooms. Pair with SE PA-100 in most cases, or dual-mono SE PA-250 where greater headroom is required.
• SE MF-4S — floorstanding SE MF-4 variant optimized for seated listening height. Ideal for high-end listening rooms, homes, offices, hi-fi enthusiasts, and studios that need mastering-level resolution, low distortion, and controlled directivity without rack-mounted pro gear. Use with SE PA-100 or SE PA-250 when extended headroom is required.
• SE MF-2.1 — large-format reference monitor for 1.8–2.8 m listening distances in mastering rooms, mix rooms, recording studios, and institutional facilities. For larger rooms, higher SPL, or maximum authority, pair with dual-mono SE PA-250.
• SE MF-20 — flagship active reference system for large rooms and highest-demand applications where full-bandwidth, unconstrained dynamics, and scale are required. Suitable for 1.8–2.8 m listening distances in mastering rooms, mix rooms, recording studios, and institutional facilities.

Subwoofers with MF-4 / MF-2.1: For large passive reference systems such as the SE MF-4 and SE MF-2.1, subwoofers are typically not required, as these monitors are engineered to deliver authoritative low-frequency reproduction on their own. For very large control rooms, scoring stages, or applications where virtually unlimited low-frequency headroom is desired, Strauss Elektroakustik can develop custom low-frequency extensions designed for the room and system, engineered for seamless integration in time alignment, phase coherence, and radiation behavior.

Applications at a glance:

• Nearfield / small rooms (1–2 m): SE NF-3 + PA-100, or SE AP-1
• Midfield / mastering rooms (1.5–2.8 m): SE MF-4 / MF-2.1, or SE AP-2
• Large rooms / higher SPL: SE MF-2.1 + PA-250, or SE MF-20
• Hi-fi / residential / office listening: All Strauss monitors can be used for high-fidelity listening, depending on room size, listening distance, and application — including the SE NF-3, SE MF-4, SE MF-4S, SE AP-1, SE AP-2, SE MF-2.1, and SE MF-20. For AP Series systems, the SE AP-SW is available where extended low-frequency reproduction or additional bass headroom is desired.

For passive models, pair with SE PA-100 or SE PA-250 as appropriate. For source selection and level control, use SE PRE-1S; for subtle analog target-curve refinement, use SE EQ-1S.

If you share your room dimensions, listening distance, and use case — recording, mixing, mastering, or high-end listening — Strauss can recommend an exact model or system combination.

• Passive (SE NF-3, SE MF-4, SE MF-4S, SE MF-2.1): no built-in amplification; requires external power amps (SE PA-100 or dual-mono SE PA-250).
• Active (SE MF-20): fully integrated internal analog amplification; no external power amp required.
• Active-Passive (SE AP-1, SE AP-2, SE AP-SW): acoustically engineered like a passive system, but powered by dedicated internal analog amplification; no external power amp required.

Strauss amplifiers are designed as precision analog instruments that preserve the behavior of the loudspeaker. They use High Gain Bandwidth Technology (HGBT) and extremely low output impedance to achieve very high damping factors, which gives tight control over the woofer, low distortion, and stable imaging at all levels.

• SE PA-100 – Stereo power amplifier, ideal for SE NF-3, SE MF-4, and SE MF-4S in most control rooms and listening environments.
• SE PA-250 – Mono power amplifier, with significantly higher power reserves for large systems such as SE MF-2.1, or any high-end loudspeaker demanding ultimate authority and headroom.

Because the amplifiers are purely analog, they maintain transparency and remain current-proof over time.

The SE REQ-1S is a mastering-grade, fully analog room and monitor equalizer designed to make precise, musical adjustments to monitoring systems and their interaction with the room. Unlike DSP correction, it introduces no latency, no digital artifacts, and no additional conversion stages.

Strauss monitors are designed to be accurate without any EQ, but thanks to true time alignment, coherent radiation, and ultra-low distortion, they are uniquely capable of accepting EQ with complete integrity. This allows you to:

• Fine-tune a reference curve for your taste or work style
• Make small room-interaction adjustments without degrading phase and imaging
• Maintain an entirely analog signal path for maximum resolution and long-term reliability

The SE PRE-1S is a high-end, fully analog preamplifier built to the same standards as Strauss monitors and amplifiers. It is intended for audiophile hi-fi systems, reference listening rooms, and studios that require transparent source selection and gain control without adding color, noise, or distortion. Paired with Strauss monitors and amplifiers, it forms a complete, analog reference chain from source to loudspeaker.

The AP-SW is a multi-resonant, active-passive subwoofer using three active and three passive 8-inch drivers housed in six individually tuned chambers, each aligned to a specific resonant frequency. Resonance is managed acoustically by distributing energy across the low frequencies, resulting in stable and predictable behavior in real rooms.

This design:

• Reduces standing-wave buildup in both treated and untreated rooms
• Maintains consistent low-frequency behavior across different spaces
• Integrates naturally with main monitors, preserving timing, articulation, and spatial imaging

The result is deep, controlled bass that supports the midrange and preserves spatial clarity.

A good studio monitor reproduces sound accurately, without hyping or masking anything. Technically, this means controlled directivity, coherent time and phase alignment, low distortion, linear frequency response, and stable behavior at real-world listening levels. Strauss Elektroakustik monitors are designed from the ground up around these parameters in the mechanical and acoustic domain, so they behave predictably and naturally in real rooms without relying on DSP correction—helping engineers truly hear what's in their recordings and make reliable decisions.

Strauss Elektroakustik monitors are designed to remain stable and predictable in real rooms.

Rather than correcting symptoms electronically, Strauss resolves the underlying acoustic and mechanical causes during the design process.

The result is a reference that stays stable, behaves predictably, and remains reliable over decades of use.

In practice, this results in preserved micro-dynamics, stable imaging, and inherently linear behavior at real working levels. Driver motion, crossover integration, and radiation geometry are resolved physically at the design stage, allowing the system to remain stable across listening positions and playback levels.

The most accurate monitoring systems are those that behave predictably in real acoustic environments and allow engineers to make reliable decisions over time.

The SE MF-2.1 and SE MF-20 are engineered as full-range reference systems for mastering, production, and research environments where stability and coherence are critical.

Rather than relying on digital signal processing to compensate for physical limitations, Strauss resolves acoustic accuracy at its mechanical source — through physical time alignment, controlled directivity, low mechanical loss, and wide-band driver integration.

This design approach produces high phase coherence, stable spatial imaging, and controlled dynamic behavior at real working levels.

Strauss reference systems are installed in facilities such as Sony Music Studios Tokyo and the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, where long-term reliability and acoustic consistency are essential.

The objective is not enhancement. It is stability.

Jürgen Strauss is the founder and lead designer of Strauss Elektroakustik. For decades, he has developed groundbreaking time-coherent, phase-stable loudspeaker systems and reference listening environments used by engineers, studios, and research institutions.

Jürgen designs rooms by treating acoustics, loudspeakers, and workflow as one integrated system. The process combines simulation, measurement, and critical listening, with precise control of geometry, modal behavior, early reflections, and final voicing.

Yes. We work on new builds in collaboration with architects and integrators, as well as renovations and upgrades of existing studios, venues, and research facilities.

Yes. Jürgen collaborates with regional partners, architects, and integrators worldwide — including Strauss Elektroakustik USA in Los Angeles — to ensure the design intent is carried from concept to commissioning.

A custom monitoring system is a loudspeaker and amplification solution engineered specifically for a particular room, application, and workflow. Rather than adapting off-the-shelf speakers to a difficult or unique space, the system is designed to suit the acoustics, architecture, and practical requirements of the environment — whether for fixed installation or touring deployment.

Line source monitors use a vertically aligned array of drivers that behave like a continuous "line" of sound, creating a cylindrical wavefront. This geometry gives very controlled vertical dispersion, wide horizontal coverage, and more even level and tonal balance over distance. It makes line source systems particularly effective in larger rooms, immersive environments, and venues where consistent coverage across many positions is critical.

Point-source monitors are designed so that sound appears to originate from a single acoustic point (often via closely spaced drivers), creating a spherical wavefront. This yields symmetrical dispersion and very precise imaging at a defined listening position, which is ideal for nearfield, midfield, or main monitoring in control rooms and smaller spaces. Line source systems, by contrast, are optimized for controlled coverage and consistency over greater listening areas and distances.

Yes. Line source systems are developed for projects requiring controlled vertical radiation, extended coverage, and stable behavior across larger listening areas — including film stages, immersive environments, concert halls, and touring applications.

Yes. We design systems for permanent installation and for touring. Touring-focused systems are engineered to be transported, rigged, and tuned efficiently, while maintaining a consistent sonic signature so artists and productions can rely on familiar sound in a wide range of venues.

No. While many projects are mastering and mixing rooms, Strauss Elektroakustik also designs systems for concert halls, theaters, stadiums, universities, research facilities, museums, high-end hotels, luxury yachts, and bespoke residential listening environments.

We design passive, active, or active-passive systems.

Yes. If you are located in the United States, your order is placed with and fulfilled by STRAUSS ELEKTROAKUSTIK USA, the official U.S. distributor for Strauss Elektroakustik products. Products may ship from inventory in Los Angeles or be supplied directly from Strauss Elektroakustik headquarters in Bern, Switzerland, depending on availability.