The legendary horror cube used to check mix translation — reveals midrange problems your main monitors miss and has been a professional studio staple for over 50 years.
| Driver | 4.5" full-range driver (single) |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz–12kHz |
| Sensitivity | 90dB (1W/1m) |
| Enclosure | Sealed cabinet |
| Power | Passive (requires external amplifier) |
| Dimensions | 165 x 165 x 165mm |
| Impedance | 8 Ohm |
Professional mix engineers use Auratone 5Cs alongside main monitors precisely because of their limitations. The severely restricted response exposes problems with the critical midrange — where most musical information lives and where budget consumer speakers actually operate. When a vocal disappears on the Auratone, there is a real mix problem that full-range monitors were masking.
Auratones should never be your primary solution. Work on main monitors for fundamental mix decisions, then check periodically on the Auratone to verify midrange translation. Many engineers also use Auratones at low volume to focus on midrange balance without the distraction of extended bass and treble.
The 5C is passive — requires an external power amplifier. This adds setup complexity but is also an asset: no electronic noise from an onboard amplifier. A small 20–30W amplifier is typically sufficient.
Serious mix engineers who want to check translation to consumer systems. A professional tool used alongside main monitors, not instead of them.
The Auratone 5C Super Sound Cube is a unique and genuinely valuable mix translation tool. Its crude midrange-focused sound reveals problems that full-range monitors miss. At £299 it's not cheap for what it is — but the insights about mix translation are worth the investment for any engineer who takes their work seriously.