When it comes to monitors, to say that I have auditioned and demoed a ton of different speakers is an understatement.  I am constantly looking for an edge, and I found a great one about four years ago when I came across Anthony Gallo Acoustics' A'Diva Ti's.  These small five-inch speakers have titanium drivers and give me a clear, open and accurate sound.  So when I came across Gallo's newest speaker, the Reference Strada, I was getting psyched just thinking about its potential in a professional environment.  No, these weren't intended for a studio, but neither were the A'Diva Ti's and they work brilliantly for me.

Anthony Gallo Acoustics Strada
 

I was able to test drive a pair of Stradas and I must say I couldn't believe the sound that came out of such a small enclosure.  The Strada is comprised of the company's new CDT 3 tweeter flanked by a pair of five-inch spheres.  The set up was pretty easy and after a decent break-in period (Gallo recommends about 40-60 hours) the speakers were ready for me to put them through their paces.
 

The first thing I noticed was how unbelievably life-like and real the music sounded.  Many speakers sound good, but this was something different.  It seemed less like I was mixing recorded tracks and more like I was sitting in front of the band playing live.  The Stradas gave such a powerful and emotional connection with the music that I was energized and encouraged to keep on working for hours and hours.  Acoustic guitars were vibrant and authentic.  Strings were incredibly smooth and connected with the listener in the way they were intended to when they were initially tracked.
 
One of the instruments that is very difficult for a speaker to replicate is the drums.  The true macro dynamics that give the drums their impact rarely comes through in a loudspeaker.  I've been mixing live and programmed drums for many years and it can be quite a chore to get the snare to snap and the kick to boom properly if you're not mixing through the right near fields.  You can get them to sound good, but not in a way that makes you feel like you are standing right next to the kit.  The Stradas connected me with the drums with an incredible level of authenticity and clarity.  This is how drums are supposed to sound. 

I'm excited to say that I've found my new monitors.  The Stradas are speakers that I could see myself spending some time with.  I usually prefer to keep my secret weapons to myself, but I really felt like I should share my passion for Gallo's latest offering.