Need a pair of reliable monitors for superior quality mixing? Here are the best nearfield studio monitors on the market today, for professional productions and home recording.
For quality music production and sound design, studio monitors are an indispensable accessory.
A bare view of the sound spectrum, of a track, or of the audio recording mix, is essential when producing music or other multimedia content on separate tracks (also for video productions and film soundtracks).
Audio monitors allow you to hear the defects of the mix, in order to act more effectively on the different parameters and produce a better result for listening on common consumer speakers or headphones aimed at the public.
For home recording and home studio, the ideal choice is the nearfield active monitor speakers, the most suitable to be placed on a desk, shelf, or dedicated stand, at a close distance from the mixing station.
For professional studios, the choice of studio monitors must be made taking into account important aspects such as the size of the recording studio, the frequency response of the speakers, the price budget, and reliability over time.
High-end audio monitors are recommended for those who spend several hours in the recording studio, as they allow long mixing sessions without straining the ear.
For occasional use and for semi-professional or amateur level productions, it is more appropriate to choose less expensive entry-level monitor speakers.
Below you will find our ranking of the best studio monitors for all levels, from high-end to low-end models with a description of the main features.
1. KRK Rokit RP7 G4
The best high-end studio audio monitors
Among the best monitor speakers of 2020, if you want a pair of professional studio monitors for recording and listening to the audio, the KRK Rokit RP7 G4 is the first in the rankings.
The new version of the G4 series includes woofers and tweeters both built-in kevlar, both yellow to identify the brand, and with the front bass reflex port which is useful when we want to place monitors close to the wall.
Both speakers carry an internal class D amplifier and weigh 7.6 kg. To have a better grip on the desk or on the support surface, the base is made of non-slip material.
The ROKIT 7 has a 42Hz – 40KHz frequency response, 145 Watts output power, and accepts balanced TRS / XLR input.
Installation is the most important part of a studio monitor. To obtain the most faithful sound possible depending on the room in use, the Rokit 7 G4 hides a small LCD display on the back that provides useful equalization information. The button on the side allows you to select different combinations and adjust the monitor equalization to perfection.
Once properly installed, these studio monitors will help you create perfectly balanced mixes and get the real sonic vision of your audio tracks.
Pros
Exceptional loyalty
The front bass reflex port
EQ options for installation
Cons
Display on the back difficult to see
2. Man A5X
Professional active monitors for medium-sized studios
If you are looking for a pair of high-end professional studio monitors that can stand the test of time, with excellent build quality, and are great for home recording for sound reliability and high-end music production, we recommend the ADAM A5X.
These powered monitor speakers consist of a 5.5 ”woofer and a German-made X-ART tweeter. The woofer, which covers the low frequencies and mids, works below 2.5kHz and is powered by a 1.5 “voice coil and a 50W PWM amplifier.
The ultimate result is that when we sit in front of these monitors we will have full awareness of the slightest changes in the mix, for immediate feedback of the sound spectrum when we are in post-production.
Another feature we noticed during testing is that the intensive use of the ADAM A5X studio monitors is fatigue-free. The STEROLINK function is also useful for changing the volume of both speakers using the potentiometer of one of the monitors, to keep the level balanced on both channels.
Even at very high volumes, the ADAM A5X perfectly retains the clarity of sound that we expect from a pair of high-end monitors, to properly distinguish the various musical instruments and be able to perform a mix with the correct balance.
The frequency response of these monitors is 50Hz – 50kHz, so they are slightly lacking in the low frequencies. However, they are recommended for any type of musical genre and once you have an ear on the sound produced, you will be able to adjust accordingly.
Pros
Excellent build quality
Stereo link for L / R volume control
They do not tire the ear
Cons
They sin slightly in the low frequencies
3. KRK Rokit RP5 G4
The best home recording studio monitors ever
The ROKIT 5 are the best studio monitors for quality/price. With an output power of 55 Watts and a frequency response of 43Hz – 40KHz, they are particularly recommended for a small recording studio and home recording.
In designing this new series, the KRK company has made significant changes to the budget line of nearfield studio monitors, bringing them closer to more expensive models by integrating new construction materials and completely revised designs.
Kevlar, a material reserved for mid-range and professional monitors, is now also found in the entry-level line and precisely in the ROKIT 5, where we have a 5-inch woofer and a 1-inch tweeter both built with this technology.
All this is to the advantage of better sound performance and reliability of the monitors, especially in the high frequencies. In fact, you can hear the difference between the G3 and the G4 when we connect the monitor speakers to the same sound source. With the RP5 G4, the high-frequency range reveals a wider sound spectrum and allows us to investigate all the musical elements in more detail.
As with the other monitor speakers of the same line, here we find an LCD display on the back of each speaker, to balance the equalization according to the room. When the speakers are installed close to the wall, we recommend that you turn one of the speakers to see the monitor clearly while listening to the other, and then copy the settings from one speaker to another.
Pros
A wealth of detail and sound spectrum
Unsurpassed value for money
EQ control options for installation
Cons
Not high power
Display LCD sul retro
4. Genelec 8010A
The best portable studio monitors
The Genelec 8010a is the best studio monitors for music producers on the go, these home recording speakers can be convenient to be moved from one location to another and stored in a small bag, with low weight.
We have a 3 “woofer and a 0.75” metal-dome tweeter, powered by a pair of 25W class D amplifiers. Crossover set to 3kHz.
As for the other Genelec speakers, we find a base that allows us to angle the speakers, while the protective grids are useful to protect both the woofer and the tweeter from any accidents.
Despite being small in size, you’ll find all the Genelec quality the company is famous for, with the excellent build quality and very accurate sound. As this is a small and compact model, with a smaller woofer circumference than other professional studio monitors, you will need to add a dedicated subwoofer to get more bass.
In a small hotel room or for on-the-go setups, we still find them very useful, and they allow us to work on mixing professionally wherever we are.
Of course, the portability factor and the Genelec brand mean having to pay a more premium price than a more powerful monitor from a different brand, but for artists always around this is one of the few solutions available.
Pros
Exceptional portability
Build quality
Cons
High price for 3-inch monitors
5. Yamaha HS8
The best alternative to the classic Yamaha NS10
If you are looking for compact studio monitors or home recording, to reveal all the imperfections of the sound mix, very similar to the classic NS10, go to the Yamaha HS8.
As with the NS10, you will love the honesty of these speakers, and sometimes you will even hate them for being far too honest! But the sonic result that you will then get in consumer amplification systems will then be exceptional thanks to the effectiveness of these studio monitors.
Each bi-amplified active speaker is made up of an 8 “woofer, 1” tweeter, and bass reflex port on the back. Not very suitable for small rooms, these studio monitors find their best location in rooms with large spaces and open space in front of the mixer station.
They have a good frequency response, 38Hz – 30kHz, and are bi-amped for a total power of 120 Watts per pair.
If we really had to install them near a wall, they have a rear selector that allows you to activate the “room control” function, to lower the power of the low frequencies. Furthermore, with the “high trim” option you can cut or raise the high frequencies by 2dB.
Pros
Honest in the representation of sound
Perfect for professional studios
Good output power
Cons
The sound that is too honest is sometimes a source of irritation
6. Yamaha HS5
The purest sounding monitor speakers for small rooms
Yamaha HS5 monitor speakers are best for having a raw and truthful sonic representation of audio mixing in a small room or bedroom.
These speakers will sound uninspiring when we use them to produce music, but we will only realize their effectiveness when we listen to our mixes on Hi-Fi speakers and consumer headphones.
Here we will realize how important it is to have such honest and reliable studio monitors, to optimize our musical productions in the best possible way.
For small rooms such as home studios, especially when our PC workstation is close to the wall, it is useless to go and buy more powerful monitor speakers than these. If you go to a 7, 8 or 10-inch woofer in a small room you will get a sound where the low frequencies will overpower the high frequencies, and you will not be able to understand what the real sound is.
For this the Yamaha HS5, with their 5-inch woofer and the frequency response from 54Hz – 30kHz offer an excellent compromise for home studios, to give you the absolute certainty that the sound image is the actual one you are listening to.
On the other hand, when mounted in professional studios with a wide breadth and large spaces, they are ineffective and sound too thin, so in these cases, it is better to go to the larger Yamaha speakers such as the HS7 or HS8.
Pros
Natural and raw sound
Value for money
Cons
Not suitable for large rooms
7. Pioneer DJ DM-40
Best cheap studio monitors for home studio DJs
The Pioneer DJ DM-40s are perfect for DJs who want to practice mixing tracks to prepare for a live event. The feedback that these speakers produce is very similar to what we will then have in a live event with PA systems for discos and concerts, but at a lower volume obviously.
However, for home use, the volume of these monitors will surprise you, because if you raise the notch near the maximum levels, they will be able to recreate a great boost.
They are studio monitors full of low frequencies, we want to reiterate this to avoid creating confusion. They are not suitable for mixing musical productions but are more suitable for listening to ready-made tracks. They lack the honesty and fidelity of other monitor speakers and produce a rich sound, similar to Hi-Fi speakers.
Build quality is truly exceptional in this price range. Other DJ monitor speakers we tested are light, not very firm, plasticky, and obviously cheap. The DM-40s on the other hand, while falling within the economic price range, are built-in wood and weigh 2.7 kg, allowing the cones to move freely without creating vibrations on the case.
The class A / B amplifier is integrated into one of the two speakers, while the other acts as a slave. The frequency response is 70 – 30000 Hz.
Pros
Build quality superior to the competition in this price range
Front bass reflex port for richer and more detailed bass
Cons
Less flat than other studio monitors
Only one speaker is amplified
8. PreSonus Eris E5
The best entry-level studio monitor speakers
The PreSonus Eris E5 studio monitor speakers represent a paltry investment compared to professional monitor speakers, and in any case, they are capable of making you hear the music in an honest and precise way. We recommend them to those who don’t have much money to spend to install a small recording studio or for home recording.
They are composed of a 5.25 “woofer and 1” dome tweeter, the frequency response is 53 Hz – 22 kHz and each speaker integrates two separate amplifiers for low frequencies (45W) and high frequencies (35W).
The bass reflex port located on the front of the cabinet is synonymous with clarity and detail in the representation of low frequencies, and also means being able to position them close to the wall without having so much feedback.
The Acoustic Space function, found on the back of the monitor cabinet, helps to configure the sound according to the room and attenuates the frequencies below 800Hz. Useful for example when placing them near a wall, to avoid bass returns.
Instead, the Cut Off function cuts the low frequencies below 100 or 80Hz, which can be used for example when we also want to install a subwoofer dedicated to those frequencies. The mid and high-frequency potentiometers are useful for setting the correct volume around 1kHz and above 10kHz respectively.
For the price at which they are sold, we can’t find any alternatives to these studio monitors, they are truly the best model around in the budget range under 150 dollars.
Pros
Enviable price-quality
Well balanced sound
Cons
Less faithful than the more expensive speakers
9. Mackie CR3X
The best studio monitor speakers under 100 dollars
If you want to produce original music, or if you work with video editing and want to upgrade from regular PC speakers to a pair of entry-level reference monitors, you are in the right place.
The Mackie CR3X has the most important feature of a monitor cabinet, which is the ability to play music in flat mode to let you hear the real sound image of your mix.
The premise, they are not as great as the studio monitors described above, but they help produce more effective results. They’re also great for streaming music and watching movies, so they’re the ideal halfway out for anyone looking for a pair of cheap all-around speakers.
They are particularly recommended for very small rooms, or for use in the home because with their small 3-inch woofer they cannot create a noticeable boost (especially in the low frequencies). The frequency response is 80Hz – 20kHz.
One of the two speakers is the master one, while the other is the slave. The amplifier, controls, and wiring are all in the master cabinet, and you can decide which one to use as left-right according to your needs. On the master cabinet, you will find the volume potentiometer easily accessible.
To indicate that they are active speakers also for the reproduction of multimedia content from a PC, on the front we find an AUX input to insert a smartphone or other sound source and a headphone output.
The input connections available on the back of the powered speaker are TRS balanced and RCA unbalanced. Here we find a bass reflex port and the output for the slave speaker.
Pros
Competitive price
Good performance
Wide sound spectrum
Cons
They get a little tired after hours of listening
10. M-Audio BX5 D3
The active studio monitors for starters
Among the best budget studio monitors, the M-Audio BX5 D3 is recommended if you are looking for a pair of good-quality entry-level studio monitors. Powerful enough for a small to medium-sized room, they will make you spend as little as possible to still remain in the range of products dedicated exclusively to home recording.
This is the cheapest 5-inch model you can find on the market, and with the woofer built-in kevlar, you will have a very convincing sonic response.
Inside each of the two bi-amped speakers, we find two 60W and 40W amplifiers dedicated respectively to low and high frequencies, with the crossover set to 2.5kHz. The frequency response is 52Hz – 35kHz.
On the back, we have an XLR input and a TRS jack input, to connect the speakers to your sound cards and mixers dedicated to music production.
Next to the volume knob, the Acoustic Space function allows you to set the switch to three different positions: flat, -2dB and -4dB. This allows us to change the sound according to the size of the room, to give us some flexibility in positioning the monitors, especially when the wall is close to the PC station.
On a practical level, when we use them for mixing audio tracks, it is true that we will not have exactly the same ability to hear the defects that professional speakers reveal, but for those who do not have much to invest and want a pair of studio monitors for start composing music, we highly recommend them for their high quality/price ratio.
Pros
Versatile for producing music and listening to content
Low price
Cons
Low frequencies are not very present
Not excellent build quality