Best Studio Monitors in 2021


Now this is the section where you have to take your “cheap hat” off.

At least I hope you can.

If there is one place though where you shouldn’t be stingy is when getting studio monitors. It’s not like getting dj speakers where you can go with what you need at the moment. With these guys, you literally have to think long term.

Mixing music on quality studio monitors is what separates the amateurs / hobbyists / dabblers from the professionals.

There is NO such thing as best budget studio monitors. Unless there is some miracle giveaway, you must get serious when it comes to getting studio monitors. That is if you really want to become a professional music producer.  Also avoid refurbished or used studio monitors. As you’ll be better off getting something brand new so the warranty covers you when required.

Yamaha HS8 Studio Monitors

YAMAHA HS8 Studio Monitor, Black, 8 Inch
  • 8 inch cone woofer and 1 inch dome tweeter; Produce low distortion sound with a well-defined bottom end at any output...
  • 38Hz to 30kHz frequency response; Power consumption: 60 watts
  • 75W LF plus 45W HF bi amp system 120W total; Level control ( 4dB/center click), EQ: High trim switch ( / 2dB at HF) /...

When I first walked into my local music shop (Tom Lee Music), I actually went with the mindset that I want to get the Yamaha HS8 pair. I did my research and a lot of EDM producers (As that’s the kind of music I was into making back then), recommended them wholeheartedly.

However, after listening to them, I realized why what people say on the internet may not entirely be true.

Don’t get me wrong, these Yamaha monitors create incredible sound. It’s super clear and clean, but the bass was just surprisingly weak.

Even for basic dance or EDM tracks. Another reason I didn’t get the HS8s were because they were huge in size for my room, and the low end (Bass) as mentioned, was not as good as the Neumann KH 120.

I know a lot lot of professionals who use them but I personally don’t recommend them. Unless you add a subwoofer to these guys, you’ll have trouble listening to the low end. Since I use 808s a lot, these just didn’t cut it for me.

Getting a subwoofer may not be necessary at this stage but it’s something to learn about in advance for sure.

Especially once your music starts going places, like through licensing or if someone chooses it as their intro song on YouTube or something.

I do love the white color option the Yamaha hs8 studio monitor offers. It simply looks awesome. No doubt about that.

By the way, the “8” in the HS8 refers to the height. Which is 8 inch each per monitor.


Neumann Studio Monitors

Neumann KH 120 A - Active Studio Monitor
  • Biamplified (50Watt + 50Watt) 2 way monitoring speaker system featuring a 5.25 inch long throw woofer and 1inch titanium...
  • Precision manufactured to ± .5db tolerance ensuring perfectly matched pairs to deliver superb sound staging and imaging
  • Compact and rugged, non resonant Aluminum enclosure eliminates unwanted cabinet induced coloration

The NEUMANN KH120s are just perfect for modern music. Especially if you use 808s in your music. I’m very grateful that I was able to get them. In fact, I like to call them the best studio monitors for music. Okay maybe now I’m being a little bit bias but these are really that good.

The Neumann KH-120As have more than enough low end to make Trap, Bass, or any other kind of urban or 4/4 music.

Seriously, these are one of the best all in one monitors that are out there and I simply love the size. A little bit bigger than the Genelec M040s, they are literally designed to be in a really small room.

So bottom line, if you are inspiring to be a trap or edm music producer (Anything that requires using 808s) and have a small space like an apartment, these are for you.

A lot professionals swear by them and they are better than the Yamaha’s HS8s because they have the same amount of clarity but with more bass. Now that I think about it, when I went to record my rap vocals for the very first time at a studio owned by Bryan Adams (Yes the rockstar from the 80s), they had the same monitors but they had them sideways. Just another way of placing them.

So as you may have figured out by now, I can’t recommend the Neumann studio monitors enough. My pair of Neumann KH 120as have been with me for almost 6 years now. After every session, I just cover them up with a little towel as my room gets pretty dusty. I should buy proper protection though.

With the Neumann KH 120s, you wouldn’t have to worry about annoying your neighbours either. Granted you live in a concrete building.

Hands down, the Neumann KH 120 pair is just a highly recommended studio monitor package. I personally use them and they simply are the best studio monitor speakers if you make trap, rap or EDM music. No subwoofer necessary with these monitors.

Definitely one of the top studio monitors out there today.


Genelec Studio Monitors – M040


If there are studio monitors that I ever considered getting over the Neumann, it would be these guys.

If the Neumann are Porsches. Than the Genelec are the Ferraris.

Both can do the job but one will cost you more. Actually, that is a great analogy.

Of course now I’m more than happy with my purchase but when I was testing them out, I was like if I had a bigger budget, the Genelec M040 would have been a little sweeter.

Believe it or not, the bass in these Genelec M040 is even higher than the Kh120. Also I like the size. After getting the Neumanns though, I think if I had more bass, it probably would have bothered my neighbours so if your studio is in a similar space than mine, perhaps it’s not such a bad idea to skip these ones.

The Kh120s do a great job but yeah. I’m sort of a bass addict (I do love trap music) so I would just point that out. Remember they are both awesome and no matter which one you pick, your 808 needs will be satisfied.

One thing I like about the Genelec a tad bit more is the size. The Genelec M040 studio monitor is smaller than the Neumann’s so they will fit better on your music desk as well. They are almost portable actually.


Mackie Studio Monitors – Mackie HR824 MKii

Mackie HR824mk2 8.75 Inches Powered Studio Monitor
  • Powered Monit with 8¾" LF Driver
  • Acoustic Space Control
  • 1" Dome Tweeter

These monitors are one of the best in the game and considered the most balanced of them all (As far as the highs and lows go).

As far as accuracy goes (Flat frequency), there’s a reason why you’ll find these in a lot of professional Studios. What I mean by accuracy is you’ll have a much better idea if your music sounds good or bad. Just because everything overall sounds so clear.

This is amazing because then you can make the necessary changes required. A sign of any good set of studio monitors (Just like the ones mentioned earlier as well).

The Mackie HR824 MKii are just simply one of the best out there.

If you want crystal clear highs and solid tight low end (Bass), this is another proven set of studio monitors.


Adam Studio Monitors – Adam A7X

Another pair of super clean studio monitors, that are used in countless professional music studios and home recording studios alike.

This Adam a7x pair is an award-winning pair of studio speakers that are praised by many.

As far as clarity goes, you can really hear your snares, the cymbals, the hi-hats, etc. Your “highs” as they are referred to in the music production game.

So are the Adam studio monitors worth the money? Depends on what kind of music you make.

The bass (Low end) isn’t bad either. I would add a subwoofer with this one though. That’ said, these are considered to be in the top 10 best recording studio monitors out there.


KRK Rokit 5 G3 Studio Monitors

KRK Studio Moniror (59107)
  • An incredibly versatile powered nearfield studio monitor great for any style of music
  • Soft-dome tweeter with optimized waveguide provides smooth pristine and articulate highs up to 35kHz
  • Lightweight glass-aramid composite woofer delivers clear midrange and tight bass

Guys and gals, listen to me on this…

Now I know everyone says KRK Rokit are the best budget monitors or great entry-level monitors but the truth of the matter is there is no such thing as “great entry-level monitors”.

Most of these people are just trying to sell you something and make a quick buck.

That’s it.

The people recommending the KRK Rokit bundle haven’t even downloaded a music software let alone produce a song.

If you can’t get a pair of solid studio monitors (Like the ones mentioned above), don’t invest in so-called entry-level monitors.

You’re better off investing in a plug-in like Omnisphere or buying some sound samples and just continue improving your music.

My point is it’s better to save up and buy proper quality studio monitors then to invest in the krk rokit 5 pair. It’s just not up to par. The reason for that is if you get basic studio monitors, you hurting your own ear training in the long run.

That’s all there is to it.

Main reason for that is your ears are going to get used to crappy sounds for the lack of a better term. I can go on and on and no disrespect to the Rokit 5 KRK brand but if you’re not serious about making professional music, then go ahead with the KRK’s my friend.

Every industry professional will tell you that the highs on these are just horrendous and just plain muddy. As far as the bass goes you can just forget about it.

What is “Muddy” in music production? It basically means your highs are not clear. If they are not clear enough to mix, they are not clear enough to go anywhere.

It might be fun to use them for the very first time if you haven’t tried any 5 inch studio monitors before but they’re more of a “fun” set of studio monitors than a professional one.

To really make my point, no professional track was ever mixed on the KRK Rokit 5 G3s.

Period.

Now it’s up to you where you are with your music and where you want to go.

Sorry if I sound harsh but my goal is to help beginners turn into professional music producers.

I’m sure these studio monitors are filling some kind of a gap in the market but it’s not to help you make professional music.

That’s for sure.

Bottom line, save up for 6 months or a year if you have to but if you want to make professional music, don’t invest in amateur monitors.

If you’re a dabbler then try them out but if you are committed to proper music production, don’t.


JBL Studio Monitors

JBL Professional 308P MkII 8-Inch, 2-Way, Powered, Active Monitor Speaker for Near Field Music Production, Studio Monitor, Desktop Computer,...
  • Sold individually. 8” Woofer. 1” Tweeter. JBL 308P MkII undergoes a rigorous 100-hour full-power test to ensure...
  • Featuring patented technologies derived from the JBL Master Reference Monitors.
  • Updated High Frequency and Low Frequency transducers - New design improvements result in optimized damping for superior...

If I say that these monitors are really good after what you read about what I said about the KRK Rokit, that would make me a total hypocrite.

Like I said guys, I totally don’t understand why someone would invest into amateur studio monitors and these JBL powered studio monitors are one of them. It’s like trying to compete In a NASCAR race in an average car. You will definitely compete, but you will finish last. Heck you might not even finish.

I guess it just depends on your goals. If you want to make music like an amateur or just for the sake of saying “Hey look I have a home studio”, then go for it.

In fact don’t bother investing in these JBL studio monitors pair. Just keep playing with your music production software.

After all, what’s the point right?

However, if you want to make professional music and I’m sorry that I’m repeating myself here over and over again . . . save up for better ones.

It’s better to save up then to invest in monitors that are not up to par. Use what the professionals use and you will get professional sound. Simple as that.

I feel like my blood pressure is getting high because I’m getting all worked up on this so I’ll quit while I’m still alive.


Event Opal Studio Monitors

Event Opal (pair) of 750-watt Active Monitors
  • Variable Impedance Flared Ports (patent pending) that eliminate artifacts heard in rear reflection ports that rely on...
  • Internal engineering removes all port noise
  • Cabinet designed with complex radii to eliminate diffraction

This was a shocker but I had to share this because I hope the Event Opal team brings the studio monitors back.

It is only recently that they’ve been discontinued them and there hasn’t been any official word on why they stopped making these either.

The only thing we know is this happened after some unusually long shipping delays (As reported by a lot of users).

Which is quite sad because these high end studio monitors were actually really impressive with a great flat response, etc.

A lot of professional producers and studio owners have them in their arsenal as well.

Anyways, just wanted to mention them because I hope they bring them back.


Focal Studio Studio Monitors

Focal Professional Solo6 Be Studio Monitors - Black/Red
  • Pur Beryllium inverted dome tweeter: very low directivity, excellent linearity and dynamics.
  • "W" composite sandwich cone: neutral sound, no distortion.
  • Protected Beryllium dome (the effect of the grille has been compensated on the amplifier to adjust the tonal balance).

Another one of my favorite brands but you need to have some weight in your wallet to acquire these these bad boys. If you ever been to a professional studio and saw a three-way monitor, most likely it was a Focal. They are usually placed sideways in a horizontal way.

It wasn’t this specific model but in almost all professional studios in the world you will find at least one Focal Studio most like mr. 3-way. Now the reason I’m not featuring that here is because it’s not something I’ve seen in home Studios but if you would like to learn more about it feel free to do your research.

However, the Focal solo 6 monitors specific model is right up there with the other high quality studio monitors. The highs are super clear on these monitors, the low end is definitely present and overall they’re just one of the few hand-picked studio monitors that we encourage you to check out. The Focal Solo 6 frequency response is one of the flattest in the game.

If you’re upgrading from a KRK Rokit pair or something of that nature, you will definitely feel the difference and if this is your first time getting studio monitors, then most likely you’ll end up sticking with these Focal solo monitors for years to come.


Alesis Studio Monitors

No products found.

Now just because you make amazing synthesizers and keyboards, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to transfer over other categories such as studio monitors. Now don’t get me wrong I love Alesis, but these are not studio monitors to use in your home studio.

I wish they’d just put them out as high quality speakers instead of monitors. Believe it or not, most people who use them are using them in their classrooms or at the very most oh, they’re being used by film producers who need some help with their audio touch ups.

Yeah . . . exactly.

So these are not necessarily the best pick for studio monitors, but I just wanted to share this pair because just because someone calls their products “studio monitors” doesn’t mean they necessarily are.

Again no offence to Alesis, I love their keyboards but their reference monitors are not up to par for professional music.

Not even close.


Behringer Studio Monitors

Behringer MS40 24-Bit/192 kHz Digital 40 Watt Stereo Near Field Monitors
  • 2-way active studio monitors ideally suited for computer studios, audio and multimedia workstations and keyboard...
  • Built-in powerful 2 x 20-Watt amplifiers with immense headroom
  • Powerful woofers and high-resolution tweeters provide an ultra-linear frequency response

Behringer is another brand that I brag about a lot on the side because I have their audio interface and it is absolutely amazing.

However when it comes to their studio monitors, they’re probably even worse than the KRK Rokits. Now that’s saying a lot.

To be honest, let’s not even call them studio monitors, let’s just call them high-end computer speakers.

That’s exactly what they are.

In fact just like the Alesis, you will find these in classrooms or at some person’s house who bought them just because he needed better computer speakers.

If you’re looking for a upgrade to your current existing set of computer desktop speakers, these are solid.

If you’re looking for studio monitors to mix the next commercial ready track, don’t even bother.

Again love Behringer for some other products but, but not for studio monitors, not yet.

In fact, I encourage them to stop advertising them as Studio monitors.

This exact same message goes for our friends at Alesis as well.

Sorry but it’s true.


Best Studio Monitor Brands

[Cover] Best Studio Monitors

There are a few of these out there but like I’ve been saying, buying studio monitors just for vanity reasons vs making professional music are two different things.

When it comes to studio monitors, it is always smart to go with the proven brands.

Neumann

Neumann Studio Monitors

All right.

I’m going to talk about the Neumanns for obvious reasons.

I own a pair (KH 120 As) and they rock.  However, that’s not all the Neumann brand is famous for.

Let’s learn more about them . . .

The Newman guys are from Germany so you know your engineering is going to be on point. Another thing these guys are famous for is making professional studio microphones. Yes they actually make some of the best microphones in the industry and have been doing it for quite some time.

Their microphones are especially popular with rappers like Chief Keef, lil pump and all the up and coming soundcloud rappers. So when you get a product from the Neumann team, you know it’s basically an industry-leading product.

You might be wondering though “Hey how come I heard about Yamaha and Behringer but never Neumann so much?”

Well that’s for obvious reasons, as they are considered a fairly high end brand.

Anyways a phenomenal brand that is appreciated by most professionals in the music industry.

We are blessed they are in our lives today.

Yamaha

Yamaha Studio Monitors

Yamaha has proven over and over again that once they get into a certain category, they usually end up owning it. At the very least, they automatically become one of the favorites just because they do things in an immaculate fashion. The Yamaha hs8, HS5 and  other Yamaha monitors in their lineup are a testament to that.

I mean come on guys, this is a Japanese company. You know they go hard like nobody else.

As I mentioned earlier, my initial intention was to get the Yamaha HS8. When I heard them live, they were pretty awesome but they just didn’t have enough bass for for me so I had to move on and ended up with the Neumann KH 120s.

Regardless of my personal decision, you can’t beat the fact that Yamaha’s are a very well respected brand not just overall but in he entire studio monitor niche. Don’t be surprised if they come out with someone that challenges the Neumann Kh 120as or even surpasses them.

By the way, people who have added a subwoofer to the Yamaha HS8s say they have nothing to complain about. I happen to agree with them on that.

Genelec

Genelec Studio Monitors

Now you know we’re pretty transparent, so I have to say when I first saw the Genelec M040 and heard them, I was like man if I had a few more hundred bucks I would have totally gone with these guys.

Genelec is just a super professional music production brand. Believe it or not, they were actually founded in 1978 and of all countries, they are actually from Finland. Yes when the Finnish make something, it’s usually quite good as well. Remember the Nokia brand?

Bottom line, if any of your friends or contact is a professional record producer, most likely they know of the Genelec brand.

These guys only make products for the professional established artist so if you can get your hands on any of their products, consider yourself lucky.

I’m a big fan of these guys now and I would love to own a pair of Genelec studio monitors myself.


Studio Monitor Stands

If you have enough room on your music desk, studio monitor stands honestly aren’t really necessary. If you have a decent studio desk (Any desk) that is wide enough, you should be able to place your studio monitors on them.

If you don’t though, then it becomes a little tricky because you don’t want to put almost $2,000 worth of equipment on a weak little desk right?

This is when you should look into getting studio monitor stands. I have a really small desk and granted it’s not the most perfect acoustic environment but you know what, it’s big enough for me to place my Neumann KH120s.

I’m still banging out really good beats on a regular basis and they are professionally mixed and mastered by myself. If I do move into a bigger space, I would like to have room for some studio monitor stands though.

So getting studio monitor stands isn’t something you should look into right away but if you don’t have any options, then naturally it’s a good idea.


Studio Monitor Headphones

Yeah another misconception I would like to clear up is that you need some special studio headphones to go along with your studio monitors.

Not necessary at all.

Unless you are recording vocals, you don’t even need headphones.

You might have heard of in ear monitors but they are used by drummers when they are playing live. It helps them listen to the music so they don’t miss the beat. It has nothing to do with studio monitors.

If you are planning to record vocals or other live instruments like a travel guitar as an example, what you need is a pair of noise cancelling headphones. You can call them studio headphones or whatever but the whole idea is to not leak any sound into your microphone as you record.

For this to happen, any over the ear noise cancelling headphones should be set.

I’m currently using a brand called Edifier, and let me tell you, I’ve recorded a whole bunch of tracks with these.

Of course I had to make some adjustments on my daw and my audio interface but then it was a done deal.


Studio Monitor Subwoofer

Not necessary something you may need right away but if you are making music in today’s world, you know bass and 808s are the name of the game (At least in pop culture for now).

So if you want to add some extra bass (Low end) to your mixes with crystal clear precision, adding a studio subwoofer to studio monitors may help.

Especially with the Yamaha HS8s.

Relax . . .

It’s just another friendly jab at the HS8s but in reality it’s actually true. They lack bass. However, with a studio monitor subwoofer, I’m sure they more than make up for it.

So just to reiterate, studio subwoofers are necessary but if you think your studio monitors lack bass, at least now you have an option.

If a company is making studio monitors, they are mot likely making their own subwoofer as well. However, it’s not necessary to get a subwoofer from the same brand.


Studio Monitor Controller

Now this may seem more of an additional accessory in the beginning but once you start making good music, you would want to speed up your workflow. Just so you can make music much faster and more of.

You might have seen this little silver or grey box with a knob or two in some studios.

What you saw was most likely something known as a studio controller.

Plug Walk's producer with TheLabCook uses a studio controller. Lot's of professionals do.
Plug Walk’s producer (Man behind Rich The Kid’s massive hit song), TheLabCook uses a studio controller. Lot’s of professionals do.

To speed things up, a studio controller (Sometimes referred to as a switcher) can definitely help. I’m actually looking for one myself.

Once you get good, the idea is to dramatically speed things up and if you have a studio subwoofer attached, you can use this controller for not just the studio monitors but even your subwoofer as well.

This studio controller by Mackie seems to be quite popular.

Mackie Big Knob Passive 2x2 Studio Monitor Controller
  • Mono/Mute/Dim Buttons
  • Pristine audio quality
  • Choose between two sources and two monitor pairs

What Are Home Studio Monitors?

They look like regular speakers, they come in various sizes like your normal everyday speakers but then why do you need “studio monitors”?

Why can’t you just produce music using stereo speakers or your standard desktop computer speakers?

Well, the difference lies in what’s on the inside. Studio monitors don’t have built-in effects, etc like a regular speaker would. So the sound that goes in (Playing notes on a midi controller for example) is exactly what comes out.

Yes is pretty surprising how different studio monitors really are as compared to your everyday regular stereo home speakers.

Home Studio Monitors vs Speakers

Home speakers are designed to ‘modify’ existing sound.

Some have more treble (Highs), some have more bass (Lows) and so on.

Not sure what “Highs” and “Lows” are?

Anything around 200hz or less is considered bass (Low), anything pass that is known as “highs” or treble.

Once you start mixing, you’ll easily pick it up so don’t worry about it now.

What is bass and treble?

To understand all this, let’s look at what audio really is . . .

Audio or sound is basically an electric signal, that your ears can hear.

That’s it.

Audio or sound is measured in hertz. Commonly referred to as “frequency”. You’ll hear this term a lot when you get into mixing music.

So a studio monitor’s job is to keep that signal as close to it’s original state till it reaches your ears.

A speaker on the other hand, will morph this electric signal according to it’s built-in algorithm / features.

A set of Bose speakers can add their own twist to this electric signal, Sony speakers do their own thing and so on.

Have a look at this visual below:

You can say a studio monitor works in a way that is the opposite of a typical stereo speaker.

A speaker adds it’s own ‘flavor’ to the sound and a studio monitor tries to keep your sound as original to the source (Piano in this example).

So if your music sounds perfect on a studio monitor, it will sound great in any commercial settings (Club, Radio, TV, etc).

Another difference is unlike regular speakers, most studio monitors and speakers are considered near-field monitors.

Which basically means the listener shouldn’t be too far away from them.

Makes sense as you’re suppose to mix on them and mixing / mastering can only happen when you can listen to the sound clearly. Naturally, you need to be close in proximity to do this.

Pretty obvious I guess . . .

What Kind of Studio Monitors Should I Get?

Depends on what kind of music you make. For bass heavy music, you need studio monitors with good low frequencies (Bass). For jazz, you might now need to worry about bass at all. So depends on what kind of music you make.

Before you decide to get a pair of studio monitors, you need to take these four things into consideration:

  • Flat Frequency Response: How ‘Flat’ are your monitors.
  • Active or Passive: Active refers to ‘self powered’ and Passive monitor.
  • Size: Can they fit in your designated studio.
  • Audio Interface: Serves as an ‘interface’ or bridge that helps connect your interface with your monitors.

What is Flat Frequency Response?

This is a term given to measure how ‘flat’ or ‘pure’ the audio stays to it’s original source, once it comes out of your studio monitors.

This attempt to keep the sound (signal) as pure as possible is referred to as flat frequency response.

So you need to find studio monitors that have the flattest response as it equals to the most accurate representation of your music.

If it sounds a certain way on your studio monitors, it means your track will sound pretty much the same everywhere else.

Got it?

Active vs Passive Speakers

There are two main types of studio monitors, passive and active.

Passive monitors, also known as “unpowered” act exclusively as speakers. With a passive monitor, you have to buy an additional power source / amp.

An active (“powered”) monitor already has a built in power source / amplifier.

Luckily, most of the studio monitors out there are considered powered studio monitors (Active).

Even the ones used by your favorite producers (Like the ones on our list) so don’t worry about it.

Passive speakers are usually found in professional studios and are kind of part of the pre-digital era.

Eventually, they will die out.

At least that’s our prediction.

This is the simple difference between active studio monitors and the passive ones.

What Size Studio Monitors Do I Need?

A common question and an important one.

Honestly, it all depends on how much room you have and where you will put them. Generally speaking, the smaller your studio monitors are, the better. This will just give you more room to put other things as your studio grows in size.

Most professional studio monitors are in around the 10 inch (height range) so it shouldn’t be that much of an issue.

It all depends on what you can get away with. My Neumann KH 120 are around 11 inches in height but they fit well on my small red desk. Not the best acoustic environment but it works. I haven’t had any placement issues as my current desk is big enough.

You don’t need some ‘special’ environment to make music, just get started and keep going. A simple music desk would work just fine.

Audio Interface for Studio Monitors

Now before you get all excited, you do need an audio interface to connect your studio monitors.

Don’t worry, if you can get studio monitors, you can get a interface as well.

They are designed to bear the load of your studio monitors and any other external professional equipment like a mic, stringed instruments such as a ukulele or guitar, and even an external synthesizer, etc.

You are now making professional music so you do need real equipment.

Try connecting your studio monitors without an audio interface to your computer and you will fry either one of them or both.

Not a good idea at all.

An audio interface is really simple to connect as you can get it going with just a USB cable (Usually included) and two XLR cables for your monitors.

Kind of like this illustration below:

how to connect studio monitor to computer without an audio interface
XLR cables are these special and more powerful cables than your regular everyday wires. They are  just the best cables for studio monitors. A kind of a standard thing in the music making world.

Lastly, there are two main types of studio monitors:

  • 2 way studio monitor
  • 3 way studio monitor

The difference is simple, The ‘2’ simply refers to the number of speakers.

2 way studio monitor vs 3 way studio monitor

One is a tweeter and one is for the bass.

A 3 way studio monitor simply adds another speaker for the mids or the audio that falls in the middle of the bass and tweeter (Highs).

Three-way monitors are usually found in professional studios and are not necessary to create professional music. Having a 2 way monitor vs a 3 way is like having a Porsche with a turbocharger.

Appreciated but not necessary to make professional music. That’s why we didn’t feature any below.

A 2 way studio monitor is just fine and in most cases, you don’t need to calibrate it or anything either.

Now that you know what to look for before getting your very own pair o , here are some of the best-powered monitors around.

In addition, these are one of the best flat response studio monitors in the game today.


Best Way To Select Studio Monitors?

Now after you’ve done some research and I hope this page helped, the final test is to go to your local music store and hear the difference yourself.

That’s how everyone buys them so don’t worry about asking the clerk.

They expect it.

Anyways, this is how everyone else does it and how I did it myself as well (I went down to the local Tome Lee Music we have here).

In fact, it was because of this ‘listening test’ that I completely got sold on the Neuman KH 120 A. The size is perfect for my small room (Definitely the best small studio monitors), the highs are super clear especially when compared to the KRK Rokits (Which is just horrendous) and the bass is way better than Yamaha HS8s (Which I originally went in to get).


How To Connect Your Studio Monitors?

To set up your studio monitors, you need a few things.

After all, it’s not like you’re connecting a pair of regular speakers.

Here is what you will need:

  • Music desk
  • XLR Cables (6Ft minimum)
  • Power Bar
  • Audio Interface
  • Studio Monitor Stands (Maybe optional)
Music Desk

For obvious reasons, you do need a place to set your studio monitors on. As long as your desk is sturdy and wide enough to place your studio monitors, you should be good.

You can always look into studio monitor stands but again, it depends on the room you have.

XLR Cables

Well professional studio monitors aren’t something you can just plug in with normal everyday wires. After all, they do pass a lot of information so the wires need to be strong enough to carry such strong electrical signals.

XlR cables are heavy duty cables that help transfer massive information (High quality audio) from your daw through your speakers.

In the professional music equipment world, xlr cables are kind of a standard.

Power Bar

You don’t necessarily need a power bar but if you can get one it would just keep things intact. I got one and it definitely helps. Especially as you start to expand your home studio with other things that may require external power.

Audio Interface

Now the main ingredient to this entire equation is an audio interface.

An audio interface serves as a bridge between your powerful monitors and your computer.

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Yo can try connecting them to your computer directly but either your computer is going to get super over heated or your monitors will blow up. Either way, it’s a safety hazard.

Plus having an audio interface allows you to control other things as well like your professional microphone, an external instrument like a guitar and a few others.

Basically, an audio interface is designed to help you balance the load of not just your studio monitors but anything else that’s external.

This could be mics, external instruments like a guitar or a drum set, multitrack recorders and the list goes on.

I guess you can say that an audio interface is the “load bearer” for many other professional add-ons or other instruments that you may want to try playing with.

So long story short, it’s a definite necessity.

Studio Monitor Stands

Finally, if you think you need them, it’s always good to get studio monitor stands. You can also look into desktop studio monitor stands (Stands to place on the desks rather than beside it). They are a easily managed and can simply be placed on your existing desk.

Well that’s pretty much it.

Now after you setup your studio monitors, the final step is to keep making music on a regular basis.


Where To Buy Studio Monitors?

Today Studio Monitors are available at all proper music equipment stores. Online and Offline. Whether you live in North America, Malaysia, Singapore, NZ (New Zealand), Perth or just someone looking for studio monitor stands in India, you will find them around at pretty much any music store.

Just make sure you get them from a very large and trusted store (Online or brick and mortar) so you get them at the best price possible.


Can you use studio monitors for regular speakers?

You sure can.

However, I encourage you to keep your studio monitors separate because first, they are going to be the most expensive part of your home studio and second, just buy some regular speakers for a few hundred bucks at the most and use them.

Why spoil your nice studio monitors for no reason right?


How To Connect Studio Monitors To pc?

As mentioned earlier, to connect your studio monitors to your pc or macbook pro, you need an audio interface. An audio interface will help take the load off your Studio Monitors so your pc or mac performance isn’t effected or overloaded at all.


How to connect studio monitors to an audio interface?

To hook up studio monitors to an audio interface, you would need to get your self some XLR cables. Each XLR cable should also have a male socket on one end and a female one on the other. XLR cables are especially designed to withstand the high electrical power that is transported in the process.

Sources:

Peter Thomas

Peter is a well-known guitar teacher in Ealing. He’s taught hundreds of guitarists of all levels, covering everything from rock and pop to jazz and classical.Have a question, need some help, or want to give your opinion? Drop us a comment below!

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