How to Choose The Best Studio Monitors?
1. What is the amount of my budget?
Studio monitors are an expensive purchase. My selection has been structured to fit a variety of budgets. Keep in mind that as monitors get more costly, the benefits lessen.
2. What is the size of my room?
Below, terminology like “near-field” and “mid-field” will be used. Smaller mix rooms, on the whole, necessitate smaller monitors. When huge monitors are placed in a small space, the sound will be boomy, and the sound will not be accurate. With larger rooms, the monitors can be placed further away from you (thus the term “mid-field” monitors). This enables you to use larger drivers on your displays.
3. Is my room disinfected?
The greatest monitors will only sound great in a well treated environment, so there’s no point in spending money on a high-end set if your room isn’t properly treated. In general, a $500 pair of monitors in a $1000 acoustic treatment room will sound miles better than a $1500 set of monitors in a room with no acoustic treatment. Remember, the acoustic foam has no effect! To change the low-end response of your space, you should use hefty bass traps with a lot of mass.
4. What sort of audio do I work on?
I seldom provide genre-specific suggestions because most displays are designed to be flexible. However, I’ll highlight a few monitors that function well in particular situations further down. Some monitors with smaller drivers miss out on the important low frequencies of electronic music, while others like Focal offer a fantastic high-end response that is perfect for voices.
A set of studio monitors, whether entry-level or professional-grade, will provide tremendous value to a studio.
Best Entry-Level Studio Monitors (under $400 per pair)
JBL LSR305P MKII
Price is for a pair: $258
Range of Frequency: 43Hz-24kHz
Configuration of Speakers: 2-way
Driver Size: 5”, 1”
Why it was chosen for the list?
Yes, I’m starting with the tried-and-true JBLs. These are my top picks for first-time monitor purchasers. The value for money is unmatched, and once you have a pair of LSR305s, you won’t need to upgrade again until you’re ready to spend $1K+ on your next set of monitors. They feature a well-balanced EQ spectrum and are designed to have a broad “sweet spot,” which means that even if your room arrangement isn’t ideal, you’ll probably receive a better sound from these monitors than from others that rely on a more rigid room setup.
KRK Rokit 5
Price is for a pair: $358
Range of Frequency: 43Hz-40kHz
Configuration of Speakers: 2-way
Driver Size: 5”, 1”
Why it was chosen for the list?
You’ve probably seen images of the Rokits at some of your favorite producers’ studios. The kevlar tweeter assures long-term dependability, and the classic yellow and black look is a mainstay for many electronic music artists. The monitors may be calibrated to your space using the KRK app (it’s not a replacement for Sonarworks, but it’s a good start). The Rokits are recognized for their balanced low-end response and are designed to be worn for long periods of time without causing ear strain. The KRKs are a great choice for beginning producers who want to work for long periods of time.
PreSonus Eris E5
Price is for a pair: $250
Range of Frequency: 53Hz-22kHz
Configuration of Speakers: 2-way
Driver Size: 5”, 1.25”
Why it was chosen for the list?
Another excellent option for your first studio monitors is the Presonus Eris E5s. The E5s’ silk dome tweeter provides clarity without the high-end harshness observed in comparable priced monitors when it comes to smooth frequency responses and an accurate high end. Because the E5s miss out on sub frequencies below 53Hz, you’ll need to use monitoring headphones or a subwoofer to have a good low-end experience. They do, however, include an 80Hz/100Hz low-cut, which is great for making music late at night when you don’t want to wake up your neighbors (and incorporate a sub).
Yamaha HS5
Price is for a pair: $400
Range of Frequency: 54Hz-30kHz
Configuration of Speakers: 2-way
Driver Size: 5”, 1”
Why it was chosen for the list?
The Yamaha HS series (HS5, HS7, HS8) are all excellent monitors that many producers choose. The HS5s are barely under the $400 limit for a pair, and you won’t be disappointed if you choose them as your first studio monitors. Transparency is key here, and a mix that sounds excellent on the HS5s will sound great in almost any listening environment. You may also tweak the monitors’ ROOM CONTROL and HIGH TRIM response settings to make them sound fantastic in your mix room.
Kali Audio LP-6
Price is for a pair: $298
Range of Frequency: 45Hz-21kHz
Configuration of Speakers: 2-way
Driver Size: 6.5”, 1”
Why it was chosen for the list?
The LP-6s are on the list for one simple reason: they are unusually transparent for the price. Not only are they easy to set up, but Kali’s “Boundary EQ” allows you to fine-tune the monitors to accommodate less-than-ideal room settings. There is a setting for you whether you are near to a wall, or your monitors are on stands or a desk. The LP-6s are a terrific buy at this price range because of their balanced frequency response and adjustable settings.
