10 Best Studio Monitors

Buying a set of decent studio monitors can be confusing business, with the days of picking up some industry standard Yamaha NS10’s long gone – the market is now brimming with viable alternatives. With the advent of room correctional facilities being commonplace across the market range, and phrases like “bass reflex” and “ported” being thrown about, picking out a pair of monitors suited to your needs is not easy. This article guides you through the 10 best studio monitors under the £1000 mark, with our experts outlining their key features and the characteristics which may well make them a permanent fixture in your home, project or small professional studio space.

Adam A7X Monitors

This is the popular update to Adam’s original and much loved A7 model.  The X in the product title stands for extended frequency response, and the key USP here is Adam’s Accelerating Ribbon Technology, which claims to extend the range to 50kHz (previously only 30kHz). The X Art Tweeter is one of the monitor’s best features, providing ultra accurate reproduction of the top frequencies whilst improving phase response driven by its own 50W amp. As the name suggests, the bass/mid woofer is 7” and driven by its own hugely powerful 100W PWM amp with two large vents on the front that kick out the sub-bass frequencies. The volume knob is also conveniently placed on the front. Out back there are unbalanced ¼” TRS jack connectors in addition to balanced female XLR with a high gain (± 4dB) and two shelf filters for high and low frequencies. Designed and assembled in Berlin, these are one of the most accurate monitors you’ll find under £1000. The sound quality is always well-rounded regardless of volume, with the bass translating crisply and the higher frequencies having a great presence without being too bright. They’re surprisingly un-fatiguing for monitors of this size making them a good all round choice for writing, mixing and extended listening. Available in four different sizes; A3X, A5X, A7X and A8X. Recommended. [Find out more at Juno]

Mackie HR824 MK2

Another set of heavy hitting monitors in their second incarnation. These are big, not just in size (425 x 273 x 351mm) but also with their immensely full sound. They are sealed passive radiator speakers which means they don’t have the ports for air flow that you’ll find on bass reflex models – hence less distortion and a truer sound. The 8.75” low/mid woofer is powered by a 150W fast recovery amp which promises 35Hz to 20kHz (+/-1.5dB) coverage. The high frequencies are taken care of by a one inch titanium dome, ferrofluid cooled tweeter that is powered by a 100W amp and cased in a stylish beveled front baffle complete with ice white glowing on/off switches which turn red if the signal is peaking. The manufacturer has opted for a wooden cabinet that not only do they claim adds accuracy and character to the sound but has a beautiful gloss piano black finish. At the rear there are three settings for room shape which comprise quarter space for speakers in corners, half space for situations where you need to place against the wall and whole space which is for normal operation away from the walls. There’s a LF roll-off at 80Hz, 47Hz or 37Hz, hi gain boost by +/- 2 dg plus volume and inputs for phono, XLR and RCA which unlike Pioneer’s new bins can’t be toggled between. The sound on these badboys is loved by many, particularly D&B and dubstep producers that crave that accurate big bass response to play about with. From personal experience we’d say that if you can nail your mix to sound snappy and well balanced on these then it’s a pretty good indication of how it will sound on the Funktion One rigs in the clubs. If you’re operating in a smaller room go for the HR624’s which handle almost exactly the same but won’t destroy the foundations in your house or scare the granny next door. [Find out more at Juno]

Genelec 8030A Bi-Amplified Monitoring System

This is a snazzy little monitor that punches above its weight when it comes to sound quality and loudness, considering its modest size. The magnetically shielded cabinet is made of die cast aluminum and features a rear ported bass reflex system going down to 58Hz. The tweeter incorporates DCW (Directivity Controlled Waveguide) technology which matches the frequency response and directivity characteristics of the drivers, making for an excellent flatness on the overall frequency response for on and off-axis listening. The bass woofer is a compact 5” and both this and the ¾” tweeter are powered by independent 40W amps. You can also bring this system to life with the addition of the 7050B (stereo) or 7060A (surround) subwoofer which will extend your frequency response to 25Hz. Another interesting feature is the Iso-Pod (Isolation Positioner/Decoupler) – or the feet to you and me. This is an innovative cradle system that allows you to position the monitors at any angle, either horizontally or vertically, so that you can optimize the stereo field to your listening position. The cabinet is of the usual contemporary product design that we can expect from our Finnish friends, incorporating a large volume knob and on/off switch on the front baffle, with the rear housing the room adjustment switch that is split into four and consists of a treble tilt which attenuates the response above 5 kHz by 2 dB. If you want to use the sub, the next switch is a -6dB roll off at 85Hz. The remaining switches are for bass cuts of -2, -4, or -6 dB. Hook up is with a female XLR and there is also a male XLR for chaining multiple 8030A’s or the sub. When it comes to sound you’ll be amazed at the amount of noise that these little bins make – it’s particularly well rounded with a decent top end that provides an almost clinical response in their accuracy. Some people find the Genelec sound characterless but ultimately that will only help your mix. Scandinavian efficiency at it’s finest. [Find out more at Juno]

Sonodyne SM 50Ak

Not normally known for their pro-audio industry, Mumbai’s Sonodyne have been making loudspeakers since the 1980s, producing all of their components under one roof at their Kolkata plant. This is another compact studio monitor that’s got a few tricks up its sleeve when it comes to size versus performance. From top to bottom of the vented die cast aluminum cabinet you’ll find the 1.1” ferro fluid cooled silk soft dome tweeter flanked by a 0.5 x 3” vertical flared slot port on either side. Below this, the 5.25” mid/bass kevlar cone sits above the on/off switch and volume adjust knobs. Both drivers are powered by 45W amplifiers with a fourth-order Linkwitz Riley active crossover at 2.5kHz, with a second-order 60Hz subsonic filter. At the back there’s a couple of dipswitches for fine tuning, offering a 100 Hz, 6 dB/ octave bass roll-off, bass tilt at  80 Hz of -2 dB, -4 dB, -6 dB and a treble tilt of – 2 dB at15 kHz. There’s also a +/- 6dB gain knob plus balanced  female XLR and RCA hook ups. For near-field monitoring these are ace little speakers, especially accurate around the mid frequencies and performing well on bass at average listening levels. The high is crisp yet not over aggressive and we don’t doubt that you’ll yield some clear and accurate mix-downs. They’ve got a really nice bespoke feel to them which comes from their high level of craftsmanship (due to hand assembly) not to mention the included linen bags which protect them from dust when not in use. A real head-turner on any monitoring bridge. [Find out more at Juno]

Fostex PM2 MKII

We could listen to these speakers all day! Perfect for those bigger spaces, the PM2 MKII’s have an overall free-field frequency response of 50Hz – 20kHz. They’re impressive looking bins, with their high gloss front baffles being dominated by the menacing 8.75” Olefin film coated fibre bass cone which is powered by 120W amp. This has a cut off of 40Hz (-10dB), which you can also pump or cut by 3dB either way by means of a switch on the back. Moving upwards you’ve got the twin 2” vents which kick out a balanced flow of energy. Finally there’s the UFLC (Fostex’ Poly Urethane Film Laminated Cloth technology) 25mm soft dome HF unit which is also powered by its own 120W amp with a cut-off of 22kHz (-10dB) also adjustable by a rear mounted knob. Both amplifiers have been tuned to match the performance capability of the drivers. The sound is great with a fantastic clean depth to the bass which doesn’t sound confused at the higher listening levels. The top end is just right – bright but not overpowering – with the mid range also coming through very strongly with definition. These monitors are a lot of fun to work with, equally suited to writing, mixing or general listening and yield accurate reults. Would work well as a multi-purpose DJ or Studio monitor. Also available is the smaller PM1 incarnation. [Find out more at Juno]

Focal CMS 40

French pro-audio fanatics Focal make an appearance in our 10 best series with a rock solid compact monitoring solution designed for smaller working spaces, or to be used as part of a larger CMS monitoring system. You get the instant impression that you’re joining a very exclusive club as you unpack these guys, with the security seal advising that you’ll need to break the product in with ten hours use at a moderate level. They look and feel bomb-proof with the front-ported cabinets being made of black powder-paint finished die cast aluminum and weighing a satisfying yet unproblematic 5.5Kg a pop. The woofer is a 4” focal drive unit with poly-glass cone with the aluminum/magnesium tweeter being of the inverted dome variety, each driven by a 25W amp with a frequency range of 60-28 Hz. The CMS 40’s come with phase plugs which are designed to be inserted into the tweeter to extend frequency response by preventing the cancellation of high frequency waves. They also ship with a rubber isolation mat as well as the standard feet and spikes. As with all modern studio monitors there are room correctional facilities on the rear panel offering LF shelving (0-450Hz) with 0 and +/- 2 dB, with the same attenuation for the HF at 4.5kHz – 20kHz. Another handy feature is that you can adjust the input level + 4dBu, 0, -10dBV. The sound is very pleasing for a monitor of this size, the only slight complaint being the 60Hz bass cut off which, if used as intended with the 11” CMS sub, would not be any problem and combined with the ultra sweet highs and linear mid-range would make a spine tingling home/project studio monitoring set-up. If the sub is financially out of reach it’s also worth taking a look at the CMS 50’s which go down to 55Hz with a 5” woofer. Nice. [Find out more at Juno]

JBL LSR2325P

JBL have been in the loudspeaker game long enough to know how to get the best from their components without charging an arm and a leg. LSR means Linear Spatial Reference, which is designed to take into account many different room characteristics (the average of 72 according to the manufacturer) and create a loudspeaker that will yield accurate results regardless of the room shape or size, providing a wider sweet spot for off-axis monitoring. These are the smallest in the range (also available is the 8” LSR 2328P and the 10” 2310 sub) yet have impressive stats considering their size. With a frequency response of 43 Hz – 20 kHz the 5”, 55W driven woofer and 35 W powered 1” soft domed tweeter are mounted in solid plastic front baffle which features a wave-guide for the top frequencies. The cabinet is constructed of covered MDF, an old classic in the world of speaker manufacturing that always yields surprisingly effective results. The underside of the cabinet has an attached layer of neoprene rubber for further isolation and you have room correction low and high trim on the back. This loudspeaker is also compatible (although sadly not included) with JBL’s infamous MSC1 RMC (Room Mode Correction) controller which looks a bit like one of the handhelds from Ghostbusters which reads the shape and size of your room and calibrates your speakers accordingly. On the testing bench initial results are pleasing, with the tonal balance being decent despite the slightly “plasticy” front baffle. For mixing at a domestic level you’ll get some great results, however when you start to crank the output volume the low and mid frequencies tend to get a bit lost. Listening back to our mix session the results were pleasing so we’d recommend these guys and can only conclude that with the sub you’ll be creating some super-satisfactory sonic masterpieces. [Find out more at Juno]

KRK Rokit RP8 G2

The Rokit series are almost regarded as a classic in world of project and home studios, with their instantly recognizable yellow glass Aramid composite cone woofers. The Rokit 8’s are driven by a 70W amp below which is the 8” front firing port. At the top of the plastic moulded front baffle you’ve got a waveguide mounted 1″ Neodymium soft dome tweeter with Ferro Fluid which is bought to life by 20W driver. The overall frequency response is 45Hz – 20kHz with a 109dB Peak SPL. You can tweak the HF via the presets knob to suit your room and boost or cut gain by -30/+6dB. If need be you can further extend the bass in you studio with the aid of the KRK 10S sub woofer which has a response of 34-50Hz to 130Hz, although probably unnecessary for home use. Sound-wise you can’t really go wrong, with these speakers being the perfect companion for club specific electronic music but also a safe bet for acoustic singer/songwriter productions. [Find out more at Juno]

Tannoy Reveal 501A

The original Reveal 5’s were seen by many as a saviour to those of us who needed professional results at an affordable price, with this newly refreshed edition continuing in this tradition. Coming in at £250 per pair these are definitely your best bang for the buck due to their impressive components, which include a contemporary looking 5” LF/MF driver and 1”soft dome tweeter plus the radically re-designed curve-sculpted front baffle which greatly minimizes diffraction. They’ve been designed for on/off axis quarter-space near-field monitoring, making them well suited for the top of your meter bridge or either side of your desktop PC monitor (fully shielded so no fuzzy display). The 501’s are another good example of front firing ported speakers which give these tidy little monitors that extra accuracy in the bass department. In practice they’re great for both writing and mixing due to their punchy and, excuse the pun, revealing output. They’ve got a frequency response of 64Hz – 30kHz and you can boost or cut the HF trim 1.5dB in either direction by means of a knob on the back. If you need that extra little kick or indeed want to use these near-fields in conjunction with a larger loudspeaker, then check out the Reveal 601A’s which have a larger cabinet, 6.5” woofer. Recommended. [Find out more at Juno]

M Audio Studiophile BX5 D2

At the heart of any audio set up are the monitors and if you’re recording, mixing or mastering you want to be able to monitor your sound as accurately as possible in the most engaging way possible. The best selling BX5 D2 studio monitors from M Audio are trusted by more musicians and recording professionals than anyone else. Its active bi-amped design delivers 70 watts of power distributed between the 5” Kevlar bass driver and the 1” silk dome which delivers the upper mids and above. Being an active speaker it doesn’t require separate amplification giving a much safer and cleaner delivery of your sound. With a broad frequency range which goes down to a more than acceptable 53 Hz and up to a shattering 22kHz, the punch and accuracy that these speakers deliver is ideal for pop and dance music producers as well as sound designers and post-production mixers.

[Find out more at Juno]