The majority of people believe that music denotes inner relaxation and peace. But recording and mixing music is a challenging job that most producers have to face.
Recording and mixing needs the presence of the right pieces of an instrument for the setup. It requires the correct location for proper recording and it needs to get the sweet spot to achieve the best mixing. What makes these even harder is that none of them happens in a flash, all of them take time.
Since purchasing a quality pair of best studio monitors is one of the most important parts of building a home recording studio, here, we gather the 5 best studio monitor brands to at least help lighten your load up.
KRK Rokit (8)
The well known KRK Rokit series is designed to have 8-inch woofer with 35 Hz to 35 kHz frequency range. The entire Rokit lineup is very popular due to their hard to find studio monitor features. KRK Rokit 8 has more of a V-shaped sound signature which means that the bass and highs are more boosted. Studio monitors do sound good. If you are the kind of producer that needs more bass response and not interested in a separate subwoofer then KRK Rokit 8 is best for you.
Studio monitors like the KRK Rokit 8 are the most used monitors by pro electronic music producers. Most users of the equipment are fully aware of the sound coloration the monitor has given. This device makes some of the most distinctive looking monitors around. Bear in mind that these speakers have big footprints of 10.8 inch by 15.6-inch measurement. And each speaker weighs a whopping 24.6 lbs.
The rear of the speaker offers balanced XLR and1/4 inputs. This speaker also includes an unbalanced RCA input. A volume knob, a 4-setting high-frequency level, and a 4-setting low-frequency level adjustment is also included in the device. KRK Rokit 8 studio monitors sounds really great are the popular choice over the past few years. The built quality of this piece of equipment is great and the bass and treble boost is fantastic.
Some notable features:
- All-black finish and bright yellow cone – for distinctive look
- Higher watts (100W) – for more volume and headroom resonance
Yamaha (HS8)
When it comes to monitoring, Yamaha Company has been long hailed as an industry leader and Yamaha HS8 is one of their amazing masterpieces. Yamaha HS8 is a powered studio monitor with 8-inch woofer size and is provided with 38Hz to 30 kHz frequency range. This monitor is an update to the well-respected HS80 which many suggest that they were among the flattest and most accurate studio monitor in its time.
This monitor works accurately when it comes to bass response. It provides tight and focused bass reproduction and because the device is investing in an 8-inch woofer, you might not necessarily need a subwoofer if you’re going to mix particularly on that bass-heavy music. Moreover, Yamaha HS8 provides room control and high trim switches. Room control is used for you to compensate for build-up bass. High trim, on the other hand, allows you to boost or cut 2 dB above 2 kHz if you opt to.
These features are great for you to be able to dial in a good balance. A monitor like this can also be placed in an acoustically treated room while keeping the size in mind. Yamaha HS8 is a great studio monitor with a great value. A pair of the equipment will set you back a little more than the other monitor in the market. The sound quality and accuracy this monitor has provided are hard to beat. If you like a thing that most producers had loved, consider Yamaha HS8.
Some notable features:
- Unique mounting system – minimizes vibration and improves performance
- Extra large magnets – for smoother response over wider frequency range
JBL (LSR305)
JBL studio monitors are very much budget-friendly. You can buy them for less than 300 dollars. Though it offers relatively low cash, it will take the quality of your productions the nest level. The JBL LSR305 is a powered studio monitor with 5-inch woofer size and offers 43 Hz to 24 kHz frequency range. It has 82 watts total power and delivers flat frequency response while providing very punchy, accurate bass and clear highs. Being able to get such a high-quality, honest and flat set of monitors is essential for budding producers or mixing engineers.
Since the monitor is provided with a 5-inch woofer, it is an advantage if you’re using them in a relatively small room. The rear panel of the device features some handy controls such as XLR, ¼-inch balanced jacks, volume knob, high-frequency trim, Input Sensitivity, and low-frequency trim. Speakers with 5” woofers have an average footprint of 7.28-inch by 9.88-inch and the single speaker weighs 10.12 lbs.
This monitor has a little bit of a cheap 90’s look but the look is not the thing that matters most, it’s the build quality. JBL LSR305 is the studio monitor you can find everywhere. It has outstanding ratings while providing great clarity and adequately solid sound without the deep lows playing havoc when used in a small room. This studio monitor has a gem price and is the best for listening, entertaining and mixing.
Some notable features:
- Clear mids and highs – for great listening
- Flat response – better image clarity, good sounding
Mackie (HR824 MK II)
Mackie studio monitors are traditionally known for their mixers. Brands like this have no slouch when it comes studio monitor piece and Mackie HR824 MKII is one of their most popular models. It is provided with Acoustic Space Control settings where it provides 3 separate settings for optimal bass performance. However, such performance can be obtained based on the dimension of your room.
These active studio monitors manage to improve on the widely-used originals. New features are added such as a solid aluminum Zero Edge baffle and optimized waveguide to give you a more accurate and natural sound reproduction. This music equipment is also designed with high-definition audio in mind for an exceptional clarity. This monitor is also packed with Acoustic Space Control function so it can be adapted to any room while providing maximum accuracy. Other functions included are the Low-frequency roll-off and high-frequency shelf function.
Mackie HR series have been hugely popular but still managed to find more rooms for improvement. One of its great creations, the Mackie HR824 MKII is continuing to make big success stories. It is a true sibling of great design and sound. It delivers performance and appearance that is very much eye-catching. Whether you’re using the monitor to home studios or to professional facilities, it can make a difference.
Some notable features:
- Acoustic Space Control settings – for optimal bass performance according to the dimension of the room.
- Optimized waveguide – give a more accurate and natural sound reproduction
PreSonus (Eris E5)
PreSonus Eris E5 makes music standout with accurate mixes. This Eris High Definition active studio monitors is designed to have the ability to create accurate mixes. The mixes are ensured to sound good even on other playback systems. If you are sick with your poor home studio sound such as muffled or boomy bass, harsh or muffled treble, try PreSonus Eris E5 studio monitors. This equipment is born to serve you honestly where you can acoustically tune your monitors to your room and to the genre of your music.
This gorgeous piece of equipment is designed to hear what you have been missing in the mix while making it better. Its aim is to let you achieve the right path of hearing for you to fix what you have been badly recording and produce better mixes. The monitor is created with solid construction and quality components. This is for the purpose of delivering superior sound and creating real magic when you hear that sound. The thing is lightweight and compact so you can bring it or re-position everywhere you want.
PreSonus Eris E5 studio monitors also offer controls you need for accurate playback in any studio environment. The controls are designed to address situations when mixing in places with high reflective surfaces. This monitor is powerful enough for many different studios. One other good thing about the monitor is that it is affordable. PreSonus products are very much popular. It has been everywhere. Professionals use the product to record, broadcast and deliver high fidelity audio.
Some notable features:
- Controls – for accurate playback; used to address different situations
- Low Cutoff – helps coordinate the bass output of the monitor system
- Input Gain – allow you to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio
Your Best Pick
You may have your own favorite studio monitors but if you are looking for the best budget models, your best pick would be the best brand with the best specs. You must be skeptical when you hear someone makes sweeping judgments about music production gear. Learn to make research about it yourself. Brands that were mentioned above will help you make that with ease.
Remember, top choices depend on your budget and personal preferences so choose one that fits your needs.
**This is a special guest post. The views and opinions based on this post are not necessarily the views and opinions of Ear to the Ground Music.
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