Studio monitors are considered the most important device for achieving excellent sound.
This is why the best studios sometimes spend more than $10.000 to buy the best ones. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend so much to buy a pair of good monitors.
Selection criterion
1. the Limit of $2000 — in my opinion, this is the maximum amount that can be spent on semi-professional monitors in a home Studio.
2. One brand — one model — for a variety of options, I limited myself to ONE top model of each brand.
3. Reputation is a key concept — as we all know, “sound quality” is subjective. What one ear feels good, the other bleeds. And since every product description has an ultra-flat frequency response with deep bass, clear midrange, and pronounced highs … the only honest way to evaluate this is by reputation.
KRK Rokit 5 G3
Why are they good:
– More popular
– With a lot of reviews
– More recommended
– Good sound in the budget segment
While most monitors in this price category receive more complaints than praise…
You can read reviews about KRK for days without finding a single bad word about THEM. So for entry-level studios, this is the obvious choice, the only one I recommend.
Yamaha HS8
Based on the original Yamaha NS-10 from the 70s…
The Yamaha HS8 offers a combination of classic sound and modern technology.
These monitors, easily recognizable by their distinctive white cone-shaped woofers, have long established their cult status.
Among their notable features:
– Unique mounting system that minimizes vibrations and improves quality
– Very large magnets for a more equal response over a wide frequency range
Mackie HR824 mkII
Well-known manufacturer of mixing consoles…
Mackie is no worse when it comes to Studio monitors. And the Mackie HR824 mkII is one of their most popular models.
Among its unique features is the setting of “acoustic space control”
Offering 3 options for optimal sound depending on the size of your room.
Adam Audio A7X
ADAM Audio one of the youngest companies on the list, was founded in Germany in 1999. A7X boasts the most upscale tweeters on this list.
Their characteristics are impressive, and the most noticeable is the ability to reproduce frequencies up to 50 kHz.
This is FAR above the limit of human hearing! This means that…
Within our hearing range, they have a very uniform frequency response.
Another good feature is the front position of the phase inverter, which allows you to place the monitors closer to the walls in small rooms.
Event 20/20 BAS
Another reissue of the classic, Event 20/20 BAS is based on the original Event 20/20 BAS released in 1995.
To improve on the old version, Event used many of the new technologies used in their flagship, Event Opal.
Notable features:
– Front-facing phase inverter, better suited for small rooms, as in most home studios
– 250W power, which is an incredible amount for monitors of this size
