We’re sorry to be the bearers of bad news but, in case there was still any doubt, it’s seemingly been confirmed that the urban legend that Eddie Van Halen’s guitar solo on Michael Jackson’s Beat It was so ‘hot’ that it set a speaker on fire isn’t actually true.

But, on the plus side, the story does have its roots in something that didn’t actually happen when the song was being mixed.

That’s according to Matt Forger, who worked with engineer Bruce Swedien on the Thriller album at Westlake Studios in Los Angeles and later became Michael Jackson’s personal recording engineer. He was in the building when the alleged ‘flaming speaker’ incident occurred, and has given his version of events to Anthony Marinelli Music.

Some of what he says we already knew. Writing in his 2001 autobiography, Q, Thriller producer Quincy Jones had already confirmed that it was during the mixing rather than tracking process that things took a fiery turn.

“We knew the music was hot,” he began. “On Beat It the level was literally so hot that at one point in the studio, Bruce Swedien called us over and the right speaker burst into flames. We’d never seen anything like that in 40 years in the business.”

Forger doesn’t dispute that this happened, but his recollection is that it was an electrical problem rather than a level one that started the smokeshow.

What’s more, if you really want to get pedantic, he says that the event actually occurred at the pre-mixing stage, when Swedien was preparing elements such as backing vocals for final mixing.

“At one point in time when they were working on this, one of the amplifiers, the Crown power amps to the Westlake soffit-mounted speakers – the ones in the wall, the HR-1s – the amplifier for whatever reason failed,” explains Forger, though he can’t tell us exactly why.

“It might have been a power supply, a filtering cap, I don't know what it was,” he says. “Something let loose in the amplifier and put out a tremendous power surge into the right-hand set mounted Westlake speaker.”

Explaining what happened in more detail, Forger says: “Normally there's AC current going into a loudspeaker because the speaker cone actually moves. But when you get DC that's just a giant enormous surge of power. That caused the voice coil – which is the element that moves the speaker in the permanent magnet – to heat up. It overheated and glowed red like the element in a toaster or a toaster oven.”

So… you’re saying this is an… AC/DC story? Let’s not even go there.

Were there any actual flames, though? “It was glowing red and it emitted a tremendous amount of smoke,” says Forger, but the speaker cone was made of fireproof material.

“So, it's not like it's a giant flame, like a jet engine flame is going to come out. Instead, it's going to smoulder like an ember and create a horrendous atrocious smell, that real acidic electronic burning smell. The thing was lighting up like a toaster. It was glowing red.”

“Well, that’s a speaker on fire,” says Anthony Marinelli, clearly wanting the legend to be true just as much as the rest of us.

Forger also seems to confirm that Beat It was playing through the speakers when the problem occurred, but he can’t say which part.

“It wasn't necessarily Eddie's guitar solo. They were working on the song in general when it happened, but of course… it could have been.”

That’ll do for us – let’s just say that it was.

For the record, Forger says that both he and Quincy Jones were actually in a different studio at Westlake when all of this happened, and were altered to the incident when Bruce Swedien popped his head round the door and said “We just caught the speaker on fire”.

“So, everybody, you know, runs in to see this,” says Forger. “The assistant engineer in a cautious fashion did take out the fire extinguisher, made sure that there weren’t any flames and nothing caught on fire, nothing was damaged. But the smell was absolutely horrible.”

Little did anyone know at the time that we’d still be talking about the burning speaker more than 40 years later, but perhaps British songwriter Rod Temperton, a mainstay of the Thriller team who was working alongside Bruce Swedien, had some sense that this was going to make for a good story.

“Rod Temperton – Marlboro man, smoking a cigarette – in his dry British humour says, ‘This song must be really hot for it to catch the speakers on fire,’” laughs Forger, and who are we to disagree?

What is it?

IK Multimedia has led the way in studio speaker technology, especially with its iLoud Micro monitors, which have proven that bigger does not always mean best, and redefining what you can expect from small monitors. They were some of the first true micro studio monitor releases, and are still going strong in Pro form.

The company’s bigger iLoud Precision range was released in late 2022 and was an attempt to enter the higher-end studio monitor market, with three in the range: the 5 and 6 two-way active speakers and the MTM three-way. This range has now been updated to MKII, and we have the new middle Precision 6 on test here.

All the models feature an updated version of IK’s ARC room calibration system, so the speakers can be tailored to your studio (see below), and you get an ARC microphone included to set this up. With specs right up there with pro monitors, and this additional technology updated, the new MKIIs look set to pick up from where their predecessors left off, but, incredibly, for quite a bit less outlay.

Performance

The Precision 6 MkIIs have a very similar feel to the originals, with a very solid design and quality construction. They feature lots of connections, including a combi line input and an input for the ARC mic. There’s USB (for the software) plus manual frequency tweaking by way of three frequency switches, one of which extends the bass down to 39Hz.

Plenty of options, then, and when you tie these in with the ARC system, you have speakers that should slot in any studio, from a casual setup to a pro suite. Four isolation pods are included with each speaker to help cut down vibration when in place.

Without the room calibration system engaged, we found the speakers to be pretty good right out of the box. Close monitoring revealed a tight and punchy response which initially lacked some low end, but we tweaked the LF extension to 50Hz and then Full to experiment, and setting up is always going to be a personal process.

Trusted mixes are the way to go, and auditioning some of our latest with the MkIIs was a revealing process. Again, before calibration, we noted a forward low mid – something we often experience in our room – a flat mid-range and quite a vibrant high end, possibly thanks to the newly designed tweeter (which reduces distortion), or again down to our room.

The imaging was fantastic, with a wide response making it super easy to pick out mix elements that were getting lost on our reference speakers. After calibration – a process that takes around 20 minutes – some of the high-end forwardness was removed, but not to the detriment of the mix, as it certainly felt flatter and more accurate. At the low-mid end, that perceived forwardness was also reduced, and the bass felt much tighter and was the most noticeable result of the process – and very much needed!

Differences can be subtle, though, so, depending on your room, calibration might not at first deliver obvious results, but it should translate to your mixes. In our case, mixes sounded fuller at the higher end and tighter in the bass region as we weren’t overcompensating, so a very good result all round.

Overall, the ARC system has improved notably since the last iteration – although it is a little lengthier to carry out. The speakers themselves seem more polished in their sound and more refined – detail in the mix was evident, and the soundstage was wide. They sounded excellent before, if we’re honest, and after ARC, just tighter and controlled. We’re not claiming too much extra drama, but certainly more polish.

Interestingly, ARC X also allows you to set your speakers up to emulate the response of 20 sets of famous studio speakers, including obvious yellow coned KRKs and white Yamahas, plus many more obvious and not-so-obvious brands. This will be a useful tool if you have your own favourites, as you can then set the IKs up to emulate all of their foibles, but its main use will be to allow you to test your working mix on emulations of other speaker systems, so it’s a very useful feature indeed.

Verdict

The original Mk 1 Precision 6s were more expensive (at around £999 each) but still made all the right noises to our ears, so to get a tighter response, updated room correction software, and other new specs for less outlay, is obviously a no-brainer.

However, the studio monitor market has never been hotter, with so many models vying for your cash and that cash being relatively low compared to even five years ago – technology is moving at such a pace in this market that you are now getting the quality of £5k-10k speakers for less than two.

So you’d be wise to check out our roundup of the best studio monitors before you take the plunge, but you can rest easy that these Precisions will feature prominently in future ‘best of’ features. They offer superb technology for the money, and even though they might seem expensive for IK products – a company that has always boasted value in both hardware and software – these are exceptionally well priced for what they deliver.

It is the case that with studio monitors, the more expensive ones do deliver more, but nowadays it’s only a fraction of what it might have been a decade ago. These Precision 6s, for example, are snapping at the heels of speakers that cost much more (see our alternatives), and while they might not hit 100%, you’re getting mid-90s for 20% of the cost! Or at least that is one way of looking at it (especially if you have the kind of gear FOMO that we have, where constant upgrading can get in the way of actual music making).

Whatever your perspective, though, these are a great, if not overly dramatic, update to IK’s Precision range and are yet another nail in the coffin of expensive studio monitors. When it comes to arguably the most important items in your recording studio, the iLoud Precision range proves that you really can get pro-quality results at semi-pro cash.

The ARC X software

Room correction software is the latest and greatest 21st-century innovation for studio monitors. It essentially allows your speakers to self-adjust according to the acoustic character of your room, so if your studio is particularly boomy, for example, they will counter this by removing frequencies in that range. You then hear a flatter response, so you don’t over-compensate (in this case by removing the frequencies pre correction) to result in a lifeless mix.

To set the analysis up, you use the supplied microphone in different positions and then record the speakers spitting out a test tone that covers the complete frequency range. Depending on what the mic picks up, the speakers then compensate for peaks and troughs.

You set up your room/speaker layout, adjust levels and the mic input (you can use other measuring mics), and then perform the test. In practice, the process is very easy – we had it set up and testing in 20 minutes – especially with the latest ARC X update to the software (free to download via the IK app and also available as a plugin) that ‘monitors’ in three dimensions, as you now set the microphone up at different heights.

The results appear as two main lines – blue for how the speakers were and orange for the calibrated response (which should be flatter). You’ll hear more of a difference if your room is perhaps not set up so well acoustically in the first place. Ours, for example, had severe troughs at the lower mids that we are aware of, and the system picked them up.

ARC X is a big improvement over the original software, with lots of extras we haven’t covered, and is well worth checking out if you are an IK owner or not.

Hands-on demos

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What is it?

Fiio is best known for its portable audio products such as IEMs and the R7 desktop streamer. Its first desktop monitor, the SP3, caused quite a stir, and we now have their new larger SP5 on the test bench.

The SP5 is a rear ported two-way desktop-sized nearfield and is available in black or white. Built around a 5.25” composite fibre LF driver and 1” silk dome tweeter, the SP5 features a die-cast aluminium enclosure. It also employs a primary and secondary speaker configuration, so is accordingly sold in pairs. Unlike many of the primary/secondary style speakers, however, each SP5 unit has its own twin class-D amplification (60W LF, 20W HF) and its own mains power connector.

The two-part die-cast aluminium enclosure is somewhat reminiscent of Genelec’s smaller speakers, such as the 8030C. Even so, and much like the SP3, the SP5 has a very distinctive ribbed surface finish. This is both stylish and eye-catching, but does seem an odd choice for the wave guide area, which on most speakers is smooth.

The SP5 has an impressive selection of inputs, including analogue (phono, mini jack, XLR), USB (up to 96kHz) and Bluetooth 5.1, and supports a wide choice of high-resolution Bluetooth codecs. It also includes a dedicated handheld remote control for switching sources and adjusting volume. You can also pair your mobile device via Bluetooth and use Fiio’s multi-device control app.

In terms of onboard controls, there’s a front panel multifunction push button encoder with a multicoloured halo. This is used for source selection, on/off and volume. Meanwhile, on the back, you have three mini switch EQ options (bass, treble and low bass) as well as a USB-C connector, RJ45 ethernet connector, ground lift and channel select (left/right). This switch selects whether the primary speaker is the right channel (the default) or the left channel.

Performance

The SP5 enclosure is weighty and has heavy-duty integrated rubberised feet, which we found ideal for desktop or meter bridge positioning. That said, there’s no tilting facility and you also won’t find any stand mounting points, both of which are limitations.

Connecting up the SP5 depends somewhat on which audio connections you’re using. In most cases you connect your stereo source to the primary speaker, and use the enclosed phono to phono cable to supply the secondary speaker. For an XLR connection you connect directly to each speaker. Whichever connections you use, the speakers also need to be connected via the included Ethernet cable. This allows control of both monitors from the primary unit.

For testing, we positioned the SP5 pair directly on our desktop, connecting them up via phono, USB and Bluetooth. Selecting the audio source requires referencing the manual, which explains the various halo colours. Alternatively, and much simpler, is to grab the included remote, which has dedicated source selection buttons.

Sonically, we found the SP5 did need a bit of breaking in and sounded quite brittle out of the box. With a few hours on the clock and with flat EQ settings, it clearly has a pronounced mid-range and sounds quite light in the low frequencies. However, the stereo image is good and the sweet spot quite broad. Nevertheless, we did feel the need to increase the low frequencies, selecting both the +3dB bass setting and the 50Hz low boost, which is a compensatory curve designed to help extend the very low frequency delivery. In contrast, we found the higher frequencies good in the flat setting. With these settings, we achieved a workable monitoring balance. That said, and much like a number of smaller nearfields, the low mid frequencies feel lacking. Couple this with the very forward mid-range, which we found quite fatiguing on guitar-heavy music, and we feel the SP5 lacks a bit of finesse.

Verdict

The SP5 is a pretty capable desktop nearfield, and its input flexibility and control options give it very broad appeal. It’s not cheap, however, and faces some stiff competition from a number of more established brands.

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Specifications

I probably lust after music gear more than most. Yes, of course I realise that it's not just about the hardware or software you use that makes your music great, and that your creativity, imagination and musical chops are the main factors that open the doors up to successful music making. But as I lack all three of those, I more than make up for it by buying gear, and if I can get the same gear that my heroes use, then all the better.

My particular heroes started out as Kraftwerk, after seeing them at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1981, at the tender age of just 14. That gig changed my life and put me on a path to writing about synths, bands, synth bands, and more synths, which I've been following for the last four decades. And when I met/stalked the band's co-founder, Florian Schneider, at Superbooth a few years ago, I told him just that, during the only conversation I have ever had with a famous musician where I would describe myself as resembling a giddy teenager. (Luckily, security was called and I was led off before I could make too much of a fool of myself.)

So when Florian died in 2022, I wrote this about him, and when an auction of many of his possessions took place this month, including a wide array of instruments and studio gear, I was the first to turn up, credit card in hand. The only problem was, it was my first ever auction, and it would end both brilliantly (gear) and terribly (bank balance).

“Never meet your heroes,” they say. That's wrong, they've all been lovely. They should have said, “never buy your heroes' gear” instead.

To say I got a little overexcited is an understatement. This article is the result, not only because I learned some hard lessons so you don't have to, but because I've had to un-retire, thanks to the bill I now have to pay. So here's the story of how I went to an auction to buy some studio chairs, but came back with loads of the contents of a legend’s studio instead.

Starting sensibly

A wise auction goer – which I thought I was to start with – goes through the entire auction catalogue and decides way before what items to focus on. And with more than 450 in this case, there was a lot to get my head around.

The first ever synthesizer that Kraftwerk bought, an EMS Synthi A Suitcase, was an obvious target, but had a selling estimate of between $15 and £20k, well out of my price range.

So I set my sights on some cheaper items, in what can only be called a random scattergun approach that covered drum machines, synths, outboard gear, even mixers. I recently sold a lot of studio gear so pretty much have to start again from scratch, so why not use some of an ex-Kraftwerk member's gear to do just that, I thought?

This meant I was looking at simple 16-channel mixers, controller keyboards, even sunglasses that lit up (yes, really). As an ex-middle-aged-man in lycra, I even considered a road bike (from the band's Tour De France video), but not the VW Camper that ended up selling for over $40k.

The sensible point I am trying to make is that I plan to actually use the gear, something that Schneider wanted to happen to all of his equipment after he passed away.

So far so good. I made a list of some 43 items I was interested in, even putting my maximum bid next to each. I also chose a couple of items I thought only I would be interested in, including four studio chairs with a sleek, industrial design, that were used in Kraftwerk's legendary Kling Klang Studio. How much closer to the band could you get than by having something each of them sat on while recording?

Before the auction started, then, I was armed with a budget, a list, and some maximum bids. The auction was streamed live with – thankfully – an auctioneer who didn't talk like those ones that sell livestock. The process was clear, calm and collected. Unfortunately, I wasn't.

One… two…

I first realised that things would go too far north price wise when a 1930s Telefunken Volks-Trautonium Pre-Synthesizer sold for $38,400, well above its top estimate of $7k. And that Synthi A? Well that went for $115,000, trouncing its maximum estimate of $20k.

By this time I was also annoyed that I hadn't gone for Schneider's oscilloscope, which appeared in several early pictures of him like this one on the back of the Ralf & Florian album.

That went for a shade under $4k, a price that would eventually seem reasonable in the grand scheme of this auction. Instead, I thought I would take a stab at one of the vocoders that Kraftwerk used – after all, Kraftwerk pretty much invented the robot voice, so these could be fabulous buys. That thought quickly evaporated when one went for a mere $256,000.

Now was the time not to panic so of course, I did, although thankfully the auction would end up being around six hours long and it would be some time before my next targets came up: three drum machines which I had put a £3k limit on each, not expecting them to get close.

The first, a 1979 Korg Rhythm 55, sold for $4,500, and the TR-606 for $4k. That left a Korg KPR-77, which Vintage Synth Explorer kindly describes as a '606 wannabe', but I snapped it up in my first purchase for $2k. Even though they sell for a fraction of that, it is an analogue drum machine from the '80s that Kraftwerk used, and it was half the price of the others, so I was feeling OK. Yes, I'm putting a positive spin on things.

Price wise, things were now getting even tougher. Those 16-channel mixers I mentioned sold for $900 and $1,500, way above my $600 maximum bid. Luckily, no-one seemed to notice a third one sitting in a studio rack lot that I did manage to get for around $1,700 – one of the few items to sell under its estimate – and that also included two other effects and a Yamaha FM synth.

At this point I was happy with my lots. I pretty much had what I wanted: a drum machine, synth and a mixer, albeit not quite the classic gear you'd necessarily associate with the big K. Perhaps I should have departed at this point with a relatively decent bank balance still intact.

Then it went crazy

Prices started to go sky-high after this, with a short wave radio I had my eye on selling for over $10,000, and a couple of Korg PS synths that I had fantasised about getting shifting for around $20k each. Then the 'Ruhe' electric Kling Klang 'Recording' studio sign (which I had thought would be popular) sold for nearly $20k while the studio clock – another item I thought I could snaffle up while no-one noticed – sold for $16,000.

Even a dentist's chair, one of many odd items to feature (including a giant plastic fly) sold for $1,600, although that is about the price of a filling in the UK now, so could be considered 'a bit of an earner'.

Then it was time for the studio chairs. I wanted them so much I even broke my own 'maximum bid' rule, but, alas, was unfortunately outbid by another eagle-eyed studio boffin. After a promising start, things were starting to go wrong.

The next item to catch my eye was a 1950s filter, but that went for over $5k. After way too many saxophones, we arrived at three sets of studio speakers, two of which were actually employed at Kling Klang and have appeared in a couple of rare KK photos.

The first, a set of cinema-style speakers, sold for close to $30k, so I wasn't too confident on my target, some classic JBLs that the band used in Kling Klang from 1980 onwards. However, by this time, I was panicking that I didn't have any actual Kling Klang gear, so when these stalled at my maximum bid, I bought them.

The lesson here is to check the size of the gear you buy… before you buy it. At 80kg a piece and a metre tall, these are not your average nearfields, and will likely cost the same again to ship them to me, but with second-hand prices for the individual speakers being anywhere between $5k and $10k I still think I might have got a bargain, although ask me again once they have arrived.

Synths!

And so we actually get to the point of what I wanted: a synth. Yes, I'd bought a TX81z as part of that rack lot, but that FM module is hardly a Moog is it? Luckily, there were two further options that I was targeting. The first was a reverse key Korg Poly 800, an 8-voice polyphonic analogue synth that is a hidden gem to my ears, and sells for silly money (as in silly cheap). Importantly, it was also the first synth I ever played back in the '80s, so to get Schneider's would be a full circle moment for me, and in more ways than one. Luckily, it snuck in at just under my maximum bid so I managed to get it.

Finally, I had Schneider's Roland XP-80 as my last synth target. Again, this is an undervalued beast, basically a Jupiter 8 in rack form. With those synths selling for anything north of $10k, I was willing to go up to $6k but managed to get it for $4.5k (plus fees).

Lessons learnt?

I ended up with three synths, two pieces of outboard gear, a mixer and some (very large) speakers – a haul that could be construed as a studio, of sorts. Yes, I'd clearly overpaid for some items, and possibly underpaid for some, but there's a big BUT coming right at you… or me. Fees are the killer. In this case you had to add a mighty 28% on top of the selling price for the auction fees, and then there's the small matter of getting the stuff shipped. I've spent a lot, well into five figures from my pension pot. That might increase rapidly with Trump's tariffs and those shipping fees.

I'd say, then, that buying gear from any auction can be a way to snap up bargains, but you need to factor in all of those extras before deciding on your maximum bid – in this case basically doubling the sale price – to get that gear to you.

Obviously, the iconic ex-owner is going to be a future factor in these prices, and is likely only to add value, but in this case, I am also finding comfort in the fact that Schneider wanted his gear used, and I will certainly do just that, even though my pension has vastly diminished and I might end up on the streets busking with it.

Oh, and if you fancy some enormous speakers…

IK Multimedia has unveiled the latest addition to its iLoud range of compact studio monitors. The iLoud Sub is a bass speaker that’s diminutive in size but not – according to IK – in sound, and which makes use of the company’s ARC X room correction tech.

According to IK, the iLoud Sub has the smallest footprint of any comparable sub on the market, making it perfect for tight studio spaces. Despite this, it is still capable of bass extension down to 25Hz and is said to offer a “tight, accurate, and musical response that can be relied on for every mix.”

The unit is equipped with a 6.5-inch ‘high-performance’ aluminium driver, dual 6.5-inch passive radiators and is capable of 200w peak power amplification. It has XLR and RCA inputs and outputs, along with a USB digital audio input. The speaker is also Bluetooth compatible for streaming audio.

The iLoud Sub can also make use of IK’s ARC X room correction technology, even when connected to monitors that aren’t part of IK’s range. Once connected, running ARC X will automatically calibrate the setup to provide, according to IK, “the most natural, flat and balanced sound across the entire listening spectrum.”

Fittingly, ARC X has also been recently upgraded to now include automatic subwoofer setup, meaning it can be used to calibrate and time-align the iLoud Sub to easily integrate it into any compact monitoring setup. As IK puts it, “if the studio fits on a desktop, iLoud Sub fits right in”.

The iLoud Sub will be shipping in December priced at $599/€599, which includes the ARC X control software and plugin, as well as an ARC Measurement microphone. Head to the IK Multimedia site for more.

What is it?

Last year, Audient launched Oria, its multichannel targeted USB audio interface. It was an impressive product, offering immersive audio users a unit that met their needs head-on, while also delivering a premium Dante-expandable audio interface. What’s more, with Sonarworks SoundID support, it also included fully integrated room calibration.

Their second Oria device is the Oria Mini. Rather than offer a watered-down version of the original Oria unit, Oria Mini targets the stereo or 2.1 user and focuses on the monitoring and room correction side of their setup. It comes bundled with the Sonarworks MREF mic for use with the SoundID Reference Measure application, and includes integration with Sonarworks SoundID Reference as well as manual calibration options.

Oria Mini is placed between your interface and monitors, taking either an analogue (2xTRS ¼” jack) or digital (optical S/PDIF) input and outputting either stereo or stereo plus mono sub to your monitors via 3 TRS ¼” jacks. It features premium audio conversion and further options include 4 hardware selectable SoundID profile memories, and remote control via Stream Deck or Audient’s Oria Control iPad app.

The key thing to understand about Oria Mini is that your custom Sonarworks SoundID calibrations or manual room correction settings run directly from Oria Mini’s onboard processor. This eliminates the need to run a real-time calibration plugin within your DAW, and this means a more stable, lower latency and more integrated monitoring and room correction solution. It also means Oria Mini can operate as a standalone device.

Performance

Oria Mini is USB-C powered, and the USB-C connection also allows software setup and control via the Oria Control desktop software. This includes various control room style options (speaker volume, mono, speaker solo and so on), as well as calibration settings, which are stored in ‘profiles’. These can be selected via the software, with 4 ‘key’ profiles also selectable from Oria Mini’s front panel.

Alas, there are no further physical controls, such as mute or output level, for example. That said, more tactile control is available either via the Oria Remote iPad app or via Elgato Stream Deck devices.

Oria Mini can store up to 32 profiles, which you manage within the Oria Control app. A profile’s key component is its room correction and there are two main ways you can implement this. Firstly, create a fresh profile and use the 8-band EQ to create your own curve, finessing the correction with channel-specific trim (+/-6dB), delay (0-75ms) and sub crossover (30-500Hz).

Alternatively, you can import an existing Oria Mini profile, or one generated using Sonarworks SoundID Reference.

Integration with SoundID Reference is a powerful feature, not only because its 18-band EQ offers higher resolution calibration than the 8-band profile EQ, but also because SoundID Reference allows you to implement and finesse different target curves.

To make full use of this integration, you’ll either need the Oria Mini specific SoundID Reference licence, or if you already have SoundID Reference, there’s an Oria Mini add-on licence (£85, €99, $99).

Oria Mini is available in various bundles that cater for this. We found the process of exporting calibrations directly from SoundID Reference very easy, and once imported into Oria Mini although the calibration curves cannot be edited, you can see the curve shape, which is handy.

Verdict

Overall, we really like Oria Mini. It offers both set-and-forget simplicity and multiple profile support for more demanding users. It’s clearly quite a focused device, but the hardware and software integration is excellent and from a user perspective, we found it both easy and reliable to use.

Oria Mini is a well-executed device that integrates monitoring and room correction options for stereo and 2.1 users. It’s a solution that will work with any monitors and offers a reliable and arguably preferable alternative to plugin-based solutions.

Alternatives

Specifications

Launched in 2022, IK Multimedia's iLoud Precision monitors marked the company's entrance into the world of professional studio monitors, following on from the success of the iLoud Micro Monitor, a firm favourite amongst bedroom producers and home recording enthusiasts.

Today, the Italian brand unveils the second generation of iLoud Precision, upgrading the monitors with redesigned hardware and new mounting options and promising "unparalleled accuracy" thanks to the newly-updated ARC X room correction and calibration software.

Like the previous generation, the iLoud Precision range comprises three models: two two-way active monitors with 5" and 6" drivers, and an MTM model with a three-way design featuring dual 5" drivers.

All models in the iLoud Precision line boast a redesigned 1.5" tweeter, benefitting from ultra-lightweight construction and graphene reinforcement for improved transparency and reduced distortion. The monitors deliver a frequency response within +/- 1dB accuracy from 45Hz to 30kHz, extending down to 37Hz at -4dB.

iLoud Precision has also been bolstered by an improved enclosure that IK Multimedia tells us provides enhanced sonic clarity and transient response, while new built-in fixing mounts and dedicated metal brackets (sold separately) will make it easier to mount the monitors and adjust positioning, especially in immersive multi-channel mixing environments.

"With unmatched transparency, precision, accuracy, and advanced calibration tools, the iLoud Precision MKII redefines what's possible in modern monitoring, enabling users to create more efficiently, finish with confidence, and trust their audio," reads a press release from IK Multimedia.

IK Multimedia's ARC system compensates for the acoustics of the room or studio that the monitors are placed in by analyzing its acoustic profile using a measurement microphone, identifying problematic frequencies and adjusting their output accordingly. This is designed to deliver the kind of neutral and reliable frequency response you'd experience in an acoustically treated studio.

Replacing the existing ARC 4 and X-Monitor software, ARC X enhances the system's accuracy by introducing three-dimensional room correction based on measurements taken at three different heights. ARC X also allows for manual customization of speaker response and can be used to emulate the frequency and phase response of 20 well-known speaker systems.

ARC X is a free upgrade for all registered owners of iLoud Precision, iLoud Micro Monitor Pro, iLoud MTM MKII, ARC Studio, and ARC 4 software.

In our 2022 review of IK Multimedia's iLoud Precision 6.5" studio monitors, we described them as "some of the best speakers we have ever auditioned", offering excellent value and "a hell of a lot of speaker and specs for the cash". If the Precision MKIIs can take the series to the next level, we could be on to a real winner.

IK Multimedia's iLoud Precision MKII studio monitors are available now. All models include the ARC X control software and plugin, and Precision pairs come with an ARC Measurement microphone. Prices are listed below.

Find out more on IK Multimedia's website.

• iLoud Precision 5 MKII - €699.99/$799.99* ea.
• iLoud Precision 6 MKII - €799.99/$899.99 ea.
• iLoud Precision MTM MKII - €899.99/$999.99 ea.
• iLoud Precision Isolation Pods - $/€49.99 - 4-pack (suitable for one monitor)
• iLoud Precision MKII Mounting Brackets - $/€99.99 (5 and 6), $/€129.99 (MTM)
• iLoud Precision Remote Control - $/€99.99
• ARC X - $/€99.99 intro price (reg. $/€199.99)

What is it?

KRK Systems has earned a reputation as one the most consistent studio monitor manufacturers, with its instantly recognisable yellow cone monitors regularly seen across the globe. Both its Rokit and V Series ranges have gradually developed over time alongside a solid selection of subwoofers and headphones. Meanwhile in recent times the GoAux series has provided two ultra portable designs.

Kreate is KRK’s new competitively priced range and features three models - Kreate 3, Kreate 5 and Kreate 8. The Kreate 3s are available as a pair (£169), and the Kreate 5 and Kreate 8 individually (£149 and £229 per speaker respectively).

The Kreate 5 we have for review is a 2-way rear ported powered monitor. It features a 5” LF unit and 1” HF unit. Rear audio connectivity is both balanced (TRS or XLR) and unbalanced (RCA phono). The Kreate 5 also supports Bluetooth, and you’ll find the blue backlit pairing button just above the RCA inputs.

Kreate 5 is powered by regular mains with the illuminated KRK logo indicating they are powered up. Each unit includes twin onboard amps - Class D for LF and Class A/B for HF - with precision limiters. On the back panel you’ll find the System Level control alongside HF Level (+1dB, flat, -1dB, -2dB) and LF Level (+2dB, flat, -1dB, -2dB) adjustment.

Unlike some of the smaller monitors, such as KRK’s own GoAux, each Kreate 5 unit is self-contained, with the compact size making them suitable for a more modest surround setups. That said, with no mounting threads, you’ll need to choose clamp-style wall mounts.

Performance

Kreate K5 is a very straightforward and traditional design. What’s more, with the bass port on the back, it’s very compact - 26cm tall, including the 4mm factory fitted foam isolation pad. It’s also good to see a proper selection of inputs, and worth noting, you can use the unbalanced input and one of the balanced connections simultaneously. Once paired, the Bluetooth connection can also be used simultaneously, so you can stream from a mobile device without upsetting your main studio feed. Handy.

The EQ options are simple to use with the notched knobs making matching each side very easy, even if you’re reaching over the speakers to adjust them. Setting the level meanwhile is assisted by the detented knob. Although there are no specified EQ frequencies, the frequency curve indicates changes from about 2kHz upwards (HF) to 300Hz downwards (LF). Either way, the changes are gentle, and don’t attempt the more drastic room and desk correction we sometimes see.

With the EQ flat, our first impressions are very positive. There’s a slight overall sweetening, which is more noticeable in the high frequencies. And the mid-range is not as upfront as many monitors. This achieves an overall tonality that sits between a traditional monitor and a listening-tuned hi-fi design. Meanwhile, the smooth tweeter waveguides help deliver a broad sweet spot. Taking a look at the response curve reveals a small dip centred on 3kHz, a small boost centred on about 15kHz, and a gradual tail off in the lows with the -10dB point just below 50Hz. In use, we noticed the low frequency tail off from about 56Hz downwards.

The rear bass port design means the Kreate 5 works best a little distance away from the back wall. The EQ does offer some help in reducing low-frequency build-up from corners and walls, but is not drastic. Even so, we positioned them about 30cm from the rear wall (not a corner) and found the -1dB LF setting sufficed. The HF EQ, meanwhile, allows some tweaking for taste.

Verdict

Overall, it would be great if the Kreate 5 had a little more LF EQ flexibility, even though it’s not a deal breaker. If you’re after an honest pair of compact, affordable monitors, these are easy to set up, offer flexible connectivity and work very well for production and more general listening duties.

Alternatives

Specifications

What is it?

Adam Audio has carved out an enviable reputation for quality reference monitors, combining bespoke LF drivers with its own AMT ribbon tweeter designs to deliver both accurate and engaging monitors. Its three ranges (S, A and T) have now been joined by a new desktop design that’s aimed squarely at producers, songwriters and desktop media users.

The D3V is an ultra-compact active desktop monitoring system that’s available in black or white to suit your colour scheme. The speakers are sold as a pair, and employ a primary and secondary speaker configuration, with the left speaker handling inputs, power, room settings and amplification. The included 2m cable then connects to the right-hand unit.

The speakers have a two-way design with bass extension provided by dual 3.5” passive radiators, one on each side. Woofers are 3.5” single-piece aluminium, and tweeters are D-ART ribbon designs with a 48mm equivalent diameter. Meanwhile, the amplification is class D (70W for LF and 30W for HF). The enclosure is moulded PC-ABS with chamfered corners to match the styling of other Adam designs. They can be flat-mounted vertically (stick-on pads are included) or stand-mounted using the bottom positioned ⅜” mic stand thread. The box also includes a slot-in angled stand, which we found perfect for desktop use.

Inputs are analogue (¼” TRS jacks) or digital (USB-C), with power via an included PSU. There are also three EQ options that adjust the bass (Position), low-mid and mids (Desk), and treble (Room Acoustics) respectively. Meanwhile on the front is the volume / power button, LED indicator and 3.5mm headphone output.

Performance

The D3V is a turnkey product and the box includes everything you need to get started. If you’re connecting to any kind of computer, the USB-C connection provides easy integration with no need for an audio interface. Meanwhile, for standard connection, you’ve got balanced analogue inputs.

The volume knob doubles as a multifunction push button selector and power switch, and you use this to set input type, standby mode and activate mute. The multicoloured LED logo indicates the active input mode (blue for USB input, green for analogue input). The D3V’s USB-C connection also supports firmware updating.

Setting up the D3V is reasonably straightforward, and the manual includes some useful tips with regard to positioning. One key aspect that’s worth remembering is that the passive radiators need clear space on either side. This isn’t an issue if you position them on the tabletop, but sitting them closely adjacent to other monitors is not ideal.

In terms of room correction, the three EQ options are all cuts. With these flat, unless your room is highly treated and you’ve stand-mounted them in free space, you’ll likely find this needs adjustment. For our space, we found both the treble and bass (Room and Position) needed changing, and we set them to -1.5dB and -3dB respectively.

For us, setting the Desk option was less obvious. This cuts both low mids and mids, and as is often the case with very compact monitors, the low mids are quite restrained. On balance, we preferred the middle setting (-3dB low mids and -2dB mids), which worked well with the -3dB bass setting.

Overall, this combination delivered punchy but controlled lower frequencies. What’s more, we found the low frequency extension workable to about 50Hz (spec quotes -3dB at 48Hz), and bearing in mind the small footprint (115mm wide and 150mm deep), this puts them on a par with plenty of regular (and larger) nearfields.

Finally, with regard to the high-frequency delivery, ribbon tweeters are sometimes criticised for their limited vertical dispersion. Here, this is not noticeable unless you are sitting very close, and the horizontal dispersion is impressively wide. Overall, the high frequency delivery sounds natural and the imaging is precise.

Verdict

Compact desktop monitors vary in their features, and with no Bluetooth, analysis based room calibration or subwoofer output you might conclude that the D3V comes up short. But that’s far from the case, as the D3V really delivers on size, sound and price. Highly recommended.

Hands-on demos

ADAM Audio

Alternatives

Specifications

What is it?

Coming in at a mere £115/$159 for a single studio monitor, the JBL 305P MkIIs are a tempting option for the beginner mix engineer looking to get their first set of ‘proper’ monitors. The question is though, are they actually any good for mixing music?

For a pair they’re considerably cheaper than many of the other options from Adam Audio, M-Audio, and Kali Audio, so intrigued, and more than a little sceptical, I installed a pair into my home studio to see how they hold up against the more expensive Yamaha HS5s I normally use.

The 305Ps feature 5-inch woofers with 1-inch soft dome tweeters embedded in an image control waveguide designed to give a broader sweet spot. The front panel is predominantly glossy black with a small grey logo that houses the power light to let you know they’re on. They’re quite wide too, with the edges hanging off each side of my isolation pads once I got them positioned on my studio desk.

Moving to the back panel you’ve got a bass port, XLR and 1/4-inch balanced inputs, as well as a power switch and classic ‘kettle’ style power input. In terms of controls you’ve got an input sensitivity switch for moving between consumer devices and pro gear, a boundary EQ to help aid low end build up when placed near walls, and a HF Trim for adjusting to the sound of your room. It’s a pretty standard offering from the modern studio monitors, but useful nonetheless.

Performance

Getting the JBL 305Ps set up in my home studio alongside my UA audio interface, I begin my testing by playing some of my favourite mixes from 2025, including Viagra Boys’ ‘Man Made of Meat’, ‘S.U’ by IDK and Denzel Curry for some low-end oomph, ‘Razor’ by ECHT! for synth sounds, and ‘Never Enough’ from the upcoming Turnstile LP for something that blends traditional instrumentation with digital.

My initial assessment is that the 305Ps are surprisingly more bassy than I expect, especially compared to my HS5s which are typically pretty light in that area. It’s not overpowering, but I definitely notice more low-end coming through than usual. They’re nicely balanced across the rest of the frequency spectrum, not quite as bright as the HS5s in the top end though.

The stereo imaging is really nice, making the panning of toms on the latest production I’m working on really move across the stereo field. Ditto with the Hendrix-inspired panning of guitar licks going from one side to another. It makes them really good for checking how hard-panned guitars are sitting with one another too, letting me get a nice balance of differing tones for extra width in the mix.

One thing I find annoying with these monitors is the auto power-off feature. An auto power off is something I’d actually find pretty useful, as I tend to leave my monitors on all day, but unfortunately, here it just doesn’t work that well. The monitors turn off fine after you leave them for twenty minutes, but getting them to turn back on just doesn’t seem to work for me.

Occasionally it works when it detects signal from the speakers, but for the most part I get either no response at all, or just one speaker - usually the left channel for some reason - comes back on. I then have to switch them off using the power switch at the back, and even then that gives me problems a few times with the speaker just not coming back on. After trying to get it to work for half a day, I just decide to turn the feature off entirely following the process in the manual, and my experience is much better from that point.

Verdict

You can absolutely craft some great mixes on these in a well-treated room, and they could double as a good set of consumer speakers if you wanted to hook them up to a vinyl player or home sound system. For beginners or those looking for a budget set of monitors, I think these are an excellent choice, for experienced mixers they might not be quite as neutral as you need.

MusicRadar verdict: Overall, I was hugely impressed with the performance of these budget studio monitors, especially considering the price. Yes, they’re a little flattering, but if you’re looking for a beginner studio monitor I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing as it lets you hone your ear without being too unforgiving. For the money, it's hard to find too much to fault here.

Hands-on videos

Alternatives

Specs

A question often raised by music producers is, “Do subwoofers really make a difference?” Quickly followed by “Do I need one?” and then, “If so, which one should I buy?

In short, yes, subwoofers do make a difference, and the chances are you will probably need one. If you’re producing music for a live environment, creating sound design or post-production for any visual medium, then you need a sub. The next step is ascertaining what size works best for you and how it will fit into your existing monitoring setup.

Luckily for you, Kali Audio has two options for you to choose from and deciding which one works best for you couldn't be simpler.

The current subwoofer range from the Californian speaker maker, AKA Project Watts, consists of the WS-6.2 and the WS-12. Both models share similar features and the same Kali Audio DNA, but there are some big differences you should consider before making a purchase.

Before we dive into choosing which one is right for you, let’s take a quick glance at the main features of each model:

How big is your space?

The two main areas to look at here are the size of the room or studio and your current monitoring setup.

If you operate mostly in stereo, your studio is on the smaller side, with space at a premium, then the WS-6.2 is the sensible choice. Here, your existing monitoring setup is most likely to consist of a pair of nearfield two-way monitors with driver sizes up to eight inches making the WS-6.2 an ideal pairing.

However, if you have larger nearfield and perhaps midfield monitors, or you’re primarily dealing with multichannel audio and therefore a larger studio space, then go for the WS-12. Nice and simple, but there’s more…

Another consideration is how a sub will fit into your existing monitoring setup. Connecting a pair of monitors to either the WS-6.2 or WS-12 is easy; you’ll just need some extra cables. Both models feature the same stereo XLR/TRS combi jack and RCA inputs to connect to an audio interface or mixer, and stereo XLR outputs to connect your monitors.

The built-in crossover for each model takes care of how the frequency of the signal is distributed from the source to the stereo monitors and the sub itself. With the WS-6, it’s very straightforward as the signal is fixed to crossover at 80 Hz, so you can easily ‘set and forget’.

The WS-12, however, gives you 13 different frequency options ranging from 50 Hz up to 110 Hz at 5 Hz increments, allowing you to fine-tune your signal crossover for larger spaces and speaker setups.

What about multichannel audio?

So far, you’re sorted if your monitoring setup is stereo, but “what about multichannel audio and what if I have my own crossover?” we hear you cry. Well, Kali Audio has you covered for every eventuality. Both models can be switched to LFE mode to slot into a multichannel setup, such as 5.1 surround or Dolby Atmos. And if your monitoring setup has an existing crossover that you would prefer to use, then you can set both subwoofers to the External setting.

Another reason to choose a Kali Audio subwoofer for your low-end monitoring needs is the addition of switchable bypass on both the WS-6.2 and the WS-12 models. Both subwoofers are equipped with a ¼-inch jack socket, which allows you to connect a footswitch (sold separately) and easily bypass the sub, engaging the full frequency range of your existing monitors, making mixing and monitoring so much easier.

If you want to find out more about the Kali Audio subwoofer range, then head over to the Kali Audio website now.

Alongside its highly-rated DAW Studio One, US brand PreSonus has built much of its reputation on studio hardware including mixers, monitors, headphones and interfaces.

For many users, the company is best known for its Eris range, which covers monitors and headphones, and is particularly popular at the budget end of the spectrum where it has some great value options that have scored well in our reviews.

However, for those looking to take their setup to the next level , PreSonus’ current hardware lineup is topped by a selection of interfaces and monitors that are crammed with clever, convenient features that make them perfect for recording guitarists and solo producers alike.

In the video above, we’ve put together a simple recording setup to demonstrate some of these features. The core of this setup is PreSonus’ Quantum HD 8, which is a USB-C audio interface. That interface acts as a bridge to Studio One Pro 7, which allows us to configure our recording setup directly from the DAW. For monitoring we connect speakers from PreSonus’s Eris Pro range.

The Quantum HD interfaces are the top end of PreSonus’s interface range, which includes the more compact HD 2 as well as the flagship HD 8, which has more input and output options.

The HD 8 can be rack-mounted or sit on a desktop, and includes all the features you’d expect from an interface at this level. That includes two instrument inputs on the front panel, eight mic/line inputs on the rear and 10 line outputs on the back panel.

The interface also has two quarter-inch headphone outputs for monitoring. There’s also Word Clock and optical connectivity, which makes it possible to expand the I/O up to 26 inputs and 30 outputs.

PreSonus says that the Quantum HD interfaces have a ‘high performance signal flow’, which comes from converters with a massive 124db of dynamic range.

Another big part of that performance is provided by the all-new Max HD preamps. There’s eight available in the HD 8 and two in the HD 2. These are digitally controlled analogue preamps, which offer 75db of gain but are low noise and very transparent, so they’re well suited to whatever you want to record.

One of the most convenient features of the Quantum HD range is the Auto Gain functionality, which takes a lot of the hassle out of setting up gain staging for different input types. This can be set up easily using the front panel button, from within Studio One, or via the Universal Control app.

That control app is another highlight of the interfaces’ workflow, providing hands-free control over a multitude of features. The app is available for iOS and Android as well as PC and Mac.

PreSonus was brought under the umbrella of Fender brands a few years ago, and as a result these latest interfaces include a few nice touches that particularly suit those recording guitars.

The front panel instrument connections have been designed with input from Fender and include both inputs and outputs – designed for easy re-amping. This means that users can send instrument-level signals out of a DAW in order to process them via an amp, amp sim pedal, stompboxes or a desktop effects unit.

This is great for guitars, as it makes it possible to record your guitar clean and then apply an amp and effect tone later. It’s also really nice for processing things like synths, samples or plugins so that you can treat sounds from your DAW through external effects or analogue gear.

The Quantum HD interfaces come with a bundle of software including a perpetual license to Studio One Pro 7, along with 12 months of Studio One Pro+, which is the subscription service that gives access to every plugin and sound pack PreSonus has to offer – containing sounds to suit pretty much any genre you can think of.

Although the interfaces can be used seamlessly with your DAW of choice, there’s some really nice integration when using these with Studio One specifically.

When opening a new Studio One project, users can make use of the preset Quantum HD project templates, which mean the session will open already completely set up for a multitrack project using the interface’s I/O.

Users can also directly access controls for the hardware within the Studio One mixer, meaning there’s no need to turn to the control app or hardware to set up features like phantom power or Auto Gain.

Studio One also allows users to save track presets in the DAW, which include insert effect chain and any settings for the interface.

In our simple setup, we have the outputs of the Quantum HD 8 connected to a pair of Eris Pro 8 monitors. These are coaxial monitors, which essentially means the high and low frequencies emanate from a single position, making for a more natural listening experience.

On the rear panel, they also have Acoustic Tuning controls that make it easy to adapt the speaker response to suit our studio.

If we wanted more bass, we could connect a sub – PreSonus has an Eris Sub available – and we then use the low cut to prevent our monitors from clashing with the sub.

Putting these three elements together creates a simple but powerful recording setup, with some handy touches that are likely to really appeal to busy music makers.

This setup would be great for recording guitars or vocals at home, but with the ins-and-outs of the Quantum HD 8, we could also hook up a whole rack of hardware synths, or record a multi-track band session.

The Quantum HD 8 is available now priced at £869, and the HD 2 is available for £429. The Eris Pro 8 monitors are £349 each.

Visit PreSonus for more.

NAMM 2025: French manufacturer Focal has announced the release of a new range of studio monitors. Described as the "ultimate Focal studio monitors", Utopia Main is the brand's first foray into the world of main monitors for soffit-mounting: large, high-end speakers designed to be built into the wall of a pro studio's control room.

Utopia Main 112 and and Utopia Main 212 are passive studio monitors powered by Class-H current-mode amplifiers; though the 212s are designed to be soffit-mounted, they can also be used standalone. The 3-way 112s are the smaller of the two, and can be positioned vertically or horizontally thanks to adjustable drivers, while the larger and more expensive 3.5-way 212s feature dual subwoofers and drivers.

Each model features Focal's proprietary M-shaped drivers and patented Tuned Mass Damper technology, which the brand says provides exceptional clarity and precise stereo imaging. Utopia Main's 1.5-inch Beryllium tweeters, designed to reduce distortion and enhance transient response, are said to deliver crisp highs without causing listener fatigue. Low frequencies are handled by 13" long-excursion subwoofers, promising deep and articulate bass even at high volumes.

Focal tells us that the release of Utopia Main is a hugely significant milestone for the company's pro audio division, drawing on decades of research and innovation in studio monitor development. Developed with input from Grammy-nominated producers and engineers, the monitors underwent rigorous testing in professional studios worldwide.

If you're interested, you better have deep pockets: the Utopia Main 112 is priced at $29,999 per pair, while the Utopia Main 212 retails for $49,999 per pair.

Check out further specs below or visit Focal's website to find out more.

•  Utopia Main 212 features two 13” ‘W’ cone woofers; two 5” M-shaped ‘W’ cone mid-range drivers, and a 1.5” M-shaped Beryllium tweeter.
• Utopia Main 112 features a single 13” ‘W’ cone woofer; a 5” M-shaped ‘W’ cone mid-range driver, and a 1.5” M-shaped Beryllium tweeter.
• Each speaker has its own power amplifier (externally), housed in a 4U-high rack unit: 
• Utopia Main 212 amplification features two 500W RMS class-D for the Bass amplifier stage, two 180W RMS class-H for the Midrange amplifier stage, and 140W RMS class-H for the Treble amplifier stage.
• Utopia Main 112 amplification features 500W RMS class-D for the Bass amplifier stage, 180W RMS class-H for the Midrange amplifier stage, and 90W RMS class-H for the Treble amplifier stage.
• Frequency response for both models is 28Hz to 40kHz; the 212's max SPL is 123dB, while the 112s max out at 120dB.
• Utopia Main 112 weighs 171 lbs. each, while Utopia Main 212 weighs 263 lbs. each. 

Joel Zimmerman - the electronic artist better known as Deadmau5 - has partnered with studio monitor manufacturer Telegrapher to collaborate on new and limited-edition versions of the brand's premium studio monitors.

Designed to reflect the "innovative spirit" shared by Telegrapher and Deadmau5, the monitors sport a black imprint of the artist's signature mouse-head logo on a white background and arrive with a certificate of authenticity signed by Zimmerman himself.

Telegrapher's studio monitor range encompasses three models: Gorilla is a 3-way midfield monitor, Fox is a 2-way nearfield monitor, and Elephant is a subwoofer. Hand-built in Istanbul, Turkey, Telegrapher's monitors boast a striking retro aesthetic and an all-analogue design that replaces the digital signal processing (DSP) found in many modern monitoring systems with precision-engineered analogue components.

Appearing in a video for Telegrapher (embedded above), Zimmerman says Telegrapher initially reached out to him via Instagram several years ago. After the brand sent him a pair of Gorilla monitors, Zimmerman said he was impressed and decided to use the Telegraphers as a second pair of monitors in his personal studio. "They were awesome," he said. "I was really impressed with them; I just loved the clarity and the stereo image that I was able to attain."

"Two things I enjoy about [Telegrapher monitors]: first of all, they're active," Zimmerman continues. "That's great. No amps laying around, or needed. The other thing too is that it's all analogue, there's no DAC, there's no weird conversion on the inside from the input signal. It's just pure analogue."

"Collaborating with deadmau5 has been an incredible journey," adds Telegrapher CEO Erce Kaslioglu. "Joel’s relentless pursuit of perfection mirrors our commitment to crafting audio products that deliver precise and emotionally immersive sound. This speaker line is a testament to what’s possible when innovation and passion come together.”

Telegrapher's studio monitors don't come cheap: you can pick up a pair of Deadmau-5 branded Fox monitors for $7,150, a pair of Gorillas for $12,335, and the Elephant subwoofer is priced at $6,500.

Visit Deadmau5's official online store to purchase or find out more.

I’ve used a lot of studio monitors in my time whether it’s my trusty HS series at home or main monitors in a pro-level studio. I also look after the best studio monitors guide here at MusicRadar and when I saw my budget pick had gone on sale I had to share it. Head over to Guitar Center and you can bag yourself a hefty $50 reduction on the M-Audio Forty Sixty, which adds up to $100 off when buying a pair. It’s an awesome Cyber Monday music deal but it won’t be around for long with the end of the deals fast approaching.

Studio monitors are expensive, there’s no denying it. You can easily spend north of $1k on a decent pair and that’s before you get into room treatment, studio headphones, audio interfaces, and all the other bits of gear you need to create a recording. If you’re a beginner though most of these things will be out of reach, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a great mix on a budget.

The M-Audio Forty Sixty hits that sweet spot of affordability and build quality, giving you great sound without having to spend loads for it. I really love the three-mode switch on the front that allows you to check your mix with different EQ levels. ‘Hype’ mode has a bass and top-end boost that allows you to reference your mix on non-linear systems that your listeners are likely using.

They’re 6.5-inch monitors too, which means much better low-end reproduction than some of the smaller monitors that are typically pointed towards newbies. If you’re into any bass-heavy genres then you’ll be able to get a great feel of the low stuff with these and coupled with the tuning modes accessible via the companion app you can really hone in on your sound.

Also consider

• Grab a great deal on a pair of Adam Audio studio monitors
• Yamaha's HS5s have got an excellent Cyber Monday discount

Choosing the right pair of studio monitors isn't easy. If you're picking a synth to buy, you can compare a whole range of features, weighing up oscillators, filters and effects to decide how the instrument might augment your creative process. A good studio monitor, though, does one thing and does it well - and without getting a chance to hear how a monitor sounds IRL, it can be difficult to figure out which brand and model is the right one for you.

This is the situation I found myself in several years ago after deciding to replace the KRK Rokit 8s I'd been using since university; downsizing to a smaller living situation meant that these beastly 8-inch monitors would have to go, and though they sounded fantastic in a home listening context, the Rokits' lively, colourful sound and overzealous bass response made accurate mixing a challenge.

Enter Adam Audio. I'd heard from trusted friends that the Berlin-based manufacturer's reputation for crafting reliable, high-quality monitors was justified, so I took a leap of faith and plumped for the brand's affordable and well-reviewed T5Vs. Ideally suited to my somewhat cramped home studio space, the T5V has a precise and neutral sound that made a refreshing change from the Rokits, and I've never looked back: these are excellent monitors that I'll be relying on for years to come.

If you're looking for a superb pair of studio monitors that you can afford without taking out a loan, these are what I'd recommend - and there's no better time to buy them than Cyber Monday, as Amazon has slashed 25% off the price and you can now pick up a pair for just under $300.

All three of the options above would make an excellent choice for those looking for reasonably priced but high-quality studio monitors; which pair you choose depends on how far your budget will stretch and the amount of space you have available in your studio. Bear in mind that larger monitors with a wider, bassier frequency response can present more risk of running into issues with your room's acoustics. (Check out our guide to home studio acoustics to learn more.)

I opted for the T5Vs, and I haven't regretted it once. For monitors this cheap, they offer an exceptionally detailed sound, largely thanks to Adam Audio's U-ART ribbon tweeters, which excel at reproducing high frequencies with precision. The only drawback with the T5Vs is the slightly limited low end, but this is to be expected with any pair of speakers of this size and price.

In fact, at 45Hz to 25kHz, the T5Vs' frequency response stretches further than most 5-inch monitors, including the widely beloved Yamaha HS5. If you're working in genres that prominently feature sub bass, you'll want to pick up a pair of studio headphones to accurately mix your low end, or complement the T5Vs with Adam Audio's T10S subwoofer, which is also reduced by 20% at Amazon.

Good speakers are a non-negotiable aspect to any decent studio environment. As a home producer, there’s a great deal you can get away with using a trusty pair of over-ear studio headphones, but nothing will tell you quite as much about your mix as a solid pair of studio monitors. In an ever-growing field of budget-priced monitor speakers, there’s a clear and stalwart winner: Yamaha. The HS series of monitor speakers are modern icons - and, even better, yours for up to $125 off at Sweetwater, with this killer Black Friday music deal.

Yamaha’s HS-series studio monitors take partly after the infamous NS10M speakers of old, but with fifty years of lessons learned in integrated amplification and frequency response mixed in. The result is a range of highly accessible and clear-sounding monitors that don’t break the burgeoning producer’s bank – a range which, this Black Friday, you can buy into with a 25% discount.

The Yamaha HS5 is the smallest and cheapest of the bunch on offer here, with a 5” cone and 1” dome tweeter together providing incredible clarity of sound in a fairly demure chassis. These are the perfect size and demeanor for home studio spaces, with an airy mid-range and enough heft for nearfield desk-borne monitoring. They’re currently $50 off per speaker.

On the other end of the scale, you have the Yamaha HS8, currently with $99 off per speaker. This monster is big and bad, with an 8” woofer sure to fill the largest of control rooms; Room Control and High Trim switches on the rear let you tune them to suit your room, whether taming low-mid information or giving yourself a little trebly boost. If you’re after a little more oomph in the low end, you can also avail of a 25%-discounted HS8S subwoofer to incorporate into your HS-series monitor set-up.

For more involved studio fit-outs, Sweetwater have also discounted each speaker’s wall-mountable equivalent; the HS-i series adds four separate mounting points to each speaker chassis, enabling you to wall- or ceiling-mount your monitors for maximum studio set-up sleekness. Each of these i-variant speakers have gotten the same 25%-off treatment, the Yamaha HS7i enjoying a price-drop of over $100 per speaker.

Tantalizing as these Yamaha offers are, they aren’t the only Sweetwater Black Friday deals going on right now. Discounts span every category of Sweetwater’s catalogue, from instruments to microphones and far beyond; forgive yourself in advance for getting more than a set of monitors this Thanksgiving.

Looking for an alternative brand? We’re rounding up all the best Black Friday studio monitor deals here.

Kali Audio has dropped a new model in its ultimate speakers range, Project Santa Monica, adding to an already impressive roster of high-quality monitoring options. The new SM-5 joins the previously released passive model, the SM-5-C, alongside the Project Lone Pine, Project Independence and Project Watt series’ of nearfield monitor and subwoofer products.

Designed for high-end critical listening where accuracy and detail are paramount, the SM-5 follows the same three-way speaker arrangement as the SM-5-C, with a coaxial design for the tweeter and four-inch midrange driver, both above a five-inch woofer.

The midrange driver and tweeter are mounted flush to the baffle and physically time-aligned to aid in phase coherency. The result is what Kali Audio promises to be “an engrossing stereo image where details are lifelike and crisp.”

The one-inch dome tweeter is constructed from aluminium with both driver and woofer crafted from paper, all meticulously designed for accuracy. To aid this, the monitors have a front-mounted port design, with a low-noise port tube located below the woofer.

Much like the existing Kali Audio active models, the SM-5s include a balanced XLR input, joined by additional AES/EBU digital inputs and an Ethernet network port on the rear. There’s a volume dial and you can also tweak the EQ settings courtesy of the eight dip switches.

Further fine-tuning can be achieved via the Kali Control Panel software, where you’ll find all the options for the room calibration function. The software communicates to the speakers in online mode, via the Ethernet port, or offline mode via a hidden USB port.

Further control includes the touch-capacitive Kali Audio logo on the front of the speaker, which gives you both sleep/wake functions and allows you to switch between different tuning modes.

The SM-5 monitors are priced at $1,699 each and for more information check out the Kali Audio website now.

IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Pro: What is it?

Micro Monitor Pro is the latest addition to IK Multimedia’s iLoud studio monitor range and brings to the table a new and enhanced version of the brand's smallest Micro Monitor.

The big news, and much like the iLoud MTM MkII, is that the Micro Monitor Pro incorporates IK’s ARC calibration system and supports IK’s X-Monitor control software. To that end, although available as individual monitors, if you buy a pair of speakers they come bundled with the ARC calibration mic. This allows you to take full advantage of extra functionality including easy matching to the acoustics of your space, and emulation of famous monitor types.

The Micro Monitor Pro is a 2-way front-ported design with 3” woofer, 1” tweeter and integrated desktop stand, and on first impressions, it looks a lot like the original Micro Monitor. However, a quick look around the back reveals a noticeably different feature set.

One key difference is each speaker is self-contained (the original Micro Monitor uses a master and remote configuration). Each monitor includes its own Class D amplification and DSP-powered features, allowing it to be used, adjusted and calibrated without connection to a computer. To facilitate this on the back you’ll find a bank of four soft buttons that cycle around the various EQ options (HF, LF and high-pass filter) and access the operation Mode (Flat, Desk or Calibrate).

In keeping with the Pro tag, audio inputs are on both RCA and XLR, meanwhile, the volume is conveniently set using a regular control knob. Impressively for units of this size, they are also powered directly from the mains, so no messing around with external PSUs. Rounding things off is a soft power button and USB-C socket (1.5m USB-C to USB-A cables are included in the box) for computer connection and use of X-Monitor.

IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Pro: Performance and verdict

Setting up the Micro Monitor Pro is pretty straightforward. The integrated stand allows them to be positioned flat or with the front raised, and there’s also a stand mounting thread on the bottom for more adventurous installs.

The monitors can be used without room calibration by setting the Mode to either Flat or Desk. The latter setting applies desk compensation EQ, which cuts the lows and boosts the mids (-3dB at 250Hz, +4dB at 1.2kHz), and in practice, this makes a pretty noticeable difference. In both Flat or Desk modes you can also make modest adjustments to the overall EQ, with shelves at 100Hz and 8kHz. Rounding things off is an 80Hz high-pass filter option for use with a subwoofer.

In keeping with their design philosophy the Micro Monitor Pro delivers a big sound and you can really feel the bass port doing its work. This can be a bit too flattering at times and prioritises the punchy low frequencies over the low mids. Nevertheless, the mid-range is well-defined, and overall they sound very engaging.

Of course, the big attraction is you can finesse things further using the room calibration and X-Monitor software. First up, calibration can be done using just the monitor. All you need to do is plug the ARC mic into the XLR input, place the mic at the listening position and hold down the calibration button to start the process. This takes a few minutes for each speaker and the results are stored onboard.

Using X-Monitor requires you to connect both monitor USB connectors to your computer. X-Monitor is a powerful remote control app that handles a whole host of features such as more extensive EQ, EQ presets and speaker emulations, including the white coned classics. It identifies the connected speakers and imports any existing settings including calibration. When you run the calibration from X-Monitor it uses a four-point process. This takes quite a bit longer to do, but the results are more accurate.

One of the great things about using X-Monitor is it displays both analysis and correction curves, so you can see what it’s correcting. What’s more, changes made using X-Monitor, including EQ, remain active even when the monitors are no longer connected to your computer. Excellent and powerful stuff.

Verdict

Overall, the iLoud Micro Monitor Pro is quite an achievement. There is plenty of tech crammed into a small space, and coupled with the room calibration and support software, it makes for the most flexible mini monitor we’ve tried. They’re not cheap, but all in all, offer excellent value.

MusicRadar verdict: The Micro Monitor Pro is a big-sounding monitor considering its size. Add in the integrated room correction and software support and you have a very flexible and portable tool that’s ideal for a multitude of users.

IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Pro: The web says

"We always loved these monitors in their first incarnation, because they looked just like desktop multimedia speakers but sounded more like reference studio monitors, making them a great choice if you have little room or need something portable yet value great audio quality. Now with digital calibration, they just got even better."
Digital DJ Tips

IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Pro: Hands-on demos

ikmultimedia

The GarageBand Guide

Tone Chase Basement

Starsky Carr

IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Pro: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: Type: 2-Way, front ported, bi-amped, digitally controlled compact studio monitor with DSP tuned bass reflex.
• Drivers: LF 3” custom-made composite cellulose fibre, HF 1” silk dome.
• Features: integrated calibration and DSP control.
• Amplifiers: 30W LF, 20W HF Class D.
• Crossover frequency: Digital linear phase at 2.5kHz.
• Frequency Response: 50Hz to 20kHz +/-2dB.
• Peak SPL: 107.3dB free field, 1m distance, weighted pink noise.
• Main EQ: +2/-3dB 100Hz low-shelf, +2/-2dB 8kHz high-shelf, high-pass filter 50 or 80Hz.
• Desk Correction EQ: -3dB at 250Hz, +4dB at 1.2kHz.
• Connections: XLR, RCA, USB-C.
• Mounting: Integrated stand and bottom stand mounting point.
• Size: 206 x 106 x 158mm.
• Weight: 1.37kg.
• CONTACT: IK Multimedia

M-Audio has launched its new Forty Series of studio monitors. With audio streaming and DSP-powered sound shaping, the Forty Sixty and Forty Eighty models both aim to offer flexibility for musicians and creatives working in a variety of spaces and settings.

Both sets of Forty monitors come equipped with DSP that facilitates adaptable sound profiles based around a 5-band EQ, allowing users to adjust the response of the monitors to suit their working environment. These settings can be adjusted using M-Audio’s associated Forty Series Control app, while front panel switches allow users to quickly switch between Flat reference mode, a Hype setting for a more flattering home listening response, and a Custom EQ configuration.

M-Audio also promises that the Forty Series monitors come equipped with ‘professional grade’ A/D converters for “superior sound quality with low noise and exceptional signal accuracy.” The monitors also feature Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, for both audio streaming and communication with the Forty Control app.

Of the two models, the smaller Forty Sixty features a 1-inch high-frequency driver and 6.5-inch woofer. The larger Forty Eight models feature a 1.25-inch high-frequency driver and 8-inch woofer. 

“We designed the M-Audio Forty Series with today’s musicians, producers, and creators in mind,” said John Boudreau Director of Product Management. “Our goal was to deliver precision sound, adaptability, and seamless connectivity that meet the evolving needs of both home and project studios. With Bluetooth 5.0 streaming and DSP-powered customization, users can tailor their audio to any space, ensuring they always experience professional-grade sound, no matter where they create.”

The Forty Series monitors are available to order now, priced at $199 for the Forty Sixty and $299 for the Forty Eighty. Find out more at the M-Audio site.

IK Multimedia has announce a new professional version of its iLoud Micro  Monitor studio monitors, beefing up the popular portable monitoring solution with more power and additional features. 

Weighing in at 1.4kg each, IK says the Pros are capable of delivering pro-grade,  transparent and accurate monitoring in a highly portable package that's geared towards small set-ups and on-the-go music-making. They double the power of the standard version, packing 50W RMS Class-D amplifiers and custom-built drivers into its petite enclosure to provide a peak SPL of more than 107dB and a frequency response of 50Hz to 20kHz.

Achieving this level of sound quality from such a modestly-sized monitor is no easy feat, but IK says it's made possible by advanced DSP that ensures "near-perfect" phase alignment and time coherence and a neutral frequency response. IK's ARC calibration software can be used to measure you studio's acoustics using a reference mic, automatically tweaking the monitor's output to facilitate accurate audio representation in any environment. 

The room correction process can be facilitated using IK's X-Monitor software, which lets you manually customize the speaker response and even switch between acoustic profiles to emulate the frequency and phase response of other monitors, letting you A/B test mixes across multiple environments and systems to ensure they translate effectively.

in our 2020 review, we described the IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors as "practically flawless" for their price point, making them an ideal choice for small studios. If the Pros build on this foundation, then we could have a winner here. 

IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Pro is priced at $/€279.99 for a single monitor and $/€559.99 for a pair that's bunded with the ARC MEMS microphone for acoustic measurement. 

Find out more on IK Multimedia's website.

Dynaudio Core 5 & Core Sub: What is it?

Dynaudio’s new Core monitor range is a no-compromise audiophile design that includes both 2- and 3-way near and midfield monitors and a choice of two different size subwoofers. 

For review, we have Core 5, the smallest nearfield and Core Sub Compact, the smaller of the two subs, though at 26.1kg it’s still a bruiser.

Dynaudio Core 5 & Core Sub: Performance and verdict

Core 5 is a traditional front-ported, 2-way monitor with a 5” MSP (magnesium silicate polymer) woofer and 1.1” soft dome tweeter. Although weighty (8.6kg), it’s very compact with a narrow profile. It can be positioned vertically or horizontally or stand mounted from the sides or base. The enclosure is also dotted with small indentations for the included stick-on rubber mounting pads. Price-wise, this is a premium monitor, and like many other flagship designs, its features are aimed towards pro users. To that end, analogue and digital inputs are XLR-only, and even a word clock input to help digital users harmonise system clocking. For power you get twin 280W Class D amps, so each monitor packs a serious punch.

Beyond this, Core 5 treads a reasonably standard path - there’s no analysis-based room correction for example. Still, onboard DSP delivers an impressive selection of tailored tweaking options accessible via task-specific switches on the back panel. These include two key room correction options (Position 1 and Position 2). The first provides specific correction for either soffit or desktop mounting, while the second handles rear wall or corner proximity. A further switch offers more traditional EQ with Bright and Dark options delivering modest tilt style changes in each direction. Rounding things off is an 80Hz high-pass filter for use with a subwoofer. 

We found these all behaved as expected and opted for the rear wall correction to help curtail the reflection build up slightly. But what is very clear is how well balanced the mid range and low mids are. In this key region Core 5 delivers not only highly defined frequency information but also pinpoint imaging. Add in a glassy top end and tight lower frequencies, which we found useful down to below 50Hz, and the Core 5 is very well balanced.

Talking of low frequencies, Dynaudio’s Core Sub Compact is a perfect partner for Core 5. It follows a similar path in terms of features, with analogue and AES digital inputs (both on XLR), and digital pass through (XLR), which can be used for onward connection to your nearfields. That said, it’s worth noting that you do not get pass-through analogue connections. Further options include various EQ settings including both wall and corner correction, and also dedicated low-pass filter. However, the showstoppers here are the two 9” drivers positioned either side of the cabinet. These deliver serious thunder and combined with the solid heavy cabinet, the Core Sub Compact has plenty in the tank for small to medium size rooms.  

Dynaudio’s aim with its Core series is no-compromise monitoring with excellent accuracy and imaging right down to the smallest model. They’ve clearly succeeded and from a sonic perspective we really can’t fault them.  

MusicRadar verdict: A truly wonderful listen, and combined with their own subwoofer, these deliver a very powerful, trustworthy 2.1 system.

Dynaudio Core 5 & Core Sub: Hands-on demos

Dynaudio

Sonic Scoop

Dynaudio Core 5 & Core Sub: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: Core 5 Design: 2-way, front ported Drivers: HF 1.1” soft dome, LF 5” magnesium silicate polymer. Sub Compact Design: Sealed enclosure dual-driver-opposed configuration Drivers: 2x 9” magnesium silicate polymer hybrid drive.
• CONTACT: Dynaudio

IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MkII: What is it?

IK Multimedia’s iLoud MTM rear-ported speakers combine a super compact footprint with full frequency delivery, onboard EQ and flexible mounting. Couple this with an integrated version of IK’s proprietary ARC calibration system and you’ve got a highly flexible and portable package suited to a broad cross section of music makers. 

The speakers are available individually and in stereo and multichannel bundles, and the bundles also include the ARC calibration mic. Visually, the MkII looks pretty similar to the original version, but changes under the hood have improved the midrange clarity, horizontal dispersion and squeezed a bit more power from the amps.

Setting up the MTM MkII is simple and they can be positioned horizontally, vertically or mounted. The box includes an adjustable stand and pad for the desktop options. Audio connection is via a combi XLR/TRS socket, and next to this is the volume control (+6dB to -inf), ARC mic input and USB B socket.  

IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MkII: Performance and verdict

The MTM MkII can be used without ARC and to that end includes both flat and desktop EQ presets alongside individual HF and LF EQ and low-cut filtering. This is all accessed via dedicated LED-equipped soft buttons on the back. If you do want to use ARC you simply position the mic in your seating sweet spot, plug it into the back of the speaker and activate and run the calibration process by holding down the rear-mounted CAL button. The speaker generates the test tones, captures the output and saves the results, and this becomes the third preset (CAL). Keeping the ARC mic in the same position you can then calibrate further speakers. The process is quick and easy.

The MTM MkII is also compatible with IK’s X-Monitor desktop software. To use this, you’ll need to connect both monitors’ rear USB ports to your computer (USB B to USB A cables are included). X-Monitor is a powerful remote control app that handles a whole host of features including more extensive EQ, further EQ presets, a more in-depth ARC process, individual monitor delay settings and firmware management. From a user perspective what’s really impressive is how once you’ve identified each monitor, X-Monitor automatically captures the settings and ARC data, displaying the analysis and corrected curves. What’s more, you can even choose from a bunch of classic and alternative monitor types. 

So, how do they sound? Despite their compact size and narrow profile, the MTMs deliver a big sound. The rear port helps generate plenty of lows (we found the lows usable to about 50Hz) and they also go pretty loud. Making basic changes to tweak their sound or compensate for the room is easy, but with the included ARC system, it’s much simpler to just calibrate them properly. That said (and this is not unusual for compact ported monitors when compared to regular nearfields), the low frequency punch is accompanied by a lack of low mids. We opted to use the ARC to create a default setting for our space and then used the X-Monitor EQ page to tweak the sound to taste.

The MTM MkII is not a cheap monitor, but what you’re getting is a completely integrated monitoring and room correction package. It’s a powerful offering and highly recommended.

MusicRadar verdict: Despite the size, these pack a punch, but what sets them apart is the simple, powerful ARC integration and accompanying software.

IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MkII: The web says

"If you are looking for relatively small studio monitors that deliver a precise sound image with solid bass, which are still convincing at high volumes, you should definitely check out the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII!"
Gearnews

IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MkII: Hands-on demos

ikmultimedia

Produce Like A Pro

Mattias Holmgren

The GarageBand Guide

IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MkII: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: Integrated calibration and DSP control Amps: 70W LF, 30W HF Class D Crossover freq: 2.8 kHz Freq Response: 48Hz-28kHz +/-2dB Peak SPL:110.5dB free field, 1m distance, weighted pink noise EQ: +2/-3dB 100Hz low shelf, +2/-3dB 8kHz high shelf, HPF 40, 50, 60 and 80Hz Connections: combo XLR/TRS balanced input; 1/8” TS ARC mic input, USB type B.
• CONTACT: IK Multimedia

Kali Audio LP-UNF: What is it?

The LP-UNF is the second set of ultra nearfield studio monitors from Kali Audio. They are a scaled-down version of the LP-6 and LP-8 mkIIs, instead with a 4.5-inch driver, but still feature the same front-ported two-way design. We were impressed with the previous ultra-nearfield model, the ‘IN’, but did have a couple of misgivings. 

The base unit and satellites made a great pairing but maybe weren’t ideal for many home studios and ad-hoc production stations where a more traditional pairing of two-way monitors would suffice. With that in mind, these new LP variants look promising. 

Aside from the form and size, the big differences are price and power. The LPs are half the price of the INs and are rated at 160W with the three-way INs clocking in at 320W, but don’t let that dissuade you – these are more than capable and 160W is plenty loud enough when you’re only about a metre away!

Kali Audio LP-UNF: Performance and verdict

The LP-UNFs have been designed in a primary/secondary formation (which we’ve become accustomed to with monitors of this size), so that your I/O and controls are all taken care of with the primary speaker and then connected via a proprietary cable to the secondary speaker. 

Straight out of the box, the primary is the left side and the secondary the right, but this can be switched. Unlike other setups where the secondary monitor is passive, both monitors are bi-amped here (40W HF and 40W LF/MR per channel). The proprietary cable is a sufficient length for the ultra-near arrangement, but should you find yourself needing two and a half meters of cable then Kali Audio will sell you one for $10. 

The LP-UNFs are tunable to fit a few monitoring setup scenarios. Whether placing them directly on the desktop, on a stand or elevated surface, or even close to a wall, you can tweak the EQ accordingly – no prior knowledge of acoustics or measuring equipment required. 

On the rear of the primary monitor is a handy schematic to guide you through finding the right setting for your monitor placement. The only slight downside are the tiny DIP switches. 

That said, the placement and EQ settings work very well and helps deliver a trustworthy image in acoustically sub-optimal surroundings. Much like their larger siblings, the LP-UNFs are clear and offer a relatively flat response, even running at 85dB SPL at 0.8 metres.

The addition of Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity adds to the value and use around the home or studio space. You can easily plug in any USB-C-equipped device for latency-free sound when creativity hits, or quickly pair via Bluetooth to any device. The analogue I/O is sufficient with RCA and TRS ports, but we’d prefer separate XLRs much like the larger LPs or XLR/TRS combi ports (on everything) and a headphone output.

These new ultra-nearfields from Kali Audio are perfect for anyone short on space and budget, but what would make them indispensable, for this particular reviewer at least, would be the addition of a carry case. We’ve been looking for a small, capable set of monitors without the Genelec pricetag for a while; is this it?

MusicRadar verdict: All of the clarity and trustworthy imaging found in larger monitors in the Kali Audio range, presented here in a smaller package. 

Kali Audio LP-UNF: Hands-on demos

Kali Audio

Produce Like A Pro

Ju1ce Audio

Riffs, Beards & Gear

Erin's Audio Gear

Kali Audio LP-UNF: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: Two-way, class-D, bi-amped, ultra-nearfield monitors with EQ I/O: Bluetooth, USB-C, TRS (Balanced, +4 dBU), RCA (Unbalanced, -10 dBV). 
• DIMENSIONS: H 25.4cm x W 16.4cm x D 18.6cm. 
• WEIGHT: Primary 3.2kg (7.1 lbs), Secondary 3kg (6.6 lbs).
• CONTACT: Kali Audio

One of the most frequently-asked questions we get here at MusicRadar is 'how do I connect my studio monitors to my audio interface?' In this step-by-step guide, we're going to guide you through the process, from connecting up your audio interface to your computer, to setting up your monitors for the best listening position.

What was quite a difficult process a few years ago is now relatively easy thanks to the fact that most audio interfaces and studio monitors now feature universal connectivity options. However, there are one or two additional factors you might come across along the way, depending on the interface and speakers you own or are intending to buy, and we'll cover all of these potential pitfalls in this tutorial.So let's get into our easy step-by-step guide on how to connect studio monitors to your audio interface.

Step 1 - Connect your interface to your computer

Connect up your USB or Thunderbolt audio interface to your computer using the cable supplied, plugging it into either the USB or USB-C computer port. Open your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and make sure that you select your interface under the audio preferences menu. You can now play music through your audio interface, but not hear it yet as it's time to connect up your studio monitors.

Step 2 - Turn down the volume

Before you do, make sure the output volume of your audio interface is set to zero. You'll want to avoid unexpected pops and crackles, or potentially overly loud music reaching your speakers, so keep this volume to a minimum. Similarly, turn your studio monitors' volume right down as well and don't power them up just yet.

Step 3 - Identity your cables

Now you need to identify which cables you need. First check which type of outputs your interface has, which will usually be found around the back of the unit. Typically these will be 6.35mm TRS jack sockets marked 'Main', 'Line', 'Monitor' or 'Outputs L R' (for left and right outputs), as on the SSL 2 interface shown here.

Step 4 - What about XLR?

Rarely, some more expensive interfaces, or larger models designed to double as mixers with multiple channel recording, might also have a pair of XLR outputs – like the Presonus Studio Live AR8C. As we'll see, it doesn't really matter which type of output your interface has, as long as your studio monitors has the same input – and even if they don't match, it's an easy issue to deal with!

Step 5 - Check your monitor inputs

As your audio interface is taking the audio out of your computer and into your speakers, you now need to check which type of inputs these monitors have. With the volume still down and power off, check these monitor inputs, located at the back. Again this will typically be TRS jack or XLR in, or even both, as shown on the Yamaha HS8 here.

Step 6 - Connect the correct interface outputs with your speaker inputs

Now it's time to connect up both the audio interface outputs – left and right – with the corresponding left and right speaker inputs, using the input and output connections we've discussed above. So far we've been talking about 'balanced' outputs from the audio interface – the most common – so you will require two balanced TRS cables to connect to the audio interface outputs. You can recognise these as they feature two rings as shown here – marking out the tip, ring and sleeve areas, which makes up that TRS name.

Now, simply connect up one end to your interface, and the other end to your monitor inputs. It is possible that your monitors only feature an XLR input rather than a TRS, but don't worry. All you will require to connect these together is a balanced TRS to male XLR cable, that has one connector of each type on each end. If your speakers boast both XLR and TRS inputs then you have a choice to use either, but audio wise it shouldn't make too much difference. Some people prefer the XLR speaker inputs as they lock in place when connected, so can be more stable.

Step 7 - Do you have unbalanced outputs?

As we've only been dealing with much more common balanced audio interfaces, we should also mention the rarer interfaces that feature 'unbalanced' outputs, which require a slightly different connection. Here you would connect these outputs using phono connectors, and would require speakers with additional unbalanced RCA phono inputs like the Adam Audio T5 V.

Step 8 - Adjust speaker positioning

Once your audio interface and studio monitors are connected, power up the speakers, take their volume up to around half and gradually raise the output level of your interface from zero. Now that you can hear your music, it is time to set the speakers up. Make sure the tweeter (high frequency) driver is level with your head, and that you are sitting at the front point of an equilateral triangle with your speakers being at the other two points. That way you are at equal distance from each speaker so will get a balanced overview of your mix. This diagram from Adam Audio gives you the exact positioning.

You should also place the monitors at around 30cm away from any walls and corners as this can particularly affect the EQ response of your speakers. If your mixes sound too boomy or trebly, and you are limited with where you can place them, many monitors like the JBL 3 series offer the option of adjusting EQ to compensate for any positional impact on your sound. And that's it, you have connected and set up your studio monitors!

KRK Rokit 5 G5: What is it?

KRK’s Rokit series is one of the most established monitor ranges, and although very affordable and considerably cheaper than its flagship V Series, they offer great sonics and decent features. 

The new fifth generation release has three models built around 5”, 7” and 8” woofers, and it’s the smallest Rokit 5 Generation Five we have for review. Before we get started, it’s worth mentioning that although these monitors replace the fourth generation Rokits, the third generation Rokits are still available and are known as the Classic Series. So if you’d rather have physical controls and Class A/B amplification at a similar price point, it’s worth bearing these in mind.

KRK Rokit 5 G5: Performance and verdict

The Rokit 5 G5 is a 2-way front-ported, bi-amped monitor with Class D amplification. At first glance it looks very similar to its predecessor, and once again speaker volume and EQ are both accessed via the rear menu-driven LCD screen and rotary encoder. Even so, there are some changes, most notably the 1” silk dome tweeter. The monitor ships with two detachable baffle faceplates so you can have either open or grille-covered cones. In the box, you’ll also find a 2-part foam-mounting pad. These shallow wedge-shaped pads allow for various mounting angles, and if you stack them appropriately can also be flat. For regular table or stand mounting you’ll find the speakers also include a thin, high-density foam pad glued to the underside, while for bracket mounting there are mounting screw holes on the bottom.

The EQ option is split into high and low frequency bands and within these bands there are five preset options for each. The EQ is aimed at typical room tuning and boundary correction duties and offers cut/boost at fixed frequency points – 60Hz shelf and 200Hz peak for the low band, and 3.5kHz peak and 10kHz shelf for the high band. 

In addition, and new to this generation, there are three global voicings: Mix, Focus and Create. As you might expect, Mix mode is flat, and thus provides the Rokit 5’s intended studio monitoring sound. In this mode, and not unusual for smaller front-ported monitors, the low frequency punch delivered by the port leaves the low mids feeling slightly light. Even so, it’s not a big worry, and if you do want a fuller sound and crisper highs, then this is what Create mode delivers. This mode also doubles as a great general listening/hi-fi setting. Rounding things off, Focus mode emphasises the midrange. This isn’t suited to mixing, but is definitely handy when editing, and it’s ideal for dialogue projects. Cycling between the three modes is very easy using the LCD encoder, and this certainly facilitates changing modes for specific tasks.

The Rokit 5 Generation Five is ideal for smaller rooms and spaces and also suitable for surround applications. The new soft dome tweeter adds finesse to the top end and although there is plenty of scope to apply EQ, we really didn’t feel the need to move that far from the factory flat setting, which is very encouraging. Overall, this is a great speaker and should definitely be on your audition shortlist. 

MusicRadar verdict: The latest compact monitor offers a more refined delivery than its predecessor, with flexible EQ to meet various usage scenarios.

KRK Rokit 5 G5: The web says

"The ROKIT 5 Generation Five studio monitors offer a remarkable blend of style, performance, and value, especially for newcomers to music production or those aiming to enhance their home studio affordably."
Magnetic Magazine

KRK Rokit 5 G5: Hands-on demos

KRK Music

The DJs Guru

Sweetwater

Polo Tremolo

KRK Rokit 5 G5: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: LF Driver: 5” woven Kevlar aramid HF Driver: 1” silk dome copper cap Crossover Freq: 2.27kHz Class D Amplification: HF 20 Watts, LF 35 Watts Total Dynamic Power: 130 Watts Max. SPL: 104dB (@1m) Input: balanced XLR, TRS combo connector EQ: High 10kHz shelf +/- 2dB, 3.5kHz peak +/- 1dB, Low 60Hz shelf +2, -3dB, 200Hz -2dB peak.
• CONTACT: KRK

We were big fans of IK Multimedia's iLoud MTM studio monitors when we reviewed them back in 2021, describing them as a "remarkable feat of audio engineering" that would make an excellent choice for those short on space but not willing to compromise on accuracy and detail.

Today, IK has unveiled the second iteration of the MTMs, boosting the specs of the original considerably while giving producers a whole lot more control over their monitoring setup with the integration of its X-Monitor control software. 

Like their predecessor, the MTM MKIIs are designed in the Midrange-Tweeter-Midrange configuration (also known as the D'Appolito configuration) which positions the 1" tweeter in between two 3.5" midrange woofers: IK says this delivers "ultra-precise" sound that can't be achieved by conventional two-way nearfield systems.

The MTM MKIIs feature redesigned speaker drivers that we're told provide improved clarity in the midrange and extra definition in the lows, and they offer wider horizontal dispersion as compared to the MKIs while maintaining the narrow vertical dispersion those monitors were gifted with, minimizing acoustic reflections from your desk surface, floor and ceiling.

Like the MKIs, the MKIIs benefit from onboard room correction in the form of IK's ARC software, which allows you to measure the frequency response of your studio space using a reference mic in order to generate an EQ curve that, when applied to the monitor's output, should produce a more neutral monitoring experience. 

The MKIIs are said to feature a new version of the ARC software that offers considerable improvements on the original, making use of the same algorithms as IK's flagship monitors, the iLoud precision series. The room correction process can be facilitated using IK's X-Monitor software, now bundled with the MKIIs, that'll also allow you to manually customize the speaker response and switch between acoustic profiles to emulate the frequency and phase response of other monitoring systems.

That's not all; the MKIIs have also been beefed up with improved processing power, power efficiency and a higher maximum SPL, now at 112.5dB per speaker up from the MKI's 103dB. 

A single iLoud MTM MKII will set you back €399, while a pair bundle can be snagged for €799 with a bundled ARC microphone and clamp. Those looking to design an immersive setup can take advantage of IK's Immersive Bundle, which offers 11 MTM MKIIs for €3999. 

Find out more on IK Multimedia's website. The speakers are available to pre-order at Thomann (UK/Europe) and Guitar Center (US).

Kali Audio LP-6 2nd Wave: What is it?

The first-generation LP-6 was easy on the ears yet light on the pocket, making it hard to imagine how Kali’s engineers could improve on it without a substantial uplift in price. Well, they did it, the LP-6 2nd Wave boasts some notable upgrades, for below $199/£199 per unit.

For those not familiar with the original, the LP-6 is a powered, nearfield monitor that’s just as at home in a bedroom studio as it is in a multi-channel, immersive setup. It delivers 80W total power via a class D amp, a 1” tweeter and a 6.5” driver. Notable improvements this time around include a 12dB reduction in self-noise, a thinner paper woofer for faster transient response, and a redesigned amp that Kali says enables more robust DSP for smoother, more accurate high-frequency tuning.

Kali Audio LP-6 2nd Wave: Performance and verdict

The development team chose not to mess with the existing 1-inch tweeter, nor the high output, low distortion, dual-layer voice coil. The front port, shaped like a grin, is still there too, smiling generously. Overall, with this iteration, Kali has kept the good stuff intact, while upgrading choice components to increase accuracy and lower noise. 

The test unit we have been sent is finished in bright white with a black woofer cone. A more traditional black-on-black finish is also available, which is probably the better choice if you’re going to pair them with Kali’s ‘any colour you like provided it’s black’ WS-6.2 Sub. 

The bulk of the enclosure is made from medium-density fibreboard (MDF), wrapped neatly in subtly textured vinyl. The front, save the drivers, is a big slab of plastic and there’s a metal backplate securely screwed to the rear. The LP-6 looks tidy, well-made and attractive but judged on appearance alone it’s no premium monitor – let’s just say the product design team at Focal are unlikely to be choking on their croissants anytime soon. This is fine, because the LP-6 is unashamedly a budget monitor that ships with an affordable price tag.

Setup, however, is a first-rate experience. First, the LP-6 features a variety of inputs – TRS, XLR and RCA – which is an absolute godsend if, like us, you own a drawer full of cables, but never the right one. Second, and more important, that front port enables close placement to a back wall, a common scenario in most small studios. 

Kali has programmed the LP-6 with eight boundary EQ options, enabling you to compensate for installation on a desk with stands, tight against a back wall, 20”/50cm from a back wall and so on. These EQ settings, together with those for high and low-frequency trim, can easily be selected by setting an external array of dip switches.

Our test pair were remarkably low on self-noise – you really can work up close to these monitors. Similarly, forward-facing ports often get a bad rap for introducing air turbulence noise but we didn’t experience this or marked bass compression. The LP-6’s response curve is pretty flat, with a slight dip at 700-900Hz, which is why we heard little character, just an accurate, transparent tone. Exactly what we look for in mixing. 

MusicRadar verdict: A great choice for mixing on a budget, the LP-6 is a super monitor that’s impressively quiet, accurate and characterless.

Riffs, Beards & Gear

Zach Wirchak

Produce Like A Pro

Barry Johns Studio Talk

Kali Audio LP-6 2nd Wave: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: Amp class: D HF Power: 40W LF Power: 40W Total Power: 80W HF Driver: 1” Textile Dome LF Driver: 6.5” Optimized Paper Frequency Response (-10 dB): 39Hz - 25kHz Frequency Range (±3 dB): 47Hz - 21kHz Max SPL: 115dB Enclosure: Front Ported LF Height: 14.125” (35.9cm) Width: 8.75” (22.2cm) Depth: 10.25” (26cm) Weight: 16lbs (7kg).
• CONTACT: Kali Audio

IK Multimedia ARC Studio: What is it?

Any space will have a ‘sound’ of its own. This is dictated by size, the materials used on the floors and walls, the ceiling height and even the amount of ‘stuff’ in the room. While your monitor speakers might be touted as flat frequency, all of these factors could be colouring the sound that reaches your ears. 

Enter room correction. While we’d advocate the first step being acoustic room treatment, with baffles or foam, there are also some interesting software solutions which, through measurement, calibration and compensation, attempt to mitigate these external factors and provide as close-to-flat frequency response as it’s possible to create. You can then produce, mix and master safe in the knowledge that any peaks and troughs you’re hearing are from the mix itself, not the room. 

ARC Studio, from IK Multimedia, offers a neat solution. The package includes a calibration mic, software running IK’s proprietary correction algorithms and a hardware box onto which you load your saved profiles of corrected rooms/speakers. Once the profiles are created, you can pack away the mic and feasibly never need to reload the software app again. 

IK Multimedia ARC Studio: Performance and verdict

Setting up is straightforward and, dare we say it, fun. An intuitive wizard in the software app guides you through the process, which starts with setting the calibration mic at different locations and heights. It then plays a series of test tones, which measure and analyse the frequency response of the room, and your speakers, creating a personalised profile with everything nicely levelled off.

Remember the goal here is accuracy – this isn’t a device you’ll use to enhance your mixes, nor will it magically transform an inexpensive set of speakers to pro-level. It will, however, ensure the mix you’re hearing is consistent from one listening environment to another. 

Once your room has been analysed, you can see visually where any problem areas reside. The app will try to resolve these automatically, though an edit function allows you, within reason, to manually tweak specific areas along the frequency spectrum. We found this offered only broad-brush tweaks, but we did welcome its inclusion. 

With your correction profile created, you simply need to transfer this over to the ARC Studio hardware box via USB. We loved this, because once your profile is synced to the box, you don’t require any drivers or CPU-hogging plugins within your DAW, and there is zero latency. You send the output from your audio interface into the ARC Studio hardware box, and from there out to your speakers. All processing or correction is carried out within the box itself. It’s the ultimate set-and-forget device. 

As with all of IK’s gear, the user experience is slick and well thought out. The results speak for themselves too, delivering clarity and accuracy which means you can mix your tracks with confidence. When you consider that advanced room correction systems can run into the thousands, this sub-£300 package becomes a very attractive proposition indeed, and an easy one to recommend. 

MusicRadar verdict: One of the most innovative solutions we’ve seen for recording perfectionists, all for under £300 as well. Highly recommended.

IK Multimedia ARC Studio: The web says

"IK Multimedia's ARC Studio offers a bridge to achieving studio-grade sound without needing a high-end, acoustically-treated room. It's a testament to the idea that extraordinary music can be made anywhere with the right tools."
Magnetic Magazine

IK Multimedia ARC Studio: Hands-on demos

ikmultimedia

DJcityTV

Sweetwater

Audio Sorcerer

IK Multimedia ARC Studio: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: Sampling rate: 96 kHz Audio resolution: 24-bit Internal processing resolution: 32-bit float Frequency Response: 2Hz-45.0 kHz Dynamic Range: 120dB.
• DIMENSIONS: 144mm x 120mm x 45mm. 
• WEIGHT: 465g.
• CONTACT: IK Multimedia

PreSonus Eris Pro 8: What is it?

The recently revamped PreSonus Eris monitor range includes upgrades to existing models and also some new additions. 

The Pro 6 and Pro 8 are new 2-way coaxial nearfields aimed at professional users, and it’s the larger Pro 8 that we have for review. Coaxial monitors are not a new thing for PreSonus. Nevertheless, the Eris Pro 8 leaves behind the distinctive horn tweeter from their Sceptre series monitors, opting for a more low key and, we think, more attractive tweeter design.

PreSonus Eris Pro 8: Performance and verdict

Key components include an 8” woven glass fibre woofer, 1.25” silk dome tweeter and class AB amplification (65W HF and 75W LF). These are very similar specs to those for the Eris Studio 8; however, overall the Pro 8 is more compact, more expensive and specifically targets professional users. Key aspects, which you won’t find on the Studio 8, are the side-positioned mounting points. With a suitable heavy-duty bracket the Pro 8 can be ceiling or wall-mounted, making it ideal for multi-channel users. What’s missing, though understandably at this price, are digital inputs and digital room calibration. 

The Eris Pro 8 is a front slot-ported design. The centre-mounted tweeter includes its own mini waveguide and the whole tweeter configuration sits slightly proud of the front baffle. Round the back you’ll find two balanced inputs (XLR and ¼” TRS) and one unbalanced input (phono), alongside amplifier gain, acoustic tuning controls and power switch. There’s also a dip switch to activate power saving mode, and when this is active the front panel blue power indicator changes to white.

The acoustic tuning controls are very similar to Eris Studio series monitors. The Acoustic Space setting (-2dB or -4dB) compensates for wall and corner proximity and operates from 800Hz down. This has a very obvious influence on the sound, and although we settled on using the -2dB option, we could probably have used the flat setting even with the monitors reasonably close (about a foot) from the back wall. Meanwhile, if you’re using the Pro 8 with a subwoofer there’s also a handy low-cut filter at 80Hz or 100Hz. Further tweaking comes from mid and high band EQ (+/- 6dB at 1kHz and 10kHz respectively).

Cohesive image

In listening tests, the Pro 8 delivers an accurate pinpoint sound, with the two drivers producing an impressively cohesive image across the frequency range, even up close. The sweet spot is also broad, both horizontally and vertically, which enhances the ease of use. We were able to A/B them with the Studio 8, and there are clearly similarities, no doubt down to the underlying components. That said, there are also very clear differences, and although to our ears the Studio 8 has a bit more low end, we think the Pro 8 offers a more evenly balanced sound with a more revealing mid range. Still, the big difference is the cohesiveness of the image, and this is where the Pro 8 truly shines.

At £429 each, the Eris Pro 8 might seem on the pricey side, but we think that’s simply because its sibling, the Studio 8, is so competitively priced. Ultimately, the Pro 8’s balance and imaging really drew us in, and if your budget allows, we think they’re definitely worth checking out.

MusicRadar verdict: A large nearfield with great balance and excellent cohesive imaging, and it should definitely be on your audition list.

PreSonus Eris Pro 8: The web says

"The Pro 8 really comes into its own in surround and immersive set-ups, where the pinpoint localisation accuracy of its coaxial driver provides a tangible advantage alongside an integrated mounting option."
MusicTech

PreSonus Eris Pro 8: Hands-on demos

PreSonus Audio Electronics

Gear4music Synths & Tech

PreSonus Eris Pro 8: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: Design: Single point source coaxial, front ported Cabinet: Vinyl-laminated MDF Drivers: HF 1.25” silk dome tweeter, LF 8” woven glass fibre composite Amplification: Class AB, LF 75W, HF 65W Crossover Frequency: 3.1kHz Frequency Response: 35Hz - 20kHz Input Impedance: 10kΩ.
• CONTACT: PreSonus

GEAR EXPO 2024: You’ve spent hours working on a track in your bedroom or home studio, and after meticulously tweaking the mix, you’re pretty happy with how it sounds. But then you listen to it somewhere else - in your mate’s studio, in the car, on your phone, or even over a club PA system - and the mix sounds nothing like it did in your own room. The balance is all wrong: the bottom end is boomy, the treble is harsh, and the vocals and lead instruments are way too quiet - or loud - in relation to the other parts. Sound familiar? If so, your monitoring setup may need a rethink!

So what differentiates a professional studio monitor speaker? Why do we need them? Wouldn’t a regular hi-fi speaker do the job? Well, no. ‘hi-fi’ speakers enhance the music played through them. They aim to impress you with exaggerated bass, overhyped midrange and pushed treble - ideal for the average listener, but not so great when you want a clear representation of your mix. 

In contrast, studio monitors are designed to reveal a true picture of the audio coming out of your speakers, warts ’n’ all. This uncompromising picture of your mix balance means you can make critical mixing moves, confident that what you’re hearing will translate to all other playback systems. In this respect, monitors tend to be less pleasant-sounding, and in some cases more fatiguing, than hi-fi speakers, where the tonal balance is designed to enhance music for your average music listener.

Studio monitors come in all shapes, sizes and types, so it’s worth knowing exactly what you need, what you’ve got, and what you want. The first differentiation we’re going to look at is amplification.

Active or passive?

The electrical signals coming out of a mixing desk or audio interface are calibrated to a different level than those required by a typical loudspeaker. For that reason, almost every monitor needs the help of an amplifier, to give the signal that extra juice. That amplifier can either be incorporated within the speaker itself, in which case you have active monitors, or used separately and externally, alongside your passive speakers.

In reality, the vast majority of monitors these days are active, using compact onboard Class D amplifiers, but there are notable exceptions: Yamaha’s famous NS10 is a passive design, and some high-end manufacturers, such as PMC, Amphion, ATC and MunroSonic, still produce passive monitors. For the average home studio, though, active monitors are usually far more practical, as you don’t need to choose, find, buy and place an external amp.

Two-ways and three-ways

It can’t have escaped your notice that some designs contain two speakers, some three, and some even more. A single speaker can't really deal properly with both lows and highs, so having multiple speakers, each dedicated to its own frequency range, results in a far truer sound.

A classic two-way speaker employs one woofer, dedicated to producing low frequencies, and a tweeter that kicks out high-mid and high frequencies. The signals are separated by a crossover filter, which, as you can imagine, splits the input into low and high bands. In cheaper monitor designs, this crossover point sits at a crucial midrange area, so many higher-end monitors feature three-way (or even four-way) designs that employ more speaker drivers, aiming to keep those key midrange frequencies free of crossovers and so clearer.

Sizing up

As a general rule, the bigger the monitor, the more power it can output, and the more bass frequencies it will kick out. Your room’s size and how well acoustically treated it is will probably determine the size of monitor it can handle: big, loud monitors can easily overload a small space. 

Nearfield monitors are designed to be placed fairly close to the listener’s ears, in a typical home studio. Midfields, on the other hand, are designed to be placed further away, at a further distance apart, in a bigger room. Lastly, professional studios usually also feature giant, full-range monitors, referred to as mains.

Monitor sizes are based on the woofer diameter, with that number often part of the model number - for a nearfield monitor, this can range from 3 inches to 8 inches. For most small to medium rooms, nearfields are adequate. 

Ports of call

Without getting into too much technical detail, a monitor’s bass port is an exposed hole or pipe that vents air out of the monitor, and is tuned to resonate in the low end to help extend the monitor’s low-frequency response. Bass reflex ports can be either forward- or rear-facing - in the case of the latter, monitor proximity to a rear wall can be problematic, so try to avoid a
rear-facing port design if you can’t position the monitors at least a foot away from a wall.

Conversely, other designs eschew reflex ports - which can overhype bass frequencies and exhibit subtle distortion - in favour of a sealed cabinet, transmission line or even cardioid design, which can all give a less exaggerated, tighter bass and better low-frequency transient response.

Plugging in

What about the connections that actually get signals into the monitors? Active monitors can offer jack, XLR, phono, digital and/or USB connections, and they’re designed to be hooked up directly to your audio interface or computer. If your interface has balanced outputs, opt for your monitors’ balanced XLR or jack input to reduce noise.

For passive monitors, you’ll need to send your interface or computer output to an amplifier and then connect that to your monitors. At the very least, active monitors also include a level control, and room-compensating EQ controls are common.

Do I need a subwoofer?

Many monitor speakers only output low-end frequencies down to around 40-60Hz (depending on design), so the addition of a subwoofer can extend the overall frequency response of the entire monitoring system down much further – usually to 20Hz. This allows you to hear what’s going on in the subsonic area, mix kick and bass better, check for rumble, and generally tidy up the low end of a mix. What’s more, because we find it hard to determine the direction of lower frequencies (typically below around 80Hz), that rather cumbersome subwoofer unit can potentially be tucked away somewhere convenient, anywhere in the studio.

Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Well, it’s not quite that simple. First, adding a sub effectively creates another crossover frequency in your setup, and even well-set-up systems can sound annoyingly disconnected right at the all-important bass frequencies. Also, a sub may reveal low frequency modes in your room, creating loud and quiet areas at specific frequencies - fixing this could require a combination of better room treatment (bass trapping), moving the sub (trial and error) and inverting its phase (if your sub has this option).

For all their potential trickiness, though, subwoofers can provide a low-end perspective that’s missing from nearfields, and in a worst case scenario, you can simply use the subwoofer occasionally to check your sub bass balance.

Looking for more great new gear? Get all our round-ups, news, features, tutorials, tips and more at our Gear Expo hub page.

GEAR EXPO 2024: No matter how you monitor your music – whether it be with traditional studio speakers or headphones – 2024 has speakers of all shapes and sizes for you to choose from.

Studio monitor speakers are the most essential item in your studio, it's as simple as that. Decent studio monitors will present you with an honest version of your mix so that you can make correct and educated adjustments to it. Mix on a bad set of speakers, and you might make incorrect mix decisions resulting in your music sounding terrible on other systems. Choosing a good set, then, is vital.

Fortunately, studio speaker technology has improved vastly and costs have remained pretty static – fallen, even. This means that you can get great studio monitors at an affordable price, and in this round-up we've got some of the best new studio speakers, from compact options to wireless to full-size and even standalone subwoofers. We've also included a smattering of headphone choices coming out this year for you to use if your studio space is more challenging. 

Here, then, are the speakers and headphones to look forward to in 2024.

Yamaha HS3 and HS4

We described the Yamaha HS5 as "the best-sounding studio monitor we’ve heard in its price range by a mile", so we're already pretty excited by the company's new HS3 and HS4 monitors. These look like delivering a great sound from a couple of even more compact enclosures. 

Yamaha has managed to downsize both designs by using one class-D amp for two speakers, which also reduces weight and simplifies cable connections. Talking of which, you can plug your audio sources in via XLR/TRS phone, RCA and stereo mini jacks, which should cover your audio interface, instruments, laptop and mobile device. The power button, volume control and headphone jack are located on the front of the speakers.

Both HS4 and HS3 have similar designs in that they are 2-way bass-reflex powered speakers. The HS4, not surprisingly, has larger cone woofers and dome tweeters – 4.5-inch/1-inch as opposed to 3.5-inch/0.75-inch on the HS3. Frequency responses are 70Hz - 22kHz (-10dB) for the HS3 and 60Hz - 22kHz (-10dB) for the HS4. Both boast a 26W + 26W power output.

Each model features ‘Twisted Flare Port’ technology, which reduces air turbulence and gives you a more controlled bass, but you can also adjust frequencies using the Room Control and High Trim switches.

As is often the case with Yamaha speakers, you can buy them in either black or white. HS3 and HS4 cost around £229/$250 and $285/£329 per pair respectively.

Find out more on the Yamaha website.

Kali Audio IN-UNF

The battle for the best compact studio speaker is hotting up in 2024. So far the likes of IK Multimedia and KRK have had an easy run, being just two companies in the race for compact supremacy. But they are being joined by other players, not least Yamaha above. But another is the relative newcomer to the speaker business, Kali Audio. 

The company's IN-UNF monitoring system is ideal if you mix in a small environment, and is known as an 'ultra-nearfield' (UNF) setup, with which you’ll gain most benefit from it if you’re just 0.8 meters away. It’s very compact, simple to install and easy to EQ for small, non-treated rooms. The output is also very focused – move away, or off-axis, and the sound drops off considerably.

To save space, the system includes a bass unit and two satellite speakers that have been designed to sit on your desk as a package. Place the bass unit horizontally and it doubles as a handy laptop stand. Flip it vertically and you can place your laptop or monitor directly in front of it. Its twin 4.5-inch woofers fire from the sides, so sound quality isn’t compromised whichever orientation you choose.

In our review, we concluded, "Once we’d played around with the DIPs, we were getting surprisingly close to our reference setup, a more conventional stand-mounted pair of monitors with a sub on the floor. The sound quality is good if not exceptional, build is sturdy and the price reasonable. What’s not to like?

"This is a unique, inexpensive monitoring system that makes accurate mixing in modest spaces more accessible than ever."

Kali Audio's IN-UNF costs $£5,99 and you can get more information from the Kali Audio website. 

Telegrapher Gorilla

New at this year's NAMM show were the Gorilla studio monitors from another new speaker manufacturer, Telegrapher Loudspeakers. The company prides itself on its sealed speaker enclosure designs, stating that traditional vented speakers often introduce phase delays and inaccuracies.  

The company claims that its sealed designs "deliver cleaner and tighter bass than any ported system in the market". Telegrapher also admits that ported speakers can deliver more volume, but counters by saying: "We may not be the loudest but our precision and clarity is second to none".

The company's 3-way Gorilla speakers are in a fully-enclosed design, then, and have a 20Hz-20kHz (+/-1.5dB) frequency response. They feature a 22cm aluminium cone woofer, 12cm paper cone mid driver and 2.5 cm coated textile diaphragm tweeter, each with a patented 'Symmetrical Drive'.

They have full analogue crossovers and built-in protection circuits against both high heat and signal levels. Telegrapher says that this helps you avoid the problem of mixing at too high a level, stating, "if clipping becomes continuous, the amplifiers will be shut down to protect your gear and your hearing".

The best bit might well be that you can get your Gorillas in five different colours, as well as the more traditional black and white. We rather like the sound of the Jaipur Orange or Menton Yellow models. Maybe we'll get both in for review…   

No price has been revealed yet but you can get more information from Telegrapher's website. 

Tascam TH-11 headphones

Tascam already makes some of the most cost-effective headphones out there – its TH-02s sell for around £40/$50. However, for the same price these all-new TH-11 'phones are designed specifically for the studio. 

Tascam says it spent spent over a year comparing various technologies and designs "to provide you with an amazing product for less than a third of the usual cost". The TH-11s feature a closed-back design, 50mm drivers and a frequency response of 18Hz to 22kHz – pretty decent specs so far. 

Tascam also claims that they have a "clear and balanced sound to fit all of your favourite tunes, regardless of genre or application" and "produce pristine highs, clear mid-range, and rich low end".

They are built for comfort, too, with cushioned ear cuffs and a padded headband. Both left and right cuffs have a full 90° rotation and as you can see from the top photo, they have a full folding design to make them nice and compact for carrying. 

"Not to mention, you’re going to look good wearing them," adds Tascam; we're not sure why these phones will improve our looks more than any other, but we'll take its word for it.  

As we said, the retail price is looking to be around £43/$50, which is pretty low for studio headphones in anyone's book. More info at Tascam's website.

Sennheiser HD 490 Pro

Sennheiser's 400 reference series of headphones is often recommended for mixing and mastering, and it’s this series that has a new top-of-the-range model for 2024.

The HD 490 Pro comes in two versions; Pro and Pro Plus. Both have the same open back and over-ear design, but the Pro Plus also includes an additional 3m lead, a fabric headband and a luxury case.

The HD 490 Pro is designed specifically for mixing and mastering and to that end aims to deliver a flatter, monitor-style sound. 

A key aspect of the HD 490 Pro is the two sets of earpads, which are each designed to deliver a slightly different sound. The producing pads (velour) have a slightly sweetened delivery, with more bass and slightly crisper mids and highs. Meanwhile with the mixing pads (fabric) the bass is flatter and the overall sound more mid-range focused. 

We have a full review of these new Sennheiser 'phones here – they are pricey at £349 / €385 / $399, but could set a new reference level for mixing 'phones. Meanwhile there's more info at the Sennheiser website. 

AIAIAI Unit-4 Wireless+

AIAIAI's Unit-4 is, the company claims, the first true wireless monitor system designed for the recording studio and mobile mixing. 

The claim is justified as the speakers use and all new Wireless+ technology, as used in the company's TMA-2 wireless headphones, which cuts down latency which has been the big stumbling block with Bluetooth up until now. Record your note playing and there will be an audible delay between you pressing and hearing it – not great for music composition.

In our review of the Unit's 4's, we were not only impressed with this all-new low latency action, but also the sound of the speakers.

"The fact is that these speakers do sound pretty exceptional given their size, and we'd say that the flat frequency response we discussed earlier is certainly noticeable. There’s a true but rich and clear feel overall; the bass response is surprisingly detailed and the top and mids shimmer gloriously."

The speakers are also incredibly easy to set up and that wireless philosophy extends to their power supply – you can run them for over 20 hours on a single charge. 

While wireless studio monitors aren't exactly something we'd been desperate for, using Unit 4's in situ for a while made us realise how handy wireless actually is, not to mention tidy. They're not cheap, at £700/$800 a pair, but if wireless studio monitoring is on your wish list, these are about the only practical option out there. 

Read our full review here and get more information from the AIAIAI website here. 

PreSonus Eris Sub 8BT

And we'll finish with the latest subwoofer from Presonus. While not perhaps your immediate first choice purchase, a subwoofer can seriously enhance your monitoring.

Eris Sub 8BT is a compact front-firing and front-ported subwoofer that combines an 8” paper-composite LF driver with Class AB power amplification (50 Watts RMS), and also includes pass-through connectivity for satellite speakers and plenty of setup controls. As you may have gathered from the name, the Sub 8BT is also Bluetooth equipped.

For a typical 2.1 configuration your stereo output goes to the Sub 8BT inputs and you then connect the pass-through outputs to your monitors. The pass-through signal can be full frequency or filtered below 80Hz if you engage the high-pass filter. If you connect the Sub 8BT via Bluetooth, you’ll still need to use cables to connect to your satellite monitors and also need to accept the slight timing delay of the Bluetooth connection.

There’s no question that adding a subwoofer to your music production setup can be very beneficial, particularly if you work on club music or bass-dominated genres such as hip-hop. The new Eris Sub 8BT is an affordable option with plenty of features and is perfect for small to medium size rooms.

Eris Sub 8BT costs £169 / €198 / $185. You can read our full review here and get more information from the Presonus website.

Looking for more great new gear? Get all our round-ups, news, features, tutorials, tips and more at our Gear Expo hub page.

KRK has dropped the new ‘Generation Five’ versions of its much-loved Rokit studio monitors, which come in three different sizes (5, 7 and 8). The new Rokits are said to represent “a sonic revolution in music production and sound engineering,” and to be “the most advanced professional monitors in their class.”

With their familiar yellow speaker cones, the Rokits are instantly recognisable, but the latest generation models have a few features that we haven’t seen before. There are now three distinct Voicing Modes, for example, each of which is designed to be used at a different point in the production process.

With its flat frequency response, Mix Mode is there for critical listening when you’re fine-tuning and mastering your tracks, while Create Mode delivers a more “inspirational” tone that you can dial in when you’re writing, producing or simply listening to music. Focus Mode, meanwhile, puts the emphasis on the midrange frequencies, and is handy when you want to analyse vocals and other instruments that fall within this band.

In terms of construction, you get woven kevlar woofers and upgraded silk dome tweeters, while the onboard DSP, along with the 25 boundary EQ settings, enables you to tailor the sound to your listening environment (the free KRK app can help you during the setup process). The bi-amplified Class D amplifiers, meanwhile, promise to drive the speakers efficiently and at reduced operating temperatures.

Other features include an optimised front-ported bass reflex enclosure, acoustic foam wedge isolation pads and a choice of two faceplates: one with grilles and one without. Both come in the box and can be attached magnetically for quick and easy installation.

Connectivity, meanwhile, comprises XLR and 1/4-inch TRS combo analogue inputs.

We’re still waiting on prices, but you can find out more about the Rokit Generation Five monitors on the KRK website.

Kali Audio WS-6.2 studio sub: What is it?

Investing in a sub that can properly reveal low frequencies, with little distortion and plenty of definition, can be ruinously expensive. The best units can be huge too, as when it comes to bass, bigger is better right? Acoustic engineering is, of course, a bit more complex than that. 

That explains how Kali Audio has managed to wring such exceptional bass tone from its WS-6.2 sub, an inexpensive, powered, compact unit with modest, horizontally-opposed 6.5” drivers. 

Kali Audio WS-6.2 studio sub: Performance and verdict

The little WS-6.2 really does perform surprisingly well for its size. First off, it has a frequency response (-10dB) of 27Hz to 200Hz and a frequency range (+/-3dB) of 31.5-180Hz, giving it more low end than similarly priced but considerably larger competitors, such as the Behringer B1500XP and ALTO Professional TS12S X. 

Firing a variety of test tones from Logic Pro, we can confirm that the WS-6.2 is as smooth if not smoother at around the 30Hz mark than the Yamaha HS8s that usually sits beneath our desk. It also has ample oomph on tap, with continuous power rated at 400W and peak power 1000W. It takes up a little less space too at just 12.2” x 11”, welcome news for those of us who work in studios where room is tight.

To find out how the engineers at Kali Audio have managed to generate such a full-sounding tone from relatively small drivers in such a bijou enclosure, we turned to Kali Audio co-founder Nate Baglyos. Not surprisingly, the ample power output is a key component of the sound.

“Good bass is the result of strong power delivery to the appropriate transducer,” says Nate. “You could think of our duo of side-firing 6.5-inchers as being the same surface area as one 10-incher but the other important factor in power handling is excursion, which is how far the driver can move back and forth from its resting position. 

“High excursion drivers are an excellent way to drive heavy bass, with the caveat that you need a lot of power to drive them. If you compare the WS-6.2 to similarly sized subs, you’ll see that we’re using two or three times as much amplifier power or more.”

Nate goes on to tell us that his colleague and co-founder Charles Sprinkle, who designed this sub, is very proud that he has optimised every square centimetre of space in the cabinet, which explains its diminutive size. Apparently, had we taken it apart – believe me, we were tempted – we would have found the drivers stacked right against each other, giving just enough clearance for the front port tube to snake down and around, with the amplifier tucked neatly underneath.

Controls on the rear of the sub are relatively basic but cover most bases. As well as the expected two XLR/TRS combi input jacks, there are a pair of RCA jacks for consumer audio gear too. Output is handled by two male XLR jacks and there’s a socket for an optional bypass footswitch. Crossover can be set to 80Hz, switched off or there’s a dedicated LFE mode if you want to feed the sub a dedicated low frequency effects channel.

MusicRadar verdict: Packs a mighty punch for such a compact sub. There’s a lot of smooth, low-end tone on tap for a relatively modest wedge of cash.

Kali Audio WS-6.2 studio sub: Hands-on demos

Kali Audio

Z Reviews

Gearspace Forum

Nicholas Matys | The Consultant 

Kali Audio WS-6.2 studio sub: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: Powered subwoofer with two 6.5 inch drivers Amp Class: D Continuous Power: 400W, Peak Power: 1000W, Driver Complement: 2 x 6.5-Inch High Excursion Woofers, Freq Response (-10 dB): 27-200Hz, Freq Range (+/-3 dB): 31.5-180Hz.
• CONTACT: Kali Audio

PreSonus Eris Studio 8: What is it?

PreSonus has recently revamped its popular Eris line of studio monitors, and the latest one we have for review is the Eris Studio 8. This large two-way nearfield is an update of the Eris E8 XT and priced at just over £400, a pair offers excellent value.

At 419mm high and just over 10kg, the Eris Studio 8 is a big monitor, even for an 8” design. That said, with a front bass port and the incorporated bass tweaking options, you should be able to mount them reasonably near to a wall, and that certainly makes them viable in smaller rooms.

Visually, the front panel is very similar to its predecessor, although the power indicator is now a central strip rather than an illuminated badge. The LED doubles as a standby indicator (white) if you have the optional power save standby selected on the back panel. The front baffle includes a wide slotted bass port, and the top section is dominated by a large Elliptical Boundary Modelled (EBM) tweeter waveguide. We have to say, this delivers a very wide sweet spot and makes working with these monitors incredibly easy.

PreSonus Eris Studio 8: Performance and verdict

The monitors use quality drivers, with a silk dome 1.25” tweeter, and a woven composite 8” woofer. Back panel input connections include two balanced (XLR and TRS) and one unbalanced (phono). These are joined by input gain and a good selection of acoustic tuning controls. You’ll note there’s no digital connectivity or remote room correction, but we wouldn’t expect these features at this price point.

The Studio 8 uses individual class AB amps for woofer (75W) and tweeter (65W). At full tilt the speakers move plenty of air, delivering not only punch but also noticeable low-end extension. The spec quotes a frequency range down to 35Hz and using an oscilloscope we could hear a gradual tail-off from about 50Hz. This is pretty good going, and on kicks for example, the fundamental pitch is clearly audible and it makes EQing with confidence a lot easier.

Acoustic tuning controls include a low-cut filter (12dB/octave at 80Hz or 100Hz) and also Acoustic Space adjustment, with 2dB or 4dB cut below 800Hz. This is quite impactful and certainly helps if you need to back the speakers into a corner or up to a wall. You also have two EQ bands offering 6dB of boost or cut at 1kHz and 10kHz. We found the high frequencies were ideal in the flat position, but the 10kHz band offers plenty of shaping if you need it. In contrast we found the Studio 8 mid-range a little too reserved, and pushing the 1kHz band by a couple of dB was ideal. We think an additional low frequency EQ band would be a useful inclusion.

Overall, the Eris Studio 8 is a very good-sounding monitor that combines a traditional two-way design with quality components. If you have space for this big, bold monitor, and are happy with traditional rather than digitally controlled room correction, you won’t be disappointed.

MusicRadar verdict: The Eris Studio 8 is an excellent update with great low frequency delivery, and despite its size should work in rooms of all dimensions.

PreSonus Eris Studio 8: The web says

"Their creditable price:performance ratio makes them a good fit for home studios, so if you’re in the market for a pair of eight‑inch monitors in this price range, then the Eris Studio 8s should definitely be on your shortlist."
Sound On Sound

PreSonus Eris Studio 8: Hands-on demos

PreSonus Audio Electronics

Produce Like A Pro

Edward Smith

Reid Stefan

PreSonus Eris Studio 8: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: Amplification: Class AB, LF 75W, HF 65W Crossover Frequency: 3.5kHz Frequency Response: 35Hz - 20kHz Input Impedance: 10 kΩ Room settings: Acoustic space (0, -2dB, -4dB), low cut 12dB/octave 80Hz/100Hz EQ: +/-6dB at 10kHz, +/-6dB at 1kHz Peak SPL: 106 dB @ 1m Inputs: balanced ¼” TRS and XLR, unbalanced phono.
• CONTACT: PreSonus

Kali Audio IN-UNF: What is it?

The largest music production studio in the known universe is the 4,023m² Merwas complex in Saudi Arabia. In our own home studio there’s barely room enough to swing a cat. Not that our tom Apollo has been doing much swinging since the vet recently brought his fun to an abrupt end recently. For what it’s worth.

Kali Audio’s IN-UNF monitoring system is unlikely to bring comfort to poor Apollo but if, like us, you work in a small environment, or one where isolation from your co-workers is desirable, it’s a rather neat solution.

Kali Audio IN-UNF: Performance and verdict

This is an ultra-nearfield (UNF) setup, so you’ll gain most benefit from it if you’re just 0.8 meters away, which is roughly the distance most of us sit from our computer screens. It’s very compact, simple to install and easy to EQ for small, non-treated rooms. The output is also very focused. Move away, or off-axis, and the sound drops off considerably, making it a tempting proposition too for larger spaces where mixing can be intrusive for those around you.

The IN-UNF is very ordinary in some respects – it’s just a familiar, three-way system – yet extraordinary in others. To save space, it comprises a bass unit and two satellite speakers that have been designed to sit on your desk as a package. Place the bass unit horizontally and it doubles as a handy laptop stand. Flip it vertically and you can place your laptop or monitor directly in front of it. Its twin 4.5-inch woofers fire from the sides, so sound quality isn’t compromised whichever orientation you choose.

The high frequency/mid-frequency satellites are spherical speakers that cradle a pair of soft-to-touch silicon pucks, which makes them infinitely adjustable. Kali thoughtfully includes paper templates that make placing the satellites in relation to the bass unit easy. Place your laptop on the bass unit – woofers are horizontally opposed to reduce vibration – plug it in via a 3.5mm jack, balanced TRS, optical or USB-C and you’re set. 

We had low hopes. $599/£599 is barely enough to buy a decent sub, let alone a complete system. The sub only reaches down to 47Hz, the satellite speakers are a foot or more away from ear height and it’s recommended for small, untreated spaces. What could go wrong!?!

Well, it worked out better than we’d imagined. Kali has optimised the bass unit and satellites for desk reflections, so much so it warns against using the floor or additional speaker stands. Small spaces are notoriously bad for bass build-up, so the lack of lower frequencies adds to, rather than detracts, from the listening experience. 

Finally, the IN-UNF features a host of EQ presets that compensate for a wide variety of tricky installs, such as a desk backed up against a wall, walls on both sides of a desk, a desk in the corner and so on. It’s also possible to EQ the highs, mids and lows by +/- 2dB and boost the lows by +4dB. These controls are accessed via DIP switches on the side of the bass unit, which is tiresome, but at least setting the EQ is a one-time job.

Once we’d played around with the DIPs, we were getting surprisingly close to our reference setup, a more conventional stand-mounted pair of monitors with a sub on the floor. The sound quality is good if not exceptional, build is sturdy and the price reasonable. What’s not to like?

Placing the bass unit on the desk worked as it doubled as a laptop stand, but the pucks were unwieldy. Otherwise, the Kali IN-UNF is an unusual solution to a common problem. You won’t see them at Merwas, but for less expansive spaces needing less expensive solutions they’re worth a shot. 

MusicRadar verdict: A unique, inexpensive monitoring system that makes accurate mixing in modest spaces more accessible than ever.

Kali Audio IN-UNF: The web says

"A compact yet surprisingly effective monitoring system that would be ideal for smaller desktop setups."
Sound On Sound

Kali Audio IN-UNF: Hands-on demos

Kali Audio

Sanjay C

Produce Like A Pro

Happy Mag

Kali Audio IN-UNF: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: Bass unit with two satellite tweeters. Amp class: D, Mid/High range power per channel: 60W (continuous), Low range power per channel: 100W (continuous), High frequency driver: 1-inch textile dome tweeter, Midrange driver: 4-inch optimised profile paper Low frequency driver 4.5-inch high excursion.
• CONTACT: Kali Audio

PreSonus Eris 3.5BT: What is it?

Eris is PreSonus’ long established and extremely popular monitor line, and includes midfields, nearfields, subs and compact desktop monitors. The range has had an overhaul and up for review we have the smallest model, Eris 3.5 2nd Gen, which comes in both regular and Bluetooth equipped versions.  

Based on a 3.5” woven composite LF driver and 1” silk dome tweeter, Eris 3.5BT uses Class AB amplification with 25W wper speaker. Much like its predecessor, the left-hand monitor acts as a master, housing the inputs, amplification and controls, while the right-hand monitor is a remote connected via the included 2m speaker wire. 

PreSonus Eris 3.5BT: Performance and verdict

The physical design and layout of the left monitor is similar though not identical to the first version, and sports a new front baffle with a stylish centred indicator LED. Further front panel features include a power button, volume knob, aux in and phones out. Connecting up headphones, as you would expect, mutes the speakers. In contrast, the front panel auxiliary input, rear inputs and Bluetooth connection all work simultaneously, which is handy.

On the back you’ll find both unbalanced (phono) and balanced (TRS jack) inputs, plus connector posts for hooking up the right-hand speaker. There’s also onboard high and low frequency EQ (+/-6dB at 10kHz and 100Hz respectively).

Further features include RF interference protection, subsonic filter, output current limiting and standby mode. This last option kicks in after it’s been idle for 40 minutes, and the centre LED turns purple. It can be deactivated using the rear panel switch.

Pair up

For Bluetooth pairing there’s a dedicated rear panel button, which we found easy to locate without turning the monitor round, and once paired the front panel LED turns from blue to green. While we’re on the topic of colour, the Bluetooth edition also sports a blue shaded tweeter grille, differentiating it from the black grille on the non Bluetooth version.

Much like the Eris speakers we’ve tried in the past, the new 3.5BT has good imaging and is pretty punchy. PreSonus states the Eris 3.5 is aiming for a deeper low end and a more even mid range, and our first impressions are that the low end has plenty of weight given their size. Clearly the rear facing port, although pretty small (30mm diameter), is doing its job. Using a test oscillator we didn’t notice an obvious tail off until about 60Hz, with useful delivery down to around 50Hz. That said, the low mids are subdued, and this is very obvious when you A/B with larger nearfields. This is certainly something to bear in mind if you’re using these to mix or master. What’s more the low frequency EQ, although handy for tackling low frequency build up, doesn’t help with the low mids. In contrast, we thought the mid range and high frequencies sounded pretty good in the default setting, plus the high-frequency EQ can shape this considerably if needed.  

Finally, it’s worth mentioning Bluetooth. As you would expect this does add a small delay and affects the high frequencies slightly. We also found it to be a little noisy. For monitoring this isn’t ideal; nevertheless, you can’t question its convenience, and for general purpose listening it is definitely a handy feature.

All told the Eris 3.5BT 2nd Gen is a solid update for this already popular speaker. 

MusicRadar verdict: The compact Eris 3.5BT delivers decent sound and with plenty of connectivity is ideal for music, multimedia and home use.

PreSonus Eris 3.5BT: The web says

"The punchy low end from these tiny speakers is nothing short of astonishing, and when used as part of a typical desktop system, set up maybe 70cm from the listening position, there’s no shortage of clean volume."
Sound On Sound

PreSonus Eris 3.5BT: Hands-on demos

PreSonus Audio Electronics

iBaxter

PreSonus Eris 3.5BT: Specifications

• KEY FEATURES: Amplifier: Class AB, 25W per speaker Crossover Freq: 2.8kHz Freq Response: 80Hz-20kHz Input Impedance: 10kΩ Acoustic tuning: high frequency ±6dB at 10kHz, low frequency ±6dB at 100Hz Peak SPL: 98dB @ 1m. 
• DIMENSIONS: 140 x 185 x 209mm .
• WEIGHT: 2.95kg per pair.
• CONTACT: PreSonus

The iconic black enclosure and white woofer of Yamaha monitors are frequently found in home studios all over the world, and over at Guitar Center, you can get up to 25% off the full range of HS studio monitors and subwoofer. Including the HS5, HS7, HS8, and HS8S subwoofer, it’s the perfect opportunity to seriously upgrade your studio setup for less.

The HS5s have been sitting pretty in our best studio monitors guide for a while now, and I’ve owned a set of HS5s for around four or five years. But when I first excitedly unboxed them, placed them on my studio monitor stands, and played some of my mixes through them I was dismayed. My mixes sounded like crap. I’d been mixing on studio headphones for a long time and it was clear that I’d been missing a trick in the process.

Moving forward four years, I’m still no Eric Valentine, but my mixes are now good enough to have been used in legitimate projects, and that’s largely due to honing my craft on the HS5s. Of course, as they’re smaller speakers you won’t hear anything much lower than around the 80Hz mark, so if you’re working in bass-heavy genres you’ll need to use them in conjunction with a good set of studio headphones - I use the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO when I need to reach into sub frequencies.

The HS5s are perfect for small rooms, which makes them great for home studio aficionados like myself. If you want to learn more about them then have a look at our Yamaha HS5 review where they got a hefty four and a half stars out of five. We’ve also got a review of both the larger HS7, HS8, and the HS8S subwoofer models too if you’re interested in those. 

AIAIAI Unit-4 Wireless+: What is it?

AIAIAI’s £700/$800 Unit-4 Wireless + speakers are billed as the first proper wireless studio monitors. That's because they use Wireless+ technology, which is said to blow Bluetooth (which the speakers can also use) out of the water both in terms of sound quality and latency.

Latency has always been one of the more annoying side effects of Bluetooth audio. it means that trying to record something like a keyboard solo using wireless speakers or headphones is nigh-on impossible thanks to the delay between you playing a note and hearing it. Bluetooth is ok for listening to music, but not producing it.  

AIAIAI has form in this area already, having released the TMA2 Wireless+ headphones a couple of years ago. Now it's come with what it hopes is a Bluetooth-bettering set of speakers.

AIAIAI Unit-4 Wireless+: Specs and setup

If you're unfamiliar with AIAIAI products, we can tell you that they are usually very cool, very sleek, black and well designed. These Unit-4 speakers are no different: as soon as you open the box and enjoy the Apple unboxing-style experience, you know that there’s been some thought put into these monitors.

The speakers themselves are well built, compact, made from 100% recycled plastic, and not too heavy at 2.5kg. They are portable, then, but you wouldn't want to carry them around in the odd cotton drawstring pouches that they come in. Fortunately, there is an optional case available for £60/$70 that looks like it would do a good job. 

They do ship with magnetic protective grills, though, and there's a full optional surround protector also available for £25/$30 per speaker. 

Each speaker has 3.5-mm mini-jack and 6.3mm TRS balanced inputs, 1-inch silk dome tweeters and 4-inch 'high excursion' paper cone woofers. The Unit-4 boasts a pretty flat (+/-2dB) frequency response between 50Hz and 20kHz.

There's also a power socket on each speaker so you can hook up to the mains when you need/want to.

The fact that we got up and running with the Unit-4 system within minutes says more about how much effort AIAIAI has put into the sleek setup workflow of the speakers than it does about our skills at going wireless. 

The procedure is basically this: plug the X02 Wireless+ transmitter into the USB-C port of your audio device (there's also an aux in on the transmitter if you need it), switch the speakers on and make sure they are each set as left and right and connected to W+ rather than the Bluetooth option. And that's it, because the W+ USB connector picks up the speakers automatically, doing the hard work for you.

We tested the Unit-4s with Ableton Live and Logic Pro, both of which picked them up as standard outputs, and then poured our music into the speakers, as if by magic.  

There's the inevitable Unit-4 app, too, which connects to the speakers via Bluetooth. This enables you to adjust the frequency curve depending on their location, and also dim the front white circular LED rings that are on the front of each speaker, should you wish. 

Talking of which, while these flashed annoyingly as we set the speakers up – leading us to think that it could be one innovation too far – they settle on just being a white ring on the speakers which looks particularly cool, especially you you, erm, mix in the dark. Not only that, but the rings also serve other purposes like telling you how much charge you have left when you hit the power button twice, a full white ring equating to a full charge. 

AIAIAI Unit-4 Wireless+: Performance and verdict

Once we'd set the system up, we have to say we were quickly impressed. The most important aspect for the recording musician is that there is no delay; well, OK, a pretty imperceptible 16ms. Play a note on your connected MIDI keyboard or computer keyboard, and it feels like zero time between you hitting the key and it playing. 

The inherent problem with Bluetooth connectivity has always been this latency and the audio compression of the music. The W+ Link certainly does do away with the former, then. And just to prove this to ourselves, and that there is no other black magic at work, we set the speakers up in Bluetooth Mode and, lo and behold, that Bluetooth delay did appear as expected as we struck our keyboard keys. 

As to the W+ sound versus the Bluetooth sound, we have to report that's very similar. So we wouldn't say that W+ sounds massively better than the Bluetooth standard, but that says more about how good Bluetooth audio sounds these days rather than any failing in the W+. 

The fact is that these speakers do sound pretty exceptional given their size, and we'd say that the flat frequency response we discussed earlier is certainly noticeable. There’s a true but rich and clear feel overall; the bass response is surprisingly detailed and the top and mids shimmer gloriously.

We love the imaging, too, something you can play with too as you move the speakers around without any cables getting in the way.

If we had to sum up how we feel about the overall sound, we’d say it's balanced, not coloured and impressively big, all of which are fantastic attributes for any studio monitor.

Verdict

We have to say that we were pretty skeptical before testing these Unit-4s. We’d not exactly been moaning about having wired speakers - once our studio monitors are plumbed in, they stay where they are, so why fret over power cables and audio connections? 

However, having worked with the speakers for a while now, we’re certainly warming to the wireless concept. Not only do Unit-4s work seamlessly and sound great, they actually [whisper it, because we’re supposed to be all about audio quality] look great on the shelf. There are less sockets being used (for their 20 hours of charge, anyway) and no wires to get entwined with other audio wires, which ours always seem to. 

Any negatives, then? Well, yes, but probably not any deal breakers. The instructions, such as they are, are almost too cool for school, not that you really need them beyond setup. There was also the odd interference crackle - very slight and very quiet. So slight, in fact, that on occasion that we were questioning ourselves whether it actually happened. It's certainly not enough to overtly annoy.

As to whether you absolutely need these speakers, well that is something only you can answer. Is your current wired system truly annoying you with its wires? Do you require speakers that are that much more portable? And do you have £700/$800 to burn for something that just looks much better in your studio. 

We can't say that the Unit-4 speakers are an essential purchase – we can put up with wired studio speakers if we really have to - but we can't help wanting them. They are the perfect match for a laptop, and that truly wireless pro-sounding recording setup is finally here. For 20 hours at a time, anyway.

MusicRadar verdict: Great sounding and (almost) latency-free wireless monitoring – we never thought we'd see the day. While you might not absolutely need Unit-4, this is undoubtedly a very desirable monitoring setup.

AIAIAI Unit-4 Wireless+: The web says

"The Unit-4 is a seriously capable studio monitor when used in regular wired mode and a fun party speaker over Bluetooth. But the premium you’re paying is for that third element – the uncompressed wireless mode that lets you monitor, mix or master without a separate interface to connect the speakers."
Musictech.com

AIAIAI Unit-4 Wireless+: Hands-on demos

AIAIAI

In The Mix

AIAIAI Unit-4 Wireless+: Specifications

• Frequency response: 50Hz to 20kHz (±2dB)
• Peak SPL: 105 dBSPL
• Analogue inputs: 3.5mm mini-jack + 6.3mm TRS balanced
• Amplifier power: 2 x 30W continuous, 2 x 80W peak
• Battery playback time: 20 hours
• Battery charge time: 2 hours
• W+ Link latency: 16ms
• Buy at AIAIAI

In addition to offering all manner of impressive virtual accessories – including its incredibly popular Studio One DAW – audio and software company PreSonus is highly regarded for its range of live and studio physical tools. Now, the company has added another stellar product to its hardware line – the Eris Pro Series studio monitors.

Compact and powerful, the new monitors boast a coaxial design for incredibly accurate, three-dimensional sound that allows users to explore every corner of a mix. Sonically, you also get punchy low end and snappy, articulate highs, as well as a consistent acoustic center for superior phase alignment.

PreSonus is known for its commitment to top-notch construction and features, and the Eris Pro continues that tradition. A companion 10-inch subwoofer allows you to take charge of the low-frequency foundation for your mix, and the Eris Pro is also Atmos-ready and both wall- and ceiling-mountable.

What’s more, the Eris Pro is offered in various iterations, with Class AB biamplification, a woven composite low-frequency driver and ultra-low mass, silk-dome high frequency driver, Low Cut, Mid and High controls, three-way Acoustic Space tuning, balanced XLR and ¼-inch inputs and unbalanced RCA inputs and a Power Saver mode that engages after 40 minutes. 

The result is a superior listening experience for both home studios and professional mix rooms for your particular power and size needs.

For more information, head to PreSonus.

Since 1995, PreSonus has been a trusted name in the world of audio and home recording technology, dedicated to empowering musicians, content creators, producers, and audio engineers in their creative pursuits. On September 13th, PreSonus Audio Electronics proudly unveiled its latest line of studio monitors. 

The Eris Series is designed to revolutionize the way you hear your music, no matter who you are: available in three tiers, Essential, Studio and Pro, there’s a pair of Eris monitors for every creator and for any room. This tiered system means that everyone from bedroom beatmakers to professional audio engineers will be able to take advantage of the premium quality and technological innovation in the new Eris range.

Eris studio monitors have been carefully crafted by the experts at PreSonus to provide a game-changing monitoring solution for anyone working with audio, be they artists, songwriters, producers, podcasters, streamers and content creators. Balancing finesse with functionality, they deliver transparent, accurate and studio-grade sound with a raft of useful features and a sleek, modern design.

Eris Essential

Arriving at the more affordable end of the spectrum, the Essential series are powerful, Bluetooth-equipped media reference monitors. Designed to offer clear and dynamic sound at an accessible price point, their compact design makes them an ideal choice for those working at a desk with a laptop-based set-up. The built-in headphone out and Bluetooth functionality makes connectivity a breeze, while onboard tuning controls will help you match the acoustic profile of your space to make the most of your monitors.

The Essential Eris® Series is available in 3.5, 4.5 and 5-inch options and priced at $99.99-$249.99 USD, £89.00-£219.00 GBP, €99.00-€249.00 EUR, $229.00-449.00 AUD, ¥17,600-69,300 JPY.

Eris Studio

Eris Studio Series are high-definition nearfield studio monitors aimed towards those working in a home studio set-up, fusing flexibility and versatility with sonic clarity. Producing a sound that’s fundamentally honest, they offer a broader sweet spot and superior high-frequency reproduction than the Essential range, while delivering a rich low end that extends to 48 Hz thanks to a woven-composite low-frequency driver and ported enclosure. The Studio Series is equipped with flexible input options that’ll allow you to connect with almost any line-level source, including audio interfaces, mixers and more.

The Eris® Studio series is available in 4, 5 and 8-inch options and priced at $149.99-$249.99 USD, £109.00-£219.00 GBP, €129.00-€249.00 EUR, $249.00-$449.00 AUD, ¥20,900-35,200 JPY.

Eris Pro

Eris Pro are 2-way active studio monitors designed for use in professional studio environments. Offering astonishingly accurate sound with both character and detail, they’ll empower you to explore elements of your mix you’ve never heard before. The Pros’ horn-loaded, single point-source coaxial design contributes to its rich, multi-dimensional soundstage and pinpoint sonic reproduction, while their symmetrical design and consistent acoustic centre achieves optimum phase alignment between components, opening up a wider sweet spot than any other Eris monitors and delivering precise stereo imaging and symmetrical dispersion patterns that make them suited to immersive Atmos mixing.

The Eris® Pro Series is available in 6 and 8-inch options with a 10-inch sub and is priced at $399.99-499.99 USD, £349.00-£429.00 GBP, €399.00-€499.00 EUR, $699.50-$849.00 AUD, ¥XX-XX JPY.

Whether you're a musician seeking sweet harmony with your monitors, a recording engineer chasing the ultimate mix companion, or an audiophile searching for sonic perfection, PreSonus' Eris Studio Monitors will unlock your creativity and help your vision become a reality. 

Visit the PreSonus website to find out more.

AIAIA claims that its UNIT-4 speakers are a 'world first' in professional wireless studio monitors. And while they are certainly not the first Bluetooth monitors aimed at studio use, AIAIAI is focusIng on that word 'professional' with its claims.

The likes of KRK, M-Audio and JBL will certainly take issue with that 'world first' claim – with those companies and more having released Bluetooth speakers that are aimed at studio users. But the inherent problem with Bluetooth is the latency you get between playing a note and hearing it back via your wireless headphones and monitors, and that seems to be where the central part of AIAIAI's 'world first' claim lies.

The company's UNIT-4 2-way active monitors feature 'ultra-low latency wireless audio' so cut down on that latency. It's the same W+ Link technology that was used in the company's TMA-2 Wireless+ headphones in 2021.

The speakers also feature 'precision tonal accuracy' which, of course, you want from your studio monitors, along with a wide and flat frequency response, and the specs of a +/-2dB variation over 50Hz to 20kHz certainly suggest these. Each speaker has a folded bass vent and boosting EQ to deliver a cleaner bass extension down to 40Hz.

UNIT-4 also features other practical benefits you'll want from wireless speakers: a 20-hour battery life and reduced weight (2.5kg) for when you, presumably, want to use them on the move. (We've always loved the idea of having studio speakers we can take out and about and mix anywhere with, but have never once found ourselves in a situation where we've needed the option, but there you go - it's here if you need it.)

The speakers feature three modes of connectivity: Wireless+ ultra-low latency (with a latency figure of 16ms), Bluetooth and cabled. They each feature a 4-inch 'high-excursion' woofer and 1-inch silk-dome tweeter, and are made from 100% recycled plastic. 

The UNIT-4 monitors are available now prices at £350 a unit (£700/pair). Expect a MusicRadar review soon.

More information from AIAIAI.

Genelec has introduced the 9320A Reference Controller, a new ‘bridge’ device that enables you to switch between up to three separate studio monitoring systems plus headphones. This is the latest addition to its UNIO platform, which is designed to ensure that pros can access a reliable monitoring setup wherever they happen to be working

With the 9320A, each monitoring setup can be configured to operate at a calibrated listening level, and any active loudspeaker system is supported. You also get one-click access to many of the monitor control features that are built into Genelec’s Smart Active Monitoring family.

The idea is that you can switch between your monitoring options seamlessly, making it quicker and easier to create mixes that translate to multiple platforms. What’s more, the 9320A is designed to integrate easily with your existing DAW and audio interface.

“Audio professionals in music, broadcast, post-production and game audio are increasingly wanting the flexibility to work wherever and whenever they want, even if that sometimes involves unpredictable and challenging acoustic environments,” says Genelec Managing Director Siamäk Naghian. “To be able to switch instantly between well calibrated in-room and headphone monitoring without any interruption in workflow is crucial to this way of working, and so we see UNIO and the 9320A as powerful tools in creating a truly next-generation reference quality monitoring system.”

Find out more on the Genelec website.

To say Focal’s studio monitors are respected would be an understatement; loads of producers aspire to own them, and those that do frequently fall in love with them. The company’s latest release is the redesigned Trio6 monitors, the latest addition to the acclaimed ST6 range.

The Trio6 rocks an eight-inch subwoofer that features Focal’s patented ‘W’ cone, plus a five-inch midrange woofer and a new beryllium tweeter. This three-way design promises to offer sound neutrality across the entire audio spectrum, with precision in the midrange, power in the bass and excellent dynamics.

Focal has also implemented an enhanced version of its Focus mode - Dual Focus mode. This enables you to ‘focus’ on either one or two drivers, with Focal claiming that this effectively gives you “three different sounding monitors in one”. 

At $3,499 each, you might have hoped that the Trio6s would provide even more monitors than one, but the reality is that these are top-end speakers for the discerning pro. If that sounds like a bit of you, head on over to the Focal website.

PreSonus’ Eris studio monitors have been relaunched with the latest generation forming three new tiers: Essential, Studio and Pro. Each range has been refined with a simpler lineup of models all aiming to deliver something for every type of audio specialist.

Eris

The Essential range consists of some existing model names, but are updated for the 2nd generation. This range is aimed at content creators of all types, who require highly accurate sound reproduction in a small footprint and at low price points. 

All models are Bluetooth-compatible, with the exception of the smallest 3.5 monitors also being available in a non-Bluetooth variant.

Each model features a 1” silk dome tweeter, woven composite driver, front-mounted controls and I/O, plus acoustic tuning controls.

Eris range

• Eris 3.5
• Eris 3.5 BT
• Eris 4.5 BT
• Eris 5 BT
• Eris Sub 8 BT

Eris Studio

The middle tier of Eris monitors is now the Studio range and features some models that bear a resemblance to the previous Eris XT models. Some of you may recognise the elliptical waveguides and the latest versions ensure a wider sweet spot so you’ll be able to hear all the detail from those mixes from a broader standpoint.

Each of the Studio models features forward-firing bass ports that ensure optimised low-end reproduction and the update also includes improved internal bracing to suppress unwanted resonance. The 8-inch model has a frequency response of 20kHz all the way down to 35Hz, while the smallest of the three, with its 4.5-inch woven driver reaches as low as 55Hz.

Eris Studio range

• Eris Studio 4
• Eris Studio 5
• Eris Studio 8

Eris Pro

Sitting at the top of the Eris tree is the new Pro series which features a coaxial design on both the Pro 6 and Pro 8 models which are then joined by a 10-inch sub-woofer to complete the range.

The precise nature of the single-point source design and symmetrical dispersion patterns will lend itself well within Dolby Atmos installations, or any multi-channel systems for that matter.

Both the 6 and 8 models have a frequency response of 35Hz - 20kHz delivered by the 1.25-inch, silk-dome, high frequency and woven composite low-frequency drivers. Each model is also wall and ceiling-mountable and much like the other Eris monitors, the Pro range also comes with acoustic tuning controls for fine-tuning during installation.

Eris Pro range

• Eris Pro 6
• Eris Pro 8
• Eris Pro Sub 10

We were lucky enough to catch the entire range at a recent launch event and first impressions were very impressive. On first listen, the 3.5 and 8-inch sub from the standard Eris range seemed to pair very well, almost better than the 5s, but we’re sure that with a little tweaking of the acoustic controls that can be changed.

We were quite taken aback by the bass response of the Studio when compared to the Pro range. It really is impressive and the broader waveguide really does work as advertised. However, the detail, balance and accuracy in the Pro range does surpass that of the Studio models and we’re sure will be quite a popular choice for many a studio installation.

Prices for the standard Eris models range from $99.99-$249.99, £89.00-£219.00, €99.00-€249.00 (per pair). The Studio range goes from $149.99-$249.99, £109.00-£219.00, €129.00-€249.00 (single). The Pro series starts at $399.99-499.99, £349.00-£429.00, €399.00-€499.00 (single). Both the Eris and Eris Studio models are available to buy now, while the Eris Pro range will be available at the end of September 2023.

Be sure to check back soon for full reviews on some of the new models, but in the meantime head over to the PreSonus website for more information.

If you’re working in a cramped home studio, producing on a desk, or building a travel rig you can actually carry, small studio monitors can offer a bigger upgrade than you’d expect.

Speaker design has moved on fast in the last few years, and it’s now realistic to get genuinely mixable clarity from cabinets that won’t dominate your workspace, with some models even offering room correction or desktop tuning to help when your setup is less than ideal.

The compact monitoring market is also broader than it used to be. Some options are purpose-built for portability and quick setup, while others are simply the smallest versions of serious studio ranges, aimed at producers who need proper translation but have limited space.

Either way, the goal is the same: accurate, repeatable decisions at close listening distances, without the compromises that come from relying purely on headphones or hi-fi speakers.

My top pick in this guide to the best small studio monitors is the IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Pro, thanks to their great build, size and sound that's closer to proper studio monitors than most small speakers.

Best overall

IK Multimedia’s iLoud Micro Monitor Pro takes the original iLoud Micro idea and pushes it into prosumer territory.

It’s still tiny enough for desks, hotel rooms and mobile rigs, but the voicing is far more “monitor” than “mini speaker”, with a tighter midrange, cleaner top end and DSP control that’s aimed at clarity and accuracy over what ‘sounds nice’.

The headline feature is built-in calibration that works with IK’s ARC X software and included measurement mic in the pair version, letting you tame common nearfield problems like boundary boom and desk reflections without external DSP boxes.

You also get practical onboard filters for LF extension, LF and HF trim, plus a desk setting, so you can quickly adapt to awkward placements. Connectivity is studio-friendly, too, with balanced XLR alongside consumer RCA and USB-C for control and calibration.

Best budget

M-Audio has long been one of the most notable brands in the realm of entry-level and budget-friendly music tech gear. The company’s BX monitors are well regarded as some of the best budget studio monitors in the business.

These aren’t as small or portable as many of the truly ‘compact’ monitors listed above, but they are some of the best value, studio-quality nearfields on the market. If both space and budget is an issue, you could do a lot worse.

There’s no EQ or customisation options here, perhaps unsurprisingly considering the price, but the BX3s do have both RCA and TRS inputs on the rear, plus front panel aux and headphone connections.

Read our full M-Audio BX3 review

Best sound quality

Genelec’s 8000 series monitors have been on the market in various forms for almost 20 years, and it’s probably fair to describe them as modern classics. Easily recognisable thanks to their distinctive rounded design, which aims to eliminate diffraction for a flatter frequency response, the 8000s are also built to last thanks to their die-cast aluminium build and metal grilles.

The 8010As are the smallest in the range, aimed at those working in tight spaces or putting together a portable production set-up. They come equipped with Genelec’s adjustable Iso-Pod rubber stands, which are designed to help maintain isolation between the monitors and whatever surface they’re placed on, as well as allowing for easy angle adjustment. They can also be easily mounted to a variety of stands and sockets though.

The 8010As are 2-way monitors and have rear-ported (bass reflex) enclosures. Just beneath the port is a recess housing five dip switches. Three contour the low-frequency response: -2dB and -4dB bass tilts which combine for -6dB, and Desktop Control which dips -4dB at 200Hz.

Best value

Not so long ago, the idea of finding a set of compact studio monitors with the clout required for serious music production was somewhat unthinkable, but IK’s iLoud Micros prove that small speakers don’t have to sacrifice on sound. Despite the small, 3” drivers, these monitors provide clear and accurate sound, and are capable of surprising volume levels given their size.

What’s more there’s a host of features here that make the iLoud Micros flexible for on-the-move use. Room correction EQ is handy, particularly if you plan on using the speakers in different locations and need the ability to adapt to varying spaces.

Mini-jack and RCA input connections mean they can easily connect to a laptop, DJ gear, a home stereo, or make use of Bluetooth for home listening. The lack of larger ¼” jack or XLR inputs make them slightly more awkward to use with an audio interface, although this is easily overcome with cheap adapters.

Best for bass

ADAM Audio’s D3V is a desktop-first monitor system that borrows the company’s pro-audio credentials and packages it for producers working up close.

The star of the show is the 1.5-inch D-ART tweeter, designed to keep highs precise and low-fatigue when you’re sat a metre from the speakers for hours. Low end comes from 3.5-inch aluminium woofers supported by dual passive radiators, which helps the D3V reach further down than you’d expect from something that fits beside a laptop and controller.

Connectivity is unapologetically modern: USB-C for plug-and-play digital audio, plus balanced ¼-inch TRS for a traditional interface setup, and there’s also a front headphone socket for quick switching.

Add DSP room adaptation switches and the included angled desk stands, and it’s clearly built for real-world workspaces rather than idealised studio placement.

Best for travel

KRK’s Rokit monitors are some of the most popular speakers for home studios, particularly among electronic musicians. The newer GoAux range takes a lot of what makes those popular – including the distinctive yellow and black look – and puts it into a smaller speaker specifically designed for use on the move.

Sonically, these aren’t quite a match for their larger counterparts – notably in the low-mids, which lack a little presence – but for their size and price they still impress. The high frequencies are not unpleasant and the mid and upper mid-range is reasonably forward. The rear-ported configuration enhances the low end enough so you don’t feel they lack punch.

If your budget stretches to the approx £50/$50 more for the 4s, we’d recommend the upgrade. Not only do you get a larger driver – meaning more power – but that model also adds automatic room correction (ARC). This uses a test tone to apply an automatic corrective EQ curve, allowing the speakers to adapt to new spaces – undoubtedly handy if you plan to use them on the go.

Best high-end

Unlike some of the explicitly ‘compact’ speakers in this round-up, Focal’s Solo6 monitors aren’t necessarily pitched as being uniquely small. We’re into the realm of standard studio monitors here, although as the smallest speakers in Focal’s range, these are probably the best option you’ll find if you’re looking for a properly high-end, professional-grade monitor suitable for a small studio space.

The Solo6s sound absolutely excellent, and are incredibly honest and detailed. The frequency response extends way up to 40kHz with no distortion, which means it’s possible to listen to mixes with extreme precision while suffering little fatigue. Around the back of the Solo6 you’ll find extensive EQ controls that enable it to sound at its best whatever the room.

These are hand-made monitors and the thick wooden cabinets both look and feel classy. Of course, all of this comes at a fairly substantial price. A pair is likely to set you back well over £/$2k. While that’s money well spent if you want the best possible sound for a small studio, it’s also something of a significant investment.

Best for streaming

Like many compact monitors, JBL’s One Series are designed to function in a variety of different scenarios, with features to suit musicians, podcasters and home-listening set-ups alike. Core to this flexibility is the range of inputs – RCA and 1/4” jack inputs can both be used together to connect two sources and a 1/8” input on the front overrides rear connectors. These BT models include Bluetooth 5 too, for wireless use and home listening.

Given their very reasonable price point, these monitors sound impressive too, with plenty of power from the 4.5” driver and decent bass response.

The main drawback here, compared to many comparable monitors, is the lack of any kind of onboard EQ. That means there’s no option to adapt the sound to different spaces when moving from studio to studio (or anywhere else).

Best mid-range

While they lack the compact portability of something like the iLoud Micro or JBL One Series, PreSonus’ two-way Eris monitors are certainly small enough for use in small studio spaces. In fact, given their very attractive price point, modest size and broad level of connectivity, these are a perfect first step up for bedroom producers graduating from working purely on headphones to their first proper monitoring set-up.

The low-end reproduction isn’t amazing here – even compared to some more ‘portable’ speakers – but it’s respectable for the price. In our tests we found they suffer a little in terms of sound quality at higher volumes, but given their primary suitability for small spaces, it’s unlikely you’ll need to crank them up too high in any case. Rear panel EQ makes it easy to adjust the overall sound to your studio space too.

This BT model is a shade more than the standard Eris 3.5s. They add Bluetooth alongside the analogue connectivity, which is a handy option if you’re looking to balance production and home listening duties.

FAQs

Glossary

Nearfield: A monitor designed to be listened to from a short distance, typically on a desk or small stands, so you hear more direct sound from the speakers and less of the room.

Ultra-nearfield: An even closer listening approach, often around 0.7 to 1.0 metres, where the system is tuned to give a coherent stereo image at arm’s length.

DSP: Digital signal processing built into the speaker, used for tuning, EQ, protection limiting, and sometimes time alignment.

Room correction: Measurement-based EQ and calibration that compensates for predictable room and placement issues, usually via onboard DSP or companion software.

Boundary EQ: A switch or DSP preset that reduces bass build-up when speakers are placed close to walls or corners.

Passive radiator: A non-powered diaphragm used to extend low-frequency performance in small enclosures without a port, common in compact desktop designs.

Coaxial driver: A design where the tweeter is mounted within the woofer, aiming for point-source imaging and consistent dispersion, often useful at close listening distances.

How we choose the best small studio monitors

Choosing small studio monitors is mostly about matching the speaker to your listening distance, your room, and the kind of decisions you need to make. And, of course, the budget you have to play with. Start with the physical reality of your setup - your actual setup, not the idealised Instagram version.

If you’re producing at a desk with the speakers less than a metre away, look for designs that are comfortable at close range and don’t rely on being cranked to come alive. Ultra nearfield systems and compact nearfields are built for exactly this, giving you focused imaging and a clear midrange without needing a big room to breathe.

Next, think about placement constraints. Small rooms often force speakers close to walls, corners, or computer screens, which can exaggerate bass and blur the low mids. This is where practical tuning features matter. This is much of an art as it is a science, but look for rear switches for boundary compensation, desktop filters, or - better still - DSP-based calibration, which can reduce predictable problems caused by tight placement. If you cannot treat your room properly, these tools can be the difference between speakers that feel trustworthy and speakers you constantly have to second-guess.

Connectivity is another quiet deal-breaker. If you’re using an audio interface, balanced TRS or XLR inputs keep things clean, especially if you have other gear on the same desk. Some compact monitors lean towards consumer-style inputs like RCA and mini jack, which is not inherently bad, but it may affect how easily you can integrate them into a studio chain without adapters. If the speakers also include Bluetooth, treat it as a bonus for referencing and casual playback rather than the main production path.

Finally, be realistic about bass. Small cabinets cannot cheat physics, so the smartest approach is to choose monitors with an honest low end rather than an overhyped one, then build your workflow around cross-checking. Use reference tracks you know well, occasional headphone checks, and careful gain staging to get you further than chasing an extra few Hertz on a spec sheet. If you later add a subwoofer, do it to improve confidence, not to compensate for monitors you never truly learned in the first place.

How we test

Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.

When choosing what we believe to be the best small studio monitors available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.

First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best small studio monitors on the market right now.

Our tests for small studio monitors are exactly the same as those we'd perform when using a regular-sized set. We'll look at the overall build quality of the unit, from the tweeters and woofers to the construction of the cabinet. We'll then check out the connectivity and any additional features present such as trim controls or gain boost options. This overview allows us to determine who the product is intended for.

Next up we'll test the sound using our regular set of reference tracks. These are songs we know intimately, professionally mixed and mastered in top-of-the-range studios. Comparing the test set of monitors with our regular set allows us to make a judgement on the quality of their sound, based on years of mixing, mastering, and listening experience.

We'll try and live with any studio monitors we test for a good amount of time, ideally somewhere around the two-week mark. This allows us to gauge how they work over a period of time, and get over that initial rush of getting a new piece of gear. It also gives us time to use the monitors in various situations, whether that's writing music, mixing it, or mastering it.

Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.

Why you can trust us

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✔️ 2.9 million monthly users globally

With more than 17 years of experience, MusicRadar is the premier music-making website in the world. Run by musicians for musicians, we offer expertly written gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by an extensive team of highly experienced industry professionals.

We also interview world-renowned musicians and stars about their creative processes and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. This gives fans an insight into the actual craft of music-making that no other music website can.

But that's not all. We also provide excellent tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced techniques and guidance from recognised musicians.

As well as delivering high-quality written reviews and features, we also produce a wealth of video content on YouTube. MusicRadarTV is where you'll find all of our access-all-areas interviews, hot gear demos and exclusive video lessons.

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Latest updates

• Best studio monitor stands: Optimise your home studio
• Best studio monitors under $500/£500: High-range sound on a mid-range budget
• Best budget audio interfaces: record for less than $100/£100

As a music producer you need to hear every detail of your mix, and that's why the studio monitor is the most important purchase you might well make. Luckily, in recent years, while the quality of monitors has gone up, many prices have come down and you can now get a great set of studio speakers for a very reasonable outlay. In this guide we've rounded up the best studio monitors under $500/£500 with models from some of the biggest names in the speaker business - and all at prices that shouldn't break the bank.

Studio monitors are designed to allow you to hear the intricate detail of a music mix and they have to be 'honest' in doing so. As a producer you need to hear everything - including any mix mistakes you have made - to correct them. This means your monitors have to deliver a flat frequency response across the board, with no peaks or dips emphasising or hiding certain bands.

At one time you'd have had to pay top dollar for this kind of accuracy, but we think we've unearthed some great models in our guide to studio speakers under the $500/£500 mark that deliver the detail and honesty you need, for a sensible budget.

We've also included some detailed buying advice at the end of this guide. If you'd like to learn more about what you need when choosing a new pair of speakers, we'd recommend you head straight there.

Best studio monitors under $500/£500: Quick list

Want to cut to the chase and find out exactly which we think are the best studio monitors under $500/£500 on the market right now? Below, you’ll find a round-up of our top choices. You can jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.

Best studio monitors under $500/£500 available today

Below you'll find full and detailed write-ups for each of the best studio monitors under $500/£500 in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

Best for bass heavy genres

KRK speakers have become famous for both their distinctive yellow design and their use in contemporary electronic music genres. The Rokit series of KRK studio monitors is now in its fourth generation - hence the 'G4' in the title - and is the Gibson-owned brand's affordable nearfield speaker range.

The G4 range has some rare features for this price, the most notable being its extensive graphic EQ power. There's built-in digital signal processing (DSP) which offers a suite of tools that includes a room analyser. This has become more popular among higher-end speakers and essentially ensures the speakers' sound compensates for the space you're working in, taking account of any anomalies your room is causing over the frequency range. It works very well too and is very welcome at this price point.

On top of these extras, you get a solid build and decent specs with the RP7 G4s. And overall these KRK Rokits are some of the best budget studio monitors you can buy for smaller mixing spaces, and are especially suited for working in any bass-heavy genre.

Read the full KRK Rokit G4 review

Best for value

The HS5 monitors feature the distinctive white cones that make Yamaha monitors famous, but these are more compact than most. Measuring only 6.7" x 11.25" x 8.75" and weighing around 12 pounds, the HS5 are most obviously more suited to smaller studio set-ups. That said, a 45W amplifier powers the woofer, while a 25W amp drives the tweeter, so that's enough juice to make a pair of these go loud enough in most rooms.

The HS5s are incredible for their price. The imaging, transient response, high-frequency detail and depth are all superb. But the highlights of this monitor are its tight upper-bass and open low-midrange reproduction, giving a great overall sonic picture.

The Yamaha HS5 series are reference speakers which are built solely with mixing and monitoring in mind, so have no extras like Bluetooth or a graphic EQ, and room correction is basic. For sheer accuracy, however, they're hard to beat at this price and they are great for a wide range of mixing tasks.

Read the full Yamaha HS5 review

Best for larger studios

Eris is Presonus's most traditional speaker range and the E8XT is one of the larger monitors to feature in this guide. This latest model features an EBM tweeter waveguide and elliptical boundary-modelled design. These help deliver both a wide horizontal and narrow vertical dispersion. The horizontal width is very obvious when working with the speakers, and the sweet spot is easy to find and mix within. This is good news with larger monitors like these as you will be further away from them while working, and a wide sweet spot also means more people can listen in during playback and mixing.

The E8XTs feature controls around the back including gain, mid-peak and high-shelf EQs, low-cut filter, and a room correction option which curtails frequencies below 800Hz and helps when the monitors are in corners or up close to walls. It's a little basic compared to the room correction features found on models elsewhere in this guide, but handy nonetheless.

These extra EQ controls might not be required anyway, as the balance of the E8XT's sound is good and we didn’t initially feel the need to use any EQ. However, the mids can be a bit restrained on occasion so a boost from the mid-EQ (1kHz) might be necessary.

The E8XT delivers the sort of sound and volume you'd expect from slightly larger speakers. And coupled with the broad sweet spot and extended bass, they’re great for both tracking and mixing in larger spaces. Build quality is excellent and they also offer incredible value.

Read the full Presonus Eris E8XT review

Best for small studios

Adam Audio is well known for its high quality and high end studio monitors, and with the T5V, the company is attempting to bring that know-how and quality into a cheaper design - and is largely succeeding. The speakers each feature a 5-inch woofer and Adam’s U-ART (Unique Accelerated Ribbon Tweeter) tweeter. It's a Class-D two-way design with a rear-ring bass reflex to cut down distortion in the low end.

The top-end of the sound is very tight too, and an HPS waveguide helps produce a broad horizontal sweet spot. This is great if there are more than one of you mixing in the studio as you will both be able to enjoy the imaging and separation, both of which are also excellent.

While the monitors have both tight top and bottom end responses, the low midrange frequencies feel like they could be crisper, but we achieved this fairly easily by setting the LF EQ to -2dB.

Overall, then, the T5V is at a great price for an Adam Audio monitor that still delivers the quality you expect from the name.

Read the full Adam Audio T5V review

Best sound for the money

When the iLoud Micro monitors were released a few years back, no one could quite believe what IK Multimedia was trying to do by releasing a monitor so small. But these monitors prove that you really can get a clear, accurate sound from a small 3” driver. Not only that, the iLoud Micros also come with the kind of room-correcting EQ features which helps make them sound good wherever you place them.

You get a 1/8” jack input which makes them ideal for iPad or laptop producers, while the RCA inputs mean they can also cope with other inputs from record players, DJ mixers or audio interfaces.

The Bluetooth inclusion is handy - although we still prefer wired monitors for mixing. And judged just on this kind of monitoring performance, the iLoud Micros are still well worth considering as a serious studio monitor, especially if space is an issue in your studio or on your desktop.

Read the full IK Multimedia iLoud Micro review

Best for tight budgets

M-Audio has been designing well spec'd and great value monitors for quite some years now, and we’re big fans of the company's BX5 D3 series. That's because, unlike the kinds of speakers that also do podcasting and music playback, the BX5s are designed for quality reference studio monitoring, and that alone.

That wide frequency range - for the price you pay, anyway - is evident on listening to them. There are also other great extras such as room correction, and even a built-in LED light to that helps you have them set up at the right angle for listening.

The BX5 D3 is a great monitor choice if you are on a budget. It delivers clarity and accuracy, and all from a set of speakers that costs barely more than a set of headphones.

Read the full M-Audio BX5-D3 review

Best portable speakers

IK Multimedia has already shown us in this guide that fantastic small speakers are attainable. With the GoAux 3 and GoAux 4, KRK are doing the same and going even more mobile. Each kit comprises a pair of monitors in a padded travel case with space for all the extras – it's a great package to take from studio to studio should you wish.

The speakers also feature adjustable stands, Bluetooth capability, EQ (HF and LF), headphone output and front-mounted standby switch/level control. The left loudspeaker has all of this connectivity, and the other monitor is a remote unit linked via a lead.

With GoAux 4 you also get automatic room correction (ARC) which is a very handy feature at this price. It made a sonic difference for us, too - noticeable but not dramatic, the outcome made sense, knowing our studio as we do.

These are both great speaker packages for a good price. We'd probably opt for the 4, just for the extras, but either is a good buy.

Read the full KRK GoAux 3 and 4 review

Best compact monitors

JBL's One Series 104 has been around for a few years now and is yet another speaker that delivers a great sound from a small monitor enclosure. Designed with home recording, podcasting and portability in mind, it also delivers that performance for not a lot of cash - these are among the cheapest speakers on test here. Despite the price though, we were seriously impressed with the sound - both tight and accurate across a good frequency range.

Bluetooth 5 connectivity via the BT version makes them versatile too - one minute they’re at the heart of your studio and the next they can be in the kitchen streaming from your phone. A great choice for lots of situations.

Read the full JBL One Series 104 review

Best all-round performance

The Alesis Elevate 5 MKII might have a smaller frequency range than other speakers here, but that doesn’t have to be a deal breaker as Alesis has included a bass boost switch for those moments when you just want a good sound (but aren't mixing so much for accuracy).

When we tested these with reference listening in mind, we found that the 40 watts that the 5" driver and 1" high-frequency tweeter kicked out were fine for mixing in a smaller room, but you will need more power if you are mixing in a larger space.

However these speakers are good enough for the typical bedroom producer mixing in a more confined area. And if you want to use them for gaming or general listening, they make a good all-round purchase.

Read the full Alesis Elevate 5 MKII review

Best studio monitors under $500/£500: Buying advice

How we test the best studio monitors under $500/£500

Studio monitors should tell you everything about your music in as honest a way as possible, and they do this by having a flat frequency response. This means it is not coloured or enhanced in any way, which is often the case in consumer level speakers which might have their basses boosted – for example – to improve their overall sound.

Studio monitors aim for a flat frequency response because if they have a boosted bass – as in those consumer monitors we just mentioned – you would then reduce it while mixing and the results would be a thin mix when played on another system. Basically a flat frequency response is best because what you mix is what you get!

The wider this quoted frequency response, the better too. This means you'll hear all of the high and low frequencies in the mix. You'll typically get specs that deliver low frequencies down to 40-80Hz and upper ones at the edge of human hearing at 20kHz.

While the frequency range can be tested electronically, we also test studio monitors with reference music – our own trusted mixes of music that we know very well – where we can tell if any areas of the frequency spectrum have been enhanced or reduced. Hearing the pinpoint detail in a trusted mix is what we're really listening out for when testing studio monitors.

We also look out for speaker design elements like bass ports which reduce low end distortion, and the rigidity of the cabinets which can help deliver a tight transient – the attack part of the sound. This is evident in poorer speaker designs where a less rigid enclosure might result in flabbier sounding mixes.

We also test for the stereo width a set of monitors can deliver, as hearing a wide sound can let you accurately place instruments in a mix so they don't clash. Finally, we're also listening out for the 'sweet spot', the ideal listening position to enjoy the best sound from the speakers. Some of the better studio speakers feature a wider sweet spot which means you are not restricted in where you sit when mixing and also makes them great for bigger studios where more than one person can mix at the same time.

Read more about how we test music making gear and services at MusicRadar.

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• Best studio monitor stands: optimise your home studio

KRK is launching a limited-edition version of its CLASSIC studio monitor designed in collaboration with Grammy-nominated producer Scott Storch. 

The KRK Scott Storch CLASSIC 8ss is spin on the CLASSIC 8, an active two-way studio monitor equipped with 8" woofer and 1" soft dome tweeter. The CLASSIC 8 delivers 100W of power in total - 75W for the woofer and 25W for the tweeter - and a dynamic, modern sound that's punchy and bass-forward. 

Storch's signature monitors have been outfitted with a gold chrome faceplate and feature the producer's signature on the front and back. The CLASSIC 8ss are said to capture Storch's "eccentric, unique flair" and offer the same +2db KRK Bass Boost function as the regular CLASSIC model; flip this switch and they'll amp up the low end for an enhanced bass response. 

“For years, the KRK CLASSIC 8 monitors have been essential to my artistic music-making process,” says Storch in a statement. “To now have personalized versions of my favorite studio monitors is an exciting venture for me. I’m honored that KRK chose me for its first-ever artist collaboration.”

Scott Storch is a producer and songwriter known for working with Grammy-winning artists; he's behind hits such as Dr. Dre's Still D.R.E., 50 Cent's Candy Shop, and Beyoncé's Baby Boy. Storch has been nominated for four Grammy Awards. Most recently, he's worked with Jack Harlow, Megan Thee Stallion and The Kid LAROI.

Each monitor will set you back $299. If you need a bit of gold chrome in your life, don't wait around - only 500 pairs of the CLASSIC 8ss are being made. Find out more on KRK's website.

Alternatively, if you're after some new monitors but the chrome-plated look isn't for you (imagine that!) check out our guide to the best studio monitors in 2023.

There’s a lot more to effective monitoring than simply buying the best studio monitors you can afford and plugging them in. The details of your setup will play a huge part in ensuring you get the best possible sound out of your equipment and environment.

With that in mind, here are seven easy steps that will guide you through positioning your monitors correctly. 

1. Orientation

Decide an orientation within the room. If your shortest dimension is around four metres or more, consider setting up so that the width is the longest dimension. 

Space to the sides of the monitors helps support stereo imaging and reduce the effective strength of side wall reflections. Setting up longways allows for a greater depth of bass trapping at the rear of the room and provides more space at the front to keep your listening position out of the middle third of the room.

2. Wall spacing

Decide how close to the front wall (the one you face) the monitors will go. Unless your room depth is over ~9m it’s best to keep the distance from the wall to the front of the monitor 1m or less, but don’t let the rear of the monitors get closer than 10cm to the wall. If ported to the rear, a gap of 30cm or more is better. 

3. Smaller rooms

For width spacing, setting the spacing between 1m and 1.6m, measuring from the centres of the LF driver cones, gives you plenty of stereo image width in small and medium-sized rooms.

4. Triangulation

Your listening position should be the point of an equilateral triangle with the monitors. Using the above spacings, this position will be around 0.87m to 1.39m back from the fronts of the monitors. Your head should be equidistant from each of them, a distance that is the same as their LF driver cone spacing.

5. Face-to-bass

If you haven’t already, turn the monitors in to point directly at your head. This should mean that, by virtue of the equilateral triangle, they form a 60º angle (each 30º from your line of sight). Make sure the monitors are facing flat. If you want to raise them above your seated head height, keep the angle shallow (max. ~15º).

6. Co-vibration

Mount your monitors with some form of decoupling to prevent them transmitting vibrations elsewhere. Dense/heavy speaker stands, such as stacked concrete blocks, work well. Sitting the monitors on metal spikes reduces their contact surface area and thus attenuates the transmitted energy. 

Foam pads are also great for decoupling. Combining dense and springy materials can be a great approach and is often cheap, too, as bricks, blocks and foam are common. Avoid mounting monitors on the same surface.

7. Raise them up

Seating your monitors on or close to flat surfaces will add more phase shift and cause a degree of comb filtering. The more the monitors are raised up from these surfaces the less pronounced the comb filtering, though you won’t be able to avoid it completely. Try a few positions to find a compromise.

• Read more: The ultimate beginner's guide to room acoustics

GEAR EXPO 2023: The studio monitor is the most important weapon in your fight against bad mixes. If you can't hear a bad mix, you can't correct it. Luckily, today's studio monitors have ramped up the tech and kept prices in check. Here are our best of the year ahead.

The studio monitor is one of the most basic pieces of studio technology out there, right? Wrong. Over the last few years, studio monitors have had to up their sound and design, keep costs within reason, and now feature all sorts of tech to help make your mixes even better.

We have a great selection of 2023 monitor newcomers that will be vying for your ears - and cash - this year. There's everything from budget to bank busting here, but you and your mixes would do well to check them all out.

Neumann KH 120 II

Could these first entries in our monitor guide be better than the best? According to their makers Neumann, yes they could.

The Berlin microphone and speaker expert's 2010-released KH 120 speaker was, according to us and many others, one of the finest studio monitors ever built. Honestly, if we'd built a speaker that good we'd have redefined the expression 'resting on your laurels'. Not this Berlin-based manufacturer, though. 

Neumann's philosophy is to constantly strive for more, so it claims these new KH 120 IIs are even better. 

The improvements are two-fold according to the company. Firstly, some new features and design elements have improved the sound. A new woofer means better SPLs and less distortion at the low end, while a 'linearized phase response' - with onboard DSP reducing phase issues caused by analogue filters - means better mids, accuracy and transparency.  

The second big addition - and something all the rage in studio monitoring at the moment - is the monitor's ability to compensate for its acoustic environment. Monitors such as Genelec's The Ones, and cheaper releases by IK Multimedia and KRK, enable speakers to self-adjust to compensate for acoustic issues in your room. The theory is that, by doing this, they still present you with a true version of your mix, no matter how rubbish your acoustics. 

The KH 120 IIs do this using Neumann's MA1 hardware/software solution. This is sold separately (around $£250), but does mean that if these monitors sound as good as Neumann says, they should sound as good wherever you put them. 

List prices are pretty decent given all of those claims - between $999 and $1250 a unit depending on your connectivity requirements. 

There's more about the KH 120 IIs on the Neumann website.

Amphion One25A

At this year's NAMM show, Amphion announced an incredible looking - and costing - studio monitor, One25A. This is the company's first 3-way active monitor in 25 years.

The Finnish audio company is well-known as a maker of great hi-fi speakers, but has also long been involved in studio monitor design. Its speakers are championed by many great engineers and producers - including Jacquire King, Josh Gudwin, Mike Dean and Finneas O’Connell - but also those with big pockets, as most of these speakers don't come cheap. The latest Amphion One25A costs close to $15,000 (but that is for a pair).

Don't forget that you do get 25 years of research baked into that figure as well. Amphion says that the compact construction includes enough space to keep the bass and midrange drivers completely isolated to provide more clarity, and that the baffle around the mid-range driver has been designed to be acoustically symmetrical for more precise imaging. There’s also a hexagonal bass cabinet design which helps cut down distortion, so the bottom end should be rich but still precise. It sounds like here are clearly some fine design innovations here. 

However, the most interesting question surrounding this launch is why it's taken Amphion so long to come up with a 3-way active speaker after designing 2-way (or passive) speakers for so long? The reason - we think - is simply because the 2-way ones were and are so good, and adding another driver wasn't previously seen as a priority.

Amphion CEO Anssi Hyvönen explains: “It must be remembered that One25A’s active 3-way high-resolution filter is simply a natural progression from the active 2-way filters that we have utilised in our Base systems since 2015. Our design philosophy has always been results- not technology-oriented. So, we use whatever approach we feel works best for a certain product.”

You can learn more about the speaker range at the Amphion website.

Eve Audio SC2070

Eve Audio produces a range of mid-priced and pro-level studio monitors that retail from about £500 per pair upwards. The SC2070 is a new 2-way addition to its flagship range, which also includes the 3-way SC3070 and 4-way SC4070. 

The 20270's rear-ported design combines a 6.5” woofer with a new version of its AMT (Air Motion Transformer) ribbon tweeter. It’s compact enough to be a near-field, but with plenty of power under the hood and decent low-frequency extension, it could easily handle mid-field or multichannel duties. 

The SC2070 build quality is excellent, and these monitors are also quite hefty for their size (9.4kg each). Sonically, they sound very open, and this has as much to do with the mid-range precision as it does with the higher frequencies.

In terms of imaging, the sweet spot is also quite broad. One thing we would say is that the mid-range is quite forward, and this is particularly obvious for distorted electric guitars. We’d certainly use the monitor mid-band cut if we were regularly mixing rock tracks.    

These are excellent monitors though, delivering a big, detailed, revealing sound. Significantly you’ve also got plenty of tweaking options if you need them. That said, they’re clearly quite expensive and at this price the competition is stiff, but they should definitely be on your audition list. 

The SC2070 is a pro monitor that delivers an impressively big, open sound for its size, with plenty of EQ options to tailor it to your space.

The Eve Audio SC2070 costs €1,099 each, and you can read our full review here. Get more information from the Eve Audio website. 

Antelope Audio Atlas i8

The Atlas i8 is Antelope Audio's first studio monitor, a company more well known for its interfaces. As these are digital monitors, some of the tech from those interfaces is in evidence here, namely the high-quality conversion technology. 

The i8 is a relatively compact studio monitor but boasts a wide frequency range of 35Hz to 20kHz thanks to its 'isobaric' design. While not a totally new idea in speaker circles, it's a rarely used approach where two sets of low frequency drivers are placed in parallel to give the speaker an extended low end, and all from a smaller enclosure than you might expect.

The Atlas i8 also boasts its own Antelope-designed class D amp that delivers 200W to the woofers and another 100W to the mid and high-end drivers, plus a not inconsiderable SPL of 117dB. The latter two drivers are of a dual concentric design, so appear almost as one on the unit (where it's actually the tweeter built into the mid driver). 

Because it is digital, the Atlas i8 has USB connectivity so can take a digital signal direct from your computer, or analogue analogue inputs with conversion of up to 192kHz. Other digital advantages mean you can control imaging, EQ and more directly via software.

The isobaric design makes these heavy speakers (around 24kg), so you're not going to want to shift them once placed, but fortunately you can use them either vertically or horizontally. Having an extra parallel bass driver will inevitably add to the cost; the Atlas i8s should be available in Q2 this year for around $2,500 each. 

So far there's no extra information at the Antelope Audio website so, as we might say, watch that space for more as and when it comes.

KRK GoAux 3 and 4

GoAux 3 and GoAux 4 are the new on-the-go speakers from KRK, and each kit comprises a pair of monitors in a padded travel case with space for all the extras. 

The GoAux 3 and GoAux 4 use a 1” fabric dome tweeter coupled with 3” and 4” glass aramid woofers respectively, and the classic KRK yellow colour scheme is in full effect. Each speaker has an adjustable stand, is Bluetooth capable, has built-in EQ (HF and LF), onboard headphone output and front-mounted standby switch/level control.

For physical inputs, both designs include RCA and 1/8” minijack, and GoAux 4 also has 1/4” TRS jacks and USB (B type). So, armed with a regular A-type to B-type USB cable you can connect the GoAux 4 directly to a computer, selecting the KRK Realtek driver as your output device. The GoAux 4 also includes ARC - automatic room correction - which we’ll discuss below.

Much like other quality compact monitors we’ve tried, both GoAux models deliver a very workable sound. The high frequencies even when boosted using the EQ are not unpleasant and the mid and upper mid-range is reasonably forward. 

GoAux 4 includes automatic room correction (ARC). In our space, the difference was noticeable but not dramatic, but the outcome made sense, particularly having heard the peaks and troughs in the low-frequency tone cycle.  

Overall KRK has done a good job with GoAux, delivering compact and portable monitors with a very workable sound. GoAux is great for those on the move or short of space. The extra features are what take it into really noteworthy territory.

KRK's GoAux 3 and 4 systems cost £349 and £399 respectively. You can read our full review here and find our more from the KRK website.  

IK Multimedia Precision 6

Finally, some bigger (and, it has to be said, much more expensive) monitors in the award-winning iLoud range from IK Multimedia. 

iLoud Precision 6 is the middle monitor in the new Precision range. It has a great set of specs, with a wide frequency range (37Hz – 30kHz) with very little variation in colour across it (a +/- 1 dB accuracy) which means that the response is flat. 

These speakers also employ the ARC System of calibration via a piece of software called X-Monitor to auto-adjust to your room.

When we set them up before employing the ARC system, we were already impressed with their controlled response while playing some trusted mixes of our own music plus our standard ‘speaker test’ tracks. 

These Precision 6s really do deliver extra detail over and above our very decent reference monitors. We were impressed not only with the extras we were getting across the frequency range in our mixes but also the tightness - the fast response of the speakers to the transients in the music. 

Post calibration we weren’t expecting to hear that much difference but the test revealed bass enhancements that we couldn’t initially detect - probably caused by their position on a desk and in a corner - which were then evened out in the adjustment process, resulting in a flatter and truer response.

We’d definitely recommend auditioning a set of Precisions - you will hear your music in a completely new light so they could revolutionise your mixing. 

Precision 6 costs €999 a unit. You can read our full review here and there's more information at the IK Multimedia website.

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