Studio monitors are essential aspects of any music-maker’s toolkit. Whatever your discipline, and whatever stage you’re at in your journey, you have the same essential needs: to hear what you’re doing clearly and accurately. If you’re serious about what you do, you should be serious about picking the best studio monitors available to you.
Studio monitors are the clinical sibling of the consumer hi-fi. They trade colour and excitement for a flat frequency response, enabling you to hear your mixes in all their naked glory – crucial for the delicate work that mixing entails, whether tweaking compressors and EQs or simply setting your levels. Picking the right monitors for your needs is unsurprisingly difficult, though, to the point of decision paralysis.
Good, then, that we've a smorgasbord of favourite studio monitors to suggest to you, many of which have been gathered right here in this handy guide to the best studio monitors around. From super-powerful room-fillers to compact near-fields, and from affordable entry-level stock to pro-grade reference monitors, we’ve covered it all.
If you're not sure how to tell your woofers from your tweeters, then make sure to have a look at our in-depth buying advice section, which has loads of common questions answered by expert musicians and mixers here at MusicRadar. If you already know your frequency range from your frequency response, then scroll on down for our top studio monitors available today.
Our top picks
If you're looking to step up from a less expensive set of studio monitors, then the Focal Shape 65 will make your mixing decisions far easier and get you much better results.
The replacement for the BX-Series that used to top this list, the M-Audio Forty Sixty has a 6.5" tweeter for plenty of detail, while remaining easy to use and budget-friendly.
You can get a surprisingly good pair of monitors below the $500 mark these days, and we'd go for the Adam Audio T5V, with their precise top end making them great for mixing.
Best overall
✅ Buy if you want to upgrade your current monitors: If you already have a set of studio monitors and are looking for something better, these are a fantastic high-end option.
❌ Avoid if you don't want automatic bypass: The automatic bypass function can be annoying in longer mix sessions, as your speakers automatically turn off after 30 minutes of inactivity.
Once you've got more experience mixing, you tend to find that you prefer the sound of a particular manufacturer's monitor, and we're big fans of the sound of Focal monitors. Available in 40, 50, and 65 flavours, the latter of which we’re reviewing here, the Shapes, from Focal, now sit between their budget-friendly Alpha series and the Solo6 Be - another 6.5" two-way monitor - in terms of price.
Interestingly, the Shapes are non-ported, with dual 6.5" passive radiators (one on each side of the monitor). This means you can only place them vertically, but honestly, we prefer the wider sweet spot you get this way, especially when using studio monitors at home. They're what we call a 'mid-forward' speaker, and the frequency balance is in a word, exceptional. The translation to other systems is fantastic and others like more clinical monitors, these are really nice for general listening, particularly that sparkly high-end.
Aesthetically, the Shapes are an interesting departure from Focal’s other designs. The main speaker cabinet is black-painted MDF with a luxurious walnut veneer, appearing less ‘studio spaceship’ and more ‘hi- connoisseur’ – in fact, they’d look just as at home in a domestic cinema setup as in a production environment. We really love the four spikes on the bottom for decoupling or angling the speakers to match your setup too.
Read our full Focal Shape 65 review
Best budget
✅ Buy if you want a budget studio monitor: A pair of these monitors costs less than most single monitors from other manufacturers, making them great for those on a budget.
❌ Avoid for pro-mixing work: These monitors are great value, but decidedly beginner-level when it comes to mixing detail.
M-Audio’s new Forty Sixty studio monitors are, in a word, fun. These monitors serve to replace the brand’s long-standing BX-series, the M-Audio BX4s having at one point topped this very list. The new Forty series represents a refreshing step in a new direction, which melds creator and listener in a hugely versatile beginner-friendly format.
The Forty Sixty has a relatively large 6.5” Kevlar woofer, allowing for some impressive extension in the low end, and a decent amount of mid-range body besides. Digital crossover and EQ enable you to make the most of this extended response, the flashiest expression of which is the front-facing ‘hype’ button – which switches the Forty Sixty from a flat reference monitor to a bass-boosted hi-fi hot-rod.
The Forty Sixty continues in its hybridity with Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, which governs both the streaming of music and the tweaking of digital EQs via a proprietary app. M-Audio has done something intriguing with the Forty Sixty, marrying consumer hi-fi and pro audio in an affordable studio monitor package. And we love it.
Best under $500
✅ Buy if you want great monitoring for less than $500: Great for beginners or those with a bit more experience on a tighter budget, these monitors from Adam Audio deliver fantastic monitoring that won't break the bank.
❌ Avoid if you like controls on the front: Not everyone wants to reach around the back to make adjustments, so if you don't fancy doing that avoid these.
One of the most affordable Adam monitors to date, the T5V is built around a 5-inch woofer and Adam’s U-ART (Unique Accelerated Ribbon Tweeter) tweeter. This Class-D powered two-way design with rear-ring bass reflex is the smaller of the new T Series designs.
Sonically, the top-end is very well-tuned, while the HPS waveguide delivers a broad horizontal sweet spot. This contributes greatly to the overall imaging and separation, which is excellent. Although the cabinet is quite deep, front to back, the units feel compact.
The low mid-range frequencies could be more prominent, but this certainly isn't a deal-breaker, and by setting the LF EQ to -2dB we achieved a much better result. Adam’s desire is to make the T5V your first Adam monitor, and judging by what we’ve heard here, it could easily make you a fan for life.
Read our full Adam Audio T5V review
Best for home studio
✅ Buy if you want an honest pair of monitors: Doing little to hype your sounds, the HS5s deliver an honest picture of your mix, meaning if they sound good here they'll sound good anywhere.
❌ Avoid if you need big low-end: Due to the size these don't deliver quite as much low end as other, larger monitors, so look elsewhere if you like things bass-heavy.
Some of the most popular studio monitors around, the Yamaha HS5s are a great choice for mixing duties due to their reliably honest sound reproduction. They're incredible value for money and perfect for those who want to go down the route of mixing and producing music.
The famous story about the old Yamaha NS10 studio monitors, which these are based upon, was that they were chosen not because they sounded great, but because they didn't. The theory is that if you could mix a track to sound good on them, you could be confident it would sound good anywhere and the same applies to the HS5. They won't flatter your mixes in the slightest.
The Yamaha HS5 series are reference speakers that are built solely with mixing and monitoring in mind. There's no Bluetooth or graphic EQ, and room correction is basic at best. For sheer accuracy, however, they're hard to beat at this price range. Get your mix right on these and it'll sound fantastic anywhere.
Read the full Yamaha HS5 review
Best for electronic production
✅ Buy if you want to make electronic music: The bass response on these monitors makes them great for low-end heavy genres and electronic music.
❌ Avoid if you're mixing rock: Non-EDM-based musicians may find the low end a little bit too hyped here for more traditional instrumentation.
If you've ever stepped foot inside the studio domain of an electronic music producer, the chances are you're familiar with the famous yellow speaker cones of KRK. The Rokit series - now in its fifth generation - has a selection of neat features which make it worthy of note.
The G5 range builds on the strengths of the G4 range, which was among the first monitor series at this price bracket to include a graphic EQ function on the speaker itself; the G5 adds three EQ modes, to tailor the voice of the speakers depending on the task at hand.
The in-built digital signal processing (DSP) remains impressive, and a new improved tweeter extends the high-end response – making for a plussed-up iteration of the same great budget studio monitor. We thought fondly of the KRK Rokit RP7 G4s that came before, and we think just as fondly of these retooled successors.
Best compact
✅ Buy if you need a compact studio monitor: The small size of these monitors means they'll fit in pretty much any setup, no matter how small.
❌ Avoid if you're in a big room: Conversely, the small size means they won't fill out as much if you're mixing in a larger room.
IK’s latest addition to its growing monitor range, the iLoud MTMs are crammed with tech that belies their relatively low price point. The ‘MTM’ bit refers to the D’Appolito configuration, which, in this case, places a 1” tweeter in between two 3.5” mid-range woofers, with a bass reflex port around the back. Everything is DSP-controlled and they can be calibrated to suit your room courtesy of IK’s proprietary ARC calibration system, which is built right into the speakers and the measurement mic comes bundled as part of the package.
The MTMs are clinical and brutally ‘honest’ and take imaging to a level that we’d expect to hear from monitors costing three times as much. Subtle mid/high details that previously went unnoticed become perfectly audible, making corrective targeting of individual elements within the mix almost supernaturally easy. Low-end solidity and control are remarkable for a speaker of this size, too, and they never really seem to get fatiguing.
For those with limited desk space, or seeking a surgical secondary pair to their main ‘fun’ monitors, the iLoud MTM really is a truly incredible solution.
Read our full IK Multimedia iLoud MTM review
Best for beginners
✅ Buy if you want your first set of monitors: Perfect for beginners, these monitors provide excellent sound, ease of use, and a wide sweet spot making them great for budding mix engineers.
❌ Avoid if you need low-end detail: As is the case with smaller speakers, the size means you'll need to resort to using headphones to examine the low end in detail.
If you’re looking to get your first set of studio monitors then we’d highly recommend the JBL 305P MkII. As well as being fantastic value for money they deliver articulate sound that’s perfect to get beginners mixing their own music.
We found the sweet spot surprisingly wide considering the price point, which means you’ll get a great listening experience even if your setup isn’t quite perfect. They’re nicely balanced between low-end and high frequencies too, making them great for long periods of listening.
Handy EQ controls on the back allow you to adjust the sound to your setup, so you can trim the bass if the speakers are placed on a desktop, or close to a wall. On a pair of stands, we found there was a nice balance that didn’t require much tweaking, another tick in the box that makes these great for beginner mixers.
Best professional
✅ Buy if you have a properly treated studio space: These are professional-level monitors designed for use in properly treated spaces, perfect if you've just moved to a bespoke studio space.
❌ Avoid if you're mixing at home: These speakers are not only huge, but they're loud too and won't do well in small or badly treated home studios.
If you've worked hard enough to get a dedicated studio space, you're going to need a different level of studio monitor from most of the choices on this list. Enter the Focal ST6 Twin6, a professional-level studio monitor for top quality sound.
These aren't really for use at home, unless you have a massive, well-treated space. At half-a metre wide and weighing in at 22kg each, these are beasty speakers that deliver a gigantic soundstage to go with their hefty size. With these positioned correctly the stereo width is absolutely phenomenal, delivering super-wide and multi-dimensional tones that will blow most other monitors out of the water.
They deliver super smooth bass, sparkly top end, and plenty mid-range detail without ever sounding harsh or boomy. You can actually make them sound worse however, thanks to 'Focus' mode. Hitting this switch moves the monitors from 2.5-way to 1-way, significantly decreasing the high quality so you can hear how your mixes will translate on smaller, poorer quality speakers.
With its combination of mix friendly features, incredible build quality, and of course, that superlative sound, the Focal ST6 Twin6 is a AAA+ grade studio monitor for pro mixing engineers.
Read our full Focal ST6 Twin6 review
Best for guitar
✅ Buy if you want to play your amp modeller through a set of full-range speakers: Great value and packing excellent sound, these monitors are great for pairing with a modern amp modeller.
❌ Avoid if you like a lot of low-end: The smaller size means they don't push out as much low-end as some of the larger speakers that are available.
Loads of guitarists are turning to studio monitors to pair with an amp modeller for at-home practice, as they allow you to take advantage of a full-range sound that a traditional guitar amp or cab won’t give you. If you want to do this, the Kali Audio LP-6 offers excellent value and easy set-up, making them perfect for guitar players.
They feature a smooth and detailed response with an excellent stereo spread that will let you take advantage of stereo delays and reverbs. The bass extension is not quite as good as what you’d get on a larger speaker, but it is plenty for playing guitar and bass at home. We found them very comfortable for long listening periods too.
One of our favourite features is the dip switches on the rear and the handy diagrams that go with them. Each shows a possible setup of the speakers, and the corresponding settings you should set the dip switches to, allowing you to get optimal sound whether you need to place them against a wall, up on speaker stands, or on a desktop.
Read our full Kali Audio LP-6 review
Spec comparison
Here's a direct comparison of all the key stats from the studio monitors on this list to help you make your buying decision a little easier.
| Model | Freq. Response | Driver | Tweeter | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Shape 65 | 40Hz-35kHz | 6.5" | 1" | 105W |
| M-Audio Forty Sixty | 39Hz-22kHz | 6.5" | 1" | 100W |
| Adam Audio T5V | 45Hz-20kHz | 5" | 4" | 50W |
| Yamaha HS5 | 54Hz-30kHz | 5" | 1" | 70W |
| KRK Rokit RP7 G4 | 45Hz-36kHz | 7" | 1" | 145W |
| IK Multimedia iLoud MTM | 40Hz-24kHz | 3.5" | 1" | 100W |
| JBL 305P MkII | 49Hz-20kHz | 5" | 1" | 80W |
| Focal ST6 Twin6 | 40Hz-40kHz | 2x 6.5" | 1.5" | 190W |
| Kali Audio LP-6 | 39Hz-25kHz | 6.5" | 1" | 82W |
Also consider
The above studio monitors are the ones we recommend you spend your money on, but if for some reason you didn't find what you were looking for don't worry. We've reviewed countless pairs of studio monitors, so here's a selection of more monitors we've personally tested.
FAQs
What should I know about studio monitors?
Studio monitor speakers are reference tools, designed to help writers, producers, mix engineers, mastering engineers and more engage properly with the work at hand. Conventional speaker and hi-fi systems are often flattering to the music they play, whether by giving more presence to vocals or artificially bumping the bass. Studio monitors, largely, are specifically tuned to provide as flat a frequency response as possible, across the full frequency range of human hearing.
There are, of course, exceptions to this rough rule – just as there are many different forms and sizes of studio monitor speaker on the market. There’s something for every use case, from the largest of treated control rooms to the smallest of bedroom studio desks.
Do I need an amplifier for my studio monitors?
The electrical signals coming out of a home studio mixer or audio interface are fairly weak, which means monitors need the help of an amplifier. That amplifier can either be incorporated within the speaker itself - something you’ll find in active monitors - or used separately and externally, alongside passive speakers. Most studio monitors you’ll come across are active, but there are a great many passive speakers too, some of which are world-renowned. Try Yamaha’s long-discontinued NS-10s, for example, which are sought-after for their unpleasant, abrasive reediness.
Does monitor speaker layout matter?
The layout of speakers themselves is crucial too. 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 splits the input into low and high bands. In monitor designs at the cheaper end of the spectrum, 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 are clearer.
What size studio monitors do you need?
Size matters; as a general rule, the bigger the monitor, the more power it can output, and the more bass frequencies you can expect it to kick out. Your room’s size and how well acoustically treated it is will also determine the size of monitor it can handle; big, loud monitors can easily overload a small space, while small nearfield monitors will be swallowed by the air in a large room.
Where should you place studio monitors in your room?
Listening distance is an important factor to consider too. Nearfield monitors are designed to be placed fairly close to the listener’s ears in a typical home studio. Midfield monitors, on the other hand, should be placed further away, at a further distance apart, in a bigger room. If you find yourself in a professional studio, you’ll usually find giant, full-range monitors, referred to as mains.
Monitor sizes are based on the woofer diameter. For a nearfield monitor, this can range from three inches to eight inches. For most small to medium rooms, nearfields are more than adequate. Most of the entries in our list above are nearfield monitors.
How do I connect my studio monitors to my computer or interface?
If you opt for active monitors, they usually feature jack, XLR, phono, digital and/or USB connections, which are designed to be hooked straight into your audio interface or computer. If your interface has balanced outputs, opt for your monitors’ balanced XLR or jack input to reduce unwanted noise. When working with passive monitors, you’ll need to send your interface or computer output to their corresponding external amplifier.
Read more: How to connect studio monitors to your audio interface
How we test
Studio monitors should reveal everything about your music in as truthful a way as possible. They should therefore have a completely flat frequency response, that is not coloured or enhanced in any area, so what you hear being played is the actual mix in all its glory. You can then make correct mix decisions based on this true response (reduce volume levels, or EQ certain parts, for example). If your studio monitors don't have a flat frequency response and are, say, enhanced at the bass end, you will hear too much bass so reduce it while mixing and your mixed track will sound bass light on any other playback system.
The wider the quoted frequency response the better, as the speakers will deliver all the highs and lows you will expect from your music. While this can be tested electronically, another option is to 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 every detail in a well known mix is the target for a great set of studio monitors.
During our playback tests we also test speaker design elements like bass ports which reduce low end distortion, and the rigidity of the cabinets which can help deliver tight transients or, if less well constructed, more flabby playback responses.
At this stage we also test for the stereo width of the monitors – how well spread the stereo signal is between left and right speaker – and also the 'sweet spot'. This is the ideal listening position to enjoy the best sound from the speakers and the better studio monitors feature design elements to increase the size of this sweet spot. This means you aren't so limited in your listening position or can have more than one person monitoring a mix at the same time.
Read more about how we test music making gear and services at MusicRadar.
Latest updates
Recent updates
27/11/24: We've cut down our top picks to make it easier to navigate. Two brand-new releases have been added as well as spec comparison table to allow easy comparisons between the different studio monitors in the guide. Our buying advice has also been updated for clarity.
21/03/24: We further improved the navigation of the page, adding more categories catered towards different use cases. Certain entries have moved to a new 'also tested' section. We've removed any additional text that didn't contribute directly to the products and added two new products, the JBL 305P MKII, and Kali Audio LP-6 studio monitors.
02/11/23: We have recently improved the navigation of this page, so hopefully it is now easier than ever to find the perfect pair of studio monitors. Want to get to the good stuff without reading walls of text? Use the "quick list" section to get to know our top choices without any fuss. There are also links to read a more detailed review of each model if you'd like to learn more.
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