You can spend countless hours mixing and mastering, but if you’re not accurately hearing what your music actually sounds like, you’re wasting your time. There is no substitute for good monitor speakers. We recently asked you about which you use, and this article wraps up your answers. It summarizes the “hive mind” of Audiotuts+ readers on the best brands and models to use.
Top Brands
You mentioned lots of brands in the comments, but three brands stood out from the rest:
Other brands that were mentioned more than once include Adam, Samson, and Blue Sky.
Top Models
The Number 1 Yamaha HS80Ms really stood out in your comments. Here is the complete list:
1. Yamaha HS 80M
Specs: 8″ woofer, 1″ tweeter, 120 Watt
Price at Amazon: $312.57 each
Comments from users of these monitors:
- “As I’m building my setup I’m looking at some decent monitors, and from the ones I’ve used (or at least heard in studios) that I could reasonably afford, I’m looking at the Yamaha HS80M’s. Good sound, reasonably priced, and not as fatiguing to my ears as some others in the same price range I’ve used.” (Jonathan Lynch)
- “Yamaha HS80M are really good, especially for that price tag. I’ve been using them since last year. At first they sounded a little bit odd; it took me some time to get used working on them.” (Iankoo)
- “I’ve been using Yamaha HS80Ms for over a year now and have been really happy with them. They’re pretty forward sounding and have good stereo placement. They also have a monster low end. In fact I had to roll off the bass to get them to sound acceptable in my little studio (2.5m x 2.5m x 3.5m). I generally mix electro and metal so I need monitors with fast transients and good lows. Oh, and they look great too – jet black enclosures & white cones.” (Dripfeed)
- “Now I work with Yamaha HS80M – IMO, great monitors for price.” (Alex_HS)
2. KRK Rokit 5/6
Rokit 5: 5″ woofer, 1″ tweeter, 30 Watt
Rokit 6: 6″ woofer, 1″ tweeter, 50 Watt
Price at Amazon:$149 (Rokit 5), $193.78 (Rokit 6) each
Comments from users of these monitors:
- “KRK Rokit 5’s. Surprisingly satisfied with them. Have them isolated on some Auralex pads. A little colored but nothing you can’t used to.” (Kerry O’Donovan)
- “KRK Rokit 5’s, love ‘em. Great for the money.” (Rylaan)
- “KRK Rokit 6’s. Great monitors.” (Guilha SantAna)
3. Tannoy Reveal 5A (Active)
Specs: 5″ woofer, 1″ tweeter, 40 Watt
Price at Amazon: $695 (pair)
Comments from users of these monitors:
- “I have always used Tannoys and been really happy with them. I had been using Tannoy reveals with a Tannoy TS8 sub until very recently, but I just got a pair of Tannoy System 1000’s with the dual concentric driver. Lovely speakers.” (Simon)
- “Now I work with … Tannoy Reveal Active (of studio’s owner), but dont like their – raised lo-mids, very sharp hi-mids and cutted bass and treble.” (Alex_HS)
4. M-Audio Studiophile BX5a/BX8a
Studiophile BX5a: 5″ woofer, 1″ tweeter, 40 Watt
Studiophile BX8a: 8″ woofer, 1.25″ tweeter, 70 Watt
Price at Amazon: $239 (Studiophile BX5a), $376.50 (Studiophile BX8a) pair
Comments from users of these monitors:
- “M-Audio Studiophile BX5a. They’re okay and pleasurable for listening music, but have some flaws for mixing or mastering, I think.” (Serge)
- “I have these too, my mixes have come out good in my opinion. They aren’t the best mixes, but I’m only started out, so when I reference a track on another set of speakers I’m pretty [sure] it is my mistake, and some tweaking usually works, except I know have a sub would complete the system.” (Oktavio)
- “M-Audio Studiophile BX8a. For their price tag, they have given me great results. (Mind you, I’m a little bit of a novice yet).” (Alex)
5. Adam A7
Specs: 7″ woofer, 2.5″ tweeter, 50 Watt
Price at Amazon: $574.50 (each)
Comments from users of these monitors:
- “Adam A7’s. Spectacular monitors, especially for the cost. When “mastering”, I switch between the A7’s with and without a dual 12″ sub and JBL LSR6328P’s with and without the sub. I cannot recommend the A7’s enough.” (Shawn Guess)
- “Another vote for Adam A7s. I added a sub recently for low end reinforcement, but the Adams are quite capable on their own. Oh, and I use AKG 240 DF (now discontinued) headphones; they come closest to the sound of the vitage Ureis in the main studio…” (Colin Mansfield)
6. Blue Sky Exo2 (2.1)
Specs: 9″ sub, 2 satellites, desktop controller
Price: $499 MSRP (not currently available from Amazon)
Comments from users of these monitors:
- “Blue Sky Exo (2.1) – this little monitoring system is excelent. But if you have money go for Blue Sky Media Desk/Pro Desk an so on. The future is 2.1 and 5.1 anyway.” (Gery.M)
- “Another Blue Sky Exo user here. I’m a bedroom mixer and I like them (except the stupid position of the on/off switch). Don’t take much space, easy to position on a desk and really good stereo image. I just EQ them differently for entertainment purpose.” (LC)
7. Samson Rubicon R5a/R8a
Rubicon R5a: 5″ woofer, 2″ velocity ribbon, 50 Watt
Rubicon R8a: 8″ woofer, 2″ velocity ribbon, 75 Watt
Price at Amazon: $299 (Rubicon R5a), $497.95 (Rubicon R8a) pair
Comments from users of these monitors:
- “I use Samson Rubicon R8a – great honesty! Have a look at them, especially if you are limited in money.” (Wavestorm)
- “I have a pair of the R5as that I keep on my primary computer for music and whatever kind of demo stuff I want to do. They were my favorite sound for the pricepoint I was looking for. They went above and beyond what I expected, or even needed!” (Truck)
The remaining models were mentioned just once each:
- Alesis M1 Actyive Mk2
- Event 20/20BAS
- Fostex PM
- Genelec 8030
- JBL LSR6328P
- Roland DS-30A
- Tannoy System 1000
- Tapco S8
- Yamaha NS10 Studio
Some Words of Wisdom
Besides letting us know about their favorite speakers, some commenters left us with some words of wisdom about choosing your monitor speakers:
- “Well, monitor speakers are the most important thing in studio!” (DNC)
- “I’d love some Adam or Genelec speakers… But you know what they say in this business – if it isn’t going to make you more competitive, don’t buy it.”
(West) - “It doesn’t matter what monitors you have from what ive read, as long as you know what to listen for and how to correct it. Wolfgang gartner says his monitors are old and are colored, so that is an example.” (Oktavio)
Conclusion
The monitor speakers listed above aren’t necessarily the best – they are what Audiotuts readers are using and recommending. Thanks to everyone who participated in the Open Mic thread.
Have we left out your favorites? Let us know in the comments. And feel free to add your own words of wisdom about selecting the right monitor speakers.
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By Adrian Try
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Nice and …. interesting. Thanks Adrian!
I don’t know why every one thinks the HS80′s are good monitors. The HS50′s actually do a better job when mixing.
Hello Adrian,
There is a little typo in the “The remaining models were mentioned just once each” list: Foxtex should be Fostex.
As for the monitors, I’m saving money to add the HS80m to my little homestudio, after working with it a few times. Also heard the HS50 and (for my ears) it just didn’t made the grade. If it was for 5″ then it’s KRK RP5.
The A7 is a little too much for this competition, if I had the money I would rather buy a pair of these…
And Blue Sky’s bigger&better systems also sound excellent.
For me, it will be all about money (and the peculiarities of the local market) in the end… the thing is the Yamahas are cheaper in Romania than other brands, so I’m getting the most quality for my buck, for example, KRK RP6 is the same price as HS80m here, around 335$/piece… I hope you understand what I mean.
Thanks Encore. Typo fixed.
I think it doesn’t matter what you use as long as they are true sounding and most importantly, YOU know them, if you listen to music on them everyday, or watch films with them etc, you get to know them and how they should sound.
DUAL CONCENTRIC!!!!
Tannoy System 800s……..with a Hafler
Don’t forget that the room is as important as the monitors.
Oh, and get the Mackies if you want overhyped and muddy mixes.
Oops…..after reading the selections, I guess the recommendations are geared more at budget project studios.
No worries, Joshua. The list are the monitors Audiotuts readers use and recommend.
I have the KRK gen5′s and they’re seriously so amazing.
I’ve been getting compliments on how awesome my mixes sound now then before.
I can’t imagine getting a different set of monts now.
Samson Resolv 65a ten years after buying them, they are still the WORST monitors EVER.
Adam A7 by FAR the best monitors I’ve ever heard. Cranked them and I was like “WHERE IS ALL THIS SOUND COMING FROM.” truly a wall of beautiful frequencies!
I use KRK VXT 8″, they are kind of big but they really sound very good.
I am getting better results with my mixes now. I have not yet listened to the Adam speakers but i have heard that they are impressive.
The price is impressive too.
Kudos to M-audio bx5a, amazing speakers, although a little too brilliant. But that’s just something to keep in mind.
While I use my Adam A7s at home, I recommended the Blue Sky 2.1 system for the school (definitely on a budget!) and I hooked them up to what has become the mix computer. The audio quality is good — and they can get quite loud! — especially with good placement and the balance is adjustable. The option of later adding three more satellite speakers for a 5.1 system is great. (I’m considering getting a set to add to my HD TV setup.
Oh and speaking of correcting typos, in my original comment I meant “vintage Ureis.” Sorry ’bout that…
A few months ago, I was lucky enough to came across a pair of Yamaha NS10; a friend of mine was selling unused stuff he had kept on a depot for years and offered to me, along with a Yamaha AX-330 amplifier which was a perfect match. And I mean it: this beauties were REALLY unused; the box was still all taped around.
Yamaha discontinued this model in 2001 (why?) so any remaining pair of NS10 are likely to have a lot of batter on them; but you can have your go; they are uncomparable. They have this lack of bottom bass frequencies, wich I personally love it, in opposition to those “bass boost” appliances that are sold now today.
I would totally recommend a pair of good old NS10, if you can have your hands on (and if they are in one piece, of course). They just get better and better.
Cheers!
i listen many 5″ speakrs in good monitoring system and the very good choise
mickie mr5
http://www.mackie.com/products/mrseries/
Adam A7 (and A5) are the speakers people should listen to when deciding to buy new monitors. And what about Genelec? That’s great, great monitors,
KRK’s are great for the money, but i’d rather wait, get some more money, and buy Adam A5. The difference is huge, and they are just as capable as it’s big brother, Adam A5.
Blue Sky Exo have just been upgraded, but it seems they did not change my biggest con : the on/off switch placed behind the sub …
I have a pair of KRK RP8′s and a pair of Alesis MK1 Active MKII’s… they both have performed well… but I still would side with KRK.
i just love my krk rp8.
I have some Mackie HR624s and they are amazing. No one is allowed to touch them apart from me. They are that precious.
I’m amazed that Genelec and Mackie didn’t get a look in until late in the comments. I’m on the Genelec 8030a coupled with a 6050b sub-woofer. Lovely stuff.
What about the Mackie MR5 or MR8?
I’m still work with my focal CMS 50.. cheeerrsss!!!
For years I used a pair of speakers called Prosonics as monitors (have never been able to find any info on them), and their frequency response was really flat and they were very revealing. I actually picked them up super cheap at a second-hand store, and I loved them and got some GREAT mixes out of them. But I eventually blew one of the speakers and realized it was time to get some real monitors.
I went into the music store to demo ALL of the monitors, and I brought some rather diverse sounding CDs that I’m very familiar with. I listened for a long time, and to my ears the two best monitors were the Yamaha HS 80Ms and ADAM A7s. The yamahas didn’t need a sub at all; they rocked the low end no problem, but the A7s were obviously the superior monitor; their clarity was unmatched by anything else I listened to in their price range. But, unfortunately, they were beyond my budget and I was almost resigned to getting the Yamahas (I needed something immediately as I was in the middle of a project, and while not being as good as the ADAMS imo, the yamahas were still very nice), but then one of the store employees mentioned they had just received a pair of the Adam A5s, and he brought them out from the back and set them up for me. I was worried about their small size, and I also worried about not being able to put out enough volume with them. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. While they certainly need a sub to round out some of the bass frequencies, they otherwise retain that astonishing clarity of sound that the A7s so wonderfully reproduce. I was sold. I packed them up and took them home. I’ve been using them regularly for almost a year now and haven’t regretted them for a second. And as for the volume of these little guys they put out handily. I’ve never needed to turn them beyond half-way, and even then I get GREAT output from them. I’m currently working on a metal album and their volume is MORE than satisfactory for cranking out those tracks when the band wants to hear them loud. But they’re proving excellent for the alt-folk album I’m doing too. I can’t recommend the ADAM A7s and A5s enough. I honestly don’t ever see me buying a different monitor to replace these unless I plan to spend more than twice as much as I did then.
But despite my gratuitous endorsement of the ADAMS, I must say: go and LISTEN to as many monitors as you can. Take them back to your studio and listen to them there. If they don’t sound right or good to you, take them back. Ultimately what you end up liking and using is a very personal preference, and a lot of it has to do with just knowing and being familiar with the particular character of the unit. Those Yamaha NS10s that people seem to love are total garbage speakers, but there’s certainly no denying that you can get great mixes out of them. Just like anything else that has to do with audio recording, while there may be good guidelines, there are certainly no hard rules: do whatever sounds great and works for you. That’s part of the magic of the process; finding a way to get there.
I need to connect a Studio Phile BX5 M audio monitor; what do I need?
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Hi Laura. Your photos can’t be seen.
You need to host them somewhere on the internet, and then add them by using something like:
<img src=”URL/filename.jpg”>
Good luck!
Seriously late getting into this thread.. Esteban got it right when he touted the NS10′s. THE reference nearfield.
Personally, I have a set of Spirit Absolute 2′s (with Hafler power) that have been well worked in. As mentioned above they are more legit, natural sounding, and don’t suffer from over emphasized low end. It was noted to me, if you can get a good sounding mix on the Spirit’s, it will sound good anywhere. For late night ballparking of mixes I might throw on my old headphones to get it close: AKG 240M – they’re a pair that date back to the late 1980′s, and sould much better than my newer AKG 240Mk II’s. The final still goes through the Spirits.
S~
Damn surprised not to see Dynaudio on the list. Their BM6a’s and BM5a MKII’s show up as top pics on most well established gear forums. They are pricier than most of this list, but well, they’re the next stup up, a good chunk cheaper than Genelec, and in my opinion WAAAY better then the uber harsh Adam A7′s for extended listening.