The Best Budget Studio Monitors for Beginners
Start mixing affordably in your home studio.
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Your monitors are one of the most important aspects of your setup, but they can also be one of the most costly. To combat this conundrum, we’ve selected some of the best budget studio monitors currently available.
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Limited space is another problem you face when planning your home studio. Much of how a studio monitor performs depends on matching it to the room you’re working in, and very few of us have the skills or budget to neutralize room acoustics completely.
Choosing the Best Budget Studio Monitors
Luckily, there are other solutions that are both more affordable and more convenient. Often, studio monitors are equipped with corrective EQ or even software-controlled DSP, to compensate for acoustic weaknesses.
Furthermore, room calibration software like Sonarworks is another tool that measures your room and uses an extensive database of studio monitors to build an acoustic profile for your space.
Although the resulting adjustments are subtle, they can make a big difference in particularly reflective or problematic sound environments.
Budget Studio Monitors: JBL 3 Series MKII
If you’re looking for your first pair of studio monitors and you aren’t keen on spending more than you need to, the JBL 3 Series provides a great entry point, particularly for hip-hop and electronic beatmakers. In the 3 Series, you can choose from a 5-inch (305P), 6-inch (306P), or 8-inch (308P) size monitor, and the addition of the LSR310S studio subwoofer.
The 3 Series monitors implement JBL’s Image Control Waveguide technology and Slip Stream Port in the design, offering impressive high-end detail and a wide sweet spot for accurate mixing. What’s more, the next-generation JBL transducers deliver excellent transient response, which matters when you’re working with beat-orientated music.
On the rear panel, you’ll find XLR and TRS inputs, with an input sensitivity switch to select either +4 dBu or -10 dBv. To make acoustic adjustments, the built-in boundary EQ lets you introduce a 70 Hz shelving filter (-1.5 or -3 dB). Furthermore, you can use the HF Trim switch to add a high shelf (-2 or +2 dB). Meanwhile, the LSR310S allows you to use an external crossover. Get it at Thomann.*
- More from JBL
Budget Studio Monitors: IK Multimedia iLoud Micro
If you’re looking for an extremely lightweight and portable monitoring solution, the iLoud Micro from IK Multimedia is a worthy choice. Furthermore, it produces exceptional detail for a monitor of its size, especially in the high frequencies.
It’s a great choice for editing speech or vocals, particularly in situations where space is limited. Apart from the EQ on the rear panel, however, it is rather “consumer” when it comes to connectivity, with no XLR. Although it does have Bluetooth, which can be useful.
- More from IK Multimedia
Budget Studio Monitors: Avantone MixCubes Active
When used in a single mono configuration, the Avantone MixCubes Active provides an excellent reference monitoring solution. They are incredibly unforgiving right across the frequency spectrum and certainly don’t sound exciting at all.
However, the reason they are so widely used by professionals is because they translate onto other playback systems. This means that when you get a mix right on MixCubes, it sounds good on AirPods and laptop speakers, and it will pass the “car test”.
While most audio interfaces don’t have dedicated mono outputs, a compact analogue mixer like the Soundcraft Notepad 5 gives you an affordable way to drive a MixCube.
- More from Avantone Pro
Budget Studio Monitors: Yamaha HS Series
The Yamaha HS series is one of the most widely used budget studio monitor ranges available today. Based on the famous NS-10, the HS series provides relatively neutral-sounding monitoring at an affordable price point.
In this range, the HS has options for turning any room in your house into a viable recording studio. You can also make acoustic adjustments with the built-in 500 Hz Room Control and 2 kHz High Trim to get the most accurate results possible.
In addition, the HS is also available as an installable option, and you can extend the low-end range by adding the HS 8S Subwoofer to the setup. Get it at Thomann.*
- More from Yamaha
Budget Studio Monitors: Adam Audio T Series
The Adam Audio T Series offers some of the best budget studio monitors available. This includes the T5V (5-inch), the T7V (7-inch), and the T8V (8-inch) active nearfield monitors, as well as the T10s studio subwoofer. Each of the different sizes includes the same high-quality U-ART ribbon tweeters, so you get excellent detail and articulation in the high-frequency range.
Meanwhile, on the rear panel, you can tune the T Series monitors for your room by boosting or cutting your highs or lows by 2 dB as required. In addition, there are inputs for balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) signals, so you can connect to a range of professional and consumer devices.
The options with larger speaker diaphragms have extended low-end response, while the T10s studio sub has been specially designed to extend the low range of the T5V and T7V. What’s more, the T10s sub has a variable crossover (80 Hz / 120 Hz), so you can determine how much of the lows you want in the subwoofer.
Budget Studio Monitors: Kali Audio Lone Pine Series
Few companies have had such a huge impact in such a short timespan as Kali Audio within the budget studio monitor market. Now, in what the manufacturer calls its 2nd Wave, the Lone Pine Series offers a lower noise floor and lower distortion levels than ever, as well as improved clarity and overall frequency response.
There are two primary models in the range, giving you a choice of either a 6.5-inch (LP-6) or an 8-inch (LP-8) speaker. What will surprise you more than anything is the amazing translation properties of the Lone Pine Series, which makes them so hard to beat at under $500 for a pair.
Another thing you’ll love about the Kalis is the way they demystify the acoustic optimization process with useful images for the various settings on the rear panel. Once you’ve chosen your speaker position configuration, you can also make adjustments with the LF and HF Trim controls. Get it at Thomann.*
Budget Studio Monitors: Focal Alpha EVO
The Alpha EVO series is the most affordable range of studio monitors from the renowned French speaker manufacturer, Focal. The range has a variety of options, including the Alpha 50 EVO (5-inch), the Alpha 65 EVO (6.5-inch), the Alpha 80 EVO (8-inch), the Alpha Twin EVO (dual 6.5-inch), and the Sub One (dual 8-inch) studio subwoofer.
The Slatefiber woofer cones deliver a sound that is natural and balanced, while the aluminium inverted dome tweeters offer excellent dispersion of high frequencies. For optimizing the speaker’s response in any room, the Alpha EVO series has both high (4.5 kHz +/- 3dB) and low (250 Hz +/- 6 dB) shelving filters.
On the rear panel, you’ll find a range of connections for balanced (XLR and TRS) and unbalanced (RCA) signals, with a sensitivity switch for boosting the input level by 6 dB if necessary. In addition, the Alpha EVO is also equipped with an automatic standby function that can be activated at any stage. Get it at Thomann.*
Budget Studio Monitors: Genelec 8000 Series
For over two decades now, the award-winning Genelec 8000 Series has been the way for home users to access a similar monitoring experience to professional studios. Don’t be fooled by the size of the entry-level models in this studio monitor range, they are not deficient when it comes to power.
Each indestructible aluminium Genelec monitor includes its own Iso-Pod™ stand that reduces vibrations and allows you to optimize the listening angle. Equipped with the Directivity Control Waveguide (DCW™) technology, the Genelecs produce amazing midrange clarity, and they are especially detailed in the vocal frequency range.
The analogue speakers in the 8000 series each offer extensive acoustic optimization controls, including bass roll-off and bass tilt. As they go up in size, the Genelecs swiftly leave the budget end of the market behind. However, those who do use Genelec monitors generally stick with them for one reason: results. Get it at Thomann.*
More about Budget Studio Monitors:
- All about studio monitors
- Thomann’s Guide to Monitor Speakers
- Home Recording Guide on Thomann
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