The 10 Best Studio Monitor Speaker (2023 Review & Buyers Guide)

Top Picks

• Best Overall: KRK ROKIT7G4 KRK 7" POWERED MONITOR 

You've undoubtedly seen KRK's distinctive bright yellow speaker cones if you've ever been inside the studio of an electronic music producer. The Rokit series, now in its fourth generation, is the reasonably priced nearfield option provided by the Gibson-owned business. The G4 series has a graphic equalizer right on the speaker, making it among the first in its price category.

• Best For Recording: IK Multimedia iLoud MTM 100W Studio Monitor 

IK's newest addition to its ever-expanding lineup of monitors is the iLoud MTMs, which fit a lot of technology into a little frame. The "MTM" in the name refers to the D'Appolito design, which in this case, has a 1" tweeter squished between two 3.5-inch mid-range woofers and a bass reflex port on the back. The measuring mic is included in the package, and IK's unique ARC calibration system is built into the speakers so that everything can be adjusted to your surroundings and managed by a digital signal processor.

• Best Sound: YAMAHA HS8 Studio Monitor 

The old Yamaha NS10 studio monitors allegedly weren't chosen because they had incredible sound quality but rather because they lacked it. In other words, you can be confident that music will sound wonderful elsewhere if you can get it to sound well on certain devices. Even while affordable studio monitors from today may perform to a high standard because of technological advancements, there is always something alluring about owning a genuine historical item.

• Best For Music Production: M-Audio BX4 4.5-inch Studio Monitors 

M-Audio is the go-to source for many budding producers looking for high-quality, reasonably priced home studio equipment. This is shown by the company's Oxygen MIDI controllers, M-Track digital interfaces, and powerful studio speakers' wide-spread appeal. The BX3 and BX4 from M-Audio are excellent options if you're short on space. The 3.5-inch and 4.5-inch Kevlar LF drivers and the 1" silk dome tweeter of the BX3 and BX4 are little but formidable and provide surprisingly strong bass and crisp highs for the asking price.

• Best with Bluetooth: JBL Professional 1 Series 104-BT Compact Desktop Reference Monitors  

JBL developed the One Series 104, a transportable and practical monitor, to that goal. The rear-ported design increases the low-frequency range. A single box houses the input connectors, volume control, and amplifier for the second speaker. In our opinion, these monitors are quite well-made and durable. They include a rubberized base that allows for desktop usage, but you may find that elevating them on a shelf or monitor stand gives you greater comfort for your ears.