Time to level up from those wimpy computer speakers.
One of the most important aspects of your audio signal chain is how you hear your creations. For those dipping into the home-studio life, here are 10 entry-level options for monitors that balance power, portability, and price.
KRKĀ Classic 5
Even with a 5" woofer, this two-way monitor offers a total of 50 watts of power with 30 watts driving the woofer and 20 watts for the tweeter. It has an optional bass boost, front-firing port, and dedicated high- and low-frequency adjustment controls.
$149.50 each
SamsonĀ MediaOne BT3
Portability and wireless features are at the forefront of this design. Each speaker has a 3" woofer and 1" tweeter that offers 15 watts per channel. Around back you have Bluetooth capability, RCA inputs, and passive output terminals.
$91 pair
JBLĀ 1 Series 104-BT
This set of monitors is powered by an integrated class-D 60-watt amp that distributes 30 watts to each speaker. With a 4.5" woofer it can kick out up to 104 dB SPL. It offers three sets of inputs (aux, RCA, and TRS) along with Bluetooth connectivity.
$199 pair
BehringerĀ MS16
Aimed for entry-level music creators, this setup is a compact, 8-watt affair with dedicated treble and bass controls on the front panel along with a TRS mic input with level control. A built-in mixer makes playing along with backing tracks a breeze.
$99 pair
Kali AudioĀ LP-6 V2
On the higher end of our collection is the latest iteration of the companyās LP-6 which is loaded with an 80-watt class-D amp along with a 6.5" woofer that can churn out a max SPL of 115 dB. Inputs include RCA, TRS, and XLR, and features include a series of dip switches that help tune the monitors to your specific space.
$199 each
Presonus ERIS E3.5
These portable reference monitors offer a dead-simple control setup with an aux input, a headphone output, and a simple volume knob. They come packed with balanced TRS and RCA inputs. Even with a 3.5" woofer, a 50-watt engine pushes a peak of 100 dB.
$99 pair
Mackie CR3-X
If space is at a premium, these ultra-portable monitors combine a silk dome tweeter and a 3" woofer into an extremely affordable package. An easily accessible headphone jack is on front and a trio of inputs (TRS, RCA, and unbalanced stereo in) are featured on the back.
$99 pair
Alesis Elevate 5 MkII
Combining a high-precision driver with a custom-designed crossover, this pair offers 40 watts of power in a magnetically shielded enclosure to help with interference from video monitors. Rear controls include a switchable bass boost, RCA and XLR inputs, and a power switch.
$139 pair
Tannoy Reveal 502
A front-firing bass port allows for placement near walls and aim to keep the low-end in check. Inside is a 75-watt bi-amp design with a custom crossover that puts out 50 watts in the lows and mids and 25 watts in the highs. Naturally, it comes stocked with XLR, unbalanced, and aux inputs.
$149 each
M-Audio BX5 D3
A 5" Kevlar woofer (bulletproof?) is the highlight of this affordable monitor set. The front panel is sleek and doesnāt offer any tangible control. All the inputs (XLR and TRS), volume control, and power switch are around back along with a toggle used to tune the monitors to your specific acoustic space.
$149 each
Cut the cord and run wild and free.
Always ahead of the curve, guitarists were going wireless long before tablets and cell phones. This month, weāve put together a list of 10 wireless systems thatāll let you roam without the worry of getting tangled up.
LINE 6
Relay G70Offering eight-plus hours of battery life, this rugged stompbox-format system features support for multiple instruments with its programmable presets for signal routing and levels.
$399 street
line6.com
SENNHEISER
XSW2-CI1Sennheiser's latest includes a compact, sweat-resistant body transmitter and a rugged, metal-enclosed receiver that boasts an intuitive LCD and 12 compatible channels in a stable UHF band.$349 street
sennheiser.com
SHURE
GLXD16The GLXD16 is a pedal-style system that operates in the 2.4 GHz spectrum, offers up to 16 hours of run time on the lithium-ion battery, and features an integrated tuner.
$449 street
shure.com
XVIVE
U2This compact, simple system delivers a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, offers a 100-foot range, and provides up to five hours of run time on its rechargeable batteries. $149 street
xviveaudio.com
PRA AUDIO SYSTEMS
WiCThe WiC setup uses 2.4 GHz wireless technology and boasts simple one-touch connectivity, a range of up to 500 feet, and over 20 hours of use per battery charge.
$299 street
praaudio.com
AUDIO-TECHNICA
System 10A-T's 2.4 GHz system features a pair of balanced 1/4" outputs and an output-mode selector so players can toggle between the two for a dual-amp setup or mute an output for convenient tuning.
$299 street
audio-technica.com
SAMSON
Concert 99 GuitarThis UHF-frequency system is simple to set up thanks to the group-scan and IR-sync functions, and its transmitter features a gain control, mute button, and 300-foot range.
$279 street
samsontech.com
AUDIX
AP61 GuitarWith 14 hours of run time on two AA batteries, the AP61 has 207 pre-coordinated frequencies for quick and easy setup, and features one-touch syncing.
$579 street
audixusa.com
ONBOARD RESEARCH
Intellitouch Freedom OneThe affordable Freedom One has a range of 30 feet and consists of a compact wireless transmitter and a pedal-tuner receiver. The transmitter run time is about 10 hours on a single AAA battery.
$71 street
onboardresearch.com
CARVIN AUDIO
UX1200BThis systemās receiver has a user-friendly backlit LED display and features two completely independent RF receivers to help reduce possible dropouts or interference.
$298 street
carvinaudio.com
Is it time to ditch those earbuds or computer speakers and upgrade?
You might have a decent-sounding set of computer speakers, but that doesnāt mean you have studio monitors. And while a nice pair of headphones certainly has a place in your recording setup, a good pair of monitors is a must for referencing tracks. You can spend a lot in this category, but here are 10 solid sets thatāll set you back less than $500.
D5
These monitors feature Equatorās Zero-Point Reference custom-designed coaxial transducers along with internal DSP to provide a matched output curve for every unit, allowing for accurate no-shift imaging.
MX8
These bi-amped monitors are outfitted with proprietary 8" low-frequency driver cones and use dual-axis WaveGuidanceVH technology for optimal wider-and-higher frequency dispersion.
LSR308
The LSR308s feature JBLās Slip Stream low-frequency port design for deep bass response, and the Image Control Waveguide originally developed for the companyās high-end reference monitors.
HS5
The HS5s feature dedicated power amps perfectly matched to the 5" woofer and 1" tweeter, a port design that reduces noise up to 6 dB, and an enclosure built to kill unwanted resonances.
BX8 Carbon
Equipped with an 8" woven-Kevlar low-frequency driver and 1.25" natural-silk dome tweeter, these monitors deliver a flat frequency response and increased clarity for accurate mixing.
MR8mk3
The 85-watt MR8mk3s feature a waveguide designed for excellent clarity and openness, as well as matched amps and drivers and an all-wood cabinet design.
Rokit 8 G3
These monitors feature a proprietary waveguide thatās optimized for superior imaging, controls for high- and lo-frequency adjustments, and a lightweight, composite woofer for clear midrange and tight bass.
Truth B1031A
These budget-friendly monitors have built-in limiter circuitry, a wide sweet spot, and boast 150 watts powering the 8" Kevlar woofer and 1" silk-dome tweeter.
Eris E8
Housing an 8" Kevlar woofer and an ultra-low-mass, high-frequency 1.25" tweeter, these 140-watt monitors feature a front-firing acoustic port and resonance-suppressing internal bracing.
Resolv SE8
These monitors feature an 8" carbon-fiber woofer for tight, controlled bass, a 4-position high-frequency lift control, and a time-aligned waveguide for even dispersion across a wide listening area.