Five most popular professional studio monitors on the market
Professional studio monitors are a highly contended topic, the choice is ultimately subjective, let’s narrow down the most popular options at the moment.
Depending on your budget and application options may vary, however these are currently some of the most popular professional studio monitors on the market at the moment.
Adam T7V
What is it:
Adam Audio made a name for themselves in the Studio Monitor industry by pioneering the incredibly accurate ribbon tweeter design. The new Adam T7V are their ground-breaking concepts built into an affordable yet professional studio monitor solution.
Specs:
- 7” Polypropylene LF-Driver
- Precision Ribbon Tweeter
- 39Hz-25kHz
- 50W +20W RMS
Keep in mind:
The Adam T7V employ a rear-port design, meaning they need some distance behind the rear wall, not ideal for small studios.
Price per pair:
USD $500
ZAR R10k
Where to get
Yamaha HS8
What is it:
Yamaha is another name that is synonymous with studio monitors, ever since the iconic NS-10m in the 70s, Yamaha studio monitors have been trusted in studios worldwide. The Yamaha HS series brings together Yamaha’s extensive experience with state-of-the-art modern technology to deliver a budget-friendly professional product.
Specs:
- 8” LF-Driver
- 1” Dome Tweeter
- 38Hz-30kHz
- 75W +45W RMS
Keep in mind:
The Yamaha HS8 employ a rear-port design, meaning they need some distance behind the rear wall, not ideal for small studios.
Price per pair:
USD $700
ZAR R12k
Where to get
Monkey Banana Gibbon 8
What is it:
Monkey Banana Gibbon 8 is an active near field monitor for home studios and professional recording studios. The digital-bi-amp-powered loudspeakers enable perfect mixes in medium to large monitoring environments.
Specs:
- 8-inch magnetically shielded polypropylene ceramic cone
- 1-inch silk dome tweeter
- 45Hz – 22kHz
- 80W +30W RMS
Price per pair:
USD $470
ZAR R8,195
Where to get
Read our review here
Presonus Eris E8
What is it:
Compared to other names in the Studio Monitor industry, PreSonus is fairly new on the scene, however they are taking on the giants with their incredible value-for-money solutions.
Specs:
- 8” Kevlar LF-Driver
- 25” Silk Dome Tweeter
- 35Hz-22kHz
- 75W +65W RMS
Price per pair:
USD $500
ZAR R9400
Where to get
JBL 308P mk2
What is it:
The JBL 308P mk2 are the second iteration of their hugely popular “3-series” monitors, the new monitors use technology from JBL’s flagship “7-series” studio monitors at a fraction of the price.
Specs:
- 8” LF-Driver
- 1” Dome Tweeter
- 37Hz-24kHz
- 56W +56W RMS
Keep in mind:
The JBL 308P mk2 employ a rear-port design, meaning they need some distance behind the rear wall, not ideal for small studios.
Price per pair:
USD $600
ZAR R13k
Where to get
What does your setup call for?
If you’re limited for space or your setup is up against a rear wall, you may want to consider looking at the options that aren’t rear-ported or look into getting a pair of standalone speaker stands.
Just remember, your sound can only be as flat as the room you are using so no matter how much you spend on professional studio monitors, without a treated room, you’ll still be guessing with final mixdowns.
