Best Studio Monitors Under $200
Studio monitors can easily be considered one of the most important aspects of a recording studio. After all, this will be the playback source where almost all of your mixing work will occur, so making the right decision can seriously improve your mixing game.
Yet, some studio monitors can cost you more than a new car, so we’re going to go over some of the best and most affordable options on the market.
The Kali Audio LP-6 Studio monitors are one of the newer options on the market and surprisingly, one of the better monitors on this list. These monitors have been widely reviewed and tested by many engineers with an overwhelmingly positive response.
Although the LP-6’s are one of the cheaper options on this list, they definitely compete with some of the more expensive studio monitors as they have a remarkably flat frequency response.
In fact, the frequency response is so flat that they make a great option for reference-only monitors and for $149 these monitors are a great option for anyone looking to upgrade their studio setup without breaking the bank.
JBL has always made well received, high-quality, speakers for a multitude of applications and the JBL 305P MKII’s are no different. These speakers are both aesthetically and sonically pleasing.
JBL decided to carry over some of the same features from their more high-end monitor lines making these monitors quite powerful for the price. They also have a great frequency response making them an ideal monitor for mixing as they give an accurate representation of consumer grade speakers.
At $155, it is hard to pass up the JBL 305P MKII as an affordable studio monitor option.
The KRK Rokit 5 G4 near field monitors have easily made their name as one of the more influential and affordable studio monitors over the last 2 years. They have changed the game for studio monitors and many other brands have followed their lead.
They have an incredible soundstage which helps create a realistic representation of what your mix sounds like. They also feature an LCD screen on the back panel with programmable eq and volume controls.
This makes the Rokit 5 G4’s more adaptable to a multitude of different spaces while maintaining an accurate sound image.
One of the more important features is that they work in conjunction with a room frequency analyzing app allowing for an accurate EQ setting that can keep the output flat in a number of different spaces.
The Rokit 5 G4 monitors are easily a game-changer and the features they employ will soon be replicated to other brands moving forward. At $179, these are a fantastic set of monitors for any purpose- be it producing or mixing.
The HS series by Yamaha is their continuation of the famed NS studio monitor series made popular by many professional studios in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.
Built and constructed with the same intent, these monitors give a great representation of your mix with a very detailed and spacious sound image all while representing the frequency response of consumer grade speakers- an ideal setup for mixing.
Many pro studios employ the HS series monitors as the used prices for the famous NS10’s have surged over the years. Additionally, the HS series monitors have maintained all the qualities that made the NS10’s so popular.
At $199, the HS5 monitors might be a little more on the expensive side of this list but considering what they bring to the table, it will be worth it to pick up a pair for yourself.
The Adam Audio T5v Nearfield monitors are highly regarded as the best studio monitors under $200. Their insanely accurate sound stage and recreation of higher frequency ranges make them an absolute workhorse for any studio.
Everything down to the shape of the housing was designed to increase the dynamic and sonic range that these speakers can output all while remaining insanely accurate to the original signal.
The Adam Audio T5v’s are incredibly crisp and smooth for their price tag, and can bring a high-end professional sound to anyone on a tight budget. At $199, these speakers can easily be the top upgrade to your home studio.
Although budget studio monitors aren’t going to suddenly turn your studio into a professional one, they will add tons of clarity and depth to your listening experience, as well as showing extra detail in your music. And regardless of which monitors you may choose, you will most certainly notice an immediate difference in the quality of your set-up making them a must have for any home studio.
