The 6 best studio monitors for music production and mixing

Whether you’re mixing down tracks in a professional studio or setting up a small home recording environment, having a solid pair of monitors is paramount.

The Adam Audio A4V are the best studio monitors you can buy for under $1,000. They’re super transparent, detailed, and a personal favorite of mine after years of extensive use.

The Genelec 8010A are the best compact studio monitors. Despite their small footprint, they absolutely get the job done – perfect for anyone working in a smaller recording environment.

Finally, the Adam Audio T5V are my pick for the best budget studio monitors. They might not be quite as impressive as the top-rated A4V, but they’ll serve you well regardless.

Contents

Use these jump links to navigate to the desired section of the review.

• Why trust me
• How I chose and tested
• Everything I recommend

Why you should trust me

As a producer and audio engineer for over 15 years, I’ve laid fingerprints on a wide range of gear in all sorts of setups.

I’ve learned how to stretch a budget, working with everything from second-hand monitors from a buddy to cheap pawn shop desktop speakers.

I’ve mixed on consumer-grade models, repurposed radio speakers, high-end monitors, and everything in between.

This hands-on experience, along with years of problem-solving in different recording environments, has taught me what monitors are worth investing in – and which aren’t.

What follows is a list built on real-world experience, which will hopefully hit the mark for many of you.

How I chose and tested

Choosing the best studio monitors for your setup requires some careful consideration of a handful of factors. I looked at frequency responses, stereo imaging, and build quality, among other criteria.

Every one of these monitor speakers presented here has been tested for its ability to produce clear and neutral sound across the frequency spectrum, while also taking into account the ease of use and room adaptability.

I tried testing the monitors in a variety of studio setups from smaller home spaces to more complex environments, so I could ensure their versatility.

Furthermore, I considered budget, size, as well as the target demographics and uses to provide a solid range of options.

Here are the best studio monitors for production and mixing:

• Best under $1000: Adam Audio A4V
• Best compact: Genelec 8010A
• Best budget: Adam Audio T5V
• Best high-end: Genelec 8351B
• Best at $3000: PMC Result6
• Best passive: ATC SCM12 Pro

Check out the Honorable mentions for three more studio monitors that are well worth checking out.

Best under $1000: Adam Audio A4V

• Total power: 130 W
• Frequency response: 52 Hz – 45 kHz (-6 dB)
• Maximum SPL: 100 dB
• Tested price: $999

The Adam A4V is a standout for its phenomenal clarity and power, especially in the mid to high frequencies. It offers very little harmonic distortion at high volumes, making it great for professional mixing and mastering.

While the low end falls off around 52 Hz, the bass still packs plenty of punch – at least enough for most situations. If you’re after more bottom end, getting a sub is a worthwhile option.

Although some might consider the A4V’s sound to be bright, I consider this a feature rather than a flaw, as it can prove invaluable when listening critically.

Overall, this is an exceptional studio monitor, and I would say it’s a solid investment for any professional looking for more precision in their sound.

See current price at: SweetwaterAmazon

Best compact: Genelec 8010A

• Total power: 50 W
• Frequency response: 67 Hz – 25 kHz (-6 dB)
• Maximum SPL: 96 dB
• Tested price: $700

The 8010A pack some serious punch in a small build. Despite their small stature and 3-inch drivers, these monitors offer some tight, and immaculately detailed bass down to 67 Hz.

The tonal balance and stereo imaging is downright amazing, and I think they might be some of the most ideal monitors for smaller studios or mobile rigs.

Of course, having a subwoofer on hand would be helpful, but even on their own, these monitors give you a crisp, and uncolored performance that’s perfect for detailed mixing.

Super worth the investment, especially for those looking for portability without sacrificing sound quality.

See current price at: SweetwaterAmazon

Best budget: Adam Audio T5V

• Total power: 70 W
• Frequency response: 45 Hz – 25 kHz (-6 dB)
• Maximum SPL: 106 dB
• Tested price: $400

If your budget is a bit tighter, the Adam T5V studio monitors are a superb blend of high-quality performance and affordability.

With an on-point low-end response and airy highs, I’d say these monitors can handle most any mixing task with grace and ease. Even at higher volumes they present little to no distortion, remaining clear and precise.

If you’re working in a smaller studio or just getting started, the T5V provide a respectable value for the cost. I personally think they perform above and beyond what most might expect from monitors in this price bracket.

See current price at: SweetwaterAmazon

Best high-end: Genelec 8351B

• Total power: 550 W
• Frequency response: 32 Hz – 43 kHz (-6 dB)
• Maximum SPL: 113 dB
• Tested price: $8,300

If you have the means, these studio monitors offer unparalleled performance. Boasting a frequency range of 38 Hz – 20 kHz and 550 watts of power, the 8351B deliver a wonderfully pristine sound with exceptional stereo imaging.

The monitors also come equipped with built-in DSP and a GLM calibration system which make them able to adapt to basically any environment, providing accurate listening in any space of your choosing.

While definitely not cheap, the Genelec 8351B are some of the best studio monitors I’ve tested in recent years and are definitely worth their weight in gold.

See current price at: SweetwaterVintage King

Best at $3000: PMC Result6

• Total power: 165 W
• Frequency response: 45 Hz – 22 kHz
• Maximum SPL: 112 dB
• Tested price: $3,000

If you’re looking to spend a few grand, the Result6 monitors have terrific sound quality. The bass is focused, the midrange is crystal clear, and the imaging is brilliant.

These are some of the most accurate studio monitors I’ve had the pleasure to work with, and I love how wide the sweet spot is on these.

See current price at: SweetwaterThomann

Best passive: ATC SCM12 Pro

• Frequency response: 80 Hz – 16 kHz (-2 dB)
• Maximum SPL: 108 dB
• Tested price: $2,100

Any of you on the hunt for a pair of passive studio monitors should take a look at the ATC SCM12 Pro. The midrange is unforgivingly accurate and the tonal balance is phenomenal.

These monitors don’t have so much low-end, only going down to 80 Hz, so augmenting them with a sub would definitely be ideal to get the most out of what you’re hearing.

However, after toying with these for a bit, I honestly didn’t feel like a sub was completely necessary due to how transparent the monitors are.

Overall, the ATC SCM12 Pro passive studio monitors deliver an amazing performance for the price.

See current price at: SweetwaterVintage King

Honorable mentions

Here are a few more options that perform great for the money:

• Kali Audio IN-8 V2. Great cost to value ratio on these. The mids and highs are pretty excellent, but the bass could be a bit tighter I think. Still, a great option for folks on a budget.
• Barefoot Footprint02. These are exceptional in both design and sound quality. I’d say these are ideal for small-to-mid sized recording spaces.
• Focal Alpha 80 Evo. Super neutral and balanced sound, awesome value for under $1000.

In conclusion

While I stand by each of the recommendations I’ve presented to you here, and hopefully this has proven helpful to you, I’d just like to say that you should still go out and try to test these monitors for yourself before you buy them.

Every ear hears a bit differently, and what might sound preferable to one person isn’t always the same for someone else.

At the end of the day, you should go with the option that sounds best to you and the option that you feel happy investing in.