When it comes to the art of mixing music, using the best equipment or device is one of the most important things you must do. Mixing music using poor quality speakers will not only affect you when it comes to making critical decisions, but your mixes will not be put out properly to the people waiting to listen to what you have.
Having reliable studio monitor speakers in your studio makes it easy for you to get every sound clearly. With studio monitors, you will make the best critical decisions regarding the sound quality of whatever you are putting out.
However, people are confused because they believe the best studio monitors have the highest price tags. Even though that might sound true, it isn’t always the case, and that’s why you have the best studio monitors under $300 review to show you the best studio monitors for your budget.
Just because you intend to shop for a studio budget under a three hundred dollar price range doesn’t mean you are settling for a low-quality product. You are not compromising on quality simply because you are opting for a three hundred dollar studio monitor.
Studio monitors are ranked in different price tags, and several other gadgets and devices are also being ranked based on their price tags. Whether you are looking for a pair of studio monitors to replace your old ones or you are new to studio monitors, reading this review thoroughly will guide you towards making the best studio monitor decision.
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Top-Rated Studio Monitors Under $300 Review
1. JBL Professional Studio Monitor, 8-Inch (308PMKII)
This is one of the best studio monitors you will find under the three hundred dollar category. This studio monitor comes with so many exciting features that will make recordings convenient, fun, and precise.
Speaking of features, the 308PMKII studio monitor features an innovative control sound wave function that offers accurate sound details. Simultaneously, its wide sweet spot, refined sensors, electron microscopy, and impressive dynamic range would improve your mixing abilities.
Users who take advantage of its JBL proprietary technology would work efficiently with this studio monitor. You can bet on this studio monitor to provide users with the best and friendly mixing experience at an affordable price. In terms of value, this is one studio monitor that is hard to beat, and its versatility also makes it the ideal studio monitor for movies and gaming.
Specifications
- Brand – JBL
- Item Weight – 18.9 Pounds
- Color – Black
Key Features
- Updated LF and HF transducers
- New boundary EQ
- Sleek design
What We Like
- It boasts flexible connectivity.
- JBL studio monitors are reliable
- This is one of the best budget-friendly studio monitors.
What We Don’t Like
- Its volume level is medium, so DJs can’t use it.
2. KRK Studio Monitor (59107)
Up next on our guide is the KRK studio monitor, and this is one of the bestseller studio monitors for playing the guitar. The KRK 59107 studio monitor isn’t built to disappoint, and some of its eye-catching features include a studio professional design, D-power amplifier, and low distortion Kevlar drivers.
This studio monitor features a high-frequency optimized waveguide, ensuring exceptional imagery and a dynamic, wide sweet spot. Users will enjoy excellent low response thanks to its front-firing port and listening to the sounds you have created come straight out of its speakers, the exact way it is.
Its innovative DSP technology optimizes room adjustment and LCD EQ visual to create the best acoustic environment. Finally, its KRK app conveniently manages all Android and iOS devices. By mere looking at this studio monitor, you can tell it was out of high-grade materials, and its outstanding tensile strength and flexibility are responsible for its long lifespan.
Specifications
- Brand – KRK
- Item Weight – 12.87 Pounds
- Color – Black
Key Features
- Lightweight composite woofer
- Soft-dome tweeter
- Flat flow frequency
What We Like
- Thanks to its containment design, this studio monitor deal with unwanted echo
- It boasts a pro-grade design, and it is durable.
- It comes with all the necessary functions to make mixing easy.
What We Don’t Like
- Users complained about this studio monitor not being a user-friendly product.
3. IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors Studio Monitors
The IK Multimedia studio monitor doesn’t boast about using special technologies. Still, it makes use of its custom broadcast-ready suite that provides users with a vast range of options, These options here include dynamic range meters, RMS, precise peak, causative link meters, phase, real-time analyzers, spectrograms, and more.
All of these functions come together to make working with the IK Multimedia studio monitor easy. No matter the application, trust this studio monitor to get the job done for you, and its versatile nature keeps attracting people to this studio monitor.
However, you can trust this studio monitor from the IK multimedia brand to produce high-quality and large sounds, despite its lightweight and small design.
Specifications
- Brand – IK Multimedia
- Item Weight – 3.8 Pounds
- Color – Black
Key Features
- Extended frequency response
- 4-Class D-power amplifiers
- Near-field design
What We Like
- This is another studio monitor that will match your budget.
- It boasts flexible connectivity options.
- Its iLoud Micro Monitor can be positioned at two angles of inclination
What We Don’t Like
- This studio monitor makes so much noise
Check This: Best Studio Monitors For EDM
4. PreSonus 2 X Eris E5 Two-Way Active Studio Monitor
Interestingly, the PreSonus X Eris two-way active studio monitor uses a low woven frequency composite motor to deliver immersive sounds. This studio monitor is best suited for small rooms. What we find amazing about this studio monitor is its E5 design that tends to break off reflected light, causing fewer sluggish reflections to enter the ears.
This studio monitor has impressed a lot of people, but yet it still fits under the three hundred dollar price tag, and you can count on the PreSonus Eris E5 two-way speaker to provide continuous dispersion trend across any frequency spectrum.
Its continuous dispersion of trend across any frequency in obtaining smooth tones and minimal time-smeared sound. Unlike other poorly designed studio monitors on the market, the PreSonus Eris E5 studio monitor guarantees polished and natural tones for your listening pleasure.
Specifications
- Brand – PreSonus
- Item Weight – 10.2 Pounds
- Color – Black
Key Features
- Front-firing acoustic port
- Class AB bi-amplification
- Kevlar low-frequency transducer
What We Like
- This is the best budget near-field studio monitor
- It holds the best sound design used in music production
- It delivers superior bass for its price
What We Don’t Like
- There is no use for its balanced cables
5. KRK RP7 Rokit G4 Professional Powered Studio Monitor
The KRK RP7 professional studio monitor makes use of four Kevlar matching drivers to deliver the same sonic integrity that the KRK brand is known for, and another impressive feature of this studio monitor is it maintains its sonic integrity across all frequencies, as well as cutting down on listening fatigue.
Its graphic EQ settings help in correcting and minimizing problems that might be lurking in any acoustic environment. There is a KRK app users can work with to create a better monitoring room and for faster mixing.
Protecting the system, balancing sounds, and offering wider and better dynamics is what this studio monitor’s design helps users achieve. Lastly, this studio monitor comes with a density iso-foam pad inside the speaker that helps cut down on vibrations for better clarity.
Specifications
- Brand – KRK
- Item Weight – 16.72 Pounds
- Color – Black
Key Features
- LCD screen
- Aramid fiber drivers
- Front-firing port
What We Like
- These studio monitors are accurate and would produce desired sounds.
- It doesn’t require deafening volume as its bass sounds are accurate.
- These are the best studio monitors for small room and small studio use.
What We Don’t Like
- A user report claimed the speakers sound cracked.
What To Expect From Studio Monitors In The $300 Category
There are several unique attributes you will find in studio monitors of $300. Firstly, you are bound to work with five-inch drivers that possess so much power, and you can count on this studio monitor to do their best when used in a home studio setup, thanks to their powerful transducer.
The powerful transducer and drivers that a studio monitor in this price range possesses is why most beginners and people shopping on a budget always opt for it. The studio monitors that cost about five hundred dollars and above are left for the professionals to deal with. That being said, studio monitors that sell for three hundred dollars are not bad in any way,
Let us face reality; there are so many studio monitors within the three hundred dollar price tag rated among the top studio monitors ever to find their way to the market. If you want to end up with the right product, you have to pay attention to the workspace you will make use of.
Studio monitors possess acoustic space control features, while other studio monitors might come with an elaborate system set in place. Other studio monitors might not have any of these features, but you will definitely find something worthy to fit your three hundred dollar budget regardless of how they are designed.
Important Things To Consider When Shopping For Studio Monitors
There are studio monitors considered to be reasonably versatile, and the versatile ones can satisfy almost everybody. When shopping for a studio monitor, the studio monitor that meets all of your requirements and needs should be at the top of your list.
However, the studio monitor you will end up with will be dependent on what you have as your budget, your working space, and the type of music you intend to produce. Below are some other factors you should pay attention to when shopping for a good studio monitor.
Size Of Speaker
Some studio monitors come with two-way speakers, and in two-way speakers, sounds are divided into high and low frequencies. However, the difference in LF driver’s size, which is generally called woofer, is another factor that one has to be wary of.
If you intend to mix songs with heavy bass, consider going for bigger woofers, but you should go for the small-sized woofers if you want to gain exceptional clarity. The small-sized woofers are where the instruments and vocals are housed.
Frequency Response
The frequency response refers to the frequency range every monitor’s design will handle. If a studio monitor has a wider frequency response, it can handle several types of music. Still, it would help if you were careful with additional frequencies as they take away your attention, making you miss several crucial sonic details and information.
Bigger studio monitors that handle added low frequencies are needed if you are into electronic music or DJ. If you desire to have several sonic references to work with, having more than one studio monitor is highly recommended.
Power Rating
Every amplifier’s power rating and speaker size will tell you the unit’s general loudness and headroom. If you are into mixing, you will definitely want something that will be enough for your listening area without experiencing distorted or muddied sounds.
At the same, you want to avoid disturbing the neighbors and making your ears feel fatigued, so deafening sounds are not always better. If you have another person listening with you, the sound becomes a huge problem.
Positioning
Getting the best out of any studio monitor has a lot to do with how the studio monitor is positioned. If studio monitors are properly positioned, you are guaranteed to listen correctly. To discover how to position a studio monitor to get its sweet spot, you should go back to the user manual for extra information.
Mixing Environment
Whatever studio monitor you want to go for will depend greatly on your mixing environment. Smaller studio monitors are best suited for untreated rooms, while headphones are used for keeping tabs on low-frequency balance.
You will notice sounds getting bounced in untreated rooms, and resonance might end up affecting how you perceive frequency levels. If plans are not put in place to treat your mixing room or environment, stick to studio monitors with 5-inch woofers.
Final Note
If you pay close attention to producing music nowadays, you will see the importance of studio monitors. They are a bit new in the music industry, so this makes every product very competitive.
The best studio monitor will differ between program and person. It is impossible to find a studio monitor that will work for a music producer and a musician. Using the right studio monitor will help you recognize your ears, and you can also bank on these studio monitors to help you listen for long and without fatigue.
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