Home Studio Monitors The Best Budget Home Studio Monitors For Mixing

The Best Budget Home Studio Monitors For Mixing

In this Studio Monitor buying guide, we'll cover some fantastic options and also help you set them up for ideal listening!

by Stuart Charles Black
>AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As an eBay affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Don't forget to share if you found it helpful!

Greetings mate and Welcome aboard!

Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions leading to a beautiful audio experience that will make you fall in love with music (NOT gear) all over again, so…

Today we’re going to take a look at some fantastic studio monitor options that won’t break the bank while at the same time allowing you to properly mix your music!

We’ll also cover Room size, treatment, what you’ll need, as well as how to set up your monitors for ideal listening.

By the end of this article,

you should be much more comfortable buying a set and you’ll also be better equipped to make the most out of your purchase.

Introduction

Even if you’re like me and prefer mixing on headphones, it’s really advantageous to have both.

In fact,

Studio Monitors should be a mandatory addition to your lab as they will last you a long time and provide excellent reference-level sound to boot.

With that, let’s take a look at which monitors made the cut.

I always aim to keep my recommendations lean and simple, but I may add to this list in the future as I try more products and perform additional research.

#4

Presonus Eris e3.5

Price: Check Amazon! | Check Sweetwater! | Official Review: Here!

You may not believe that monitors costing roughly $100 would be any good for mixing, but you also may be surprised to find out that they actually are.

Why?

Well, because they’re fairly flat and neutral sounding which is something I was kind of shocked by.

In this price range, I fully expect most speakers to have some coloration to them, but the e3.5 at 50W of total power avoids those pitfalls and gives you a nice, blank stare with regard to its frequency response.

By that I mean nothing stands out unnecessarily and the sound itself is super clean and clear. 

In addition to that, the imaging is very good after correct placement on your desk.

More on that later.

Connections

PreSonus provides you with balanced TRS inputs, a pair of RCA/Analog inputs on the back, and a 3.5mm auxiliary input on the front.

I’d rather the aux be on the back, but it’s a minor nitpick.

I appreciate that they included both an RCA to 3.5mm cable and a 3.5 to 3.5.

On the right-hand side is your power on/off, and the left contains the volume potentiometer.

Overall, I like the inclusion of both balanced inputs and single-ended.

Because of this,

the Eris e3.5 works as a true monitor via balanced, but you can also kick back and chillax with some tunes as well in single-ended mode.

In addition to its dirt cheap price, this makes it a perfect solution for the budget-minded producer wanting to get their feet wet.


#3

JBL LSR305

Price: Check Amazon! | Check Sweetwater! | Check B&H! | Check eBay! | Official Review: Here!

JBL LSR 305 Studio Monitors

Entry level heaven.

This would make a great step up from the Eris’ and in fact, the 305s sat in my studio from 2014 – 2019 before I had to sell them for some quick cash.

Sometimes life sucks and is full of despair and endless suffering.

NEVERTHELESS.

We press on.

With 82W of total power, the JBL is a fantastic monitor with slightly more coloration; but not enough to make them a bad option for mixing.

These are fantastic monitors and have been getting rave reviews for what seems like a decade plus.

I can tell you without a doubt that all the hype they have received over the years is truly warranted.

In addition to their robust build, they slam harder than Rowdy Roddy Piper in his prime but the bass is in no way overdone like your mom’s meatloaf.

It’s tight, clear, controlled, and has plenty of impact.

In addition, mid-range fidelity is excellent, and the treble sparkles without getting out of line.

If there were ever a near-perfect set of speakers at this price point, the LSR305 fits the bill.

And, like the e3.5, you can kick back with some tunes if you want.

Is the 305 perfectly flat? Nah.

But it also doesn’t come close to delving into horrific-bass-mud-KRK-territory either.

And at its price?

You absolutely owe it to yourself to hear a pair.

I promise you won’t be sorry.

I used them for many years and my mixes came out really good.

Here’s an example of one:

 In any event, like the e3.5, they are rear-ported, so try and situate them away from the wall.

We’ll discuss that more in a bit.

Connections

They don’t have single-ended connections, but rather your choice of balanced TRS or XLR inputs.

Snag an audio interface like the Scarlett 2i2 or Universal Audio Volt 2.

From there, you could go with 2 pairs of TRS to TRS or 2 pairs of TRS to XLR.

The choice is yours. I personally used TRS to XLR back when I owned a 2i2, but your mileage may vary.


#2

FiiO SP3

Price: Check Amazon! | Check Apos! | Official Review: Here!

FiiO SP3 Review

When it comes to big sound in a tiny package, the SP3 undoubtedly takes the cake.

These are some of the most unassuming speakers you’ll likely ever come across, but they also happen to be some of the most powerful.

With 80W of total juicy juice, they actually give the LSR 305 (82W) a run for its money and I don’t say that lightly.

I never thought I would find a monitor similar in price that I prefer over the 305s, but the SP3 is just about the most economical way to spend $300 and receive way more than you ever thought possible.

To start, these puppies are roughly 1/3 the size of the 305 but feel like they could withstand a nuclear holocaust and ask for seconds.

In addition to that, they are incredibly clean, neutral, and faithful to the recording, bypassing a colored sound signature in favor of neutrality, good tone, and remarkable resolution.

The crisp, clear, and clean overall sound will likely win you over immediately, and they also work amazingly well for gaming or watching film.

Connections

The back contains a volume knob, bass dial, input button, RCA inputs, a 3.5mm line input, an RGB button that cycles different colors and modes, the power button, DC 24V power jack, the out-to-left speaker connection, and an L/R switch.

The L/R switch simply allows you to place the primary speaker on either the left or right side of your desk for convenient operation. It’s set to “R” as default. If set to “L” simply place the primary speaker on the left side of your desk.

FiiO SP3 Review

#1

Yamaha HS7

Price: Check Amazon! | Check Sweetwater! | Check B&H! | Official Review: Here!

Note: the HS5 is also an option, but I’d rather you just go straight for the HS7 as it’s more powerful and has a deeper bass response (43Hz vs. only 54). 

In other words, if you were going to buy an HS5, you may as well just save $100 and get the SP3 instead as it’s more powerful (80W vs. 70) and also represents a better overall value.

In any event, the HS7 is certainly one of the best purchases I’ve ever made for my studio, and the reason is pretty simple: these, like the SP3, are wonderfully neutral and sound incredibly accurate with an array of genres. 

In fact, the SP3 and HS7 are eerily similar when it comes to overall tuning, but the SP3 has a bit more mid-bass emphasis around 60-90Hz and arguably sounds a bit brighter in the upper mids moving into the treble.

The HS7, like the SP3, provides good instrument separation, a clean and clear overall sound with fantastic resolution, and essentially what amounts to a blank canvas for your mixes.

In other words, everything sounds exactly as it should sound. The sub-bass is rolled off below 40Hz, the mid-bass around the all-important 60-90Hz region is slightly accentuated, and the mud regions from about 100-300 Hz are cut or remain completely flat.

The mid-range is almost perfectly neutral with a slight boost around 1kHz. The treble avoids being overly essy around 8-9khz and provides some air after 10kHz.

So pretty much the ideal sound signature for mixing and mastering.

Like the Eris e3.5, you may stop and go, “That’s it?!”

In other words, as another Amazon reviewer put it, you may wonder why they sound so “normal.”

If you’re new to recording, I can assure you this is a good thing.

It means your monitors are doing their job and you’ll eventually start to notice all sorts of small, seemingly insignificant details that were previously lost in other inferior products.

Pair these with something like an HD600 or K702 and you’ve got a great 1-2 monitor/headphone punch.

That’s it?

Yup. I wouldn’t go crazy trying to find a perfect monitor in a sea of never-ending products. When just starting out, stick with these 4 and you should be golden.

In fact, these options make a great upgrade path if you’re strapped for cash at the moment and can only afford say, an e3.5 at around $100. And that’s perfectly fine! Don’t feel as though you’re missing out on too much more, but do strive for the HS7s when you can.

From there you can get into the Adam monitors, but it may not even be necessary.

Setup & Placement

Now that we’ve gone over some excellent options, let’s talk a bit about setup and placement.

To start, all of these monitors (and most in general) are active – meaning they have their own internal amplifier and do not need a separate one to function.

They do however need 2 separate power sources.

So plan on having 2 outlets available in your studio before purchase.

Secondly, all of these monitors are rear-ported which is just another way of saying that the low-end exits from the back.

This means you’ll want to situate them away from the wall as much as possible while strategically adding some acoustic panels where you can.

No studio is perfect, but these precautions will go a long way.

 

Why?

Because it will help ensure the sound isn’t bouncing all over the place; a problem that results in uncertainty while mixing but can also lead to a potentially poor mixdown. 

Placement

Going further, they should be at about ear level and in an equilateral triangle formation towards your head.

If you don’t want to jerry-rig it, try some of these monitor stands I recently bought that easily attach right to your desk.

This will ensure you’re hearing the best imaging possible when placing sounds, instruments, and voices.

You’ll know they’re placed correctly when the sounds give off the illusion that they’re coming from various positions behind the speakers.

To test it out, just listen to some music from your favorite app.

If the artist did a good job mixing, you’ll be able to place instruments and voices a lot better while clearly visualizing them on stage. 

In your own mixes, this will help immensely in panning sounds appropriately for the track in question.

Also, any movement of your head outside of “the zone” can affect the sound a great deal.

Once you have them situated, try moving your head in different directions while the music is playing.

Sounds different, yeah?

So as you can see, Studio Monitors and their ramifications are a pretty big deal – but what about room size?

General Room Sizes

I get asked this question quite a bit so I’ll go ahead and outline it here for you.

Generally speaking:

  • Small Room – 10×10 or smaller
  • Medium-Sized Room – 12×12
  • Large-Sized Room – 14×14, 14×16 or larger

For reference, my room is probably considered medium-large at around 12×14, but I still may not try and stuff a 308 or HS8 in that space. I’m better off with at max, an HS7.

In fact, in 2023 I moved my studio out of my boxy bedroom and into the dining room that I never used.

This large, irregularly shaped room that feeds directly into my living room (also overlooking the kitchen) is incredibly open, giving sound room to travel without bouncing around like a trampoline park.

This shot was taken from the living room.

Guidelines

If you have a small room (10×10 or smaller) stick to the Eris E3.5, LSR305, and SP3.

If you have a medium-sized room, (12×12) or thereabouts, stick to the LSR305 and HS7.

If you have a large-sized room, (14×14 or larger), you can comfortably put in an HS8, LSR308, etc.

Generally speaking, any monitors with 8″ woofers are best in larger rooms.

What you’ll need

I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the components you’ll need to get these fired up.

If you’re new to recording, plan on purchasing the following items:

#1

An Audio Interface

Universal Audio Volt 2 Review

Universal Audio Volt 2 ReviewAn interface acts as the central hub for everything you do in a recording environment.

It connects to microphones, acts as the intermediary between you and the music (i.e. it’s a DAC), and even provides a headphone jack in case you want to switch back and forth between monitors and headphones.

A couple of great interface options would be the Universal Audio Volt 2 or Focusrite Scarlett 2i2; the former of which I own and the latter I used to own.

#2

Cables

A staple in studio.

XLR.

As mentioned earlier, plan on getting 2 pairs of TRS to TRS or TRS to XLR.

These run from the back of the interface to the back of your monitors.

And that’s it!

The interface plugs into your PC/Laptop via USB and from there, you’re ready to mix down some tracks.

Final Recommendation

As for my top recommendation for those starting, SP3 if you’re in a small room and/or on a budget, and HS7 for medium to larger rooms.

Learn More:

 

Well that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this article on The Best Budget Home Studio Monitors For Mixing and came away with some valuable insight.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!

If you love what I do here and want to support the blog and channel in a more personal way, check me out on Patreon and discover all the value I have to offer you.

Just want to make a one-time donation? Click here. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps keep this site running!

Which of these monitors are you most likely to go with? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…

All the best and God bless,

 

 

-Stu

[Xtr@Ba$eHitZ]

Can’t decide which headphones to purchase? Interested in a complete buyers guide outlining over 40 of the best options on the market? Click on over to the best audiophile headphones to learn more!!

Be sure to also check out my Reviews and Resources page for more helpful and informative articles!

Don't forget to share if you found it helpful!

You may also like

2 comments

deepak tejwani October 27, 2023 - 1:49 am

this blog is very helpful to me and help in selecting a best studio monitor and speaker under my budget it helps me a lot. thanks a lot

Reply
Stuart Charles Black October 30, 2023 - 9:29 pm

My pleasure Deepak! Which one did you go for?

Reply

Leave a Comment