There are many factors to consider when choosing your first pair of studio monitors. And though the technical aspects of monitors can get a little complicated at times, it’s probably sufficient to understand the essentials of what a studio monitor can offer in terms of features and sound delivery. So, here’s an accessible guide to choosing the best monitors for your needs. We’ll also touch on how to best position your monitors for accuracy.
What Is a Studio Monitor?
Unlike regular speakers, which tend to have some coloration or biases in the low, middle or high frequencies, the best studio monitors tend to have a flat and wide frequency response. Studio monitors should ideally have a much more neutral or clinical quality than your average set of consumer speakers. This way, no frequency range is favored over the other, resulting in a more objective presentation of your mix. Furthermore, good studio monitors are highly transparent, allowing for even the most minuscule details to be heard; home speakers or cheap monitors tend to be a lot more “forgiving” and gloss over some of the more subtle elements in the mix.
Placing Your Monitors for Accuracy
You might see a lot of pressure online from studio monitor guides to “treat” your room with absorbers and diffusers to reduce the effect of room acoustics. While it is true that unfriendly room acoustics can negatively affect the sound coming out of your monitors, for the home studio producer, such expensive and often complicated room treatments may be unrealistic.
The good news is that there are a few steps you can take to minimize the negative impact of your room’s unfavorable acoustics and make the audio presentation more honest. Here are some things you can do you make your monitoring more accurate.
Face Your Monitors at an Angle
Especially when using near-field monitors (the most common kind for home studios), you want the speakers to form an equilateral triangle with your sitting position. That is, each of the two monitors should be facing you diagonally at about a 30-degree angle. An easier way to think about it is that the monitors should point directly at your ears.
Stay Away from Walls
When you place your studio monitors against a wall or corner, you’re inviting unwanted sound reflections. Without getting too complicated, this means that certain frequencies might be reduced, compromising the accuracy of the sound reproduction.
To avoid this problem, it’s wise to keep a good distance between your walls and studio monitors. If you have the space, you can simply shift your workspace further to the middle of the room. You may also want to consider separate monitor stands to avoid any distortions caused by your desk setup. In either case, some “monitor isolation pads” placed between the monitors and surface are a good way to minimize any funky vibrations.
Consider Monitors with EQ Controls
There are many studio monitors, such as the Yamaha HS Series, that give you equalizer controls at the rear end of the speaker. The Yamaha HS “Room Control,” for example, tweaks the monitors low frequencies to compensate for any major reflections. In contrast, the “High Trim” allows you to boost or tone down the high frequencies, which is helpful for “dead” rooms that reduce high treble sounds.
As mentioned, Yamaha HS3 is a current example of an entry-level near-field monitor pair with a reliably accurate frequency response. Although technically, only one of the two monitors is active, the active monitor powers both speakers. On the front, you also have the convenience of a headphone out and volume dial/power knob.
Active vs. Passive Speakers
Pretty simple choice here. Active speakers have amplifiers built in, while passive speakers require an external amp. Given that most of us musicians are on a budget, active speakers are probably the most cost-effective option. They are also the most popular choice since the built-in amps are designed to match the speakers. If you were to separate the two, you would have to ensure that the amplifier and speaker complement one another effectively enough to maintain a neutral sound. In short, passive speakers are a headache that you don’t usually need.
Small Monitors vs. Big Monitors
Nearfield Monitors
Nearfield monitors are small-sized speakers that are designed for relatively small rooms. They tend to be about 5–8 inches and should be placed close to the listener; they are ideally positioned on your desktop. Nearfield monitors are the most reliable type of speakers for home studios, because they usually cause less sound reflection in small spaces than would bigger monitors. The Dynaudio Acoustic LYD 5 is an example of a near-field monitor that’s popular among mixers; it’s reliable with an honest balance, fast transient response and solid level of transparency for a reasonably accessible price point.
Midfield Monitors
Midfield Monitors are, of course, bigger, generally at around 8–10 inches. They offer more volume and frequency depth than near field monitors. But they work best in more spacious rooms, like moderately-sized professional recording studios or your parents’ basement. Since they are meant to be placed at about 5 feet from the listener, they have a more spacious sound, allowing you to hear wider imaging of sound elements.
A popular example of a midfield monitor is the Focal Trio11 Be, which is a three-way speaker that can also be switched to a two-way setup, so that you can more easily account for how the mix will sound on smaller speaker systems.
Farfield Monitors
There may be some endearingly reckless audio rebels out there who are tempted to get massive studio monitors for their home studio setup. Go ahead and rock ’n’ roll. Just be prepared for the fact that you probably won’t get the most accurate sound if you set them up in a small space. (They also cost a lot.) In fact, you’ll need about 8–10 feet from the speakers to benefit from their size. But yes, when placed in a suitably large and acoustically treated room, they will provide adequate volume and a more multidimensional soundstage that’s broad enough to fill the space.
What about a Subwoofer?
Subwoofers are meant to reproduce very low frequencies accurately. They’re not intended to make the bass louder but are rather designed to reveal extra detail in the low to sub-bass region of the frequency range. Sometimes, they are a good idea for those with nearfield monitors, which are often unable to produce the deep lows that are contained in certain mixes. So, especially if you’re planning on creating more modern-style music genres, a subwoofer might be a good addition. It could also reduce the danger of producing a mix that is too bottom heavy, an outcome that will become apparent once you play the mix on consumer-style speakers or headphones, which often have some bass boost. That said, be careful where you place the subwoofer. As mentioned, if the speaker is positioned too close to a wall, it will make your low bass elements sound louder than they are, causing you to produce a mix that is too light on the bass.
A good example of a compact subwoofer that can effectively complement your nearfield monitors is the Neumann KH 750, which will extend your bass frequencies while keeping the deep bass and sub region tight, detailed, and accurate.
Two-Way vs. Three-Way Monitors
Another important factor to consider before taking the purchasing plunge is the driver setup of the monitors. A two-way speaker employs two-drivers; it will have a woofer, responsible for producing low frequencies, and a tweeter, which emotes the high frequencies.
In contrast, three-way speakers consist of three speaker drivers. Here, a midrange driver is added to highlight the middle frequencies of the mix. Since so much of the mix is centered around the middle frequencies, including elements like guitars and vocals, three-way speakers will provide you with more detail and accuracy. That said, two-way speakers tend to be cheaper and are more available in small sizes, while three-way speakers are usually 8 inches and up. There are a large variety of three-way monitors that skillfully deliver a strong midrange, like the Neumann KH310, featured below. Yeah, I guess I’m partial to Neumann…
A Solution to Your Midrange Problem
If you’re working in a small room and finding that your two-way studio monitor isn’t giving you enough midrange detail or separation, you might also consider investing in a small midrange focused monitor, such as the Avantone MixCube. It’s not only a great option for detailed midrange referencing, but it’s also a useful tool when mixing for laptops and smartphones, since they tend to deliver a mid-centric sound profile.
What about Inputs and Cables?
It’s a good idea to check out the inputs on the back of the monitors before you commit to a pair. Most studio monitors nowadays offer input options, like TRS, XLR, and RCA. So, especially if you’re planning to connect your speakers to several devices, you’ll want to make sure you have sufficient variety of inputs to make switching between these devices as seamless as possible.
A quick note on the world of cables. Here, it’s smart to consider the type of monitors you’re using and where you want to position them. If you’re in a small home studio, you probably want to stick to shorter cables, no longer than 6 feet, to reduce any interference. Additionally, (and without delving into the complicated theory behind balanced vs. unbalanced cables) you’ll want to choose top quality cables, such as balanced TRS and XLR, because they minimize any noise or interference. Generally, thick and well-insulated cables with sturdy connectors have better longevity, and will save you money in the long run, since cables are usually the first thing to break.
Final Tip
Never trust only one sound source. When mixing, try listening to your track on monitoring headphones or even cheap earbuds and more colored home speakers. I even test out my mixes on my car speakers. In the end, a perfect mix should sound decent on all types of speakers. Overall, it’s the best way to get the most objective picture of what your mix sounds like.
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