Best
active speakers
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Overall: A powerful active speaker with max SPL of 114dB
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Best Feature: Musicians and party makers who need clear sound at high volume.
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TedScore™: 9/10
Overall best
studio monitors
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Overall: Delivering first-class imaging and sonically-rich acoustic
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Best Feature: Professional 5” matching woofer and 1’ tweeter
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TedScore™: 10/10
Best
passive speakers
PA Speaker Gives you a solid sound with study design
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Overall: Mobile performers and live performances
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Best Feature: High-quality components and superior sound
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TedScore™: 8/10
This article will discuss the difference between studio monitors and speakers after comparing their soundwaves, technical differences, tasks, and prices.
Ultimately, you can decide which option would be the most suitable option for your needs.
After explaining what each can do, we will answer the most frequently asked questions regarding studio monitors vs speakers.
What’s the difference between speakers and studio monitors?
Musicians who record at home or people who like to maximize their gaming experience, often turn to speakers to achieve the best audio quality. There are many decent regular and powered speaker on the market.
However, having a clear, unbiased sound is a part of studio monitors that nothing can replace. If you like to record your guitar sessions, edit your video, or track an instrument, you can only produce a natural sound through studio monitors.
Normal speakers can color the frequencies, and studio monitors have a flat frequency response graph, so they can’t.
Now you understand the main difference: speakers are made for home usage, and studio monitors are primarily for the studio and professionals, but there is more to the story!
Who says you can’t install a studio monitor at home or bring the speakers to the studio setups to record a song with a Zeppelin vibe?
Our article will discuss correct speaker options, studio monitors, and their technical, sound, and cost differences.
Technical Differences
Although these products share a common ground in many cases, they have very different technical features. Studio monitors and speakers primarily differ in the audio they produce and their sound profile.
Studio monitors are always manufactured to produce a flat frequency response to playback the audio just like it is without any coloring or altercations. That is why they are used professionally to mix the sound.
On the other hand, the speakers play the audio recording more colorfully and are designed more for personal listening.
The technical differences can’t be spotted visually, making the buying decision even tougher. Therefore, you must choose between active and passive speakers.
Active/Passive
The studio monitors are nearly always equipped with “active” speakers like SubZero SZS-P12A. This means the power amp is inside the speaker cabinet, and you must connect a line source to control the volume.
The volume control can be done with a monitor controller or an audio interface. Moreover, the speakers for home usage or Hi-Fi are always “passive speakers,” like our chosen SubZero C12, meaning they need an external amp with the correct speaker output.
Individual Power Amplifiers
Most studio monitor models come with integrated power amplifiers. These amplifiers are specially designed for demanding applications and specifications of the monitor speakers.
Ultimately, for a passive speaker, this leads to each cone, woofer (bass), midrange, and tweeter (treble) being individually powered for a clearer sound.
Active speakers come with many benefits. For instance, they come with built in power amplifiers like the woofer, the tweeter, and the mid-range speaker. Each gets an individual amp, and the outcome is a more dynamic speakers response.
Crossovers
Crossovers split the frequencies and directs them to the correct speaker. Crossovers add more clarity and give precise sound, allowing you to hear every detail. This feature is one of the main features that makes hi fi speakers a much better option over average speakers.
Active speakers are advantageous in this case since they contain several power amplifiers, making it easier to build a top-quality crossover. In this case, the crossover can be placed before the power amplifier and successfully reduce the overlap between the woofer, tweeter, and midrange.
Different Tools For Different Tasks
Believe it or not, there are such things as professional and casual listening. When producers and music professionals listen to a song in the studio, they have very different mindsets.
To enhance their music listening experience, music lovers simply enjoy the tunes they love as best as possible. It doesn’t matter if the sound is properly reproduced or matches the artist’s intent.
What matters the most is the listener’s first impression. Speakers can provide a top-quality sound by boosting the top and bottom end.
Producers and professional musicians like to hear the plain truth and are not big fans of sugarcoating the sound. The imperfections should be heard, accepted, or changed.
If there are some imperfections to the sound, the producer and the artist must be aware of them before the song goes public and any of the listeners notice.
Soundwaves Explained
Studio monitors and speakers produce different sounds. The overall aim of a studio monitor is to leave the sound exactly like it is in real life. Thus, the sound is always in its original and raw form.
A dedicated monitor speaker don’t tamper with the pitch tone or amplitude of the sound waves. You can enjoy critical listening because the sound is in the purest and most optimal form.
This is why music professionals use studio monitors with the tools to change the sound manually.
Normal speakers offer a more colorful sound for casual listeners and are specifically designed to change the sound waves and amplify and increase each wave’s power.
Studio Monitors
Even cheaper regular speakers can sound good if they have the proper configuration for the output. Contrary to consumer-grade speakers, studio monitors produce the most accurate sound.
That’s why professionals use them, focusing a lot on modifying the audio production and fixing its imperfections.
Best Studio Monitors
DESIGNED FOR: Delivering first-class imaging and sonically-rich acoustic
FEATURES: Professional 5” matching woofer and 1’ tweeter
PRICE RANGE: £/$139.25
KRK ROKIT RP5 G4
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- 3-year warranty
- 2 Colors Available
- Weights 5kg
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: Bringing studio-grade audio fidelity even to home studios.
FEATURES: 100dB maximum continuous SPL
PRICE RANGE: £/$170
PreSonus Eris 4.5
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Money-back guarantee
- Premium-grade components
- Pricier than others
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: Music production, multimedia work, and gaming.
FEATURES: Highly accurate, rich, detailed, and deep sound
PRICE RANGE: £/$89
M-Audio BX3
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Affordable product
- Optional 10-year warranty
- Often out of stock
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Advantages of studio monitors
Premium quality sound – Studio monitors produce the best possible audio quality, giving speakers a run for their money. The monitors have independent power sources and can make more accurate sound as possible.
Active amplifier – In almost every case, the audio produced by speakers is compressed and upgraded from its original state. What makes the audio sound better is the configuration. The studio monitors offer high-quality sound without compression. The credit for the audio quality goes to the active amp, the independent power source, and the original mix you’re listening to!
Better bass – The studio monitors can produce a much clearer and crispier bass. This is because they don’t share the power restrictions like speakers.
Disadvantages of studio monitors
Difficult volume control – Because of the independent power amps on the studio monitors, controlling the volume can be quite challenging. To get the best output, you must work with additional equipment, like audio interfaces, amps, mixers etc. This could be good for music professionals, but it can be daunting for a casual listener to create the best possible configuration.
They don’t sound as good – I know it sounds strange, but as studio monitors are trying to faithfully represent the original material, they don’t ‘soup-up’ the sound in any way – so they simply won’t sound as good from a casual listener point of view. But that’s kind of the point!
Speakers
People can connect the speakers to another device or use them as a standalone gadget. And if you know, the speakers are often called bookshelf speakers because they are placed on a hard surface to be higher in the room, for instance, a bookshelf!
That does not mean that you should only put the speakers on a bookshelf; quite the opposite; they are versatile, and you can rearrange them in your room to get the best surrounding audio production.
Best Speakers
DESIGNED FOR: Musicians and party makers who need clear sound at high volume.
FEATURES: A powerful active speaker with max SPL of 114dB
PRICE RANGE: £/$149.99
SubZero SZS-P12A Active PA Speaker
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- 250w peak power
- Two plug-and-play input channels
- 11kg weight
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: Mobile performers and live performances.
FEATURES: High-quality components and superior sound
PRICE RANGE: £/$119.99
SubZero C12 Passive PA Speaker
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Gives clear and balanced sound
- Max power of 1100W
- Speaker stands not included
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: High-volume performances.
FEATURES: 2-way passive loudspeaker with stands and portable bag
PRICE RANGE: £/$679
Yamaha CBR12 Speaker pack
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- 12” woofer and 1.4” compression for HD clarity
- Excellent portability
- Pricier option
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Advantages of speakers
Great audio for an affordable price – The speakers come at a far lower cost than studio monitors. They can significantly improve the home speakers or theater system and enhance the entire experience. The speakers are great for entertaining purposes and don’t require any other high-end audio system that costs a lot of money.
Convenient design – The design of the speakers offers a lot of flexibility, and you can place them anywhere you think it’s convenient. You can take another approach, see where the speakers produce the best audio quality, and isolate the entire room.
Disadvantages of speakers
- Not suitable for mixing – I’m afraid it’s as simple as you want to mix, mix on studio monitors.
Price Difference
A studio monitor like KRK ROKIT SP5 G4 is manufactured with materials that cost a lot of money. This is because professionals use the product, and the companies can’t afford to compromise; the sound has to be natural and of premium quality.
On the other hand, speakers come in many forms and have different strengths, which is the case with SubZero SZS-P12A and SubZero C12. The SubZero ZSZ-P12A is an active speaker with a little rounded shape, while the SubZero C12 is a bigger one, with precisely angled shape.
Also, they are used by casual listeners, and there is a lot of competition in the industry, which degrades the product’s price. Manufacturers try to keep the speaker’s price inside the customer’s budget.
Studio Monitors Vs. Speakers
Summary
After reading our review, you are aware that despite being placed in the same category by most people, studio monitors and speakers are very different.
The monitors are more for professional usage, and the speakers are for every favorite music listening or film lover that likes to maximize the experience.
Whatever you end up buying, I hope it fits your need. Post a comment below with what you choose and your opinion of our list.
