If one of your 2021 resolutions is to produce audio with better quality, you’ll need to get your hands on the best studio monitors.
That means you’ll have to put your current speakers on a high shelf, but should you do that?
The short answer is yes!
At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks For Budget Studio Monitors
- Best Overall: Mackie CR-X Series
- Runner Up: Edifier R1700BTs
- BEST MONITORS UNDER 100: Edifier R1280T
- Runner Up: Mackie CR-X Series
- Alternative: M-Audio BX3
How are studio monitors better than speakers? They create much more accurate sound as well as richer details.
That said, don’t think that your studio monitors need to be expensive. You can find budget-friendly options that will get the job done and provide you with excellent features to enhance your audio production.
With that in mind, let’s check out five of the best cheap studio monitors that you can purchase online.
The Studio Genie is dedicated to helping streamers and YouTubers or anyone looking to have their own home studio. The author, Felicity Martinez, have been helping out streamers and YouTubers for years.
The goal is to provide a free resource for anyone looking to build a quality home studio. The reviews below are a result of hours of research and analysis. We provided the pros and cons and ranked each product to help you make a quick decision.
QUICK OVERVIEW: Our Top Picks for Studio Monitors
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
BEST OVERALL  | Mackie CR-X Series 5-Inches
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
RUNNER UP  | Edifier R1700BTs
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
BEST MONITORS UNDER 100  | Edifier R1280T
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
RUNNER UP  | Mackie CR-X Series 3-Inches
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
ALTERNATIVE  | M-Audio BX3
| VIEW ON AMAZON → |
Best Budget Studio Monitors Reviews & Recommendations For 2021
Best studio monitors under 200, WINNER: Mackie CR-X Series 5-Inch Multimedia Monitors
We start our list of the best studio monitors on a budget with these stylish Mackie monitors. Let’s check them out in more detail.
Benefits
- These monitors come with various inputs: a 2×1/4-inch jack, 1/8-inch standard headphone-size jack, and RCA.
- They come with front-panel controls so you can easily adjust the volume or switch on the monitor without a hassle.
- Setting up these monitors is a breeze, so even if you’ve never done it before you will not encounter any issues. This makes them beginner-friendly.
- These monitors offer you a lot of variety. You don’t have to switch inputs when you want to do different things. For example, you can play music while singing on a mic and doing other things, all at the same time.
- These monitors have custom-tuned rear ports for even bass.
- Their all-wood cabinet design is better than plastic alternatives because of how it produces natural sound.
Drawbacks
- Some people who have purchased this monitor have reported that they can sometimes hear a slight hissing sound.
Extra Features
- These monitors come with isolation pads.
- There’s also a convenient headphone output that’s built into the front panel.
- These monitors have a beautiful brushed metal front panel that is sure to look good on your desk.
Buying Advice
If you’re looking for a classy, stylish, and professional home audio recording setup, these budget studio monitors are your best bet. They cost $199.99.
Technical specifications
- Size: 6.9 x 10.25 x 9.25 inches
- Weight: 14.9 pounds
- Material: Textured wood cabinet and brushed metal faceplate
Runner Up: Edifier R1700BTs Active Wireless Studio Monitor Speaker
Edifier is a brand that’s well-established all over the world. Their monitors provide a clean sound that’s more refined. If you’re a beginner, these monitors will make you feel like a pro.
Benefits
- User-friendliness is the name of the game with these best budget home studio monitors. You can easily connect them to your laptop, tablet, or phone for wireless listening.
- They come with a subwoofer output that has built-in crossover and auto detection.
- The sound from these monitors is pure and natural, thanks to their 19mm silk dome tweeter and 4-inch woofer unit. You’ll be able to enjoy 66 watts of noise-free sound.
- You can do many tasks completely wirelessly on these monitors, such as controlling the volume, thanks to their updated wireless remote that’s included in the pack.
- These monitors also come with an RCA to RCA audio cable, a speaker connecting cable, and a 3.5mm RCA audio cable.
Drawbacks
- Some people have reported that they experienced a Bluetooth pairing issue with these monitors, such as in the form of a half-second lag between audio and video.
Extra Features
- This monitor not only produces amazing sound, but it also looks really good, thanks to its quality MDF wood and walnut-wood finish vinyl.
Buying Advice
These studio monitors look and sound professional, but they don’t cost a lot of money. You can expect to pay $159.99 for them.
Technical specifications
- Size: 17.01 x 12.05 x 7.56 inches
- Weight: 15.86 pounds
- Material: MDF wood with walnut wood finish-vinyl