Top 6 Most Popular Recommended Monitor Speaker Rankings at Sound House [2023]

Today anyone can easily compose in earnest using music composing software and audio interfaces. Monitor speakers are also more commonly used to monitor the sound while composing.

In this blog article, I’m going to talk about monitor speakers that I recommend for beginners who are interested in composing, and later I'll show you which speakers are currently ranking at Sound House!

■ What is a monitor speaker?

In other words, a monitor speaker is a speaker that faithfully reproduces the original sound! It checks the entire sound source and it can pick out all of the details of the instrumentation in the tracks. A regular speaker, on the other hand, is meant to produce an easy-to-listen sound!

■ Key points to remember when choosing monitor speakers

The speaker sound can sound different depending on where the speaker is placed in a room, so you need to choose a speaker that fits in the size of your room and the type of environment! If you choose a monitor speaker that is too loud for your environment like a small apartment with thin walls, you won’t be able to experience the speaker’s full performance potential if you always have to leave the volume turned down low.

Also, if you want to focus on the bass range while composing, you might want to check the size of the woofer. The larger the caliber, the lower the range that can be reproduced. So, if you want to focus on creating a good low range, I recommend going with a large woofer. The best-selling sized models are the JBL 305P MKII and the YAMAHA HS5 5-inch.

■ Key points to remember when choosing monitor speakers

Sound pressure level is measured in units of dB (decibels). The higher the number of dB, the louder the volume. Frequency response and Hz (hertz) indicate the range. Ideally, the frequency response in the specs should fall within the human audible range of 20Hz to 20kHz, but there is no problem if the frequency is around 50Hz or higher.

■ Bass reflex speaker

A bass reflex speaker has a hole in the front or rear panel of the speaker enclosure. It has an incredible ability to reproduce low frequencies even if it is a small speaker and you can really feel the vibrations of the bass. A speaker with a bass reflex port (hole) on the rear side should be placed away from the wall, so if your space is limited, I recommend a model with a bass reflex port on the front of the speaker. The sealed type speakers usually reproduce the sound evenly, so they’re suitable for those who want to listen to a flat sound and they can be useful for thorough sound checking.

■ My top 6 recommended studio monitors

Now, here are my recommended top 6 studio monitors!

JBL / 305P MKII　

The JBL 305P MKII is the successor model to the JBL LSR305 powered studio monitor speaker. These monitors realize a full-scale monitor sound at a fairly reasonable price. I thought that the mid-high range was clear and the vocal melody was easy to listen to. The eye-catching glossy finishes on the exterior give a professional look to your studio desk as well as a nice accent to your room interior!

TANNOY / Reveal 502

The Reveal 502 monitor speaker has a unique appearance with an egg-shaped enclosure and plays back a reverberant low range. In addition to the high power that allows for high volume playback, it is also equipped with an abundant number of inputs/outputs which includes an AUX LINK input! The Reveal 502 is great for monitoring but a music player can also be directly connected with the included mini jack cable to make your time at home more relaxing with BGM playback!

YAMAHA / HS5

YAMAHA’s 5-inch HS5 from their HS series is my favorite studio monitor. The sound is well-balanced in both low and high frequencies, and the outline of the sound itself is clear. In order to reduce unwanted resonance, a three-way mitered-joint technique which has traditionally been used in wooden architectures has been built into the enclosure. The HS5 is an exceptionally high quality monitor speaker that lets you listen to every detailed instrumentation clearly in the music!

TANNOY / GOLD 5

SAMSON / Resolv SE5

The Resolv SE5 is the successor to the Resolv A-Series monitor and its eye-catching unique design is equally as good as its ability to reproduce music with good balance. Both low frequencies and high frequencies are reproduced with clear contours even with the volume turned down, and the lows continue to remain firmly present without losing their resonance. Equipped with RCA inputs, music playback can be enjoyed on your smartphone or music player!

FOCAL / ALPHA EVO 50 Studio Monitor

Thank you for reading to the end!

These five studio monitors I introduced in this article are also on display in the Sound House showroom, so if you'd love to try them out, feel free to come visit us at the showroom!

Find your favorite studio monitor and start enjoying your life with music!