Best 7 Cheap Active Studio Monitors (Affordable for Home Studio!)

We all know that the more expensive monitors are generally better than cheaper ones. But what if you’re just starting out and can’t afford to go with a top-of-the line set?

Luckily, there are plenty of affordable options for musicians who want quality sound in their studio but don’t have much money to spend on speakers. In this article we’ll introduce you to seven of our best cheap active studio monitors.

In this article, we’ll look at some of the best cheap active studio monitors for home recording studios.

Best Cheap Active Studio Monitors

1. Presonus Eris E3.5-3.5″ Near Field Studio Monitor (My Favorite)

Type: 2-way, 3.5 inches Studio Monitor
Inputs: 1- stereo 1/8 inch, 2- balanced ¼ inches TRS, 2- unbalanced RCA
Frequency Response: 80 Hz – 20 Hz

You’re looking for a pair of amazing quality monitors. You don’t want just any product with “studio” in the name, you’re looking for something that delivers pristine sound you can trust; and when we say studio-quality, we mean it.

The Eris’s are high-performance speakers designed with special care to create an elegant and powerful experience. They have great crossover frequency (2. 8kHz) so your dream mixes will have absolutely no distortion or tinny frequencies on playback– they’ll be crisp as can be, uncompromised, like nothing you’ve ever heard before!

We know everything about them is superb but our favorite part is their safeguarding technologies: RF interference protection to keep your mix natural-sounding not distorted.

Pros :

1. Great Value for money.
2. Good EQ for its price.

Cons:

1. Bass comes a bit short.

2. Mackie CR-X Series

Type: 2-way, 3 inches Studio Monitor
Inputs: 1/8″ to stereo RCA cable
Frequency Response: 70 Hz – 20 Hz

The CR-X Series monitors are finally here to make your ears happy! These professional studio-quality 3-inch multimedia monitors will surprise you with their crisp and clean 50 watts of stereo sound. The front-facing headphone jack also automatically defeats the speaker output when you want a private listening experience, making these monitors perfect for any audio application. Add in a flexible setup and easy hookup, Mackie has thought of everything with this product, get yours today!

Pros :

1. Great Value for money.
2. The sound is very clear.
3. The speaker can be switched to the left or right channel easily.

Cons:

1. The Bluetooth version is $20 more.
2. It does not have USB/Thunderbolt connections.

3. JBL Professional 1 Series 104-BT

Type: 4.5-Inch (118 mm) woofer and .75-Inch (19 mm) soft-dome tweeter
Inputs: Front-panel input, 1/4-inch balanced, dual RCA, and single 1/8-inch inputs plus Bluetooth
Frequency Response: 60 Hz – 20k Hz

The Professional 1 Series 104-BT is a professional speaker that has the ability to select different inputs. The input control selects between Bluetooth, RCAs, or TRS cables and mixes all sources. Reference mixes can be accessed wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.0 streaming and outputted through one of 3 inputs: coaxial driver which combines 4.5″ woofer with .75″ tweeter for transparency and wide sweet spot; active 60-watt class D amplifier; passive 30 watts distributing power evenly through 2 racetracks
JBL Pro speakers also have an integrated headphone jack (speaker mute feature) and full volume control panel that can be used on any impedance headphones.

Pros :

1. Nice design.
2. Upfront, clear sound.

Cons:

1. Bass quality is a bit dull.

4. Behringer MS16 Studio Monitor

Type: 2-way, 4″ woofers, 8.82 pounds
Inputs : 1/8″ to stereo RCA cable, 1/4″ TRS microphone input, 1/8″ TRS headphone connector
Frequency Response: 80 Hz – 20 Hz

Thanks to its dual powerful amplifiers, this versatile and high-performance active monitor give you the freedom to take your sound to new levels. Want a way better monitoring experience? You got it! The Behringer MS16 Monitor has spacious 4-inch woofers for booming bass response and high-resolution tweeters for acoustic accuracy; all powered by 2 8-watt amplifiers that let you make adjustments as needed with amazing clarity. Don’t forget those 1/4″ TRS plug microphone inputs so you can provide vocals or any other audio input when desired! With two stereo RCA inputs providing XLR connectors only on MIX IN jacks alongside separate MASTER GRP1/2 volume controls, there’s no limit in compatibility.

Pros :

1. Very good balanced sound.
2. Has mic and headphone input.
3. Small yet powerful sound.

Cons:

1. Bass output is not powerful enough.
2. Sound gets distorted at max volume.

5. IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors

Type: 2-way, 3 inches Studio Monitor
Inputs: 1/8 TRS, Dual RCA Stereo, Bluetooth
Frequency Response: 55 Hz – 20 kHz.

This powerful little guy delivers big-time with its four-class D power amps and 50W RMS. It’s like owning two portable amplifiers at once – one powering tweeters up to 20K Hz and another driving woofers from 45 Hz to 20kHz! The icing on the cake is the Bluetooth pairing button right in front of the volume knob give instant connection for iPhone or iPad checklists, songbooks, or podcasts without any running around wires. Moreover, iLoud monitors have a weight: 3.8 pounds which makes them easy to carry around.

Pros :

1. Good headroom.
2. Small yet powerful sound.
3. Comes with Bluetooth.

Cons:

1. Bass output is not powerful enough.
2. Only RCA/mini jacks inputs.

6. Alesis Elevate 5 MKII

Type: 2-way, 5 inches Studio Monitor
Inputs: RCA-to-1/8 (3.5 mm) Audio Cable, 1/4 (6.35 mm) Interconnection Cable
Frequency Response: 56 Hz – 20 kHz

The Alesis Elevate 5 MKII is a pair of professional loudspeakers designed for home, project, and small venue use. Engineered by audio veterans to give you unparalleled accuracy in your listening space at any volume level. The Carefully Formed baffle radii reduce edge diffraction for smoother, more natural sound. Each loudspeaker is armed with an Elliptical tweeter waveguide which optimizes dispersion and stereo imaging. Above that, it features: 40 Watts per channel power – 80 Watts total; 5-inch low-frequency driver and 1-inch dome tweeter provides smooth high-quality sound reproduction allowing near field interaction with the listener while also providing rich detail; Dedicated subwoofer output built right into the amplifier section.

Pros :

1. Clear and accurate sound.
2. Good versatile speakers.

Cons:

1. Sound becomes distorted at higher volume.
2. Included cable is of low quality.

7. KRK RP5 Rokit G4 Studio Monitor (For Serious Budget)

Type: 2-way, 5.25 inches Studio Monitor
Inputs: TRS/XLR Combo Jacks
Frequency Response: 43hz-40khz

Update your studio with one of the most sought-after monitors in the industry. The Rokit G4 provides a detailed sound while displaying high visual EQ accuracy via its LCD screen onboard. When you’re working, every moment counts and you want assurance that your time will be well spent getting to know what’s going on in your mix. Safely use the KRK RP5 Rokit G4 Studio Monitor’s brick wall limiter which never fails to deliver just that; maximum cleanliness without any distortion whatsoever! Oh yeah, did we mention it includes a face plate and protective metal grille?

Pros :

1. Equipped with Kevlar Woofer and tweeter.
2. Tuning option is excellent.
3. Nice design.

Cons:

1. Sound is not as flat as some other monitors.

Conclusion

There you have it. Some of the best studio monitors on the market, and by all means, there are many more! Now go out and get yourself a quality monitor to improve your studio experience.

If you have any questions about studio monitors or would like to ask me a question, let me know in the Contact US page!