The Studiophile DSM1 reference monitor is engineered to provide superior monitoring to discerning audio professionals. The design results from collaboration between two powerhouse companies in music technology: M-Audio, the top U.S. manufacturer of reference monitors, and Digidesign, the industry leader in DSP technology. The DSM1 monitor features DSP-based crossover management, an assortment of onboard digital EQ controls, proprietary high-grade driver designs, and analog and digital inputs for high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/192kHz. With stunning accuracy, clarity and dynamic range, the Studiophile DSM1 monitor makes world-class reference technology accessible to a broad array of creative and professional environments.
Price: $649.00 Buy now!
These high-resolution, active monitors provide XLR and 1/4 in. TRS balanced inputs, very neutral sound and an extremely flat frequency response (50Hz – 21kHz). They’re loaded with 150W (lows) and 75W (highs) power amps, separately controlled limiters, long-throw 8-3/4 in. woofers for deep, tight bass, ferrofluid-cooled HF drivers, unique wave guides, and extremely low-distortion active crossover networks with 4th order Linkwitz-Riley filters.
Price: $359.95 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
Features are a copy of the Mackie HR824.
Quality:
Cheap, cheap, cheap. There is a GOOD reason that the Mackies cost four times as much. They’re four times as good.
Value:
Gotta rate them high here.
Desirability:
If you’re serious about getting good monitors, you do not want these.
Sound:
You get what you pay for. These might be adequate for a home theater setup or something. If you’re serious about monitoring, no way.
Ease of Use:
Pretty simple here.
Support:
They’ll get back to you by email eventually.
Overall:
Save your money and get better monitors.
The TRUTH B2030A has all of the great features of an active TRUTH monitor packed in a compact cabinet! It’s a high-resolution, active 2-way reference studio monitor that is perfect for nearfield monitoring applications: from small mixing environments to multi-channel surround setups.
Price: $299.95 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
adjustable controls to compensate for your acoustic environment.. making just perfect for your studio…………….
Quality:
product is great made….heavy duty and weight like a real big monitor……….
Value:
its worth every penny………………………….
Desirability:
GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sound:
amazing sound sound unbelievable great…….small monitors but hit hard like the big ones….sound is unbeatable at this price…would recommend to anyone looking for a space saving monitors that sound great/…………..
Ease of Use:
plug and you ready to go…………….
Overall:
not planning anytime to upgrade my monitors…they sound great..space saving and sound REALLY LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
The ideal choice for smaller studios requiring nearfield monitoring, the perfectly formed PM0.5 offers 70 watts of bi-amped power and produces great full range performance with exceptional neutrality even at high sound pressure levels. The compact dimensions also enable accurate placement in confined or awkward spaces, with the dispersion from the two way ported enclosure design tailored such that it will deliver a superb sound almost regardless of room acoustics. Features a UFLC 20mm soft dome HF unit and 130mm LF woofer and input gain control.
Price: $279.00 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Quality:
Heavy and strong construction. They look good too.
Value:
Excellent monitors for the price. Great for mixing and mastering. Your mixes will sound good on any system.
Sound:
Very warm and clear sound. Sounds better than Mackies that are double the price. The response is flat and accurate, mids and low mids sound full without affecting the sharpness of the highs. I have the Fostex subwoofer but the bass response on these speakers is good also.
The Studiophile CX5 near-field studio monitor extends M-Audio’s 20-year legacy of engineering advanced music creation solutions. Designed by our dedicated team of monitor engineers, the CX line combines proprietary driver designs, custom waveguides, seamless crossover integration and advanced Acoustic Space controls. The result is a best-in-class monitor series with excellent off-axis response, minimal distortion, an expansive soundstage and the flexibility to adapt to any production space. The Studiophile CX5 monitor brings exceptionally accurate monitoring to any acoustic environment–establishing a new benchmark in its category.
Price: $299.95 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
The 3-band frequency controls & acoustic space switch are an absolute dream!
Quality:
Built solid like a tank from top to bottom….feels as though these monitors will last a lifetime!!
Value:
This is the bargain of the millenium!!
Desirability:
The tastiest pair of monitors out there for the money,period!!
Sound:
Tantamount to putting on a very expensive set of headphones…the bass output & stereo imaging will shock & delight you beyond measure! The bass performance is on par with a pair of good 8 inch monitors & it’s tight,punchy & lush…I could literally hear the bass in my kitchen coming all the way from my bedroom!! The mid’s & high’s are immaculately balanced & very gentle on the ears…no ear fatigue whatsoever!
Ease of Use:
I’m using these monitors in a confined space,which sit about 4″ from acoustically treated walls,so I left the LF switch on flat,boosted the mid & high switches to +2dB & left the acoustic space switch on the flat setting….perfecto!
Support:
M-Audio’s user forum is very helpful in general.
Overall:
I’ll be in heaven in perpetuity,as long as these monitors last and yes,I would replace them if I had to-in a heartbeat!!
The brand-new A5 is the smallest scion of the ADAM Studio Monitors and technically a smaller brother of the A7. The A5 uses the same ADAM proprietary transducer technology (ART) and the same woofer consisting of a sandwich construction of carbon fiber and Rohacell(R), only reduced in size to 5-inch. The built-in amplifiers with 2 x 25 W power control the drivers directly.
Price: $399.50 Buy now!
The Alesis M1 Active 520 is a newly designed, affordable, high-precision active reference monitor with Bass Density control and EQ. The M1 Active series offers incredible definition and flat frequency response from the high-precision drivers and a professionally crafted crossover.
Price: $399.00 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
A small amount of adjustments on the back. Not many variations, but good enough for me, they sound best flat anyway.
Quality:
I’ve used Alesis products for a while and have never had any issues.
Value:
You can’t beat the price performance when compared to other powered monitors.
Sound:
I upgraded from unpowered Alesis Monitor One MKIIs. The sounds characteristics are remarkably similar. I’d have to say that the highs are smoother though, much less ear fatique. The bass also seems more controlled and less muddy. The imaging is very good with low distortion at all noise levels I’ve tried. I have a small project studio so they get loud enough for me. The bass is ok but there is only so much a 6 1/4 woofer can do. The frequencies do roll off fairly smoothly when they do get too low. One complaint, if you stick your head near the tweeters when the power is on but with gain all the way down, you can hear a faint hiss. I don’t know if all powered monitors do this, but it’s fairly annoying considering I have a very quiet room.
Ease of Use:
If you understand what powered monitors are, this is easy.
Support:
Never dealt with them
Overall:
I’m still within the return period and may look around at other monitors to see if they have that hiss at no volume problem. Not many fall within this price range. I may look at KRK.
For the past two years their acoustic engineers have worked hard on improving the TRUTH B2031A which has become industry standard. They insisted on using the best materials and technology such as ultra-high resolution, 2 inch velocity ribbon transducers, long-throw woofers with Kevlar cones and deformation-resistant aluminum die-cast chassis.
Price: $399.95 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
Room settings are handy.
Quality:
Strong aluminium case, ink ribbon tweeter is well protected.
Value:
good for the money i spent.
Desirability:
They look stong and the design is ok to me.
Sound:
I like the punchy and crispy sound that comes out of them and the bass is clear not to mutch rumble. I just lower the high to -2 dB and just kept the rest of the settings to normal. My room is not proffesional but the sound is good. Before i had a lot of bass rumble but my old speakers were not professional studio speakers so i cant compare them to other active studio monitors.
Ease of Use:
Still hear a bit of noise when there is no sound comming thru them, but i don’t have a good eath cable on my 220v power wall box. And there are three computer monitors standing around them.
Support:
not needed yet. Just plug and play.
Overall:
I am waiting for others to compare them to other studio monitors and hear what the difference in quality is.
Like the larger MSP7 Studio, the MSP5 Studio is a 2-way bi-amplified bassreflex system that delivers outstanding monitoring precision for digital or analog production in stereo or surround formats. The more compact dimensions of the MSP5 Studio make it an ideal choice for smaller project studios and DAW based production systems. The MSP5 Studio features a 5 in. cone woofer driven by a 40-watt amplifier and a 1 in. dome tweeter driven by a 27-watt amplifier.
Price: $274.95 Buy now!
The Studiophile CX8 near-field studio monitor extends M-Audio’s 20-year legacy of engineering advanced music creation solutions. Designed by our dedicated team of monitor engineers, the CX line combines proprietary driver designs, custom waveguides, seamless crossover integration and advanced Acoustic Space controls. The result is a best-in-class monitor series with excellent off-axis response, minimal distortion, an expansive soundstage and the flexibility to adapt to any production space. The Studiophile CX8 monitor brings exceptionally accurate monitoring to any acoustic environment–establishing a new benchmark in its category.
Price: $399.00 Buy now!