The Best Studio Monitor Speakers for Under $300

We continue our speaker monitor guides today with a decent budget-friendly aim — $300 or less. To be honest this one gets a bit tricky because most of us are going to be buying a pair in two speakers as opposed to just one, so we need to find either pairs under $300 or individual speakers at around $150. In our opinion this price-tag is still a great direction for those just starting out a home music studio or perhaps are upgrading their normal speakers and getting their feet wet into the studio monitor speakers game. We found quite a few to give you some options, so let’s get into some of the details below.

We’ve seen in our other few guides, such as studio monitors under $500 or even monitor speakers under $200 that merely saving up a few hundred bucks or shaving off some can be a big leap. Three-hundred today is a decent middle-ground for those just starting out or beginner musicians needing some accuracy in their music mixes.

The best studio monitor speakers for an under $300 budget

KRK RP5G3- 59107 NA Rokit 5 Generation 3

At one of the lowest-end studio monitors price wise yet very high in quality (and we know these from years of personal experience), the Rokit 5 Generation 3 is a huge hit among musicians, engineers and even leisure listeners alike. With its modern design in either white or black and yellow, this monitor really is rather attractive to go in any home or location studio. Ideal for people wanting a relatively compact monitoring system, this speaker is definitely the one to go for.

The Rokit’s in general are a staple point for a lot of home studios, and you may even recognize them by the photo. They’re super flat, highly accurate, a great amount of power and have some nice internal builds to last you a while as an investment. With its high-frequency adjustment features as well as the low-frequency adjustments which adjust to the room acoustics. Also, being low weight at only 5.9kg, this monitor is ideal for moving to the best place that suits all people involved in the studio.

Being one of the most value for money speakers, having a glass aramid composite woofer and a newly designed Bi-Amped, class A/B Preamp; it’s no surprise that the Rokit RP5G3-59107 generally has a top five-star reputation. We’d say a fantastic choice among the list to suit all needs and price budgets as the best studio monitor speakers for under $300. These are a great choice if it’s needed for normal listening, mastering, playback applications and mixing.

JBL 305P MkII

Up next, the JBL 305P MkII is another suitable pick as the best monitor speakers for under $300 for every studio around. The patented image control waveguide, EQ setting set up to compensate for low frequency from the atmosphere in the room, integrated class D amplifiers and sensitive volume control really give this studio monitor a lot to be proud of. For any professional out there, this JBL 305P MkII really does suit the title of one of the ‘best’ and at the same time from a brand we can trust.

It is said to offer stunning detail to sound quality and looks the perfect piece to go in any room with its slick black crossed top and modern body. The overall power and accuracy of these are what stand out. Whether sound production is something done merely as a hobby or it’s your full-time job, this speaker can accommodate for both. Simply set up the monitor where you want it, plug it in, switch the power on and off you go. A simple, compact and affordable set-up. They’re pretty cheap too — they get under the $200 mark if you buy two.

Mackie MR524

The Mackie MR524 is a monitor that’s trustworthy and reliable. The studio monitor encases a strong, acoustic alignment to ensure that the frequency remains stable and balanced. Not only does it lend itself well to the audible qualities, but it also looks amazing; coming in its own wooden cabinet.

Their ‘logarithmic waveguide system’ allows the  MR524 to really take the sound produced and ensure that it is accurate. This studio monitor minimizes the diffraction that can sometimes make the sound produced seem low-quality and ‘hazy’, often common in cheaper speakers. The structure is solid and strong. The internal bracing adds rigidity to enhance low-frequency response and reduce any sort of distortion that may occur. Qualities like these mean that the Mackie MR524 monitor is great for mixing tracks and one of our favorite studio monitors for $300 or less.

M-Audio BX5

The M-Audio BX5 have been in the game for quite a while now and are known for being one of the best budget-friendly studio monitors around. With an elegant design both inside and out, it might be one of the higher-end cost wise but with musicians and sound technicians having left great reviews in the past years, we have confidence in this buy. In terms of specs, the custom Class A/B analog amplifies with separate power amps to both the high and low frequencies give a great balance and results in providing quality sound. Whether you’re a professional or simply a beginning in the music technology world, this studio monitor is great to progress up to pro-sounding results.

The high-frequency dome is made from silk to help mute any metallic ringing that may occur as the sound vibrates through the monitor. The silk dome combined with the integrated waveguides provides smooth, clear highs. The frequency response of 56Hz-22kHz and crossover range of 3kHz is great when mixing and with the LED ‘sweet spot’ being illuminated when in the perfect position, it really does enable its user to get the best sound possible. Look into the M-Audio BX5 for sure.

Adam Audio T5V

The Adam Audio T5V has a 5 inch woofer and a bass frequency of up to 45Hz. At one of the lower-end cost wise, this studio monitor is great quality. Winning four awards and with five star reviews from customers, the Adam really is a positive addition to any studio or room.

The incredibly wide ‘sweet spot’ enables you to be a lot more flexible when needing to move around as you work. However, it has been reported that the Adam T5V is better in a smaller space for more of the mixing and recording professions. Like a lot of the studio monitors available to buy, the 5 inch woofer and frequency response ranging from 45 Hz to 25kHz results in great acoustic features and a wonderful balance between cost and quality. This cuts it close in regards to our budget aim but typically you can buy two of the Adam Audio T5V for right at $300 or less.

JBL Control 2P

As one of the smallest of our studio monitors size wise in this studio monitor speakers under $300 guide, the JBL Control 2P. It is said to be a great investment in businesses like recording and video production, entertainment installations, AV presentations and monitoring of electrical instruments. With its internal peak limiter and overload protection circuit, the designers of the JBL have really thought about protecting the monitor from continuous over-driving and damage. At one of the best-quality monitors around, this JBL has a frequency range of 80 Hz – 20 kHz and a crossover of 4.2 kHz.

Not only is the studio monitor a great compact addition to a studio or room, but it is also beneficial if the consumer wishes to hide it away. With additional mounting features, the JBL Control 2P can be put wherever to keep it discreet and off the ground.

PreSonus Eris E5

This mid-price ranged woofer offers a lot of bang for your buck. The Eris delivers powerful Class A\B amplification but offers a smooth and controlled frequency response along with a dynamic selection of acoustic controls to fit your space’s recording atmosphere. This woofer has the arsenal to ensure your recording vision is heard.

The Eris 5 inch woofer combined with the specially designed woven composite low-frequency driver means the sound is clearly delivered to the listener’s ear with much fewer delayed reactions. This mainly achieved by the woven composite breaking up any reflected energy and providing a more constant dispersion pattern across the frequency range, therefore resulting in less time smeared audio and a much cleaner, brighter sound.

Alongside this technology within the Eris Woofer, the silk dome creates a much wider ‘sweet spot’ like many of the other top studio monitors out there. The sound produced from the Eris E5 produces sound that is not only smooth but also very variant on its frequency range and transient through the room as a whole. Not only does the Eris provide great sound, but diversity too, offering three various styles of audio input. You can link this studio monitor to a monitor controller, interface, or any other line-level source simply and efficiently. There are different RCA level inputs that create an uneven result. However, with the Eris E5 providing a balanced quarter TRS, this levels out rather nicely.

M-Audio AV42

The AV42 from M-Audio offers everything expected from such a brand. Encased within acoustically-inert MDF cabinets that eliminate resonances and preserve clarity, sit inside Class A/B amplification delivering 20 watts of power on each channel. The clever two-way design features an ‘Opt lmage IV’ waveguide and optimized bass reflex which delivers superb extended bass and crystal-clear highs.

The rear of the panel offers RCA inputs meaning the AV 42 speakers are compatible with all your gear. The speakers even come with a 1/8-inch AUX input allowing a hook up to your tablet, computer or even a mobile devise and the headphone output means you can work with privacy or monitor more closely at will. The M-Audio AV42 is suitable for creating and producing various types of media. As well as using the monitor for watching movies, listening to much and gaming — definitely finishing our guide of the best studio monitor speakers under $300 with a bang.

Concluding the best studio monitors under $300

What are the best studio monitors available and what benefits come with them?

People love music, sound and having their tunes on loud. So, how can people get the best possible sound from a monitor or playback device? They need a studio monitor and one that produces music and production with value and ‘oomph!’ There have been the times of speakers sat in the sitting room and some crackling or disconnection occurring. So, how are we different today and what’s done when professional audio directors and supervisors need to hear their music or sound production loud and to be able to edit with accuracy?

The choices are endless, these studio monitor speakers under $300 dollars are perfect for all sorts of audio production whether it be filmmaking, radio, recording studios or even tv studios. No matter what line of work these speakers are needed for, there are some of the top ones listed in this article and with in-depth reviews to help all audio producers out there make their purchase just that little bit easier.