Active studio monitors are also known as nearfield monitors, which is due to the speakers working most effectively when in close proximity to the listener. If you have the speakers more than a few feet away from you, the sound waves will start to reverberate around the room, which is not what you want to hear when mixing. By having the monitors close to you, you will hear the sound only from the speakers which allows for easier and more accurate mixing.
Following on from this, you can still use studio monitors for casual music listening instead of standard HiFi speakers, you will just need to be aware that they won't sound as good if you move away from them, or position yourself differently. The design of these speakers are overall best utilised for production purposes only in order to get the most accurate sound reproduction possible.
All of the home studio monitors that we offer are active/passive sets. This means that the left speaker is active and plugs directly into mains power, while the right speaker connects to the active one using the provided speaker cable, making for an easy setup. You still get stereo audio with active/passive sets like this and you will only need one power socket, which is handy if you have limited space.
What Are The Best Home Studio Monitors?
The home studio speakers that you choose with highly depend on how you intend to use them , as well as the room you will be using them in. We offer many different models of studio speakers, so it is important to know which set will work the best for your intended use.
A big factor to consider when choosing home studio monitors is the woofer size and the volume that each pair can achieve. We offer sets ranging from 3" woofers to 6.5" woofers, each of which will have higher volume outputs and deeper bass response. If you only have a small studio in your home, then it won't be necessary to go for one of the larger options; a smaller set should suffice.
All of our monitor speakers for home use have flat frequency responses, meaning that no frequencies are being boosted in the overall output. Whether you go for a small set or a larger set, the frequencies you hear will be extremely similar with every set. That being said, each monitor pair will achieve different volume levels, important to consider if you will be using them in a larger home studio.
The functions that each home studio monitor has to offer is another important factor to consider when making your decision. For example, if you will also be using the speakers for casual music listening, you may need Bluetooth connectivity which isn't available on every set. You may also need adjustable bass and treble dials to tailor the speakers to work best for your preferences.
Is It Worth Getting Home Studio Speakers?
If you are going to be using the monitors for mixing and mastering purposes, then most definitely. The design of monitor speakers provides extremely accurate sound reproduction with a flat frequency response, ensuring that you are hearing the audio how it is meant to sound. If you use standard HiFi speakers for mixing purposes, you may find that you will be boosting bass or treble frequencies that don't need to be boosted, for example, resulting in a poor mix.
For instances where you are just gaming or listening to music in a casual manner, studio monitors aren't 100-percent necessary, although they will still provide crisp sound, making them a good choice for these purposes. Their design does mean that you need to have them positioned in a certain way to sound the best, so this does need to be kept in mind if you're planning to use them for casual entertainment applications.
In a studio setting, you may also be using home studio speakers for purposes other than mixing and mastering, such as playback speakers in a podcast setting. In this instance, the speakers provide clear sound to ensure you can hear the music and/or voices in the podcast clearly, but as mentioned, they will need to be positioned in a suitable manner in order to sound the best.
For mixing and mastering applications, not only do home studio monitors offer extremely accurate sound reproduction, they also offer audio with a stereo soundstage. This means that you can hear the left and right signals of an audio mix through the respective left and right speakers, great for panning when mixing.
Do You Need an Amp for Home Studio Speakers?
Although passive studio monitors do exist, all of the home studio speakers that we offer are supplied in a pair with an active/passive design. This design means that one of the speakers has a built-in amplifier and connects directly to a mains power source, while the second unit is passive and connects to the main speaker using speaker cable (supplied with each set).
The active/passive design of our monitor speakers for home studios is great, as it means that only one power socket is taken up by both speakers, as well as all of the controls being on one unit for ease of use and access.
Buy Monitor Speakers For Home
If you are not sure which set to go for or if you have any questions about anything, please feel free to contact our knowledgeable sales team who will be happy to give you an unbiased opinion on what would work best for your intended use.