Studio monitors

What are studio monitors?

Studio loudspeakers or studio monitors are loudspeakers for monitoring sound recordings in the control room of a recording studio. recording studio. In contrast to hi-fi loudspeakers, studio monitors are not intended to color the sound of a recording or to sound as pleasing as possible. On the contrary, their aim is to reproduce a music recording or mix as it is: unadulterated and with all its strengths and weaknesses. The aim when using studio monitors is therefore to achieve a sound that is as neutral (“linear”) as possible; boosts and cuts in frequency ranges are undesirable here.

Requirements for studio monitors

In principle, a studio loudspeaker system hardly differs from loudspeakers in the hi-fi sector. However, a studio system is first and foremost an analytical tool. While an alienated (“colored”) reproduction of music or speech can ultimately be subjectively perceived as satisfactory in the hi-fi sector, the objective assessment of recordings and mixes is the main focus in the recording studio. The aim here is therefore to achieve the most neutral sound possible.

While a finished mix can theoretically also be reproduced by a hi-fi loudspeaker, individual tracks and intermediate mixes are not yet compressed when listened to and demand extreme dynamics and high level peaks from the loudspeaker, which it must reproduce without distortion or damage. Finished mixes must also not “sound good” due to special characteristics of the speakers, but the system must be able to reliably detect even small errors in the production process.

Studio loudspeakers generally have a very directional radiation pattern, i.e. the waves are bundled more strongly. This results in fewer interfering reflections, which are reflected off the walls and could therefore interfere with the sound assessment. Hi-fi speakers, on the other hand, work with a wider dispersion pattern in order to enrich the room with music.

Construction of studio monitors

In addition to the most linear reproduction possible, impulse fidelity is also important for authentic reproduction. When using conventional crossovers, any additional path caused by splitting the frequency spectrum between different individual loudspeakers leads to delay changes and phase errors, which can permanently impair the authenticity of the reproduction. This problem could be avoided by using a full-range loudspeaker (one-way loudspeaker system). However, since no full-range loudspeaker can reproduce the entire audible frequency spectrum linearly, many studio loudspeakers are designed using 2-way technology. 3- or 4-way systems, such as those used in sub-bass systems or larger studio monitors, can also be found, but require a high-quality crossover or, in the case of active systems, a corresponding amplifier.

Speakers with multi-way technology are only suitable for near-field technology to a limited extent and must be aligned very precisely so that the desired mixing ratio is achieved at the ear. Nevertheless, with these systems there are always small errors in the crossover range of the two loudspeakers. This problem is countered by shifting the crossover frequency (switching the filters or signal processing) or by using several different systems.

Several systems also solve the contradiction that arises from the two requirements of accuracy and volume. In well-equipped recording studios, for example, you will find a combination of full-range speakers and multi-way speakers at different distances. The further away the monitors are from the ear, the more important the room acoustics. In some cases, complex and cost-intensive optimization of the room equipment is therefore necessary in order to fulfil the function correctly.

Active or passive studio monitors?

A basic distinction is made between active and passive monitors. While active monitors have a built-in amplifier that supplies the speakers with the necessary power, passive monitors require a separate power amplifier.

Active monitors are particularly (but of course not only!) attractive for beginners due to their simple and quick setup and the associated uncomplicated handling. They not only have the right power amplifier already integrated, but often also an EQ for fine-tuning the speakers, which helps to adapt the monitors optimally to the respective installation location. Another advantage of active monitors is that they are generally cheaper than passive speakers (plus the separate power amplifier required).

Some sound engineers from the professional sector deliberately prefer passive monitors and cite special sound considerations in this context. However, it has to be said that this sometimes involves budgets that are beyond the usual limits of ambitious hobby musicians or semi-professional musicians (home studio).

Which studio monitor is right for me?

Various factors play a decisive role in choosing the right studio monitor for individual projects. In addition to personal taste and listening preferences, the style of music also has a decisive influence on the choice of a suitable model or design.

For lovers of classical music and jazz, the focus is on a particularly linear reproduction in order to interpret the mix as realistically as possible and capture the spatial impression in the best possible way. Pop, rock, funk, blues and metal, on the other hand, require precise reproduction and resolution of the mid frequencies in order to bring out the subtleties of the music. For bass-heavy genres such as EDM, techno or dubstep, precise and well-defined bass reproduction is of great importance in order to optimally capture the pressure and depth of the tracks.

Despite these different requirements, one crucial aspect must not be ignored: the room acoustics. The nature of the recording or control room has a decisive influence on the sound image and can have a major impact on the reproduction of the monitors. Various modules are available on the market to optimize the room acoustics, which can regulate the reverberation time and minimize disturbing room resonances, among other things. By adjusting the acoustics in a targeted manner, various problems in the recording room can be effectively solved and the quality of the music production significantly improved.

What different types of speakers are there? – Near field, mid field, far field

Listening” plays a central role in the assessment of recordings and mixes. These studio monitors are divided into different categories depending on the distance to the listener:

In the near field, the listening position is about one to two meters away from the speakers. Here, the listener can perceive the subtleties of the sound reproduction precisely.

In the midfield, the distance between the listener and speakers is usually two to four meters. This distance enables a balanced sound reproduction and is well suited for longer mixing sessions.

The far field refers to a listening distance of often four meters or more. Monitors that are designed for the far field are also known as main monitors. They are mainly found in larger studios or control rooms and are often recessed into the wall.

The classification into near-field, mid-field and far-field helps music producers and sound engineers to select the studio monitors best suited to their working environment and sound quality requirements.

Diaphragm or speaker size of studio monitors

A rough guide for the cone size of studio monitors should always be the size of the room. It is generally advisable to use smaller speakers (diaphragms) in a small room, as bass reproduction in particular is subject to clear physical limits. In larger rooms, on the other hand, larger speakers should be used: On the one hand, the “volume reserves” are greater here, with which the room can be filled well, and on the other hand, you can hear and judge the bass much better in a large room.

Which sound characteristics are important? How can you recognize “good” speakers?

Data such as the frequency response gives some indication of the sound character. If the frequency response starts at 70 Hz, it can reproduce less low tones than a speaker for which 39 Hz is specified. With studio monitors, it is usually desirable for them to reproduce without peaks or dips. If, for example, the sound is boomy at one point, it is easy to counteract this when mixing.

However, the problem does not lie in music production – there would be a “hole” on other loudspeakers later on. Monitoring loudspeakers are therefore primarily used for analysis. This also means that they must be able to reproduce the so-called dynamics without distortion. This means that they must not suppress the differences between particularly quiet and particularly loud sound components.

Which connections need to be considered?

Or to put it another way: what connections does my studio monitor need to have so that I can connect it to an audio interface to an audio interface? – That actually always depends on the audio interface: Common formats are XLR, balanced 6.3 mm jack, more rarely RCA or unbalanced jack.

All manufacturers – Monitoring monitors

• ADAM Audio
• Adam Hall
• AIAIAI
• Alesis
• Antelope
• API Audio
• Audient
• Auralex Acoustics
• Auratone
• Behringer
• Clavia North
• Crane Song
• Dangerous Music
• Drawmer
• Dynaudio
• EQ Acoustics
• ESI
• EVE audio
• Fender
• Fluid Audio
• Focal
• Focusrite
• Fostex
• Gator Frameworks
• Genelec
• Weight
• Gravity
• Harley Benton
• Hercules
• Heritage Audio
• IK Multimedia
• IsoAcoustics
• Jaspers
• JBL
• K&M
• Kali Audio
• KRK
• KS Digital
• Lake People
• LD Systems
• M-Audio
• Mackie
• Meinl
• Millennium
• Monkey Banana
• Neumann
• Output
• Pearl
• Palmer
• PMC
• Presonus
• Prodipe
• PSI Audio
• Quested
• Radial Engineering
• RCF
• reProducer Audio Labs
• Roadworx
• Rode
• RTW
• Sennheiser
• Sessiondesk
• Shure
• Sonifex
• Sonor
• SPL
• Stairville
• Supreme
• Swissonic
• t.acoustics
• Tannoy
• tc electronic
• Teenage Engineering
• the t.bone
• the t.mix
• Thomann
• Triad orbit
• TritonAudio
• Universal Audio
• Wavebone
• Yamaha
• Zaor