In today’s video we do a shoot-out between Seven different sets of monitors—and we leave it up to you to decide which are best! Here, we’ll go through the specifications of all Seven monitors that we’re trying out in the video.
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This is the first monitor offering from AIAIAI, an audio company founded in 2010. These monitors have a 4″ subwoofer and a 1″ tweeter with a frequency range of 40 Hz to 40 kHz and, as the name suggests, are wireless! The Unit-4 monitors are battery powered and can last for up to 20 hours. They are also made from 100% recycled plastic and so are uniquely environmentally sustainable. In the video, we listen to these with and without the included steel-plated grille.
PreSonus’s newest take on their popular Eris monitor boasts a frequency range of 48Hz-20kHz, reaching an impressive low end for 5-inch speakers with no subwoofer at this price point. These monitors also have acoustic tuning controls including a low-cut switch at 80Hz and 100Hz for focused mid-range listening and an “acoustic space” control designed to compensate for unwanted bass boost due to speakers being placed close to a wall.
These Neumann monitors are notable for their size—a 9-inch tall, 6-inch wide speaker with a 4-inch low driver that manages a 53Hz-22kHz frequency range. This offering from Neumann is designed (like many monitors on this list) for small and large-room listening with an accurate mid-range. A bundle with two monitors and an MA-1 Measurement Microphone for acoustic room adaptation is also available for $1250.
Kali Audio’s LP-6 monitors are popular for their flat frequency response as well as their adaptive boundary EQ settings, which are designed to make them appropriate for use in listening environments of any size. They have a frequency range of 37Hz to 25kHz, a range that makes these 6.5″ monitors competitive with other 7″-8″ monitors at this price point.
These monitors are designed to be reliably versatile for any needed use in any listening environment. It offers a slew of acoustic adjustment options including three voicing modes and 25 boundary and tuning EQ combinations, resulting in dozens of possible acoustic settings. Beyond their versatility, their 1″ silk dome tweeter is described as reaching a high end of 40kHz, significantly higher than most other monitors at any price (reaching lows as far down as 43Hz).
The MK 2s by JBL have been a standard pair of monitors at a low price point for years, and they have only improved in quality with each update. The newest version includes boundary EQ settings for acoustic compensation and low and high cut switches. Their frequency range is 43Hz to 20kHz. Their intended longevity, along with the features mentioned earlier, speaks to these monitors’ reputation for reliability.
The T7V monitors by Adam Audio have an impressive frequency response of 39Hz-25kHz. They are designed for rooms of varying sizes with high and low-end cut switches that make it more adaptable to different listening environments than other 7″-8″ speakers at this price point. These monitors are known for their unique ribbon tweeter, designed to produce a smoother, less harsh high end without losing detail.
That’s all of them! We hope this video gives you some insight into which monitors might be best for your particular near- or mid-field listening situation.
Happy listening!