I’ve used a lot of studio monitors in my time whether it’s my trusty HS series at home or main monitors in a pro-level studio. I also look after the best studio monitors guide here at MusicRadar and when I saw my budget pick had gone on sale I had to share it. Head over to Guitar Center and you can bag yourself a hefty $50 reduction on the M-Audio Forty Sixty, which adds up to $100 off when buying a pair. It’s an awesome Cyber Monday music deal but it won’t be around for long with the end of the deals fast approaching.
Studio monitors are expensive, there’s no denying it. You can easily spend north of $1k on a decent pair and that’s before you get into room treatment, studio headphones, audio interfaces, and all the other bits of gear you need to create a recording. If you’re a beginner though most of these things will be out of reach, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a great mix on a budget.
The M-Audio Forty Sixty hits that sweet spot of affordability and build quality, giving you great sound without having to spend loads for it. I really love the three-mode switch on the front that allows you to check your mix with different EQ levels. ‘Hype’ mode has a bass and top-end boost that allows you to reference your mix on non-linear systems that your listeners are likely using.
They’re 6.5-inch monitors too, which means much better low-end reproduction than some of the smaller monitors that are typically pointed towards newbies. If you’re into any bass-heavy genres then you’ll be able to get a great feel of the low stuff with these and coupled with the tuning modes accessible via the companion app you can really hone in on your sound.
Also consider
- Grab a great deal on a pair of Adam Audio studio monitors
- Yamaha's HS5s have got an excellent Cyber Monday discount
