I haven’t asked myself this question in quite a long time… ten years in fact! Studio Monitors are by far one of the most important components in any recording studio setup. We rely heavily on studio monitors to make critical tracking and mix decisions, so it is important we use monitors that we can trust. We punish monitors day in day out in our studios, so we need to be able to trust their reliability, but we also need to be able to know in our hearts that we have invested in a set of monitors that provide a good return on investment.

Back in 2008, I was using a pair of Tannoy Reveal Active studio monitors. These certainly were not the greatest monitors in the world, I knew that, but at the time these were the only studio monitors I could afford. As my listening skills developed I started to outgrow the Tannoys so I chose to replace them with a better set of studio monitors, I wanted something that sounded fuller and more precise.

I replaced the Tannoy Reveal Actives with a set of ADAM Audio P22A monitors. Over the last ten years I have mixed exclusively on these. The P22A monitors were indeed quite the step up from the Tannoys both in sound quality and price. I have never regretted buying the P22As, client that have worked with me in my studio know that I am very proud of these monitors, over the years these have proven to be very trustworthy and reliable assets in my tracking and mixing workflows, however, in recent weeks I’ve had three sets of monitors on loan that have had me flirting with the idea of retiring my trusted P22A monitors in favour something new… possibly something that sounds better??

So, it’s that time again for me to answer a question that I haven’t asked myself in ten years - What qualities do I look for when buying studio monitors?

Sound & Performance

These days you’ll be hard-pressed to find a set of bad sounding studio monitors. Like small 2 in/2 out USB audio interfaces, low-cost studio monitors are generally pretty good, especially for home recording studios. 

It’s very difficult to judge the performance and sound quality of monitors without actually listening to them set up in your studio. Even if you do get the chance to test several monitors in your listening sweet spot your opinions on the "sound quality" will be subjective.

Personally, I like monitors to sound deep and detailed. I’m not a fan of monitors that sound hyped in any way, although I do like monitors to sound larger than their physical woofer size. I’ve got a set of ADAM Audio S Series S2V monitors on loan, this model features ADAM’s handmade S-Art Tweeter along with a 7" woofer... my word these sound massive, as in they sound like monitors with 8" or larger woofers in them.

Brand

Over the past ten years I have never felt the need to replace my P22A monitors as I have believed these are all the monitors I'll ever need. If I did decide to change my monitors I would go for a new set of ADAM Audio monitors and they would have to be something very special indeed. 

If you currently have your eyes on a particular set of monitors then it is a good idea to do some research on the brand behind the monitors. I find it helps put my mind at ease to discover that a monitor brand has a strong reputation in the industry for making studio monitors. Legacy is also important to me. I like to know that "insert monitor brand here" work hard at developing their products and manufacturing techniques to deliver end users with great sounding products without compromising quality over price.

Monitor Size

A common misconception that pops up when people are deciding what studio monitors to buy is that bigger is believed to be better - Bigger being the size of the woofer or the power of the amps. Not the case.

If you have a small room with large and powerful monitors then your monitors will almost certainly work against you and the acoustics of your studio making it difficult to work objectively. Of course, you could buy the biggest most expensive set of monitors, put them in a small 3 meter by 3 meter room and you could very well end up with below par results - very disappointing! Put a smaller set of monitors in the same space and you'll most likely get a more balanced sound.

Tip - If you have a small studio space and have your eyes on a particular set of large studio monitors then check to see if there is a smaller set in the range, this will not only save you some money but the smaller woofers will perform better in your space - win-win!

Price

The price of studio monitors plays a huge part in the decision making process. I purchased my Tannoys on a modest budget of £400, that was all I could afford back in 2003. My P22A monitors were bought on what I could comfortably afford in monthly loan repayments. What I learned from these two experiences is that buying studio monitors isn't too dissimilar to the journey musicians go through when buying guitars and instruments.

When someone starts to learn to play the guitar they often buy a cheap/ low-cost guitar. As their skills improve they generally upgrade to something better and eventually, in the years that follow when they are a skilled player, invest in top quality instruments such as a USA Fender Strat.

If you are in the market looking for your first set of studio monitors then buy them on a budget and get on with the job of developing your ear. When your listening skills have developed to a point where you feel your monitors are holding you back then consider a new set of studio monitors that are higher up the food chain.

I spent £2,000 on my P22A monitors in 2008. At the time this was an awful lot of money for me, however, in the years that I've been using my expensive ADAM monitors I've come to realise that this was by far one of the best investments I made in my music production journey. That investment has paid for itself time and time again, that is why I’m considering the next chapter in my monitoring setup without a budget in mind. If I find a set of monitors that I truly believe sound better than what I’m currently using and that I can also wholeheartedly trust and rely on over the next ten years then cost, in my opinion,  will not factor into my monitor purchase decision.

Buying A New Set Of Studio Monitors? What Qualities Do You Look For?

Those are the qualities I look for when I'm considering purchasing a new set of studio monitors. These qualities are all based on my past experiences of buying monitors. We would greatly appreciate stories of your past experiences along with preferences when it comes to choosing studio monitors.