When Apple released iTunes and the iPod many years ago, it is no understatement to say that they revolutionized the music industry. As the industry has gone increasingly digital, and as our tastes in music have evolved, it is now easier than ever to make studio-quality music from the comfort of your home. Whether you are an experienced professional with an in-home studio who just needs some new monitors, or you're a young musician with big dreams, we've compiled some of the best monitors you can get for your studio.
Best overall
These speakers from Edifier are the perfect setup for your in-home studio. The sound quality is pretty impressive for the price, and you can easily adjust the treble and bass from the adjustment knobs on the side. Best of all, they can connect right up to your Mac via the 3.5mm headphone jack. There is a 4-inch driver for the bass and a 13mm silk dome for the treble. If you just need something basic to get you started, these are a solid investment.
More control
If you need a little more bang for your buck, these 4.5-inch speakers from Eris should do the trick. With a wide range of input options, including a 3.5mm headphone jack, you can get your studio up and running in a snap. You can also adjust the mid and high range frequencies right from the speakers themselves to find that perfect sound. They are a tad more pricey, but you get a lot for the price.
Bluetooth on a budget
These speakers from Mackie are very highly rated, and they look great too. You can get green, white, or blue trim on the front, and these are also Bluetooth enabled if you like going the wireless route for your headphones. It has all the necessary inputs to hook it up to your Mac, and you can switch which speaker has the volume controls so you can set them up however you'd like.
Top of the line
If you're ready to make a strong investment in your home studio, then you should definitely look at these speakers from KRK. KRK has been found in many a home studio over the years and for good reason. They have a clear, perceivable definition between the high and middle frequencies with the ability to adjust them both to find your perfect sound. If you want to throw in a subwoofer to really up your DJ game, just hook it up and away you go. They are also bi-amped to give you more power to your speakers. They aren't cheap, but you're getting quite a lot for the price.
You may also need
While some of these speakers may come with the necessary cabling built-in, chances are you'll need this guy to connect everything up. If you don't already have a 3.5mm to RCA cable for your studio and your planning to run everything on your Mac, you'll need something like this. There are lots of options to be sure, but this will give you an idea of what you need.
Down to the sound
You can always trust iMore. Our team of Apple experts have years of experience testing all kinds of tech and gadgets, so you can be sure our recommendations and criticisms are accurate and helpful. Find out more about how we test.
No matter what your studio setup is, be it a dorm room or a professional in-home studio, you'll need some good monitors to ensure you're getting just the right sound for your music. My favorite are the Edifier R1280Ts because they look great, they sound great, and they won't break the bank.
And don't forget to check which cables you need to hook those bad boys up! It might be a good idea to purchase a 3.5mm to RCA cable at the same time as your speakers. Even if you aren't producing tracks and just love listening to good music or you want the ultimate gaming audio, any of the speakers on this list would be great for you.
