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Nearfield monitors are an excellent choice for a small home studio, like a bedroom studio. So in this article we’ll take a look at some of the best nearfield monitors that will give you that clear sound, flat frequency response, helping produce and mix your audio.
ADAM Audio T7V are popular industry standard nearfield monitors with a accurate frequency response, making it an industry standard, and hence one of the best nearfields. However, there are a couple other close alternatives, namely the Neumann KH 120 A and the Tannoy GOLD 5.
Table of Contents
- About Our Top Choices
- The Top 7 Best Nearfield Monitors
- Nearfield Monitors Reviews
- The Buying Guide
- FAQs
About Our Top Choices
ADAM Audio T7V
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
ADAM Audio T7V are active nearfield studio monitors that offer you industry level sonic accuracy and very content design. It is an extremely popular option amongst either professional producers or beginner enthusiasts due to its reasonable price and pristine quality.
Pros
- Extremely well-built
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- For vertical use only
Neumann KH 120 A
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
The Neumann KH 120 A is a great choice for someone who is looking for extremely reliable and accurate active studio monitors with great design and a rather competitive price. You also might want to consider these monitors just to experience that famous “Neumann engineering”.
Pros
- Crisp-sounding
- Highly-accurate
- Flat response
Cons
- None that we know of
Tannoy GOLD 5
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
The Tannoy GOLD 5 offers you very detailed sound for such compact monitors and an even more impressive amount of power, which is quite surprising considering its very affordable price. These monitors have as even frequency response as possible and adjustable low-end for different mixing environments.
Pros
- Stylish
- Affordable
- Greatly balanced
Cons
- Absolutely none
Top 7 Best Nearfield Monitors
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ADAM Audio T7V
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Neumann KH 120 A
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Tannoy GOLD 5
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Dynaudio BM 6A
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ATC SCM20ASL Pro mk2
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ADAM Audio S2V
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Dynaudio LYD 5
Best Nearfield Monitors Reviews
ADAM Audio T7V
Pros
- Extremely well-built
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- For vertical use only
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
The ADAM Audio T7V are active nearfield studio monitors that offer you industry level sonic accuracy and very compact design. It is a very popular option amongst either professional producers or beginner enthusiasts due to its reasonable price and pristine quality.
Best features and specs
The ADAM Audio T7V offers elegantly-shaped studio monitors that are made with a vertical 2-way system that consists of a 1*7″ polypropylene woofer and U-ART accelerated-ribbon tweeter with a precision HPS waveguide. This monitor is capable of giving 39Hz in low-end and crispy clear 25kHz highs. The amps in the woofer and tweeter sum up in 70W, which allows reaching the top SPL of 110dB.
User impressions
Users say that the ADAM Audio T7V is capable of producing amazing low-end and not annoyingly hyped high-end. The sound is rich in transients and the monitors give a truly good stereo image. Users speak in favor of the monitors being very reasonably priced and still giving a stellar performance.
What we think
The only thing that prevents ADAM Audio T7V from being absolutely the best choice for nearfield monitoring is the fact that it can only be placed in a vertical position. It isn’t really a big deal for most audio producers, but for some, horizontal placement of monitors is essential.
Bottomline
ADAM Audio T7V is a great choice for someone who is looking for a pair of extremely well-built active monitors for a considerably reasonable price. These monitors might easily be the best value for money on this list.
Neumann KH 120 A
Pros
- Crisp-sounding
- Highly-accurate
- Flat response
Cons
- None that we know of
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
The Neumann KH 120 offers you industry standard accuracy even in untreated mixing environments and the highest build quality possible. After all, it is made by the manufacturer that over and over again proved that they know exactly what they’re doing, whether it would be microphones or monitoring systems.
Best features and specs
The Neumann KH 120 A are miniature nearfield studio monitors that have a woofer that has a low-frequency and high-frequency drivers that deliver 50 W of power each. The speaker is made with a high level of precision and incorporates an elliptical MMD waveguide that ensures that you get a broad sweet spot and very smooth off-axis response, especially in not ideally treated acoustic environments. This monitor is capable of delivering sound with a free-field frequency response of 52Hz up to 21kHz.
User impressions
Users like the Neumann KH 120 A because this monitor gives the sound of high-resolution that is almost not distorted and can produce deep low-end. Also, this monitor gives you a very detailed stereo image that quickly tells whether there are some issues with the mix.
What we think
We, audio producers and engineers, are extremely picky when it comes to audio equipment. But there is absolutely nothing to dislike about the Neumann KH 120 A, especially considering how reasonably they are priced for such a high-quality product.
Bottomline
The Neumann KH 120 A is a great choice for someone who is looking for extremely reliable and accurate active studio monitors with great design and a rather competitive price. You also might want to consider these monitors just to experience famous Neumann engineering.
Tannoy GOLD 5
Pros
- Stylish
- Affordable
- Greatly balanced
Cons
- Absolutely none
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
The Tannoy GOLD 5 offers you very detailed sound for such compact monitors and an even more impressive amount of power, which is quite surprising considering its very affordable price. These monitors have as even frequency response as possible and adjustable low-end for different mixing environments.
Best features and specs
The Tannoy GOLD 5 offers you a monitor that is aimed to deliver the most accurate sound reproduction thanks to the unique design of its driver and amplifier. This monitor is constructed by implementing a Dual Concentric driver technology that has only one crossover point that assures that you get a wide sweet spot while being positioned both vertically and horizontally and pinpointed imaging. Also, the monitor has active XLR and TRS inputs which allow you to plug in 2 audio sources at the same time.
User impressions
Users say that the Tannoy GOLD 5 is really great in giving highly-detailed, balanced, and precise sound with lots of punch. Though, this monitor will give you what is advertised in a well-acoustically treated room.
What we think
What we like about the Tannoy GOLD 5 the most is the fact that it has the ability to adjust the frequency response to suit different mixing environments, which makes these monitors perfect for traveling media composers. Also, the ability to connect two separate audio sources might come in handy.
Bottomline
The Tannoy GOLD 5 is a great choice for someone who is looking for a very compact yet very powerful pair of highly accurate studio monitors for a reasonable price.
Dynaudio BM 6A
Pros
- Detailed-sounding
- Well-built
- Deep low-end
Cons
- Price is something to consider
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
The Dynaudio BM 6A offers you pristine built quality, a wide frequency response range, and a very detailed sound with electronically adjustable low end.
Best features and specs
The Dynaudio BM 6A has a 6.7″ woofer and 1″ dome tweeter that are thoroughly designed and custom-built. This monitor is a perfect match for any small-sized recording environment, and it’s capable of producing sound compatible with the 5.1 system. The woofer gives you clear and punchy low-end starting from 41Hz, and the tweeter gives you clear highs of 21kHz.
User impressions
Users like the Dynaudio BM 6A for producing clear sound ‘in your face’ as if you were listening to the musicians playing live without any notion of the speakers. Also, users emphasize that the speakers reveal their hidden treasures in terms of sound quality only after 2-3 months of using them. The first impression was that it’s just a pair of average speakers.
What we think
If you are on a tight budget, the Dynaudio BM 6A might not exactly be for you, but otherwise, it is a very decent pair of powerful studio monitors.
Bottomline
The Dynaudio BM 6A is a great choice for someone who is looking for a top-shelf active studio monitor and is ready to spend some extra money.
ATC SCM20ASL Pro mk2
Pros
- Premium quality
- Amazingly-detailed
- Ultra clean
Cons
- Rather expensive
See price @ Sweetwater
The ATC SCM20ASL Pro mk2 is a premium nearfield monitoring solution with switchable power output and a very wide frequency response range with controllable low-frequency cutoff.
Best features and specs
The ATC SCM20ASL Pro mk2 offers you monitors of the highest quality possible that are manufactured in the UK using only prime components. These monitors deliver meticulously detailed and ultra-transparent sound as if you’re listening to the musicians playing right next to you. On top of that, you get a limited ATC 6-year warranty.
User impressions
Users agree that the ATC SCM20ASL Pro mk2 gives you the most detailed sound that you have ever imagined with no distortion at all. Also, you can hear all the nuances of the mix and get perfect imaging.
What we think
For most audio producers, the ATC SCM20ASL Pro mk2 is almost untenable, especially if we are talking about beginners. But for seasoned professionals, this could be money well spent.
Bottomline
The ATC SCM20ASL Pro mk2 is a great choice for someone who knows exactly what they are looking for and isn’t afraid to pay a bit extra.
ADAM Audio S2V
Pros
- Stylish
- Clear-sounding
- Sturdy
Cons
- Not for every budget
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
The ADAM Audio S2V offers you very accurate and precise sound representation and compact design. Not to forget about staggering 350 W of power.
Best features and specs
The ADAM Audio S2V is another premium quality nearfield monitor that is thoroughly manufactured in Berlin up to the highest standards using only top-quality components. This monitor has a flat frequency response of 35Hz to 50 kHz, stable and ultra-wide stereo imaging, and amazingly low distortion. In addition to all that you get a 2-year warranty with an option of extending it to 3 years.
User impressions
Users are impressed with the ADAM Audio S2V because this monitor gives the most accurate with a high level of detail sound with deep low-end and shiny high-end. This monitor has a stylish appearance and easily fits in any studio and compliments it.
What we think
Although the ADAM Audio S2V is not the cheapest monitoring solution there is, nevertheless it is very much worth considering. Especially once you’ve heard how they sound.
Bottomline
The ADAM Audio S2V is a great choice for someone who is looking for a pair of professional studio monitors with a very flat frequency response curve, great design and impressive reliability.
Dynaudio LYD 5
Pros
- Stylish
- Affordable
- Accurate response
Cons
- Not very powerful
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
The Dynaudio LYD 5 is a very robust nearfield monitoring solution designed for small and contained mixing environments.
Best features and specs
The Dynaudio LYD 5 is made from high-quality components and designed specifically to fit in small studios. This monitor features accurate and very tight, clear low-end reproduction without any signs of coloration, phase issues, and distortion. You get 50Hz to 22kHz frequency response and a maximum SPL of 106dB.
User impressions
Users like the Dynaudio LYD 5 because it has a solid build quality that is really easy to set up, and it doesn’t require that much space. This monitor gives a truly flat sound and doesn’t add any unwanted artifacts even when the volume is at maximum.
What we think
You may very quickly notice that the Dynaudio LYD 5 lacks power when it comes to larger mixing environments, but otherwise, there’s nothing to complain about.
Bottomline
The Dynaudio LYD 5 is a great choice for someone who is looking for a budget monitoring solution and doesn’t require extra power to accommodate large space.
Nearfield Monitors Buying Guide
What are nearfield monitors?
Nearfield monitors are much smaller than farfield monitors, so they have smaller drivers and, because of that, should be located closer to the music producer. As they are placed closer, they produce a direct sound that much sooner will reach the listener, rather than the sound from farfield monitors that has to reflect from the walls.
Why would you need nearfield monitors?
Whenever you need to work around solving small issues such as occasional clipping and popping that your mix has and you’re in need of detailed sound, nearfield monitors are your go-to tool. Also, these kinds of monitors have a somewhat narrow frequency response, which is beneficial when you need to concentrate on adding more details to your mix.
Important features
When choosing nearfield monitors, you should pay attention to sound quality, frequency response, and design.
Sound quality
The overall quality of the mix depends on the quality of the studio monitors, that’s why you have to choose those that reproduce the sound without any glitches and don’t add any artifacts.
Frequency response
You might consider choosing those monitors that give you as flat frequency response curve as possible. Wide frequency range would also be quite beneficial.
Design
All of us music producers care about the way our studio looks. So when choosing a new piece of gear, we want it to correspond with the equipment that we already have. Depending on the general style of the gear in your studio, choose those monitors that would be pleasant to look at.
How to choose the right one for you?
When you are choosing the best nearfield monitors, you have to be sure that they give you no less than the top-quality and have the widest range of frequency response. As you want all the equipment to be in one style, choose those that would fit nicely.
FAQs
What is the difference between nearfield and midfield monitors?
The difference is in the distance from the listener. Near-field monitors are placed much closer to the listener, approximately 1-2 meters, while midfield monitors are placed around 2-4 meters away. Also, nearfield monitors give you an opportunity to hear the full-frequency spectrum.
How far should you sit from nearfield monitors?
Not that far. 1-2 meters would be more than enough.
How far should nearfield monitors be from the wall?
The general rule here is to place nearfield monitors about 8-12 inches from the wall so that the sound waves that come from the monitors wouldn’t hit the wall and come back to you so that you experience phase cancellation and other acoustic unpleasantries.
How far apart should my nearfield monitors be?
It’s best that you place nearfield monitors at the same distance that they’re placed from you. One meter is more than enough.
How high should my studio monitors be?
The best way is to place monitors so that they are at your ear’s height.
