2023 was the year of upgrades and refreshes in the world of studio monitors, as the majority of this year’s best-selling models are new versions of past best-sellers. Active monitors are just as popular as ever, and monitors with DSP and acoustic calibration technology are notably well-represented this year. Whether you’re looking to update your current monitors or looking for something completely different, our best-selling studio monitors of 2023 are a great place to start.
Kali Audio IN-8 V2
This active speaker has made the top three for the past two years in a row, and now it finally takes the gold in 2023. The second iteration of the IN-8 sits right at the crossroads of affordability, versatility, and top-of-the-line quality. With the tweeter located in the center of the midrange driver, the speaker gives you all of the benefits of a three-way speaker—better sonic accuracy, more detailed imaging, ample headroom—in a point-source, two-way design. It’s truly the best of both worlds.
Barefoot Sound Footprint02
The beloved Footprint01 monitor was our most popular speaker in 2020 and 2021, and now its successor carries on the tradition. For the Footprint02, Barefoot packed all of the original’s standout features into a lighter, more compact, and even more affordable package. Noteworthy features include an advanced four-driver design, Barefoot’s signature Dual-Force technology, and MEME technology for testing out multiple classic studio monitor profiles on the fly. All of that, plus the bookshelf-sized design makes the Footprint02 an ideal speaker choice for bedroom setups, full-sized studios, and everything in between.
ADAM Audio A7V
A new version of ADAM Audio’s A7X (a top 10 mainstay for the past few years), the A7V is a natural evolution of the A7 line. The A7V introduces several upgrades including newly designed woofers constructed with a unique blend of mineral stone fibers for tighter and cleaner low-end, rotatable HPS waveguides for greater versatility in any space, and onboard DSP and room adaptation adjustment options for more transparent and sonically accurate playback. Throw in all of the previous A Series fixtures like a wide-open frequency response and sky-high SPL, and its no surprise why the A7V is one of our most popular studio monitors at this price point.
ATC Loudspeakers SCM25A PRO MK2
With a long track record of making it on our year-end lists, ATC needs no introduction—and all the hype you’ve heard is completely deserved. Designed for near/mid-field monitoring, the newly updated SCM25A MK2 speakers are for producers, engineers, and artists who want the most transparent, uncolored, and uncompromised listening experience possible. ATC’s proprietary components (3"/75mm soft mid-dome driver, 6.5"/164mm bass driver, and the newly upgraded SH25-76S Dual Suspension Tweeter) work in harmony to give you lifelike clarity even at high outputs, an extended frequency response, and unrivaled versatility.
KRK Rokit 5 G4
Sitting right in the middle of the list is the most affordable speaker in the top 10. But don't be fooled, the Rokit 5 G4 packs a lot of engineering and innovation into that price tag. Along with an enclosure scientifically designed to minimize internal noise, kevlar-clad speaker cones, and a custom Class D power amplifier with a built-in limiter, the Rokit 5 G4 really stands out thanks to the DSP-driven onboard EQ. That single feature gives you 25 available EQ settings to adapt to different listening environments, A/B test different speaker profiles, and more. Whether you love to tweak your settings or set-and-forget, you’ll find a lot to love with this speaker.
Focal Trio6 ST6
The successor to our most-sold studio monitor of 2022 (the Trio6 BE), the new Trio6 has been a huge hit since being introduced earlier this year. Newly redesigned drivers ensure an even more neutral and distortion-free listening experience, and the Focal-exclusive Dual Focus Mode transforms the Trio6 into a three-way, two-way, or one-way monitor at the flip of a switch. With three distinct speaker profiles in one enclosure, you can easily give your mixes a thorough test without needing a wall of monitors.
Neumann KH 120 II
The original Neumann KH 120 has been a mainstay on the year-end lists, but 2023 continues to be the year of the successors. A powerful DSP engine with Neumann’s specially designed Automatic Monitor Alignment technology helps the monitors adapt to your particular space and optimize the listening experience making for a detailed, transparent sound that guarantees your mixes will translate in any setting.
Genelec 8330A
Making the list for a third year in a row, the 8330A is still finding its way into studios of all sizes. And thanks to Genelec’s exclusive Smart Active Monitoring (SAM) technology and Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM) software, these monitors are also acoustically calibrated for all of these spaces. Along with this impressive software, the 8330A also sports an impressive amount of output, clarity, and coverage within its compact enclosure, making it an ideal choice either as a standard stereo pair or as part of a larger Immersive Audio system.
Output Frontier
This collaboration from Output and Barefoot Sound proudly displays both companies’ respective strengths: Barefoot’s acoustic know-how and envelope-pushing features, plus Output’s elegant yet ergonomic design approach seen from their studio furniture line. The Fronteir’s sleek, minimalist look definitely stands out among other monitors, but no component is just for show. The solid walnut base isolates the speakers and reduces vibrations, and the dual-concentric driver arrangement produces an even, distortion-free response from 45 Hz to 25 kHz. Plus, every monitor is made with recyclable aluminum and renewable wood—supporting a greener earth has never looked (or sounded) this good.
Avantone CLA10A Active
The adorable Avantone MixCubes often make an appearance on our year-end lists, but these full-sized monitors take the cake this year. As the name suggests, the CLA10A active version of the beloved CLA-10 studio monitors. The CLA10A active is a dead-on recreation of the famous Yamaha NS10. Like its predecessors, the CLA10A will expose your mix like a floodlight—blemishes and all—but now with the convenience of an active speaker setup.
Check out more of the best-selling gear of 2023 on our blog!
