Ten Of The Best: Studio Monitors 2019

YAMAHA HS8

Price (pair): $699
Design: 2-way ported
Woofer: 8″ Сone Woofer
Tweeter: 1″ Soft Dome
Frequency response: 38Hz – 30kHz

Yamaha HS8

Yes, we’re including the Yamaha HS8 monitors, even though they were featured in our previous entry of 10 of the Best: Studio Monitors. And that is because these monitors are among the best studio monitors under $1,000, and are a superb option for electronic music and hip hop alike.

In the years since their synthesizer-making heyday, Yamaha’s reputation has more or less hinged on its all-purpose workstation keyboards, acoustic guitars, and pianos. But Yamaha has also long made some high quality studio monitors over the years with its NS, HS, and MSP series systems.

The great thing about the HS8, apart from the clarity and precision, is the affordability ($350 per speaker) compared to other top of the line 8” studio monitors. Getting this sort of sonic detail with a large woofer without handing over a large chunk of change is pretty difficult. And with Yamaha, musicians and producers aren’t hopping on a new brand’s bandwagon. They are opting for a company with a long history of technological research and development in sound, and a reputation for sonic detail.

With a 38Hz to 30kHz frequency response, the HS8 can handle bass and treble with ease. As for inputs, it takes XLR and TRS phone jack inputs, both balanced and unbalanced. In the final analysis, the HS8 may not have the contemporary cache of more high end boutique monitors, but producers can rest assured that they will do their job, and walk away from the purchase with savings for other studio essentials.