Finding the best passive monitors suitable for your needs isnt easy. With hundreds of choices can distract you. Knowing whats bad and whats good can be something of a minefield. In this article, weve done the hard work for you.
Best passive monitors
1. Mackie Studio Monitor, Black w/Green Trim, 3-inch (CR3)
Feature
Studio-quality design, sound and performance ideal for multimedia creation and entertainmentProfessional-grade components for optimized sonic performance.1/8 inches to stereo RCA cable to connect computer output to speakers
Ultra-wide frequency range perfect for full-range multimedia (80 Hz - 20 kHz)
Choose which side of your desk gets the volume knob with CR3's convenient speaker placement switch
Convenient front panel volume knob with lit power ring gives you on/off/volume control and power indication where you need it. Plug your smartphone or other source right into the front of the speakers and listen instantly
Description
Mackie CR3 3" Creative Reference Multimedia Monitors deliver studio-quality design and performance ideal for multimedia creation and entertainment. Built using only premium, high-performance components and featuring convenient front-panel controls, Mackie Creative Reference monitors deliver professional sound quality and features perfect for work, play and everything in between.2. KRK R6G3 ROKIT 6 G3 6" 2-Way Passive Studio Monitor, Black
Feature
Tweeter: 1" Neodymium Soft Dome Tweeter with Ferro FluidDrivers: 6" Glass Aramid Composite Woofer
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Sensitivity: 87 dB @ 1M/1W
Frequency Response:4 9 Hz - 20 kHz, +/-2 dB
Description
Passive but Bold, the KRK R6 Generation 3 Passive Studio Monitor is the passive version of the industry standard Generation 2 RoKit Studio Monitor Series from KRK Systems. For years, the RoKit series has been a popular choice for accurate monitoring in studios large and small. Now, the R6 provides a new standard in passive monitoring with better performance and accuracy, raising the bar once again. Considering KRK has always been the standard, this is a lofty claim. But with the R6, you will hear the truth. Our R6 has radically curved surfaces for a reason: it sounds better. Traditional rectangular speakers suffer from diffraction as sounds leaving the edge of the cabinet are reflected back into the sound field causing phase distortion. The R6 virtually eliminates diffraction and provides a wider sweet spot because of its radically engineered curved surfaces. Take a look at competitive monitors and you'll find ports on the back of the cabinet. These rear-firing ports tend to create bass coupling with walls and corners, amplifying low frequency information which will color your mix. The superior design of the KRK R6 includes front-firing ports, which are just the right shape to reduce port turbulence. You'll appreciate the clean and accurate bass performance this approach delivers, even at high SPLs. We took a great monitor series and made it better. Our engineers and listening panel took the Generation 2 RoKit's speaker voicing to even greater levels of accuracy. With the R6 what you hear is what you need to hear, without coloration or artificial emphasis. This performance is delivered by drivers that are custom-designed by our world-class studio monitor engineering team, for clear, low-distortion performance. Our recessed tweeters may look the same as others, but they don't perform the same.3. XP-PEN Artist15.6 Pro Drawing Pen Display Graphics 15.6 Inch Monitor Full-Laminated Technology Drawing Monitor with Tilt Function and Red Dial (8192 Levels Pen Pressure, 120% sRGB)
Feature
Functions allow users to sketch, paint, design and edit directly from the tablet screen. Your work function will flow naturally and intuitively. Enjoy the high quality glass design which gives you high precision and prevents dust build upThe latest Passive Pen design! Our Passive stylus technology provides 8192 levels of instant pen pressure sensitivity_Providing you with groundbreaking control and fluidity to expand your creative output. No charging required
15.6" 1920x1080 IPS 16:9 Display with 178 degree of visual angle delivers life-like colors, greater contrast, sharper, and vivid images..The Artist 15.6 driver can support 4k displays. Now you can enjoy every sharp detail
Features USB Type-C input design, easy to plug in and out. Features come with a 11mm thin design, 3 in 1 cable, and a new brightness adjustment button. 6 fully customizable express keys create a highly ergonomic and convenient work platform. The one-click toggle allows you to switch between Pen and Eraser instantly
We've adopted the newest F900 High Tech IC, to make lines flow smoother and perform better. Compatible with Windows 10/8/7, Mac OS version 10.8 or later, and major graphics software such as Photoshop, Painter, Illustrator, Clip Studio, and more. XP-Pen provides one-year warranty and lifetime technical support for all our pen tablets/displays. [Special offer for XP-Pen customers: Come to contact us with your order ID to apply for the latest openCanvas 7 drawing software for free]
Description
Spec:Product Dimension: 443 x 280 x 12.6 mm
Active Area: 344.16 x 193.59 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Pen: Battery-free Pen
DPI: 1920 x 1080
Pen Pressure: 8192 levels
Data Cable: 3-in-1 cable
Display Color Gamut: 75% Adobe RGB
Resolution: 5080 LPI
Visual Angle: 178
Power Output: 5V DC, 2A (max)
Power Input: 100 to 240VAC, 50/60Hz
Package includes:
1 x Pen Display
1 x Passive Pen
8 x Replacement Nibs
1 x New Pen Holder
1 x 3-in-1 Cable
1 x CD driver
1 x Manual
1 x Anti-fouling Drawing Glove
1 x Cleaning Cloth
1 x HDMI to Mac Adapter Cable
4. KRK RP6G3-NA Rokit 6 Generation 3 Powered Studio Monitor Pair
Feature
This Bundle contains: Pair of KRK RP6G3-NA Rokit 6 Generation 3 Powered Studio MonitorsBi-amped, class A/B amplifier offering large headroom and low distortion
Proprietary waveguide optimized for superior imaging
1 Soft-dome tweeter provides pristine clarity and extended response up to 35kHz
High-frequency adjustment tailors the system to personal taste
Description
KRK RP6G3-NA Rokit 6 Generation 3 Powered Studio Monitor Pair5. KRK Rokit 6 G3 Studio Monitor Speaker Bundle with Two Monitors, XLR Cables, and Austin Bazaar Polishing Cloth
Feature
Bi-amped, class A/B amplifier offering large headroom and low distortion1" Soft-dome tweeter provides pristine clarity and extended response up to 35kHz
Lightweight, glass-Aramid composite woofer delivers clear midrange and tight bass
Front Firing Port -- Low-frequency extension while reducing boundary coupling
Multiple audio input connectors (XLR, 1/4", RCA) for universal connectivity in any studio environment
Description
Adding value to your purchase, Austin Bazaar bundles your instrument with necessary accessories. Everything you need to start playing immediately comes in one box. Save yourself the hassle and save some money while you're at it. An Austin Bazaar polishing cloth is included so you can keep your new instrument in mint condition.KRK Systems is one of the world's most respected manufacturers of studio reference monitors. In their state of the art design facility, KRK engineers create products that deliver natural and balanced spectral response with low distortion and superior imaging. KRK Studio Monitors have been the professional's choice of recording engineers and artists for mixing and mastering hit records around the globe, as they need to hear every nuance of the audio being reproduced. KRK ROKIT Generation 3 monitors continue in this design philosophy, so regardless of your musical style, genre, or particular mixing needs, KRK Rokits deliver. KRK's ROKIT 6 G3 (Generation 3) powered studio monitors offer professional performance and accuracy for recording, mixing, mastering and playback. The system consists of a 1" soft dome tweeter and 6" glass-Aramid composite woofer. It delivers high frequencies up to 35kHz, vocal clarity and extended bass response. The proprietary bi-amped, class A/B amplifier grants SPL up to 107dB. The ROKIT waveguide is designed to ensure detailed imaging in the listening position. The front-firing bass port reduces boundary coupling to allow flexible positioning in the room while the engineered surface reduces diffraction distortion. Multiple input connections ensure the ROKIT 6 G3 will easily integrate in any system configuration. In larger rooms, where smaller monitors might not provide enough headroom, the ROKIT 6 G3 provides enough backup for even larger set ups.
6. Seismic Audio SA-10MSingle Wedge Style Floor Monitor - PA/DJ
Feature
Model - SA-10MSingle2-way 10inch pro audio monitor with 40 oz magnet and 2inch voice coil
100 watts rms and 200 watts peak
4x8 piezo horn tweeter
Input terminal with two 1/4inch inputs. Dual ports. One year warranty.
Description
10inch Wedge Floor Stage Monitor or Speaker - Model - SA-10MSingle, 2-way 10inch pro audio speaker with 40 oz magnet and 2inch voice coil, 100 watts rms and 200 watts peak, 4x8 piezo horn tweeter, two 1/4inch inputs, Frequency Response: 45 to 20,000 hz, Wired at 8 ohms, 95 db, Dual ports, 18 gauge full face steel grill, Black Metal Corners, Pocket Handles, 13.25inch wide by 14inch tall x 21inch deep, Weight: 22 lbs per monitor, This monitor is brand new., One year warranty. Its important that you can hear your music on stage. These 10 inch monitors deliver every sound clearly with a Pro Audio 10 inch speaker, 4"x 8"piezo horn tweeter, a frequency response of 45Hz to 20,000Hz, and 100 watts RMS, 200 watts peak power. Great quality monitors are very hard to find, especially at a decent price. The Seismic Audio brand was designed to make the professional musician, as well as the musician low on cash, sound great. With your purchase, you will receive one of these monitors pictured and described above. So, put it in your cart today and get ready for years of trouble-free, crystal clear sound!7. Sound Town 2-Pack CALLISTO Series 12" Passive Stage Monitor Speaker (CALLISTO-12M-PAIR)
Feature
The speaker set includes 2-pack professional-grade passive 2-way stage monitor speakers with 200W RMS / 400W Peak (8-ohm) power handling capabilityEach speaker comes with one 12" high-quality woofer with one high frequency piezo driver and provides stellar and consistent sound quality
50Hz-20KHz frequency range; 100X45 degree wide sound coverage
Easy daisy chaining with your PA speakers with parallel 1/4" jacks provided
Rugged exterior with black carpet finish, heavy-duty metal grille and corners holds up to touring applications; easy to transport with recessed handles
Description
Sound Town 2-Pack CALLISTO Series 12" Passive Stage Monitor Speaker (CALLISTO-12M-PAIR)The Sound Town CALLISTO-12M-PAIR includes two CALLISTO-12M monitor speakers. The CALLISTO-12M is an affordable passive 400 Watts stage monitor speaker with impressive quality and great portability. Inside the low-profile enclosure come one 12" powerful woofer and one high frequency piezo driver; the CALLISTO-12M stage monitor doesn't only provide amazing sound quality but also delivers a wide sound coverage. Being able to hear well, the artists will love coming back to perform on your stage.
Sound Town CALLISTO-12M stage monitor speaker comes with two 1/4" jacks which make daisy chaining with other speakers a breeze. Engineers at Sound Town understand how important it can be when a speaker is portable and easy to transport and so the stage monitor is built as small form factor, with two recessing handles on both sides and it doesn't take a lot of foot print on your stage either. Its rugged exterior with full metal grille and four metal corners holds up to road applications.
For a top-quality, affordable, low-profile stage monitor, check out the Sound Town 2-pack CALLISTO-12M speaker set.
8. ESI MoCo Passive Studio Monitor Controller
Description
MoCo is a fully passive monitor controller that helps you to provide perfect control over the playback volume of your studio monitors. "Fully passive" means that there are no active components involved, that could in any way alter the audio signal - keeping the maximum sound quality level for your studio monitors. MoCo provides two separate stereo inputs (one with balanced 1/4" TRS connectors, one with both unbalanced RCA and unbalanced 1/8" TRS connectors) and two separate stereo outputs (one with balanced XLR connectors, one with balanced / unbalanced 1/4" TRS plus unbalanced 1/8" TRS connectors). MoCo does not change your signals from unbalanced to balanced: what goes in, goes out! Via one switch you can select the input signal and with separate buttons, each output can be enabled. Also there is a switch that changes the monitor signal to mono and you can mute the playback audio signal quickly at the touch of a button. A quick swap of the left and right audio signal channels is also possible. And of course, the stylish big knob in the center of MoCo controls the actual playback volume.9. Grindhouse Speakers - GH12M - 12 Inch Passive Wedge Floor / Stage Monitor 350 Watts RMS - PA/DJ Stage, Studio, Live Sound 10 Inch Monitor
Feature
Model: GH12MContents: 12 Inch Wedge Floor Monitor
Active / Passive: Passive
Power Rating: 350 Watts RMS | 700 Watts Peak each
Impedance: 8 Ohms
