KRK Rokit 8 G5 Active Studio Monitor (Single Unit)

General

The hyper-popular fourth-gen KRK Rokit has gone into retirement, ushering in the age of the fifth-gen KRK Rokit 8 G5. Believe the hype: this fan-favourite should never, ever be underestimated. The 8 inch edition of the Rokit G5 is big, making it a more interesting pick for musicians, producers and writers working on bigger projects. Think orchestral work, EDM and anything that needs extra depth in the lower frequencies. Just make sure you have enough room for this monster, since more bass demands more space, otherwise you'll be looking at a warped mix that creates more issues than solutions.

The KRK Rokit 8 G5 Studio Monitor

At 8 inches, you're getting wide audio reproduction backed up by a full-range frequency response simply because - you can't mix what you can't hear. The bass frequencies reach down as far as 32 Hz (-10 dB) or 42 Hz (+/-3 dB), which is more than enough - if you want to go deeper, you would have to step up a price-bracket. In essence, the Rokit 8 keeps this kind of frequency range within reach for the starter studio, where the budget makes a difference. However, if you're considering going this big, we recommend looking at some acoustic treatment, like absorber panels and bass traps and maybe some monitor stands, so you're sure that you're getting the best performance out of your Rokit.

High-End Options

This monitor comes with three different operating modes: Mix, Focus and Create. The Mix setting is ideal for the mixing phase, which will probably be the most-used mode. The Focus setting, meanwhile is an ultra-valuable yet more specialised mode that emphasises the mid-frequencies, where the more critical instruments in your production are likely to sit, so it's usually the area of your mix that requires the most attention. To finish, the Create setting supports more casual listening, so is perfect for the writing process (the bit before the more critical mixing phase). Another handy feature is the bank of EQ settings which, in earlier times, you wouldn't even touch since neutral sound during mixing used to be considered a must, but because more and more producers are aware of the acoustic colouring of the space they work in, some EQ settings are pretty useful when it comes to compensating for any less-than-optimal acoustics.