Are there any portable active near-field monitors suitable for field recording?
| Product ⇅ | Price ⇅ | Frequency Response (Hz) ⇅ | Peak SPL (dB) ⇅ | Power Output (Watts) ⇅ | Driver Size (Inches) ⇅ | Crossover Frequency (Hz) ⇅ | DSP Processing (Boolean) ⇅ | Connectivity Options (Text) ⇅ |
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JBL Professional 305P MkII
US
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— | 49Hz - 20kHz (±3dB) | 108dB | 82W | 5 in LF, 1 in HF | 1725Hz | HF Shelf, LF Shelf, Peak Limiter | 1 x XLR balanced, 1 x 1/4 in TRS balanced, +4dBu/-10dBV input switch |
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The JBL 305P MkII is a bi-amplified 2-way near-field studio monitor with a 5 in woofer and 1 in tweeter, 82W total power, wide Image Control Waveguide dispersion, boundary EQ and HF trim for room adaptation, and a quoted frequency response of 49Hz-20kHz (±3dB). It suits home and project studios needing accurate imaging, good low-frequency extension for its size, and flexible XLR/TRS connectivity. ★ Ideal forYes - its 5 in woofer, 82W bi-amplification, boundary EQ and compact size make it suitable as a portable active near-field monitor for field recording where accurate near-field monitoring and decent SPL (peak 108dB) are needed. |
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Presonus Eris E3.5 BT
US
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£104.93 ≈ | 80 Hz - 20 kHz | 104 dB (@ 1 meter) | 50 W (25 W/side) | 3.5 in woofer, 1 in tweeter | 2.8 kHz | — | Balanced 1/4 in TRS; unbalanced 1/8 in stereo; RCA; Bluetooth 5.0; front-panel 1/8 in headphone output |
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Compact active two-way near-field monitors with a 3.5 in woofer and 1 in silk-dome tweeter, 50 W total power, Bluetooth 5.0, and front-panel headphone output. They offer 80 Hz-20 kHz response, adjustable HF/LF tuning, and protection features, making them suitable for small desks, home studios, and media setups. ★ Ideal forYes - their 3.5 in woofer, 25 W per speaker power, 80 Hz-20 kHz response, Bluetooth connectivity, and compact size make them suitable portable active near-field monitors for field recording where space and lightweight monitoring are needed.
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Focal Alpha 50 Evo
US
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£171.65 ≈ | 45 - 22000 Hz | 101 dB | 50 W | 5 in woofer, 1 in tweeter | — | No | XLR, TRS, RCA |
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The Alpha 50 Evo is a compact 2-way active near-field monitor with a 5 in Slatefiber woofer, 1 in aluminum inverted-dome tweeter, Class-D amplification and room EQ controls. It offers wide dispersion, front bass-reflex porting, auto standby and balanced XLR/TRS plus RCA inputs, suited to small studios and desktop setups. The design emphasises linear response and low distortion at moderate volumes. ★ Ideal forYes - its 45-22000 Hz frequency range, 101 dB peak SPL and compact 5 in driver make it suitable for portable near-field monitoring in field recording setups where space and weight are limited.
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KRK ROKIT GO 4
US
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£149.90 ≈ | 65 Hz - 20 Khz (-3 db) | 108 db SPL | 100 Watts Total System Power; 33 W Rms For Each Woofer, 17 W Rms For Each Tweeter | 4 in woofer; 1 in tweeter | 2.5 Khz | Auto ARC automatic room correction; built-in LF and HF EQ | Bluetooth; Usb-Type B; 1/8 in Aux; RCA; 1/4 in TRS balanced |
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Portable bi-amped nearfield monitors with 4 in woofer and 1 in tweeter, 100 W total power, Bluetooth, USB and Auto ARC room correction; supplied with stands, carrying case and measurement mic. Suited to travelling musicians and mobile recording when you need accurate nearfield monitoring in varied rooms. ★ Ideal forYes - the GoAux 4 is suited for field recording because it's portable, includes a carrying case and stands, offers Auto ARC room correction, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and delivers 100 W total power with up to 108 db SPL. |
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IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors
US
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£449.72 ≈ | 45Hz - 22kHz (-10dB) | 107dB (both speakers averaged sinewave @50cm) | 70W peak - 50W RMS (system total) | Tweeter 3/4 in; Woofer 3 in | 3kHz | Totally DSP controlled (56-bit DSP) | 2 x RCA; TRS 1/8 in stereo input; 4-pin speaker connector; Bluetooth A2DP |
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Ultra-compact 2-way bi-amped active monitors with DSP-controlled crossover, silk-dome tweeter and 3 in woofer, delivering extended high frequencies and surprisingly solid low end for their size. They offer multiple wired inputs plus Bluetooth and desktop/room acoustic switches, making them suitable for small studios and portable setups. ★ Ideal forYes - their 50W RMS (50W system RMS), 3 in woofer, DSP control, low-frequency extension to ~45-55Hz and compact size make them suitable portable near-field monitors for field recording reference monitoring. |
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