Gearank High Notes
- 2022.07: Highest Rated Studio Monitors Under $100
- 2022.02: Highest Rated Studio Monitors Under $100
- 2021.02: Highest Rated Studio Monitors Under $100
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Alternative
See our detailed review of the slightly larger PreSonus Eris E4.5,
Gearank Recommended
The PreSonus Eris E3.5 is a value-priced home studio monitor pair designed for reference and critical listening. Unlike other monitors in this price range, it is a full-fledged pair of professional studio monitors. The tuning of the E3.5 has a more neutral response with a great transient response thanks to its Kevlar LF Driver.
The HF driver is a standard size 1″ tweeter as opposed to the 0.75″ tweeters commonly seen on speakers in this price range.
Knobs for high and low-frequency boost/cut enable precise tuning to different rooms.
Input options include 2x TRS Balanced ins and 2x unbalanced RCA ins in the back and a 1/8″ aux in the front. Speakers this size work best within a small room size.
Like most monitors of this size and material, bass is on the lighter side. This is balanced with an accentuated treble response and a tight low frequency range. More often than not, many speakers sacrifice bass clarity for bass impact. The tight bass isn’t wall-shaking by any measure, but it helps balance low frequency elements better in an untreated room.
At the price, some corners had to be cut. The materials feel a bit on the cheaper side and the wiring system between the speakers feels less secure than other connection methods. The bass extension isn’t the best for hip hop and EDM producers, but a subwoofer can fill in the lowest frequencies.
In a price range inhabited by generic speakers and unknown brands, PreSonus have hit a home run with the affordably priced Eris E3.5. This monitor does not claim to deliver the absolute top-tier studio sound, nor does it pretend to do so. But it ranks as one of the best studio speaker monitors in the entry-level price range. It is a great pick if you’re looking for budget options that are great for startup home studios.
Pros
- Surprisingly accurate sound for critical listening
- Great treble response
- Portable
- Tight bass
Cons
- Cheap build
- Low end lacking
See our Current Recommendation
Tech Specs
- Driver: 3.5″ Kevlar Woofer, 1″ Silk Dome Tweeter
- Amplifier: 50W Class AB (25W per speaker)
- Inputs: 2 x 1/4″, 1 x Dual RCA Stereo, 1 x 1/8″ (aux in)
- Frequency Response: 80Hz-20kHz
- Crossover Frequency: 2.8kHz
- Enclosure: Rear Ported
- Controls: Level Knob, HI and LO tuning knobs
- Dimensions: 8.3″ x 5.6″ x 6.4″
- Weight: 6.4 lbs.
| Website | Source | *Rating Value |
| All Things Gear | Christian De Looper | 90/100 |
| Gearspace | DrAudioBot | 100/100 |
| Gearspace | xbr | 100/100 |
| Gearspace | Sound-Guy | 100/100 |
| Music Radar | Andy Jones | 90/100 |
