Best Studio Monitors Under $300 (2026)
Three studio monitors that cost under $300 a pair: JBL 305P MkII, PreSonus Eris E5 and Mackie CR4-X, compared on listed specs, price and Amazon ratings.
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JBL Professional 305P MkII
On Amazon.com on 5 October 2026 the JBL 305P MkII is $99 each, so $198 for a stereo pair, and lists 82W with boundary EQ and balanced XLR and TRS inputs. The PreSonus Eris E5 is sold as a pair at $219.98 and lists 80W with acoustic tuning controls. The Mackie CR4-X is a $129.99 pair that lists 50W and a front headphone jack. The figures are the makers' and the Amazon listings', and we have not tested any of them.
Check Price on AmazonAt a Glance
| Feature | JBL Professional 305P MkII | PreSonus Eris E5 | Mackie CR4-X |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $99 each | $219.98 a pair | $129.99 a pair |
| Driver | 5" two-way | 5.25" woofer + 1" silk dome tweeter | 4.5" woofers |
| Power | 82W | 80W | 50W |
| Inputs | XLR + TRS | XLR + 1/4" + RCA | 1/4" + 1/8" + RCA |
| Room / Placement Controls | Boundary EQ | Acoustic tuning controls | None listed |
Quick Comparison
Our Top Picks
JBL Professional 305P MkII
Lists a 5" two-way design, 82W, boundary EQ and balanced XLR and TRS inputs, at $99 each ($198 for a pair).
- $99 each, so $198 for a stereo pair
- 82W from dual Class-D amplifiers, per JBL
- Boundary EQ for placement on a work surface or near walls, per JBL
- Balanced XLR and 1/4" TRS inputs, with an input-sensitivity switch
- 1,744 Amazon ratings at 4.7 stars, the most of the three
- Sold individually: you must buy two
- A 5" woofer, smaller than the Eris E5's 5.25"
- No RCA input listed
PreSonus Eris E5
Lists a 5.25" woofer, a 1" silk-dome tweeter, 80W and acoustic tuning controls, sold as a pair at $219.98.
- Sold as a pair, $219.98
- 5.25" woofer, the largest of the three, per PreSonus
- 80W Class AB bi-amplification and 102dB maximum continuous SPL, per PreSonus
- XLR, 1/4" and RCA inputs
- Acoustic tuning controls and a front-firing port, per PreSonus
- $219.98 a pair, the most expensive of the three
- A frequency range is not stated in the listing text we read
- 1,385 Amazon ratings, fewer than the JBL
Mackie CR4-X
Lists 4.5" multimedia monitors, 50W, a front headphone jack and hookup cables, sold as a pair at $129.99.
- $129.99 a pair, the lowest price of the three
- Front-facing headphone jack that mutes the speakers, per Mackie
- 1/4", 1/8" and RCA inputs, with hookup cables included
- 4.5" woofers, a compact size
- 4.5" drivers and 50W, the smallest and lowest powered of the three
- Mackie sells these as multimedia monitors; no room controls are listed
- 411 Amazon ratings at 4.3 stars, the lowest rating of the three
How This Was Researched
We compare what each maker and Amazon listing states: woofer size, power, inputs, room controls and price, for monitors whose stereo pair costs under $300 on Amazon.com on 5 October 2026. The JBL is sold one at a time ($99 each), so its pair price is two times the listed price; the PreSonus and Mackie are sold as pairs. The figures are the makers' own and we have not tested these monitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is sold individually at $199.99 each on Amazon.com, so a stereo pair is $399.98, over this guide's $300 limit. It is covered in our Best Studio Monitors Under $500 guide. This guide used to list it at $199 a pair, which was wrong.
The JBL 305P MkII is sold singly at $99, so $198 for a pair. The PreSonus Eris E5 ($219.98) and Mackie CR4-X ($129.99) are listed as pairs.
Mackie sells the CR4-X as multimedia monitors. We have not tested them, so we cannot say how they suit mixing; the JBL and PreSonus are the two in this list that carry room or placement controls.
JBL Professional 305P MkII
Lists a 5" two-way design, 82W, boundary EQ and balanced XLR and TRS inputs, at $99 each ($198 for a pair).
Check Price on Amazon