Tired of scrolling through lengthy specs pages for a plethora of different professional DJ speakers, trying to decide which ones are best for you?
There is no shortage of options available, and while that means there are a lot of great choices, it also means you’ll spend a lot of time comparing and contrasting, reading reviews, and scrolling through specs pages—time you could be spending finding new music for your sets or booking gigs.
That’s why we’ve narrowed down the field to eight of the best DJ speakers available on the market, whether you’re looking for a set of studio speakers or ones you can take to your next show.
To help you make the most informed decision, we’ll also cover which specs to keep an eye out for when shopping around and give you our top three recommendations from the speakers we mention here. Let’s jump in!
What to Look For
Sound Quality
This may be obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning. After all, what good is all the hard work you put into your set if people can’t hear it well?
While it may be tempting to settle for speakers at a lower price point, cheaper speakers tend to distort audio and boost lower frequencies, making for a not-so-ideal listening experience.
As a professional DJ, you’ll want speakers that are balanced—in other words, not boosting one particular frequency over another. These speakers will cost more, but they’re worth the investment to ensure a high-caliber performance.
Power
The amount of power output you’ll need depends on where you’ll be playing and how many people will be in attendance. If you know you’ll be playing large outdoor venues, you’ll need speakers with more power than if you’ll only play small indoor shows.
Generally speaking, you need 5 watts per every person in attendance at an indoor show and 10 watts per person for outdoor venues. Even if you think you’ll only play small indoor gigs, it doesn’t hurt to have speakers powerful enough to play other venues—you never know where your business might take you!
Connectivity
When it comes to connectivity, the most common types you’ll come across are XLR, TRS, and RCA. XLR and TRS connections are going to be better for you as a professional DJ, since XLR cables are better at transferring sound across greater distances without sacrificing quality and TRS cables are balanced while RCA cables are not.
It may also be tempting to purchase Bluetooth speakers, as they can help eliminate the amount of cables you’ll need to manage when building your setup. Bluetooth is not the most recommended connectivity type for DJ speakers, but if you do opt for them make sure you have a low-latency transmitter connected to your mixer and that the speakers themselves are low-latency. This is important to help prevent a delay between what you’re doing on your soundboard and what the crowd hears.
Size
Finding the perfect speakers also involves considering what you’re comfortable with transporting from gig to gig. Those big speakers might be powerful, but can you live with moving them in and out of the venue? Will you have people with you who can help lift heavy speakers or will you be setting everything up by yourself?
Lighter, more portable speakers tend to be the best for traveling DJs, but they’re often less powerful than their heavier counterparts. Many larger venues will have their own sound systems so if you’re playing bigger gigs you may not need to bring your own equipment with you, but for more intimate shows or outdoor venues, you should take portability into consideration when deciding what to purchase.
Passive or Active
The difference between passive and active speakers is that passive speakers require you to use an external amplifier and active speakers have a built-in amplifier.
Active speakers tend to be pricier than passive speakers, but they reduce the amount of gear you’ll have to carry around from show to show. For a mobile DJ, this convenience could be worth the extra cost.
Price Point
Be sure to have a realistic budget set when looking at speakers. While it may be tempting to get the cheapest on the market, especially when you’re just starting out, it’s important to keep in mind that these are an investment in your business.
Generally speaking, you should be prepared to spend anywhere from $500 to $2,000 on speakers. The grand total will depend on which specs are most important to you and the type of shows you want to play.
Product Guide: Best DJ Speakers
1. Adam Audio A7V
- Price: $249.99 (single)
- Weight: 15.7 lbs
- Frequency Response: 39Hz–25kHz
- Driver Size: 7-inch
- Output Power: 50 Watts
- Connectivity: RCA, XLR
- Bluetooth: No
The Adam Audio A7V is considered one of the best DJ speakers out there. It delivers a solid base sound and an outstanding frequency response to ensure you aren’t missing out on any part of your music.
This speaker also has the brand’s beloved X-ART ribbon tweeter that helps reduce high-end distortion and a seven-inch woofer that offers both clarity and power.
The A7V is intended to be used as a nearfield monitor, so it’s best used as a studio speaker. However, if you only intend to play small intimate shows, it can still do the trick.
2. Presonus Eris E3.5
- Price: $89.99 (pair)
- Weight: 6.39 lbs
- Frequency Response: 80Hz–20kHz
- Driver Size: 3.5-inch
- Output Power: 25 Watts
- Connectivity: RCA (rear), ¼-inch Balanced TRS (rear), ⅛-inch Stereo Aux (front), ⅛-inch Jack (front), ¼-inch Balanced TRS (front)
- Bluetooth: No
Also a great studio speaker, the Presonus Eris E3.5 receives rave reviews, both in terms of its sound quality and appearance. This is a pair of active speakers so you won’t need to worry about using an external amplifier, and they’re the only speakers in their class with acoustic tuning to ensure you’re getting the best sound quality regardless of where you use them.
At their small size, you won’t get the level of bass quality that larger speakers can provide, but what you do get is more than worth it for the price.
3. Yamaha DXR8 MKII
- Price: $749.99 (single)
- Weight: 15.7 lbs
- Frequency Response: 57Hz–20kHz
- Driver Size: 8-inch
- Output Power: 50 Watts
- Connectivity: XLR, Phone x2, RCA, XLR3, XLR
- Bluetooth: No
An extremely versatile active speaker, the Yamaha DXR8 MKII boasts several connectivity options for outstanding compatibility with a wide variety of DJ equipment.
Its built-in three-channel mixer allows you to hook up microphones or line-level sources without needing a whole PA system, plus a 1.75-inch neodymium compression driver and 9-inch woofer provide crisp high and low frequencies.
While not as budget-friendly, the DXR8 MKII packs a powerful punch at shows, making it a great choice for any professional DJs looking to take their gigs to the next level.
4. Mackie c300z
- Price: $499.99 (single)
- Weight: 20 lbs
- Frequency Response: 45Hz–22kHz
- Driver Size: 12-inch
- Output Power: 600 Watts
- Connectivity: 1 x Speakon, 2 x TS
- Bluetooth: No
The Mackie c300z is well-known for being a rugged passive speaker, making it a great choice for mobile DJs. You don’t need to worry about sacrificing sound quality for durability—this speaker is designed by people who create sound systems for some of the world’s most popular touring bands.
It’s also lightweight and compact, making it highly portable and easier to transport than other similar speakers.
Enjoy high-fidelity sound at all frequencies thanks to a 1.75’’ high-frequency titanium driver and horn, plus countless EQ options and carefully chosen crossover points to ensure your music sounds great at any volume.
5. Electro-Voice ZLX-12BT
- Price: $499.99 (single)
- Weight: 34.3 lbs
- Frequency Response: 50Hz–20kHz
- Driver Size: 12-inch
- Output Power: 1,000 Watts
- Connectivity: 2 x XLR/TRS Combo, 1 x 3.5mm Jack, 1x XLR Link Output
- Bluetooth: Yes
For a no-nonsense speaker perfect for bringing on the road, look no further than the Electro-Voice ZLX-12BT. It’s extremely durable, sporting a full-metal casing to protect it from any bumps, falls, or other incidents. For DJs performing in front of rowdy crowds, this is a must-have.
With a 12’’ woofer and 1.5’’ titanium high-frequency driver, you get an impressive 126-decibel SPL that will flood any venue with your tracks. It also boasts Bluetooth connectivity so you can easily access your music library from any device.
6. Pioneer DJ VM-70
- Price: $229 (single)
- Weight: 21 lbs
- Frequency Response: 37Hz–36kHz
- Driver Size: 6.5-inch
- Output Power: 70 Watts
- Connectivity: 1 x XLR/TRS Combo
- Bluetooth: Yes
The highly customizable Pioneer DJ VM-70 isn’t just well-suited for your studio—it also packs a punch in whatever venue you bring it to. The Class D amplifier allows for wide-bandwidth audio reproduction and low distortion, so you and your audience can enjoy an authentic sound.
In addition to its stellar sound quality, this speaker looks great too. Its hexagonal, brushed aluminum exterior adds a bit of style wherever you take it.
With a balanced XLR output and balanced XLR/TRS combo input, this speaker is also compatible with a variety of DJ equipment.
7. KRK Rokit RP7 G4
- Price: $249 (single)
- Weight: 16.8 lbs
- Frequency Response: 42Hz–40kHz
- Driver Size: 6.5-inch
- Output Power: 145 Watts
- Connectivity: 1 x XLR/TRS Combo
- Bluetooth: No
The KRK Rokit RP7 G4 is popular for a reason—it delivers high-quality sound with some cool features to boot. Its matching drivers are all made with Kevlar to minimize listening fatigue, and its built-in Brick Wall Limiter helps deliver a balanced sound and protect your system from damage.
What really sets it apart from other speakers is the LCD graphic display that gives you a clear picture of the equalization settings, plus it comes with 25 different onboard EQ settings to address and correct problems in different acoustic environments.
You can even connect this monitor to the KRK app and easily calibrate the EQ settings with the Room Acoustic Analyzer. This feature can be super helpful when trying to find the best speaker placement for the space you’re in.
8. IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors
- Price: $249.99 (pair)
- Weight: 3.8 lbs
- Frequency Response: 45Hz–22kHz
- Driver Size: 3.5-inch
- Output Power: 70 Watts
- Connectivity: RCA, TRS ⅛-inch
- Bluetooth: Yes
Compact and ultra-portable, the IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors pack a punch with a bi-amplification system that offers 50W RMS of power, meaning you get crisp sound across all frequencies. They may be small, but their sound is anything but.
These monitors also have internal DSP, offering multiple EQ settings that allow you to optimize bass and treble response so you can switch between different setups without a hassle.
Best suited for studio or at-home use, these speakers easily integrate with your setup thanks to multiple input options (including Bluetooth).
Our Recommendations
The eight speakers we’ve covered today are just a snapshot of what’s available on the market. To help you narrow down your options further, here are our recommendations based on what’s most important to you and your DJing lifestyle.
If you’re looking for the perfect studio speakers and aren’t planning to use them for performances, the IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors are your best choice. You won’t sacrifice power for their small size, which is an issue you’ll run into with other similar compact studio speakers.
For traveling DJs in need of the best speakers to bring to gigs, we recommend the Mackie c300z. At 20 pounds, they’re the best portable DJ speakers but built like a tank so they can withstand some bangs and bumps before, during, and after your set. Perhaps most importantly, they deliver high-fidelity sound to keep the party going all night long.
As for the speaker with the best overall value, we suggest going with the Pioneer DJ VM-70. Compatible with a wide range of DJ equipment and boasting a Class D amplifier, it’s a great studio speaker but can also hold its own in small venues if you need to take it on the road with you. Compared to similar speakers, you’ll get great sound quality and a lot of versatility for the price.
Don’t Forget to Insure Your Equipment!
While it’s important to have the right gear for your DJing career, it’s equally important to protect that gear—and your business as a whole—with insurance.
If you’re a traveling DJ, there’s always a risk that your equipment could be damaged on the way to a gig, or even stolen. The cost of replacing your gear could be financially disastrous if you face it alone.
With DJ insurance from Insurance Canopy, you won’t have to. You can add equipment and gear coverage to your policy to protect you from the cost of replacing or repairing your gear in addition to protecting yourself against expensive liability claims unique to your DJ business.
For example, you might accidentally damage a doorway at a venue while carrying your speakers in and the venue could hold you responsible for the cost of repairs. Someone in the audience might trip over your equipment during the show and injure themselves, leaving you to pay the cost of their medical fees.
Additionally, many venues require you to show proof of insurance before booking you for gigs and may ask that you add them to your policy as an additional insured. At Insurance Canopy, you can get the coverage you need starting at $18.50 per month for an annual policy. You’ll also get unlimited additional insureds for just $10.
Tip: Getting the right gear is just the beginning—learn more about how DJ insurance can save you money and grant you peace of mind so you can focus on what matters most: the music.
