Studios use reference speakers to monitor and listen to audio played through them. Reference speakers must give a true sound representation, offer high accuracy and clarity, and be effective with any type of music or sound that they play.
Professional Studios will usually have a set of Main Monitors and then a couple of sets of nearfield monitors. It’s not uncommon for studios to have several sets of nearfield monitors that are available for use, independent of the room you are using, as long as someone else isn’t using them first.
Here is a list of the monitors in use at some of the most famous recording studios around the world, from Los Angeles to Nashville, from New York to London. You’ll notice that certain brands get repeated, and a few studios that prefer to go custom.
The list is compiled using information straight from the studios’ websites. All the studios have pictures of each studio room, but not all of them specifically list the monitors available.
If I didn’t list the speaker, it’s because I couldn’t find it listed. I didn’t want to guess based on what I saw in the picture, although I probably would have got the brand name correct.
Capitol Studios
Website: https://www.capitolstudios.com/
Since its completion in 1956, Capitol Studios has been a fixture in the music business. Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and The Beach Boys were among the first to bring life to its rooms. Just about every iconic pop artist has walked the halls since.
Capitol Studios Main Monitors
Studio A: PMC QB 1A
Studio B: PMC QB 1A
Studio C: PMC IB2s XBD-A
Capitol Studios Nearfield Monitors
Nearfield monitors are available, but specific models were not listed.
Electric Lady Studios
Website: https://electricladystudios.com/studios/
Jimi Hendrix was the owner and founder of Electric Lady Studios, which has been used since then by The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, and Patti Smith, among others throughout the 1970s. In 1970, it was the only artist-owned recording facility in the world. It is still the oldest functioning and most successful recording studio in New York City today.
Studio A Monitors:
Custom Augspurger Mains
ATC SCM25A
ProAc Studio 100
Studio B Monitors:
Custom Augspurger Mains
ATC SCM50 ASL
NS10
Studio C Monitors:
Custom Augspurger 2-Way Mains
Bryston 4BST, Bryston 7BST
ATC SCM50 Mains
ATC C6 Subwoofer
Auratone 5Cs
Studio D Monitors:
Custom Norman Druce Audio 3-way nearfield 10″ speakers
Custom Norman Druce Audio 4-way active 18″ subs
ProAc Studio 100
ATC SCM45A
Abbey Road Studios
Website: https://www.abbeyroad.com/the-studios
Here’s a name we’re all familiar with. Abbey Road Studios is the most well-known recording facility on Earth. It has been the musical dwelling to classics such as The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Ella Fitzgerald, and more recently to artists such as Ed Sheeran and Kanye West.
Studio One Monitors
Bowers & Wilkins 800D3
6x Yamaha NS10M
Studio Two Monitors
Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus 801
Studio Three Monitors
Bowers & Wilkins 800D
Quested Q412 System
The Gatehouse Monitors
Focal SM9 monitoring
The Front Room Monitors
Focal SM9 monitoring
The Penthouse Monitors
Bower & Wilkins 800D
Germano Studios
Website: https://www.germanostudios.com/
Troy Germano (former CEO of The Hit Factory New York, Miami & London) launched Germano Studios as a music recording studio in New York City in 2008. Since its opening, it has seen artists such as Snoop Dogg to Post Malone to Carrie Underwood.
Studio 1 Monitors:
Exigy S412G custom four-way system with dual 18″ subwoofers
Adam S3H S Series midfield
Amphion One18
Genelec 8040B
Genelec 7360A subwoofer
Avantone CLA-10 passive
Avantone CLA-10A active
Avantone MixCube
Avantone Gauss 7
KRK Rokit 7 G4
Yamaha HS50M
Yamaha NS 10M
Yamaha NS 10M Studio
Germano Acoustics nearfield
RCF NX-12 SMA stage monitor
Studio 2 Monitors:
Exigy S412G custom four-way system with dual 18″ subwoofers
Adam S3H S Series midfield
Amphion One18
Genelec 8040B
Genelec 7360A subwoofer
Avantone CLA-10 passive
Avantone CLA-10A active
Avantone MixCube
Avantone Guass 7
KRK Rokit 7 G4
Yamaha HS50M
Yamaha NS 10M
Yamaha NS 10M Studio
Germano Acoustics nearfield
RCF NX-12 SMA stage monitor
Record Plant Studios
Website: https://recordplant.com/
The Record Plant is a recording studio established in New York City in 1968, with the Los Angeles location opening in 1969. The New York location later closed. The Record Plant was the first recording studio to provide recording artists with a pleasant, informal atmosphere rather than the formal environment that had been customary in the 1960s.
Studio Suite SSL 1 Monitors:
Custom Augspurger cabinets with Tad components, including the center speaker. Various nearfield monitors, including Tannoy, Yamaha, and Auratone are available.
Studio Suite SSL 2 Monitors:
Custom Hidley/Kinoshita with Tad components, including the center speaker. Various nearfield monitors, including Tannoy, Yamaha, and Auratone are available.
Studio Suite SSL 3 Monitors:
Six custom Augspurger cabinets including center, sub, and surround speakers for full 5.1 monitoring. Full range cabinets feature Tad components, and the custom subwoofer contains two 18″ JBL speakers. Various nearfield monitors, including Tannoy, Yamaha, and Auratone are available.
Studio Suite SSL 4 Monitors:
Custom Augspurger cabinets with Tad components, including center speaker and JBL 4312’s mounted in surround soffit for film LCR monitoring. Various nearfield monitors, including Tannoy, Yamaha, and Auratone are available.
Digiplant Studio Monitors:
Various nearfield monitors, including Tannoy, Genelec, KRK, Yamaha, and Auratone are available.
Near Field Monitor Rentals:
Genelec 1031A monitors
KRK E8 monitors
ProAc 100’s
Tannoy SGM 10’s
Metropolis Studios
Website: https://www.thisismetropolis.com/studios/
Metropolis Studios has been welcoming artists for over three decades. Here’s are some of the artists: Queen, The Rolling Stones, Rush, Paul McCartney, and Van Morrison.
Studio A Monitors:
PMC QB1 Main Monitoring System
Yamaha NS10
Nearfield monitors (subject to availability); Unity Audio Rock, Focal Twin 6 BE, Genelec 8351a, Adams S3XH, ProAc Studio 100, Acoustic Energy AE22, Genelec 1031a, Auratone 5c
Studio B Monitors:
Genelec 1236 Main Monitoring System
Yamaha NS10
Genelec 8351a
Nearfield monitors (subject to availability): Unity Audio Rock, Focal Twin 6 BE, Adams S3X-H, ProAc Studio 100, Acoustic Energy AE22, Genelec 1031a, Auratone 5c
Studio C Monitors:
PMC BB5/XBD Active Main Monitoring System
Yamaha NS10
Genelec 8351a
Nearfield monitors (subject to availability): Unity Audio Rock, Focal Twin 6 BE, Adams S3X-H, ProAc Studio 100, Acoustic Energy AE22, Genelec 1031a, Auratone 5c
Studio E Monitors:
PMC BB5/XBD/MB1 active 5.1 Main Monitoring System
Yamaha NS10
Genelec 8351a
Nearfield monitors (subject to availability): Unity Audio Rock, Focal Twin 6 BE, Adams S3X-H, ProAc Studio 100, Acoustic Energy AE22, Genelec 1031a, Auratone 5c
Conway Studios
Website: http://www.conwayrecording.com/
Conway began as a mastering studio in the early 1970s. The facility started recording albums in 1976, including well-known names like Elton John and Stevie Wonder.
According to the website, all three of the studios have the same equipment.
Studio A, B, or C Monitors:
Mains Monitors: Conway custom cabinets containing matched TAD components and Aragon Paladium and Aragon 8008BB amplifiers
Near Field Monitors: Yamaha NS-10 with Yamaha subwoofer
Available by request: Tannoy SRM-10B / Genelec 1032A / Genelec 1031 / Auratone
Blackbird Studios
Website: https://www.blackbirdstudio.com/studios
John McBride and his wife, country music artist Martina McBride established Blackbird Studios in 2002. It started as a single room but quickly became an eight-room world-class facility. It currently has nine rooms, one of which was recently remodeled for Dolby Atmos.
That is the only room where they provide the spec on which speakers are used.
Studio C (Dolby Atmos) Monitors:
Three ATC SCM300ASL Pro monitors in front,
six ATC SCM100ASL Pro monitors on the sides,
six ATC SCM100ASL Pro monitors on the ceiling,
six ATC SCM0.1/15ASL Pro subwoofers.
AIR Studios
Website: https://www.airstudios.com/studios/
Sir George Martin is the founder and owner of AIR, an independent recording label established in London in 1965. AIR is short for Associated Independent Recording.
And Yes, it is That George Martin. The legendary “Fifth Beatle.”
Lyndhurst Hall Monitors:
Dynaudio Custom M4 Main Monitors LCR
Dynaudio M2 Surround Monitors
Dynaudio Custom 2×18″ Sub System
Studio 1 Monitors:
Dynaudio Custom M4 Main Monitors LCR
Dynaudio BM15 Surround Monitors Side & Rear
Dynaudio Custom 2×18″ Sub System
Studio 2 Monitors:
Dynaudio M4 Main Monitors (5.1)
Dynaudio BM15 Surround/Ceiling Monitors (8 total)
Dynaudio Custom 18″ Sub System
Studio 3 Monitors:
Dynaudio M4 Main Monitors LCR
Dynaudio BM15 Surround/Ceiling Monitors (8 total)
Dynaudio 18″ Sub System
Available Monitors:
Acoustic Research AR18 (1 pair)
ATC SCM 20 (1 pair)
ATC SCM 25A (2 pairs)
ATC SCM 100A (LCR)
Auratone C4 (1 pair)
B&W 801 (1 pair)
Dynaudio 5.1 System B15A with BX30 Sub (1 set)
Genelec S30 (1 pair)
KRK 9000B (1 pair)
ProAc 100 (1 pair)
Yamaha NS10M HiFi (2 pairs)
Yamaha NS10M Studio (2 pairs)
