Monitoring configuration is a critical element of any studio.
But placing your monitors in the correct position can be a challenge, especially if you are working in a small space. There are a lot of crucial factors that go into your configuration, including monitor height, angle, and more.
A good studio monitor stand will help you get the best sound and arrangement out of your mixes to help your productions sound their best.
In this article, I'll go over some of the features to look for when choosing the best studio monitor stands like adjustability, construction and stability, and sound improvement features as well as our top picks in different categories.
A strong build design, good height adjustability, cable management channels, and sound decoupling pads make the Ultimate Support MS-90/36B one of the best floor monitor stand models and our pick for best overall.
Read on to see my other choices for the best studio monitor stands, including budget picks, desktop stands, and more.
Quick Summary of the 7 Best Studio Monitor Stands of 2024
- Ultimate Support MS-90/36B (Best Overall)
- Gator Frameworks Desktop Studio Monitor Stands (Best Desktop)
- Argosy Spire 420Xi (Best for Large Monitors)
- K&M 26754 (Best Tiltable Stands)
- Gator Frameworks Clamp-on (Best Clamp-on Stands)
- K&M 26772 (Best Tabletop Stand)
- Behringer SM5002 (Best Budget Pick)
7 Best Studio Monitor Stands of 2024
Best Overall
Durable floor stands with isolation pads and cable management.
SPECS:
Style: Floor
Height: 36”
Plate Dimensions: 10.25” depth, 10.25” width
Base Width: 19”
Load Capacity: 75 lbs.
Since the monitoring setup and environment makes or breaks the quality of a studio’s acoustic sound, it’s worth investing in a good pair of studio monitor stands. You need something versatile and durable. The MS-90/36B is all that and more.
With a maximum height of three feet and a plate depth that accommodates almost every size of monitor, each stand is rated to hold up to 75 pounds. The construction is 6000-series aluminum, and the wide base and rubber feet grips prevent movement for added security.
The best feature is the option of three internal channels per stand. Two are for running cabling and the other is for adding sand or lead shot to prevent monitor shake. This tightens bass frequencies and focuses the sonic image. To eliminate low-end coupling each stand is equipped with four pads that won’t scratch and damage monitors when they’re mounted.
Studio monitor stands like this are made for professional buildouts, but at just over $300 for the pair, the price tag works for everyone. They are fairly large, so more physical space requirements are really the only downside.
Best Desktop
SPECS:
Style: Desktop
Height: 10.5” to 14”
Plate Dimensions: 9” depth, 12” width
Base Width: 10”
Load Capacity: 60 lbs.
Studio spaces have gotten smaller and smaller over the years. A lot of people are working in small rooms with nontraditional setups, so desktop monitor stands have become popular for project and home studios.
Stand height can be adjusted from 10.5 inches to two feet, and they’re designed to fit smaller studio monitors in a vertical or horizontal position and can be tilted up to 15 degrees. This can make a huge difference in the acoustics as the sound resonates in the room.
An EVA-lined surface provides protection for the monitor enclosure and reduces unwanted vibrations. Rubber feet prevent slipping and allow sound from the monitors to absorb better into them.
Aesthetically they have a post-modern look that fits easily into room decor, whether or not it’s only used for music. And with a load capacity of 60 pounds per stand they’re made to be used with professional studio and audiophile monitors alike.
Best for Large Monitors
SPECS:
Style: Floor
Height: 42”
Plate Dimensions: 9” depth, 17” width
Base Width: 20”
Load Capacity: 100 lbs.
Studio monitors come in different sizes and ranges, like near-field and far-field, and serve different purposes. Large models require studio monitor stands with good height and construction to support their increased weight.
The Spire 420Xi has a fixed height of 42 inches and a large base to keep them steady. But it’s the design features that improve sound quality where they prove their worth. Built-in IsoAcoustics speaker isolation minimizes vibrational transfer that kills low end and creates room reflection issues.
By keeping speaker cone movement on-axis they aid in off-axis motion resistance. This equates to better low end focus and makes the sonic soundstage more distinct. Above the top plate is a decoupler to allow the monitor enclosure to “float” and reduce energy transfer to the stand or through the floor.
From the room layout and acoustics to the mix itself, low end is the trickiest part of the frequency range to get right. Argosy expertly engineered the Spire 420Xi to help large monitors reproduce the bass range of the frequency spectrum without other factors interfering.
SPECS:
Style: Floor
Height: 31.49” to 51.18”
Plate Dimensions: 9.05” depth, 9.84” width
Base Width: 23.62”
Load Capacity: 77 lbs.
Most studio monitor stands are height adjustable, but not all of them are tiltable. It’s a value add that provides additional utility and a level of customization for those working in makeshift or less-than-ideal rooms. The 26754’s top plate is tiltable up to 12.5 degrees and a security lip prevents monitors from sliding off when angled down.
Height can be adjusted in 10 positions in two-inch intervals from 31.5 inches all the way up to 51.18 inches and secured with a clamp. A trio of felt pads on the feet of the stands help filter noise.
With a load rating of 77.16 pounds, they can handle almost any monitor size that sits and fits securely. They don’t have any additional sound-enhancing features like dedicated decoupling or isolation, but thin rubber pads on the top of the plates do provide a little physical separation.
Best Clamp-on Stands
SPECS:
Style: Desktop
Height: 10.12” to 13.5”
Plate Dimensions: 12” depth, 9” width
Base Width: N/A
Load Capacity: 60 lbs.
If desk space is really at a premium a clamp-on monitor stand design is a great choice. Gator’s Frameworks are minimalist in use and look, but they are durable and have a secure latching mechanism to hold everything in place.
Its clamps attach to surfaces up to 2.25 inches thick and if secured correctly provide a firm grip. The top plate has an EVA lining that reduces vibration from and protect the enclosures. The biggest downside to this style of stand is you have to make sure whatever you clamp them to is sturdy and balanced well enough to support the weight of the monitors.
For those who don’t have much area to spare, this affordable pair of clamp-on stands supports monitors up to 60 pounds and adds an appealing, minimalist vibe.
SPECS:
Style: Desktop
Height: 6.58” to 10”
Plate Dimensions: 6.69” depth, 5.91” width
Base Width: 8.43”
Load Capacity: 33 lbs.
Not everyone needs heavy-duty stands to support professional monitors. For users that just dabble in music production, or need a little more out of their playback monitors for listening to music, streaming content, or gaming tabletop stands are a great choice.
Even though they’re not targeted at the professional audio market, they still offer some of the benefits. Height can be adjusted from 6.58 inches to 10 inches, and the top plate and base of the stands are equipped with rubber padding to keep the monitors in place and reduce vibration.
Just because a studio monitor is small doesn’t mean it’s not mighty, and these stands support up to 33 pounds each thanks to sturdy steel construction. They’re a good choice of studio speaker stands for those want to elevate their speakers or to accommodate studios that use multiple reference monitors and need stands for the smaller ones.
They only support small monitors due to less surface area on the top plate, but work well if you use smaller monitors in your home studio. If you’re shopping for desktop monitor stands, this is a reliable and well-built model from a respected studio monitor stand manufacturer.
Best Budget Pick
SPECS:
Style: Floor
Height: 36” to 45.6”
Plate Dimensions: 10” depth, 10” width
Base Width: N/A
Load Capacity: 55 lbs.
Behringer’s SM5002 are simple, to-the-point free-standing floor stands. With a height of 36 to 45.6 inches they complement table and furniture setups as well as home theater systems where you need them lower.
A 10-square-inch top plate works with most monitor sizes and the tops are covered in rubber to keep the monitors in place. Though it does separate the monitors from the top plate by a few centimeters, it’s not enough to provide significant decoupling.
The triangular base allows them to be oriented easily in corners and along walls, which frees up space.
Simple but effective is what the SM5002 is. Equally great for recording setups, home theaters, media rooms, and audiophile systems the range of height adjustability and convenient triangular base make them an affordable studio monitor stand for professional, hobbyist, and household rooms alike.
Best Studio Monitor Stands of 2024 Buyer’s Guide
Monitor stands aren’t complicated, but there are some features to consider when you’re shopping around for the best pair for your room.
Height and Angling Adjustability
Everyone’s configuration is different, with varying height requirements. Most stands offer a range of height adjustability, and floor-standing models have the most range. Position them so the center of the speaker’s woofer is at ear level.
Ideal monitor position isn't just about height. Depending on how your room is situated, being able to angle the speakers is useful. Some stands offer a tiltable top plate with a range that goes up to about 15 degrees.
Stability and Weight Capacity
Monitors are delicate, and you need stands that provide proper stability and support. Even low-priced stands are constructed out of metal, and higher-end models have engineering designed to provide long-lasting stability.
Make sure your monitors adhere to the recommended weight capacity rating for the stands you use and that the enclosure dimensions fit safely and securely on the top plate.
Isolation Pads
Many monitor stands have built-in isolation pads to minimize coupling, which is a transfer of unpleasant resonances between the monitor and stand. This helps to improve sound quality as well as protect the enclosures from scratches and marks. Aftermarket isolation pads are available, but having them built in is a nice benefit.
FAQ
Which monitor stands are the best?
Our top pick is the Ultimate Support MS-90/36B floor stands. As the name implies, their military-grade construction supports up to 75 pounds per stand, and the large top plate is equipped to handle even the largest monitors.
If you don’t have the space and need something that fits on a desk, the Gator Frameworks Desktop Studio Monitor Stands are a good mix of ergonomics and structural reliability.
Should studio monitors be on stands?
Unless you have furniture designed for ideal monitor placement, stands are the best accessory to ensure your monitors are situated in the proper listening position. This is especially important in music production.
If monitors are not interacting with the sound of the room properly it becomes much more difficult to make production decisions due to acoustic anomalies that are created by how the frequencies relate to the dimensions of the space.
What is the best height for studio monitor stands?
Everyone has different height requirements for monitors. Height itself is somewhat arbitrary. It’s a factor that works with other physical variables like the overall setup configuration, room dimensions, and sound treatment to provide the best sound quality of the room.
Conclusion
Monitor stands are a fantastic addition to any audio setup. They’re just one of the ways to optimize the audio in your room and add a clean look to your system.
Our top choice is the Ultimate Support MS-90/36B. It offers sound isolation pads, management channels for audio and power cables, stability, and protection for your monitors in well-crafted, durable construction. The weight capacity is 75 pounds each, so they accommodate even the largest professional studio monitors.
Accessorizing is a fun way to take the visuals and utility of your audio gear to the next level. And monitor stands are one of the best investments you can make to that end.
