Mackie CR3-X Review – The Best Budget Monitors?

I’ve always loved my music loud but after the birth of my son, I reduced the size of my studio space. I no longer needed (and couldn’t) have the volume as loud as I had before. This led me on the path of finding good quality studio monitors that were on the smaller side. There are a lot of options out there. In this review, I’ll cover one of the most popular small studio monitors available today.

The Mackie CR3-X promises to give you high-quality flat sound at an affordable price. A compact 3-inch sized woofer makes it one of the smallest studio monitors currently available. With a few extra features built-in for extra flexibility it aims to please both the beginner and professional. Does it succeed? Let’s check out some of the pros and cons.

Features

Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty details of what the Mackie CR3-X studio monitors offer and see if they are a good option for your studio.

Sound Quality

For a 3 inch sized speaker, these are pretty good. The mids and highs are solid. The bass is unfortunately lacking. Given the size of the monitor, it’s not surprising. If you do enjoy the low-end frequencies you’ll need to invest in a subwoofer to complement these.

Offering a nice flat sound is critical to good studio monitors. While these are not amazing they are an upgrade over generic computer speakers. They are also surprisingly loud considering the size.

Clarity is good at all volume levels. For those with a more refined ear, they may not be as satisfying. Any audiophile will notice the difference compared to more expensive speakers.

Build Quality

The Mackie CR Series CR3-X is built well but does not compare to some more expensive options. While rugged and offering a decent amount of heft they are not overbearing in weight. As always I recommend you treat your speakers with care. The materials used are decent but not high-end. That is to be expected at this price point.

At this price point, the Mackie CR3-X offers excellent value.

There have been reports that the left/right switch on the back can cause issues leading these monitors to eventually fail. Luckily it seems after-sales support appears to be fairly solid.

Either way when picking these be mindful that you’ll likely need a new set of studio monitors in a couple of years. If you are on a budget these will do the job. For the longer term, you may need to invest in a new pair. Or at that point, you may be in a position to buy a longer-lasting pair of studio monitors.

Specifications

The 3-inch woofer is well suited for a smaller studio or for near-field listening. The frequency response of 80Hz to 20 kHz (-3 dB) makes these able to represent a good range of frequencies for clear sound. At 97 dB these are reasonably loud especially when you consider their size.

The small footprint makes the CR3-X speakers an excellent choice as a bookshelf speaker.

It’s also worth noting that these come with all the cables you need. Always a good addition to allow you to get set up straight away.

Made primarily from MDF these weigh in just under 8 pounds (just over 3.5kg). A nice combination of solidness without adding a heap of weight to your shelves.

Tuning Options

No tuning options are available on the Mackie CR3-X speakers. Any changes you may want to make to the sound profile will need to be handled via your audio interface/software. Considering the price point on these I’m not surprised there are no tuning options. These types of features are usually reserved for more expensive monitors.

Connection Options

This is where these studio monitors offer a few options often not found at this price point. Some of these features are not something you would normally associate with studio monitors. It goes to show a desire to appeal to both the casual crowd as well as more seasoned professionals.

The front offers both a headphone input and also an AUX input. Having an option to connect your smartphone straight into the front of the speaker allows for a little bit of extra flexibility.

Beyond the extra front-facing connections, the Mackie CR3-X offers good choices in the back.

The back offers both balanced and unbalanced connection options. This is also where you can find the left and right selection switch. This clever inclusion allows you to set whether the main speaker is the left or right. This gives you maximum flexibility in placement. Prefer to have your volume control to your left? It’s as easy as a flick of the switch.

Design

The CR3-X goes for a punchy design. The box is covered with a matte vinyl coating that looks smart and appealing. The green accents around the tweeter and woofer add a nice splash of lively color.

The Mackie CR3-X offers a bold and striking design.

The volume knob also illuminates when on with the same green hue. Luckily it isn’t overly bright so if you work in a dark environment you won’t feel like the aliens are knocking at your door! These compact bookshelf-style speakers will blend naturally with the rest of your studio. But, the added splash of color still allows them to make a visual impact.

Dimensions

The Mackie CR3-X keeps the footprint small in both size and weight.

The Mackie CR3-X is a compact set of Multimedia Reference monitors.

The smaller size lends itself perfectly to smaller studios where space is at a premium. They can also comfortably sit on most bookshelves.

Value

Mackie has an excellent range of budget-focused products. There is no denying these monitors are good value. With decent sound and some clever features. You will be hard-pressed to find another studio monitor at this price point that offers as much as the Mackie CR3-X monitors give.

What Others Have To Say

So what do other people think of the Mackie CR3-X? Most seem to be happy with the sound offered by these small bookshelf speakers. While not perfect they are a popular set of speakers at a great price point.

Does Size Matter?

One of the first decisions you’ll need to make when buying studio monitors is what size to buy. When it comes to speakers size does matter. Generally the bigger the woofer the louder the speaker. But bigger isn’t always better.

The first thing to consider is the size of your studio space. A small room doesn’t need a huge speaker to fill it with sound. In some cases having a speaker that is too large for the room is a drawback.

You’ll find that you won’t be using the speaker to its full capacity to fill your studio space with a decent level of volume. In that case, you have spent more than what you needed to spend.

Likewise, you may find that the large size of the speakers cramps your available space for other components of your studio. A cluttered and cramped environment is not inviting. It’s also not good for productivity.

If you have a large studio space you’ll be better off investing in a larger set of studio monitors. Sound can quickly be lost in a large space with small monitors. If you want to be able to fill the room with decent volume opt for a larger monitor.

You don’t want to be pushing small monitors at maximum volume for extended periods of time. This will lead to blowing your speakers or at least damaging the sound quality.

There is a lot to consider when setting up your sound system. It is worth noting that most studio monitors are designed for near-field listening. Usually within about a meter (3 feet). This doesn’t mean a studio monitor can’t pump out some serious volume to fill a room.

Considering how you will be using your studio monitors and what their primary role will be can help refine your choices. A small studio monitor is still a valid choice in a large space if you only ever plan on monitoring in front of your workspace.

Should I Get A Subwoofer?

There is another thing to consider when purchasing studio monitors. Most studio monitors do benefit from the addition of a studio subwoofer. This becomes more prevalent in the smaller woofer sizes. Many of the smaller studio monitors can handle mids and highs well but can struggle with the lower frequencies. Adding a subwoofer is a good way to ease the pressure on your small monitors and deliver you a better sound profile.

You’ll need to invest in a subwoofer if you want punchy bass. Especially if you purchase small studio monitors.

Luckily you do not need to commit to buying a subwoofer from the outset. Once you find studio monitors you are happy with you can always upgrade your sound setup with a subwoofer down the track.

But keep this in mind when comparing the costs of a smaller studio monitor compared to a larger monitor that may not need a subwoofer.

Other Options

With so much choice out there it’s worth mentioning a few other options.

Edifier R2000DB Review

The Edifier R2000DB is worth considering if you want to use speakers as part of a media setup. Detailed sound and flexible features at a reasonable price point.

• Satisfying sound profile with a range of presets to tailor the output.
• Flexible connection options, including Bluetooth and Optical.
• It comes with a remote, but it’s a bit cheap and flimsy feeling.

Behringer Studio 50USB Review

The Behringer Studio 50USB is another 5-inch monitor worth considering. It offers an approachable price while still delivering decent sound and features.

• A decent balance between frequencies with a warm and inviting mid-range.
• The addition of a USB connection point sets this monitor apart from competitors
• Does start to distort at higher volumes.

Kali Audio LP-8 V2 Review

Overbearing for a small space, but the dazzling quality makes these an attractive option for larger studio spaces. Be prepared to pay for it, as these begin to move into the mid-tier realm of studio monitors.

• Excellent sound quality.
• The accurate flat sound makes these great for analytical listening.
• Doesn’t feature a headphone port. These are meant for serious studio work.

Should You Buy?

Considering the price point Mackie has done a great job. The Mackie CR3-X studio monitors are perfectly suited as entry-level studio monitors for those starting out on a budget. I would take these over generic computer speakers any day of the week.

There certainly are better studio monitors available. You will, of course, need to pay a lot more. This is where I think some people lose sight of what these are. I wouldn’t recommend these to a sound engineer. Yet, for the person setting up their small home studio on a budget, these are a great start.