7 best small stage monitors for easy gigging: Focus on your playing

Introduction

Every performing musician has experienced a situation where no monitoring was provided at the venue where they played a gig. More frequently, we musicians have to deal with bad monitoring that is lacking in volume or clarity. As a result, we put on a not-so-good show, or even worse, the main singer’s voice cracks and the show is ruined. For most gigs, small stage monitors can enhance our show in many ways.

Never underestimate the importance of live monitoring. A good floor monitor should have enough power and clarity so that the performer using it is totally satisfied with what is coming out of it soundwise.

Speaker size

In most situations, you will have a 12″ or 15″ floor monitor in front of you. That is rarely necessary for small and even mid-sized gigs. In my opinion, those monitor sizes are not that good for reproducing vocals because of their size which then implicates their resonating speed which does not match the sonic nuances of the human voice. This is what I’ve experienced in terms of on-stage monitoring. To use those speaker cone sizes for FOH, those characteristics serve a different purpose - to throw the sound far enough so that everyone in the audience can experience the whole sound picture.

To make things worse on stage many musicians roll off the low end of these bigger speakers and crank up the volume so that they can be cut through the mix. This always leads to too much volume coming from the monitors and unwanted and in many cases untamable feedback.

By using smaller speakers like 10″, 8″, or smaller like 6.5″ and even 4″ for smaller gigs we can actually reduce stage volume because these small monitors are designed not to produce low EQs at high SPLs. This is not a problem for most situations because low frequencies leak back to the stage from the main FOH due to the fact that they travel omnidirectional. Small speakers are designed to produce high levels of mid and high frequencies that are enough for stage monitoring.

Benefits of using small stage monitors

Having small monitors on stage will make your gigs easier in small venues. One of the biggest benefits you get is the ease of transport and storage.

In this list of compact active stage monitors, we will be focusing on some of the smallest you can find. This list is based on experience as well as deep research. The main features that all of them share are:

• Small size
• Lightweight
• Unbelievable power for size
• Top quality for money
• Ease of use

Any of the monitors in this list can be a great new piece of gear for musicians playing small venues or simply trying to minimize their gear.

What is a stage monitor speaker?

Stage monitors are speakers that give performers a general idea of how they sound through the PA. They are always aimed directly at the musician using it. That way they can tailor their instrument’s sound or stay in tune while singing. They also help band members hear each other. Vocalists can hear if all the singers are singing in harmony or i.e. the drummer can hear the bassist loud enough to be in sync with the bass.

Monitors are usually placed on the floor near performers in an angled way so that performers can easily hear them. They are also known as floor monitors or wedge speakers. Most times monitors are placed on the floor, but can also be placed either on the singer’s microphone stand (smallest models) or mounted on additional stands.

Can you use passive speakers as stage monitors?

You will notice that all the monitors in this list are active. The reason for this is that here at Easy Music Gig we try to make things as simple as possible. Active monitors are an all-in-one solution whereas using passive monitors, amplifiers get involved. That does not imply that active is better than passive, it’s just fewer components to work with.

Can any speaker be used as a stage monitor?

Technically yes, but you should aim for any speaker that is used for PA applications. Don’t get confused with studio monitors. You do not want to use them on stage as they are not designed for the volume and frequency response needed there. You can use any PA speaker though. They don’t have to be strictly labeled as monitors.

Speakers that can act as Monitors tend to have one side suited for floor use called a monitor slope, where they are tilted in an angled position. That allows the performer to hear sound coming directly to the position of the ears. If the speaker does not have a monitor slope, you can still improvise by positioning a small ramp under one edge of the speaker so that the tilted angle reaches your ears. To be honest, that is exactly what I do to make my 2 Db Technologies K300 active monitors tilted while gigging.

Playing gigs without guitar or bass cabinets

This is becoming so popular with the whole new amp modeling era. Manufacturers such as Kemper, Fractal, or Line 6 are making devices that can faithfully recreate all of your favorite amps, cabinets, and even mic’d amp sounds. Many guitarists start using an FRFR speaker (full range flat response) for their guitar cabinet, but still, you can use your usual stage monitor for your guitar sound for smaller gigs. If you choose to use your regular stage monitor for your main guitar sound just keep in mind that it should have enough power for that.

Best compact powered stage monitors

1. IMG Stageline Flat M100

The IMG Stageline M100 is one of the smallest, top-quality active stage monitors in the world. It is no surprise that this product has such an impressive tone for its size. The company that manufactures this tiny beauty is IMG Stageline which is owned by Monacor International which goes a long way. Way back in 1965 Guenther Schilling from Bremen, Germany visited Japan where he was impressed by the pocket-sized radios and measuring devices he had seen there, which were unknown in Europe at the time. This led to the start of the company today known as Monacor International which is one of the most respectable professional PA manufacturers in the world.

The Flat M100 is the smallest of the Flat series. Flat M200 has 4 x 4″ speakers and the Flat M8 an 8″ speaker, both with 300w of maximum power. The monitor is fitted with 2 x 4″ high-quality full-range speakers made by FaitalPRO which is a high-quality Italian speaker manufacturer. The speakers come with neodymium magnets which makes them extremely light-weight. The high-quality multiplex wooden cabinet with a protective metal grille makes this amazingly powerful active stage monitor a sturdy companion for on-the-road applications.

This space-saver is lightweight, extremely small, yet powerful enough for many applications. It is one of the best small powered stage monitors you can find.

The QSC K 8.2 is the most versatile professional speaker on this list. As a stage monitor, it shines. Acoustic giggers will love using this speaker as a FOH, even one is enough for most gigs. If you need a full-range speaker for smaller gigs, it’s amazing. Planning a gig for a couple of hundred people and playing with drums, no problem, just add a sub and you’re ready. Musicians often choose the K 8.2 not only for its smaller size and less weight than its bigger brothers, the K 10.2 and K 12.2 but for its wider dispersion of 105 degrees. This provides a better spread of sound for the audience making even one speaker a complete PA for smaller gigs.

This is a definitive winner for musicians who can’t sacrifice power but would like to minimize their gear due to back problems. The whole new K.2 series is equipped with a 2000w lightweight class D power module, so don’t be afraid the 8″ can’t deliver. The maximum peak is 128dB which is more than enough for most situations. As far as clarity goes users agree that the QSC K 8.2 is a definitive winner.

The factory presets cover just about any application you can think of: Dance / Floor monitor / Vocal / Acoustic guitar / Bass guitar / Hand microphone / Headset microphone,…Need a stage monitor, just choose the “floor monitor” preset and you’ll get the best compact floor monitor you can get. The elegant-looking K 8.2 is almost perfect, except for the price. If you are on a budget, you’ll have to look elsewhere because the price for one is around $800 which is quite a lot for one monitor. But if you’re making a living with your gigs, try to buy gear that not only sounds great but is road-worthy and can last a long time. I also like my gear to look nice, it definitely makes me perform better.

This monitor is more than just an active monitor, it’s a complete 3-channel all-in-one PA system with OLED screens. Throw in stereo Bluetooth streaming capability, FX loop, and factory-installed Li-ion Battery and you’ve got a truly portable easy-to-use compact PA.

Positioning the Bose S1 Pro Plus is as versatile as it gets. There are 4 different ways to position it.

• tilted back on the floor
• vertical on table
• mounted on stand
• monitor mode

The no. 1 selling active speaker at Thomann just got better. The Bose S1 Pro Plus is the new upgraded version of the now famous Bose S1 Pro System. At first glance, the edges are softer and the corners are rounded. A built-in two-channel 2.4 GHz wireless receiver is the most valuable new feature. Bose’s optional plug-on WT-INST and WT-XLR wireless transmitters will make your Bose a wire-free system. Use this system for playing any instrument or microphone. If you are going to use the Bose S1 Pro Plus as a floor monitor this is a fantastic wireless solution.

The new PLUS version is equipped with detailed OLED displays on every channel to help you control your settings more easily than on the older model. A new battery level icon is like most icons on laptops or smartphones look like, rather than having to click and wait to see how many times the LED will flash to see the battery level. The Pro weighs 1.3lb less than the system model.

I have to admit that this wonderful compact active monitor is on this list because I have owned a pair for about 8 years now. They have been offered to me by a previous business partner for a very reasonable price. At the time I was looking for a pair of very small yet powerful monitors so I couldn’t let them go and I never regretted it since.

There was a review somewhere mentioning that an association working with children with hearing problems bought 300 pairs of these active speakers for reference purposes. That convinced me that they had to be good.

The only thing that is not ideal is the wedged shape, which makes the monitor lay on the floor in an angled position that is too small. So I had to improvise, nothing special, I just placed an L profile short steel rod that made it lay in an optimal position for stage monitoring. Otherwise, the sound is extremely clear and loud, which I prefer for my vocals. It takes the bass very well if not too loud. The two 6.5″ neodymium drivers together with a 300w PRG digipro class D amp are capable of delivering a large tone. The Db Technologies K300 also acts as a very nice PA for small acoustic gigs.

The monitor’s main purpose is when it’s used for audio installations. The integrated DSP further enhances the above-mentioned clear and accurate sound. But If you are looking for a clear and powerful monitor or small PA for acoustic guitar and vocals that is very lightweight this could be the right choice. Looking further would only lead you to an 8″ monitor which is considerably more heavy and larger.

Pros:

Galaxy Audio – Pioneers of small monitors

Galaxy Audio is one of the pioneers of producing small monitor systems for stage use. Starting in 1977 as Superior Sound the company evolved from a rental company into a speaker manufacturing company. Many years of providing sound reinforcement for artists such as the Bee Gees, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, and James Brown gave the owners Brock Jabara and Jim Pearce a good foundation for filling the gap for small on-stage personal monitors: the Hot Spot Personal Monitor.

Hot Spot – The original mic-stand monitor

The Hot Spot is the original mic-stand mountable powered compact personal monitor with controls right at your fingertips. By mounting the monitor on a mic stand either on the singer’s stand or a separate one positioned sideways, the monitor’s footprint is minimized. The monitor’s near-field positioning also reduces noise and feedback on stage because the needed volume is no longer too high as if the monitor was placed on the stage floor.

The mic stand socket and included mic stand adapter can be used with most mic stands, a microphone boom or even a gooseneck can be mounted on top of the monitor for an easy-to-use monitor system.

Main features:

The Galaxy Audio Hot Spot PA6BT is specially designed for vocalists, making it cut through mixes. One of the key features is that it has EQ and volume controls at your fingertips. Two pass-through outputs are what make this monitor stand out from others. The inputs are combo XLR/1/4″, but be aware that when routing the signal to a main mixer the 1/4″ input signal will not be routed, only the XLR signal.

The thru feature can be the main reason to buy this monitor if you need one that is independent of the mixer, or if the mixer doesn’t have enough AUX outputs. Instead of sending your mic’s signal to the mixer, you plug it directly into the monitor and adjust the sound the way you want it, not affecting the signal that is routed to the mixer via the thru output. When using this system the monitor is NOT controlled by the mixer at all. So if you have a small mixer with only 2 AUXs that are used by the bassist and drummer, you can still have your own vocal mix. This way you cannot have other instruments in your monitor mix, but hey, they’re loud enough anyway.

All the connections are located on the rear panel, two channels with combo inputs and pass-through XLR outputs, and a preamp output. Having two channels allows you to use i.e. a mic and an acoustic guitar or two singers using the same monitor and all the channels are controlled separately. The preamp output provides a line-level mix of all the inputs. This is where we will say that the two channels we already mentioned are not the only ones the monitor has. A nice feature is the Bluetooth channel that can also be controlled from the front panel.

Don’t worry if you’ve noticed that there is no phantom power feature on this unit. Phantom power is sent within the thru signal that is sent to the mixer in the opposite direction..

This monitor is a great choice for any musician who is looking for a small and lightweight monitor that can work autonomously of the mixer, and as a plus, can be mounted on a mic stand and be heard in very close proximity.

LD Systems is a respectable brand from Adam Hall that specializes in professional PA speakers. Designed in Germany they deliver top-class audio products around the globe. Their slogan “Your sound. Our mission” says a lot about their attitude towards the sound quality of gigging products. They are known for their design-award-winning products which means that you not only get very good value for your money, but also stunning looks of their products. LD Systems Stinger 8A G3 is no exception.

This compact and very nicely designed active stage monitor is small but packed with power. Its multi-purpose design for full-range, satellite, and monitor applications will help you sleep better knowing it can deliver in various applications.

12 mm birch ply cabinet with ultra rugged polyurea finish will ensure top quality sound, and at the same time avoid scratches from rugged everyday use. The shock-resistant front grill provides maximum protection for speaker cones.

The switchable operating modes will prepare the speaker for any application that might be needed for Full-Range, Satellite, Monitor, and Flat. The integrated DSP cones with these protected circuit designs: Multiband limiter, overheating, overvoltage, and overcurrent.

Pros:

Alto Professional is a company from Rhode Island, USA that makes superior PA components mainly aimed for live performance at affordable prices. Value for money is a key feature of their products. Many products from Alto are all-in-one PA systems for solo and small group formations.

The Alto TS 408 is an active speaker that can easily serve both as an FOH satellite speaker and a standalone PA for a solo or duo group.

Compared to the LD Systems Stinger 8A G3 the Alto is made of a plastic composite material for the enclosure but has a more powerful output and is a bit lighter.

Additional features include Bluetooth® audio streaming directly from the device, a USB charging socket, and a Bi-amp system.

Conclusion

This list of the 7 best small monitors has monitors for all possible applications for the modern-day frequent gigger or for someone simply trying to make their gigs or rehearsals easier by using small, compact, but yet powerful and well-built active monitors.

Making a decision on which one to buy isn’t an easy one. The Galaxy Audio Hot Spot PA6BT is specific. If you need the smallest possible monitor that you can easily control during gigs and be independent of the mix, it could easily be a winner for you. If having a monitor in front of you is an issue, but still want the smallest possible monitor IMG Stageline is a better choice, especially for solo and duo acts.

For complete bands with bass and drums involved, you will need something a bit louder like The LD Systems Stinger 8A G3 or the Alto TS 408. If money is not a problem the QSC K8.2 is a definitive winner. It is built like a tank, has enormous power, and the main feature: sound quality, is top-notch.

In a nutshell, for monitoring vocals and acoustic guitar for smaller gigs, any 100w 5″ speaker is a good start. With bass and not too loud drums involved aim for a minimum of 2002 and an 8″ speaker.

All of these small active speakers are proving that size is no limitation when it comes to delivering top-quality sound at decent volumes for stage monitoring. We can definitely expect more innovations of small and compact audio solutions in the near future, making live performance experiences for musicians even better.