While 5-inch and even 7-inch monitors are excellent options for those starting their musical journey, it’s only when getting into the 8-inch monitors that things start opening up for most people.
As far as studio monitors go, this is where the quality starts to jump pretty dramatically and there are a lot fewer duds you have to deal with.
One of the better examples of this is the KRK Rokit 8 G4 monitor speaker set. A tried and true heir to the KRK Systems brand, these new Rokit G4 studio monitor units present themselves to the world as the next step in powered studio monitor development, offering robust and incredible features at a reasonable and competitive price.
Here, we’ll take a look at what the studio monitor has to offer and if it can truly deliver on its promise as a premier and dynamic sound producer.
Are the KRK Rokit 8 G4 Speakers any Good? (in short)
The Rokit 8 is a big step up from the previous KRK Systems studio monitor generation. They have much better styling whilst still totally repping the famous KRK Systems yellow and black look. If you are looking for a decent 8-Inch powered studio monitor reference for your acoustic environment that packs a huge punch the Rokit 8 G4 could be the one for you
First Impressions
Since this is a new KRK studio monitor set, and I’ve checked out many of their other models, I wasn’t exactly shocked or surprised by the new Rokit G4 look or design.
As with the others in the G4, it holds too much of the KRK brand while also slightly striking out on its own (such as the bass port).
Still, not being shocked and being “disappointed” are two very different things.
Just because their design is time-tested doesn’t mean it’s bad by any means. In this case, the opposite is much more true.
Fresh out of the box, the Rokit G4 is made with a sense of reverence for the buyer. You can tell they wanted to make the best speaker setup they could. With all of the materials put into this, from the Kevlar woofers and tweeters to the LCD screen’s quality, it’s hard to miss just how amazing these studio monitor units are.
Outside of the most obvious things, the Rokit 8’s interior components have also seen a pretty impressive upgrade. Now, you’ve got an efficient custom class D amplifier alongside a brick wall limiter just to name a few.
The Rokit 8 G4 is a game-changer for an acoustic environment.
It’s insanely solid, even more durable, and can keep up with even the most dogged of professional music DJs and producers.
The Specs
The Rokit 8 immediately makes itself known with a fully covered 8-inch Kevlar cone woofer and a 1-inch Kevlar dome tweeter. The woofer works by building up the lower-end frequencies (resulting in a stronger low-end).
On the other hand, the Kevlar dome tweeter is an essential component for the higher frequencies, resulting in a much clearer and more fully realized treble note.
This new KRK studio monitor comes with a bi-amp design, offering drivers and woofers alike their independent sound output.
In addition, the Rokit G4 has a frequency response that ranges between 36Hz on the lower end and a full 40kHz at its highest frequencies.
While both give an incredible amount of depth to their respective sides, the lows are given that ever so slight bump in response, making them much more satisfying to listen to when compared with other similar powered studio monitors or home DJ setups.
The Design
If you’ve taken a look at some of the other KRK Rokit reviews, you’ll know that I have a special love for speaker designs and aesthetic visuals.
While not the most important aspect of a speaker’s setup, a good design can make all the difference in the world in terms of a person’s actual enjoyment of the speaker.
Yes, sounding good is the most important, however, you’re going to be looking at your speakers just as often as you’ll be hearing from them.
The new KRK’s G4 follows the iconic KRK Rokit design to the letter while also building upon many of the G3’s slight shortcomings.
True to the KRK name, these front-facing port speakers come with that signature yellow woofer that is beloved by both, professionals and beginners alike.
But, rather than just leave it at that standard iconic yellow color, the Rokit 8 has mellowed it out, creating a somewhat more subdued and less overbearing look when compared to the previous generation’s.
Color-wise, the Rokit 8 G4 has a textured matte finish that works incredibly well for the speaker setup, holding to its professional appearance while not collecting dust or getting too smudged. The speakers come in either a matte black or an all-white color.
Both options look great, though you’ll need to take a look at your studio setup to know which will look the best. For me, I’ve got a pretty colorful spot, so the all-black option works the best.
Last but not least, the Rokit 8 G4 has a pretty impressively sized bass front-facing port at the bottom of the speaker.
This thing not only does a bang-up job putting out great, balanced sound, but it also just works from a visual appeal standpoint.
Features & Sound Quality
Since we’ve had a chance to go over and review the speaker’s physical build and design, we can now take a look at exactly what this guy offers in terms of sound and different features and functions.
Sound Quality
Without a doubt, the sound is the most important quality when it comes to good speakers. Yes, design and build are vitally important, but, without audio integrity, you’re just sitting there with a very pretty box in front of you.
Luckily, the Rokit 8 produces some truly incredible balanced sound and also functions at reduced operating temperatures.
That said, as with many other decent speaker setups, you’ll probably need to break them in before really enjoying everything that they have to offer.
What It Gets Right
Starting with what the Rokit 8 excels in, while it has an overall decent balance, you can tell that this studio monitors has a slight love affair with its bass and low-end frequencies.
No, it doesn’t come with a sub or anything, however, the bass is so impressive, that you won’t need one.
The lows aren’t the only frequency ranges that excellent sound quality. Both the highs and the mids are just as satisfying on the ears. The Higher ends are completely crisp and clear while the mids are very warm and soothing, almost completely mitigating any potential ear fatigue.
The studio reference monitors also have a very generous sweet spot to play with, making them a great option for producers that like to move their speakers around often.
This is in part down to the consistent air pressure behavior delivered from the speaker design.
What It Doesn’t
The Rokit 8 does indeed have drawbacks and detractions. However, when compared to what they do right, there is no comparison.
Pretty much, from an audio quality perspective, the only area that is weaker is the fact that those who are listening for that flat, non-colored, response.
Because the balance between the three frequencies is not perfect (with slight but clear favoritism aimed at the lower end), you can expect to hear a bit of color slipping in from time to time. No, it’s not an inordinate amount.
However, if you’re listening to the flat response, you may be slightly disappointed.
Features Offered
Connection Options
Input and connection-wise, the new KRK Rokit 8 is fairly simplistic in what it offers. Simply put, it’s not going to be anything particularly special and is just for plugging in and connecting out to other speakers.
It has a single combo port that can be used to house either a 1/4th-inch TRS or XLR jack… and that’s about it.
I’m not saying that I expected a laundry list of different ports and connection points to play with. However, the fact that it only has a single entryway, and nothing else, definitely takes a bit of the wind out of these largely impressive sails.
You’ll also want to be aware of the type of controller you’re using if you plan to use these for music and mixing.
Higher-grade controllers won’t be an issue immediately connecting to the Rokit 8. Smaller and cheaper controllers, on the other hand, will almost exclusively be RCA-bound. This means you’ll need to invest in a good set of conversion cables if you want to listen to them.
Tuning Options
While the connection options are more than a bit sparse, the same, fortunately, won’t be said about its tuning capabilities.
Showing where it truly shines, the Rokit 8 G4 has some next-level functionality, and great audio integrity, greatly reducing the amount of trouble you’ll run into when trying to get the right sound.
I, in particular, am a huge fan of speakers that work with their listeners in terms of the different tuning and EQ options.
After all, if the quality of the sound is the most important feature, you’ll want to make sure you can produce the best sound at all times and in as many ways as possible.
One of the first things I noticed was how the Rokit 8 upped their game with an onboard DSP. This is a big jump away from the standard knobs and switches that most other speakers use (even at this financial level).
The onboard DSP allows users to more easily apply crossovers, room corrections, or add tweaks to the polarity settings.
Meanwhile, the speaker uses an LCD screen to present any information you’ll need while being fully navigable with the volume control dial.
The KRK Audio Tools App
Just as is found with the other KRK series models, the Rokit 8 G4 allows access to the KRK audio tools app.
The KRK audio tools app is super easy to use while also being packed with a variety of different features, such as spectral analysis, which offers real-time insight on what changes are needed to get the proper sound.
The KRK audio tools app also acts as an excellent guide for choosing the most optimal placement for your speakers as well as the ideal level matching. This is something that works best for first-time setups and beginners.
For beginners that don’t know of the various intricacies of powered studio monitor placement, the KRK audio tools app feature can have them perfectly station their speakers on the first try.
All in all, the Rokit 8 comes with a ton of strong tuning capabilities that cater to just about any person’s customized listening settings.
KRK has led the pack with these great features and it will be interesting to see if other studios and companies follow suit.
Is it Worth Your Time?
The KRK brand has always been known for producing well-made, reasonably affordable studio monitors. While the previous G3 generation wasn’t perfect by any means, they still had a ton going for them.
Not only has the G4, in and of itself, completely overshadowed their predecessors but the Rokit 8 has very much been the tip of the spear.
With an improved clarity and visual style, richer and more capable sound, and an advanced list of different tuning options, the Rokit 8 pretty much supersedes everything KRK’s Rokit brand has heretofore put out on the market.
Still, the question must be asked, “Are the KRK Rokit 8 speakers worth your time?”
While there are certainly other studio monitor speaker options out there, very few of them check off as many boxes as the Rokit 8 G4 does while still being priced where it is.
Simply put, if you’re looking for a powered studio monitor that can produce a serious punch on all frequencies, then there isn’t anything else you’d need.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Truly Ground-Breaking Tuning Capabilities
- Made With Truly Incredible Build-Quality
- Super Broad Sweet Spot To Play With
- Comes with Isolation Pads
Cons
- Not As Many Connection Options
- Tuning Is Required For Optimal and Sound
KRK Rokit 8 G4: The Verdict
The new KRK Rokit 8 G4, while not the cheapest option out there, is a well-priced set of studio reference monitors that outright excels in just about everything it’s involved in.
From the materials to the sound to many numerous innovations added in, the Rokit 8 has it all and has it all in spades.
Rather than focusing on cutting corners and reducing costs in any way they could, the developers over at KRK Systems decided to put together an awesome powered studio monitor working at much reduced operating temperatures improving audio integrity even further.
While it may be a bit difficult to argue that beginners should test it out, if you are someone that can manage it, the Rokit 8 is an all-around amazing speaker set that any professional would be remiss to ignore when improving their studio acoustic environment.
