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Add to SafariWhen comparing Mackie CR3 vs Behringer MS16, the Slant community recommends Behringer MS16 for most people. In the question“What are the best studio monitors under $100?” Behringer MS16 is ranked 1st while Mackie CR3 is ranked 3rd. The most important reason people chose Behringer MS16 is:
With the tone controls set to normal, the sound is fairly neutral and balanced. The highs have good detail and are quite airy and the mids sound natural. The bass is present but is not too powerful.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro You can select what channel the main speaker will be
It’ll be easier for you to position the main speaker as you prefer. At the back of the main speaker is a switch that allows you to select if the main speaker will be left or right channel. The other speaker will automatically be set to the other channel.
Pro Clear sound with good bass levels
The highs are clear and have okay detail. The mids are not very forward but they sound natural and full. The bass is quite powerful and will give music a boomy and thumpy feel.
Pro Two analog input options to choose from
You’ll have some flexibility as to the source devices that you can use with these speakers. You can choose between TRS or RCA inputs.
Pro Loud volume output
Despite the small size, these speakers can output good volume levels, enough to fill a small room with sound.
Pro Foam isolation pads included
Excess vibrations from the speakers to your desk won’t be too much of a big issue. Instead of stick on rubber feet, the CR3 speakers come with foam isolation pads which are quite good at minimizing vibrations.
Pro Balanced sound
With the tone controls set to normal, the sound is fairly neutral and balanced. The highs have good detail and are quite airy and the mids sound natural. The bass is present but is not too powerful.
Pro You can connect a mic and headphones
You’ll be able to monitor audio using headphones, and also gain an extra microphone in port. There are mic in and headphone out ports on the front side of the main speaker. They add extra functionality and are very easy to access.
Pro Two analog input options
You won’t need to manually plug or un-plug cables on a frequent basis. You can connect 3.5mm and RCA audio sources and use them simultaneously.
Pro Very compact
It won’t be difficult to incorporate these speakers into your studio or home entertainment setup. Despite having 4 inch woofers, the speaker cabinets are really compact so you can easily fit them even on a cramped desk.
Pro Good volume from small speakers
The MS16s are very compact yet are still able to deliver a good amount of volume. They are capable of filling a small room with audio.
Pro Tone controls are available
You can easily tweak some aspects of the sound to your liking. On the front side of the main speaker are knobs to adjust the treble and bass levels.
Pro Good sound quality, tone controls and a compact case at an affordable price
These speakers are compact yet are able to deliver a balanced and clean sound at decent volumes. You can also tweak the bass, mids and treble levels to your preference. These are a steal for the price, considering how much functionality you get.
Cons
Con No room compensation controls
You’ll have to take the extra time and effort to properly position these speakers. There are no bass compensation controls to adjust low-end output when positioning these speakers near a wall, so it’ll be much harder for you to get the proper bass response.
Con Bass can overpower the overall sound
The overall sound can get boomy and muddy. The bass is quite powerful so on bass-heavy tracks, the details of the music may be washed out.
Con Distorts at near max volumes
You may hear some audio distortion when running these speakers near max volume. This can be attributed to the small tweeters and woofers, which are not be capable of pumping out very high volumes.
Con Bass output may not be powerful enough
If you love powerful and boomy bass, then these speakers may fall short of your needs. Even with the bass knob cranked all the way to maximum, the bass output may still not be enough.
