KRK Rokit 10 vs Yamaha HS8 which is better?

KRK Rokit 10 vs Yamaha HS8 which is better?

What is neat about this KRK Rokit 10 and Yamaha HS8 thing we have going on today is that it is kind of like a boss battle for the Yamaha HS8 speakers! I have put the Yamaha HS8 speakers up against the other versions of these speakers, but now it is time for them to take on the KRK Rokit 10 speakers which are the big boss, the main event, the champ, and the best studio monitor speakers in this range from KRK Rokit. So far, Yamaha has always come out on top, but this could be where they have finally met their match. As you can tell I am pretty pumped up for this today! Mainly because at first, I was told no to getting a set of Rokit 10s to test out, but they showed up out of the blue so I am pretty stoked about that!

 

The Price:

If there is one category in this KRK Rokit 10 and Yamaha HS8 battle that is going to be very eye opening it is the price. I will say right off the bat that there is a pretty big difference between the asking price of these speakers!

 

KRK Rokit 10:

KRK ROKIT103G4 KRK 10" POWERED MONITOR 300W

Over at Amazon the KRK Rokit 10 speakers are the only ones in this range from KRK that do not come in a pair, you have to buy them individually so make sure you are aware of that. These are currently priced at $499,99 so you are looking at the better part of a grand for a set of these studio monitor speakers! That is a very, very large jump over what the HS8s are going for. I had a look on eBay and these seem to keep that $499 price point for the most part, although I did find one on there for fifty bucks cheaper.

 

Yamaha HS8:

YAMAHA HS8 Studio Monitor, Black, 8 Inch

The asking price right now for the Yamaha HS8 speakers is $398,99 and that is for a pair! So you are getting a pair of these speakers for less than the price of just one KRK Rokit 10 speaker! That is one hell of a difference, isn’t it? I legit feel that when it comes to bang for your buck, these are perhaps the best studio monitor speakers that you can buy right now. You can look on eBay, but I have yet to see a good and reliable deal for these that is any better than what you can get them on Amazon for, to be honest with you.

 

The Verdict:

I am not saying that I feel the KRK Rokit 10 speakers are overpriced, but you cannot ignore the fact that just one of those costs considerably more than a pair of Yamaha HS8 speakers. That is why I am giving this round to the HS8 speakers, I just feel that they are offering much, much better value for money.

 

The Design:

So far, each time the Yamaha HS8 speakers have taken on one of the offerings from this KRK range, it has been very close when it comes to the design category and this KRK Rokit 10 and Yamaha HS8 fight is no different. These are two amazing looking products and it really could sway either way!

 

KRK Rokit 10:

These KRK Rokit 10 speakers are some of the best looking studio monitor speakers that I have ever seen. Be sure to have a look at this KRK Rokit 10-3 G4 studio monitor overview to see them in all their glory!

These are the same design as the other models in this range, but these are much larger and more impressive looking. These can be purchased in both black and white, but we are specifically looking at the black version today. The dimensions of these speakers are, 21.50″ x 12.95” x 14.6″ and they weigh over 35 pounds! These are well and truly the big boys of this range and their build quality is just phenomenal. They have such a premium feel to them that it is impossible not to be impressed. I love the way the gold on the front of the speakers really pops and it gives the speakers a ton of personality. As these are larger, they do have a bit more gold colored detailing on the front which I really do like.

As amazing as the front of the KRK Rokit 10 speakers looks, it is the back that people lose their minds over. These have a graphic equalizer on the back! While it may seem like a gimmick, these are speakers designed for music production so for people who are into that, it is going to be pretty handy. For someone like me who is just in this for listening to music, it is freaking cool to see. As well as this you have dials for volume and balance. I hand on heart cannot think of anything negative to say about the design of these speakers. The only thing I will say is that they are considerably larger and heavier than the smaller versions so this may not suit your setup at home.

 

Yamaha HS8:

I have had the pleasure of looking at these Yamaha HS8 speakers many times now and this whole range from Yamaha is pretty damn awesome actually and I would put the HS8 speakers at the very top. These come in at 13.1 x 9.8 x 15.4 inches so while they are the largest in this series from Yamaha, they are considerably smaller than the KRK Rokit 10 speakers. I am talking about the black version today, but you can also get these in white if you prefer. I love the two-tone style of black that they have going on here with these speakers. They have a very 80s style to them (not surprising as they are modeled after a classic set of speakers) and I would honestly have these in my own home. The silver on the main driver really does pop and it looks fantastic. They may seem simple, but man I love the design of these speakers!

Around the back of the speakers, Yamaha has you covered. You have a switch dial, room control switch, and a high trim switch as well. These have a very nice and clean look on the back and actually, Yamaha has the same design for this entire range and unless they are standing next to each other so that you can see the size, most people will probably struggle to tell the difference. They do say in text on the top what model they are so that is something to look for if you were to find this in a yard sale, pre-owned music shop, or someplace like that.

 

The Verdict:

Truth be told, this one could go either way as I really do love the design of both of these speakers. I love the 80s vibe that the Yamaha HS8 speakers have going on and it really is a classic design. However, I am giving the design round to the KRK Rokit 10 speakers as I just fell in love with these the moment, I saw them. The smaller versions are great, but these larger ones are even more impressive!

 

The Sound:

The final round that we have today in our KRK Rokit 10 and Yamaha HS8 speakers battle is looking at the sound these offer. Keep in mind that these are studio monitor speakers, but I am just looking at them from a listening point of view, and my experience with music production extends to playing Music 2000 on my PlayStation when I was in college!

 

KRK Rokit 10:

Before I give you my humble opinion, I suggest you check out this KRK Rokit 10-3 G4 Review video as there is a bit of a sound test here.

These KRK Rokit 10 speakers sound absolutely amazing. These are the best of the best in this range and that 10-inch woofer that they have really does give these some impressive power. The difference between these and the KRK Rokit 8 G4 speakers is pretty damn huge in the power and bass department and when I was listening to the Foo Fighters Greatest Hits I was very impressed at how these filled my living room with sound! While I think that the other speakers in this range are very impressive, the KRK Rokit 10 are a step above and clearly the flagship speakers in this range as they offer more in every regard.

While they have that more powerful bass and more power in general, these also retain that well balanced sound you get from the smaller versions, but with more power. If you are listening to something like Random Access Memories by Daft Punk which has a whole bunch of variety when it comes to the music production, you can really appreciate just how well designed these speakers actually are. I hand on my heart could have these pumping the music out of my hi-fi and be extremely happy about it. As far as music production goes, I do feel that the size and power of these make them more suitable for a larger studio rather than someone’s bedroom studio. However, this is coming from a guy who has no clue what it is like to actually make music so please keep that in mind.

 

Yamaha HS8:

I have yet to find myself unimpressed with these Yamaha HS8 speakers. Everything I have thrown at these has impressed me and even though these have an 8-inch driver going up against the KRK Rokit 10 speaker’s 10-inch driver, these still have a nice and powerful bass and sound. The weekend before I tested these the wife and I went to see the new Top Gun movie, it was so awesome I had to pick up the Top Gun: Maverick Music From The Motion Picture soundtrack which freaking rocked! The power that these speakers offer, especially when you consider that they are not actually all that large is very impressive. I have tested these in my smaller game room and also my living room which is a decent sized room and the sound truly engulfs the room and even when you crank the music up, it sounds great.

That brings me onto my next point and that is how balanced the sound is here, this along with the vocal clarity makes listening to something like Blackstreet – Exclusive Limited Edition 25 Anniversary Opaque Yellow Vinyl which my lovely wife recently got me as a gift really sound impeccable. Teddy’s sweet R&B beats have never sounded better, let me tell you that! I have thrown all kinds of music at these speakers and never once have I not been impressed. This is why I think these are regarded as some of the best studio monitor speakers on the market right now. People who like to make their own music rave about these and I can see why. You get a very “real” kind of sound out of these and if you are making music, that is exactly what you want.

 

The Verdict:

The Yamaha HS8 speakers have so far come out on top each time they have stepped in the ring with KRK! However, as great as those speakers sound and I have to say, I have no problem with them at all. I have to give this round to the KRK Rokit 10 speakers. They offer more power and are just hitting everything pretty much perfectly in my opinion. It is not a first-round knockout by any means and the HS8s held their own, but that 10-inch woofer does make a difference!

 

Which Is The Better Speaker?

Here we are at the end of our KRK Rokit 10 and Yamaha HS8 battle and it has been a hell of a wild ride. You know I have to say that I do prefer the design of the KRK Rokit 10 speakers and they sounded better with more power so, in theory, it should be an easy win for them. However, while if I had the chance to choose either of these for my own set up I would take the KRK Rokit 10 speakers, at the end of the day they cost over double the asking price of the Yamaha HS8 speakers! While I think they look and sound better, I am not sure I would be willing to pay over double the price for them. The HS8 speakers are amazing, they really are so you would not be disappointed if you purchased them. I have actually never read a negative review about them!

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