We all know how amazing Pioneer’s AV receivers and integrated amplifiers are but do you know they also make excellent DJ Controllers such as the Pioneer DDJ SB3. It is extremely highly rated and garnered plenty of praise, and is not just because of its modest pricing but also how good the performance is. It is a worthy successor of the popular DDJ SB2 which also combines the features of their leading Serato DJ controllers, to make it more accessible to learn how to DJ.
Even though you may have all the popular features but you will still need a good pair of speakers to partner with this remarkable DJ controller. In order to find matching speakers that are great with Pioneer DDJ SB3 will mostly depend on your own requirements and the types of music you are mixing or playing. We will assume that you are already well-versed with the ins and outs of using the Pioneer DDJ SB3 and we will focus on the main criteria which will be useful to filter down the selection of speaker choices.
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What Are Your Main Requirements
Your budget will greatly determine which speakers you can go for and the more budget you have, the more speaker options you will have. Will you be using and playing the Pioneer DDJ SB3 in a small/nearfield environment or in a large venue. And also will it be in an indoor or at an outdoor venue, these few requirements will determine if your speakers should be an indoor or outdoor speaker type. The type of music you are playing or mixing will determine the speakers’ size as well, or if you need to integrate an active subwoofer. By using an active subwoofer, it could help to supplement the bass and deliver very deep bass frequencies which most speakers are unable to produce prominently.
Other requirements could also be based on your current speaker brands that you are using and familiar with. You might be used to the sound signatures of the speakers that you have been using for years and should stick with the same brand speakers so as not to alienate your hearing. If you are already planning to use power amplifiers to drive your speakers then you should only go for passive speakers. We will recommend going for powered speakers if you are planning to play your Pioneer DDJ SB3 in a nearfield environment either to yourself or towards a few people within 1.5 meters (>5ft). Powered or active speakers provide more value and give you a lesser headache as the speakers already have built-in amplifiers driving them so there’s no need for you to find matching amps and buy them.
More Details at Amazon – Pioneer DJ Controller (DDJSB3)
The built-in amplifiers of active speakers are already tuned by the engineers to work well with the speaker drivers and provide the best sound quality. As for passive speakers, it gives you the opportunity to slightly fine-tune the sound reproduction to your likings by pairing them with specific power amplifiers of your choice. There are also passive subwoofers but we will suggest going for active subwoofers instead. If you are using Pioneer DDJ SB3 for mixing purposes, we will suggest going for professional subwoofers as you will need accuracy more than bass output.
The frequency range of the Pioneer DDJ SB3 is between 20Hz to 20kHz which is standard and this might affect the type of speakers you want to go for. For instance, it might be pointless to invest more in a speaker that can hit more than 50kHz. Still, if you like the sound quality you are hearing and you find that it is worth the investment then so be it. The same goes for having an active subwoofer as you might feel that the bass output from the speakers is accurate and sufficient for you, then you should forgo the sub.
Best Speakers to pair with Pioneer DDJ SB3
The JBL Professional EON615 will be one of the best professional speakers to pair up with your Pioneer DDJ SB3 which you can use either indoor or outdoor. It is an extremely powerful self-powered speaker that has a peak power performance of up to 1000 Watts. The JBL Waveguide technology not only covers a larger area but also ensuring cohesion between the high and low frequencies. They deliver high sound quality to your audiences with thumping bass and provide energetic live performances. The JBL Professional EON615 is very highly rated, making these speakers a worthy match for your Pioneer DDJ SB3 and you should really check them out.
More Details at Amazon – JBL Professional EON615, 15-Inch
For another amazing professional speaker that you can use for both indoor and outdoor venues but at a more affordable price, will be the Mackie THUMP Series, the THUMP12A. It has a 12″ high output woofer with a whopping 1300 Watts of Class-D power, enabling you to pump out loud volumes and entertain your audiences along with your Pioneer DDJ SB3 as the DJ controller. There is also a 15″ woofer version, the THUMP15A, and if you need more bass output, you can go for the matching 18″ active subwoofer THUMP18S. The Mackie THUMP18S has up to 1000 Watts of peak power, able to handle the bass frequencies which you can dish out from your Pioneer DDJ SB3.
More Details at Amazon – Mackie THUMP Series 15-Inch 1300-Watt Loudspeaker (THUMP15A)
If you are into mixing and require a budget nearfield monitor without compromising the sound quality then you might want to check out PreSonus Eris E3.5. It is one of the most affordable active nearfield studio monitors in the world and furthermore, it is very well-received and praised by satisfied owners. The PreSonus Eris E3.5 active studio monitor may be very compact in size but the amount of output it can muster can easily fill your workspace with pristine sound quality. The overall sound reproduction is accurate and faithful to the original, allowing you to precisely mix the music using your Pioneer DDJ SB3 to what you have intended for your audience to hear. Due to the compact size, the bass performance will be lacking.
More Details at Amazon – PreSonus Eris E3.5-3.5″ Near Field Studio Monitor
Another top contender for the best budget powered studio monitors to pair with your Pioneer DDJ SB3 will be the KRK RP5 Rokit G4. It has the iconic striking yellow-colored tweeter and woofer. The front-firing bass port also allows you to position the KRK active studio monitor nearer to the wall. The sound quality that is coming out from the KRK RP5 Rokit G4 may not be the best but is definitely worth every penny you have invested in them. For their size, this pair of KRK monitors are actually quite punchy and are very transparent which is great for mixing and listening to music analytically.
More Details at Amazon – KRK RP5 Rokit G4 Studio Monitor
If budget is not an issue and you also want a pair of studio monitors that looks absolutely gorgeous then the KEF LS50 Meta will be the ideal choice of studio monitors to match with your Pioneer DDJ SB3. These KEF monitors look absolutely gorgeous and stylish, the sound quality that they can deliver is even more impressive. It is very transparent, able to reveal the tiniest of details and produce them out in clarity. Allowing you to hear all the intricate details and mix your songs with precision. The KEF LS50 Meta are passive studio monitors and you will need power amplifiers to drive them. We will suggest going for high-quality amps so that you can fully utilize the sonic performance of the LS50 Meta.
More Details at Amazon – KEF LS50 Meta
The YAMAHA HS8 Studio Monitor is a powerful active studio monitor which is modestly priced and is a worthy match to your Pioneer DDJ SB3. It has an 8″ woofer, able to deliver a clean and deep bass response. You probably wouldn’t need a subwoofer to supplement the bass as the YAMAHA HS8 is self-sufficient enough. The bass performance is impressive but the overall transparency and neutral sonic quality are even more superb. These are revealing studio monitors that will dig out plenty of details and are not shy in informing you on how bad some of the recordings are. The built-in power amps of the HS8 are muscular enough to handle most music genres which include bass-heavy soundtracks that you might be playing. It can sound quite warm or bright so it is recommended that you hear them out first before deciding.
More Details at Amazon – YAMAHA HS8 Studio Monitor
The very best professional speaker to go for and pair with the Pioneer DDJ SB3 will probably be the QSC K12.2. It is a premium active 12″ loudspeaker with a powerful built-in 2000 Watt Class-D amplifier module. The QSC K12.2 is capable of producing a clean and crisp sound quality in a large area for both indoor and outdoor venues. This allows you to entertain your audiences without compromising the sound quality of your mixes as they only hear crystal clear sound reproduction. Furthermore, you are able to get good sound quality from the K12.2 active speakers without the need to push the volume to a high level. It is certainly a worthy match for your Pioneer DDJ SB3 DJ controller.
More Details at Amazon – QSC K12.2 12″ Powered 2000 Watt Loudspeaker
To Sum It Up
These are some of the best active professional loudspeakers, powered studio monitors, and passive speakers to partner with your Pioneer DDJ SB3. You can run through the list and see which speakers fit your requirements first, then arrange an audition so to hear them out. After the speaker auditions, shortlist the speakers once again that produce the sound quality which you want. Do another round of auditions for the finalists and see which is the speaker that you want to go for. You can also use this list as a reference when hunting for other speakers.
