Review: KRK Kreate 5

KRK is a familiar name in the monitoring world, and the new Kreate series aims to draw content creators and home studio newcomers into the family. Designed as an affordable, neutral-leaning alternative to professional KRK lines, the Kreate range includes the three-inch Kreate 3, five-inch Kreate 5 (reviewed here), and eight-inch Kreate 8. All models are active two-way designs featuring a woven glass fibre woofer and one-inch textile dome tweeter recessed behind a protective metal grille.

Aesthetically, the Kreate monitors hit the sweet spot. The classic KRK yellow ‘kevlar’ woofers make them instantly identifiable, but I also appreciate the dignified rectangular cabinet and minimal unnecessary ‘futurism’ incorporated into the design. Sitting on my desk, the Kreate 5 has a no-nonsense stance that’s no less commanding than the much pricier monitors I’ve reviewed.

Input options on the Kreate 5 are balanced XLR and TRS, and unbalanced RCA. LF and HF trims are available in 1 or 2dB increments. While the size of the Kreate 5 makes these monitors ideal for home studios and space-restricted rooms, positioning still matters. See the user manual for KRK’s useful guidelines on speaker setup and configuration in your space.

BOOM BOOM

One word of caution: turn the volume down the first time you power them up or else the Mac-like startup sound may be startlingly loud. The automatic standby mode (which engages after 30 minutes of silence and deactivates with -50dB input signal) can also jolt your senses if you’re unawares. Mercifully, this can be switched off by pressing the Bluetooth button three times.

Bluetooth connectivity adds a level of versatility to how you use Kreate 5. One press of the Bluetooth button puts the Kreate 5 into pairing mode and a sound plays until your device is connected. It’s a fantastic way to quickly listen to audio that’s on your phone but not on your computer in more detail. Traditionally, a Bluetooth connection was antithetical to ‘critical listening’ but the quality of this wireless protocol is no longer a deal breaker and makes sense on a product like Kreate. Worth mentioning is that the KRK Kreate 5 employs true wireless stereo (TWS) to enable stereo playback over Bluetooth without the need for a wired connection between the two speakers.

LISTENING TEST

Sound-wise, the Kreate 5 punches above its size and certainly its price tag. These are a respectable entry-point into studio monitoring. I found low frequencies to be surprisingly well represented given the smaller woofer size. Stereo imaging is solid enough to confidently build a mix and there’s ample detail to listen to music with a more critical ear. A rolloff from around 12kHz makes Kreate 5 easy to listen to for long periods while perhaps sacrificing detail in percussive and treble-heavy sources. That combined with a detectable dip in the high mids around 3kHz lends the Kreate 5 a slight woolliness to my ears. Nonetheless, the LF/HF trims helped counteract this in my room which is prone to accentuating low frequencies. I’ll reiterate the impressive presence of the low end, even with the LF trim down by 2dB. KRK has always had a strong following among hip hop producers and these monitors would also be a good match, either for hip hop or electronic music producers who produce bass-heavy content but don’t have room for a sub in their mixing space.

KRK’s Kreate 5 succeeds in its mission as a gateway monitor: it looks great, and makes critical listening more accessible without a premium price tag. If you need a pair of nearfields but lack a big budget, the Kreate 5 deserves a spot on your shortlist.