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Updated: 2026-10-05 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Rockville ASM4 — biggest strength: a genuine all-in-one bundle. You get the ASM4 monitors, the RCM03 large-diaphragm condenser mic with shock mount and cables, and the PRO-M50 studio headphones. One purchase, a whole signal chain.
• Rockville ASM4 — biggest trade-off: you are locked into Rockville's ecosystem across the board. If you already own a good mic or good headphones, you are paying for duplicates.
• Audiosavings Bundle Pair — biggest strength: the Mackie CR4.5 monitors with adjustable tone control and a location switch, paired with the PRO-M50 headphones. Two items, both focused on monitoring.
• Audiosavings Bundle Pair — biggest trade-off: no microphone. If you plan to record vocals or instruments, you will need to add one separately.
• Who the Rockville ASM4 is for: the singer-songwriter, podcaster or content creator starting from zero who wants to record, monitor and playback without shopping for each piece.
• Who the Audiosavings Bundle Pair is for: someone who already has a mic, or who only needs monitoring — mixing, gaming, streaming, casual listening — and wants flexible tone control.
The ASM4 bundle is built around the idea that you should be able to unbox once and start working. The monitors run 200W peak / 50W RMS through a 4" woofer and a 1" silk dome tweeter, DSP-tuned for a flat response with bass reaching down to 50Hz. Connectivity is generous for a desktop monitor: Bluetooth 5.0, optical, RCA, 3.5mm and dual 1/4" TS jacks. That means a computer, a mixer, a turntable and a phone can all live on the same pair of speakers.
Then there is the rest of the box. The RCM03 is a large-diaphragm cardioid condenser with a 30Hz–20kHz range, an aluminum body, a metal shock mount, an anti-wind cap, and two copper cables — one 3.5mm-to-XLR for going straight into a computer, one XLR-to-XLR for a mixer with phantom power. The PRO-M50 headphones use 40mm neodymium drivers in a closed-back design, with a stainless-steel frame, interchangeable leather and suede cushions, a detachable oxygen-free copper coil cable, a gold-plated 1/4" adapter and a hard case.
Buy it if you are setting up a first studio, a podcast corner or a content-creation desk and you want the whole chain — mic, monitors, headphones — settled in one decision. Skip it if you already own a decent condenser mic or a pair of monitoring headphones, because you would be buying hardware you will not use, and the bundle's value is precisely in covering all three jobs at once.
This bundle takes a different approach: it is monitoring-only, and it puts the flexibility in the speakers. The Mackie CR4.5 is a 4.5" powered monitor with a transparent, flat response by default, plus an adjustable tone control so you can add bass or lift the top end for gaming, streaming or casual listening. There is also a location switch that optimizes performance depending on whether the speakers sit on a desk or on a shelf — a small detail that genuinely changes how a nearfield monitor behaves in a real room.
Inputs are TRS, RCA and 3.5mm, with Bluetooth for wireless streaming. The pairing here is the same Rockville PRO-M50 headphone found in the other bundle: 40mm neodymium drivers, closed-back isolation, minimal bleed, a soft leather headband, suede or leather interchangeable cushions, a stainless-steel headband and moving arms, and the detachable oxygen-free copper coil cable. The description pitches the set at content creators, musicians, gamers and streamers.
Buy it if you already have a microphone, or you simply do not record. Skip it if you need to capture vocals or instruments this week — there is no mic, no shock mount and no XLR cabling in this box, so that is a separate purchase.
• You need to record vocals or instruments → Rockville ASM4. The RCM03, shock mount, anti-wind cap and both copper cables are in the box.
• You already own a mic and just want speakers → Audiosavings Bundle Pair. You are not paying for a second microphone you will never plug in.
• You want to shape the sound for gaming or casual listening → Audiosavings Bundle Pair. The CR4.5 tone control and desktop/bookshelf location switch are the whole point of that model.
• You want the widest input list on the monitors → Rockville ASM4. Bluetooth 5.0, optical, RCA, 3.5mm and dual 1/4" TS covers more sources out of the box than TRS, RCA, 3.5mm and Bluetooth.
• You want a bigger woofer → Audiosavings Bundle Pair. The CR4.5 uses a 4.5" driver against the ASM4's 4" woofer.
• You want the most complete first purchase → Rockville ASM4. Four items, one decision, nothing missing from the chain.
• You want the leanest, most focused purchase → Audiosavings Bundle Pair. Two items, both doing monitoring work.
• Headphones for flights, closed-back isolation, long sessions → either bundle. Both include the PRO-M50, so this part of the decision is a tie. If you are mostly chasing headphones for flights, you are buying the same headphone either way.
In my opinion, most people starting from nothing should buy the Rockville ASM4. The reason is simple: it is the only one of the two that lets you record and monitor without another purchase. The mic, the shock mount, both cables and the headphones all arrive together, and the ASM4 monitors cover more input types. I would only steer you to the Audiosavings Bundle Pair if you already own a microphone or never record at all, because that is where the Mackie CR4.5's tone control and location switch earn their place. Either way, if a big part of your listening happens away from the desk — headphones for flights, closed-back isolation, long sessions — note that both bundles ship the same PRO-M50, so that need is settled regardless of which you pick. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that is the one variable I cannot speak to here.
what is studio monitor headphones
A studio monitor headphone is a closed-back, neutral-tuned headphone meant for critical listening rather than casual enjoyment. In both bundles the example is the Rockville PRO-M50, which uses 40mm neodymium drivers, a closed-back design for isolation and a detachable oxygen-free copper coil cable. The goal is accurate reproduction and minimal bleed, not extra bass.
what are the best studio monitor headphones
There is no single best — it depends on what you are monitoring. In my opinion, the PRO-M50 is a sensible pick for tracking and mixing on a budget because of its closed-back isolation, stainless-steel frame, interchangeable leather and suede cushions and replaceable detachable cable. But "best" also depends on whether you need open-back detail or closed-back isolation, and those are different jobs.
do i need studio monitors if i have headphones
Yes, if you are mixing. Headphones give you isolation and detail, but monitors let you hear how a mix behaves in a real room with real stereo imaging. The ASM4 and the Mackie CR4.5 both cover that role — the ASM4 with a DSP-tuned flat response down to 50Hz, the CR4.5 with a flat response plus adjustable tone control. Use both: headphones for checking details, monitors for checking the room.
what are studio monitor headphones for flights
They are not designed for flights, but a closed-back monitor headphone like the PRO-M50 does the job reasonably well because closed-back isolation cuts ambient noise and the detachable coil cable travels easily in the included case. If travel is your priority, note that both bundles include the same headphone, so this does not separate the two. If you specifically want wireless earbuds or a wireless headset for flights, neither bundle is that product.
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