Tommy Torres Taps KRK Gear For Studio Precision

For musician, producer and engineer Tommy Torres, music is as much about feeling as it is about sound, and that balance has driven his career from the start. Raised in Puerto Rico, he learned by ear and performed in school bands before heading to Berklee College of Music, where he double‑majored in engineering/producing and arranging to master both the technical and creative sides of the studio.

After graduating, Torres began as an assistant at the then-new Sony Studios in New York, a pivotal stint that put him in the room for landmark sessions, from Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged to work with Stone Temple Pilots and Michael Jackson, as well as Mariah Carey’s classic Christmas album. His path soon expanded from engineering into production and songwriting, collaborating with Ricky Martin, Alejandro Sanz, Alicia Keys and Jesse & Joy, and earning multiple GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY accolades and nominations along the way.

Now based in Miami, Torres treats his studio as both a creative hub and a comfortable retreat. "It's my creative room," he said. "I have a piano, guitars lying around, a sofa, even a kitchen next door. It's acoustically treated, but it feels like a living space. That’s where the real magic happens."

Central to that space are his KRK ROKIT 8 Generation Five Studio Monitors, which he credits with keeping his mixes truthful and translatable. "The ROKITs are just honest," he said. "The heart of their sound is in the midrange, which the speakers bring forward so clearly. I don’t want monitors that flatter the sound; I want them to tell me the truth. With the ROKITs, I hear everything I need to make decisions that translate across all systems. Their balance of clarity, punchy low end, and airy highs allows me to mix at lower volumes without losing excitement in the track."

Torres' relationship with KRK stretches back decades. He first encountered an early V‑Series V8 while working alongside renowned mixer Bob Clearmountain, and he has personally used the smaller V‑Series 2 models, he says, “for a long time.” His deeper dive into the ROKIT line began during the 2021 production of his album El Playlist de Anoche, which he co‑produced with Bad Bunny.

"When I first heard the ROKITs, I fell in love," he recalled. "They have this rock-and-roll quality that pleases my ears, and they expose everything in the midrange without hiding anything. Every generation since then, including the new Gen Fives, continues that tradition. The monitors don’t just reproduce sound, they guide me. Whether I’m working on an intimate acoustic track or a layered pop production, I know what I’m hearing is exactly what’s there. That gives me the freedom to focus on the music, not guess about the mix."

For mobile setups and compact rooms, Torres swaps to smaller V‑Series speakers, his go‑to road companions. "They retain the signature KRK sound while offering portability and flexibility," he continued. "Whenever I need to go somewhere, I just grab some KRKs. It doesn’t matter if it's the big ROKIT 8s or small ones—KRK monitors give me what I need, every time."

He complements his monitors with KRK KNS Headphones, which he considers essential to his toolkit. "I'm a huge fan of KRK's headphones," he said. "They give a very similar feel to the speakers. When you put the headphones on, you know immediately that it's KRK."

Practicality matters too, especially for long sessions. "They're very light and comfortable," he explained. "They even come with both a short cable and a very long one with a volume control; I wish every headphone had that. These aren’t for audiophiles; they’re for the studio guys. Whoever voiced these headphones really spent years in the trenches."

Together, the precise midrange of the ROKITs and the consistent translation of the KNS headphones help Torres keep fresh ears while staying immersed in the music, whether he’s crafting his own material or refining tracks for global stars. He said: "It's about longevity, too; I want to keep working ‘til I’m 80, so it is crucial that I save my ears in the process."

From Puerto Rico to Berklee, New York's Sony Studios to Miami, and from engineering to producing and writing, Torres has built a career on curiosity, discipline and a deep respect for the craft. Surrounded by a welcoming studio and the accuracy of his KRK ROKITs, he continues to transform sparks of inspiration into songs that connect.

"I can't see myself doing anything else; music is everything," Torres reflected. "Being in the room with those phenomenal artists and producers in my early years, I learned there are no rules. Everyone has their own way of creating, and if you get moved by something—a rhythm, a chord progression, anything—you follow it. I learned early on to trust my instincts. Every artist I work with, I try to imagine them on stage and ask myself, ‘What would fans want to hear from this person?’ It’s not about me; it’s about helping them realize their vision. For me, the spark always comes first. Then, it's about catching it, recording it, and making it sing. KRK helps me do that every step of the way."