LONDON― For more than two decades, Chris Reed, known worldwide as Plastician, has stood at the forefront of UK electronic music. A pioneering force in early grime and dubstep, Plastician built his reputation as both a boundary‑pushing producer and a globally touring DJ, while simultaneously running his influential independent label, Terrorhythm Recordings. Over the past 24 years, Terrorhythm has become a launchpad for emerging UK electronic and rap artists, with Plastician’s keen ear for early‑stage talent shaping the careers of countless musicians.
“I’ve been working in various aspects of the music industry for about 25 years now,” Plastician explains. “Professionally, most of that time has been spent as a DJ and producer. I also run a record label, so my day‑to‑day is a mix of creating music, putting music out from other artists, putting events on—you name it.”
Between international tour dates, monthly radio shows on Rinse FM, and ongoing studio work, Plastician’s creative life is non-stop. His home studio, which is compact, efficient, and designed for both production and DJ practice, must keep up with the pace. The long, narrow studio space is tight, but the demands on the monitoring system are high. Plastician needs accuracy for mix work, warmth for creative sessions, and power for club‑level referencing. That’s where KRK Kreate 8 Studio Monitors enter the picture.
Plastician received the monitors through an event with the Anti Social Producers Club, and the timing couldn’t have been better. “I’ve been using them as studio reference monitors,” he says. “The bass on the KRKs is great. There’s a nice warm sound on them. They’ve been my main set that’s plugged in. I only really use my other monitors when it comes to the mixdown process, just to check the mix in a different set of monitors. But KRKs are my day‑to‑day now.”
For Plastician, the Kreate 8s strike a rare balance of warmth and low‑end presence he wants for DJ‑focused music, paired with the accuracy needed for production. “For the size and the quality of sound you get out of them, they produce such a nice warm sound,” he says. “It’s definitely different than a reference monitor — for me, that’s a positive.”
He also sees the Kreate Series as a strong tool for club‑oriented producers who need to understand how their tracks will translate to large systems. “They do a great job at giving me a feel for what songs might sound like in a venue or club,” Plastician explains. “Personally, that’s the most important thing. I want to make sure songs sound good when they’re played loud through proper club systems. You get a good reference of a basic club system on these monitors.”
While he primarily uses the Kreate 8s for production, Plastician recognizes the potential for hybrid uses. “There’s a Bluetooth® button on the back; I haven’t had a chance to deploy that yet, but it’s quite a useful function,” he says. “The thought of having that quality of sound in a living room, if you’ve got a nice vinyl setup, or you want to switch between listening to records and connecting your laptop, is very nice. You don’t normally get that feature with a pro audio monitor.”
Plastician has known KRK for a long time, even before winning the Kreate 8s. “I’ve used KRKs before; friends of mine used to travel with the ROKIT 5s,” he says. “So, I’ve been familiar with the brand for many years, and I was buzzing to get my hands on these.” Now, the Kreate 8s have become an integral part of his workflow, offering the warmth, punch, and versatility that suit both his production style and his DJ‑driven approach to sound.
With a packed touring schedule that regularly includes stops in Australia, Thailand, New Zealand, Canada, the U.S., and Europe, Plastician’s studio time is precious. Whether he’s developing new artists, preparing tracks for festival season, or hosting his monthly Rinse FM show, the KRK Kreate Series monitors have become a reliable anchor in Plastician’s fast‑moving creative world. “I have a lot of projects to keep me busy,” he says with a laugh. “But these KRK Kreates have been great. They’ve become my go‑to speakers.”