IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Speaker, Black

Product Information

Acoustic measurements can be grouped in a way that can be perceptually analyzed to determine how good a speaker is and how it can be used in a room. This so called spinorama shows us just about everything we need to know about the speaker with respect to tonality and some flaws: ( note: actual SPL = 86 dB) From stand to the speaker enclosure, it looks and feels kind of like Genelec. Of course the configuration of dual mid-woofers and tweeter is unlike Genelec.

Either way, we’d definitely recommend auditioning a set of Precisions – you will hear your music in a completely new light so they could revolutionise your mixing. So while IK might be stepping into the pro arena with the Precision range, it is still offering the same kind of value proposition it has always done; the Precisions offer a hell of a lot of speaker and specs for the cash and are some of the best speakers we have auditioned. I must stay, I did not expect such a nice frequency response out of this speaker! The word "multimedia" makes me think of mostly junk consumer speakers for computers. The iLoud MTM firmly belongs in "pro" space with this kind of good on-axis response and reasonable directivity. The sharp drop off in bass indicates good use of DSP to flatten bass way better than these two little midwoofers could do by themselves I suspect. Sure, there are some resonances but their overall effect seems mild.

Super near-field

The iLoud speaker’s big feature that sets it apart from the competition is the ability to use it as a guitar amplifier (or microphone amp). iLoud MTM’s midwoofer-tweeter-midwoofer design boasts dramatically more controlled dispersion than typical designs. This minimizes the speakers’ interaction with room acoustics (and each other), making them ideal for rooms not custom-tuned for surround audio.

Sound is crisp and balanced not overly bassy or bright, just balanced over the full spectrum they provide. The wider the quoted frequency response the better, as the speakers will deliver all the highs and lows you will expect from your music. While this can be tested electronically, another option is to test studio monitors with reference music – our own trusted mixes of music that we know very well – where we can tell if any areas of the frequency spectrum have been enhanced or reduced. Hearing every detail in a well known mix is the target for a great set of studio monitors. Temperature was 58 degrees F although the speaker was in much warmer environment prior to testing. Measurement location is at sea level so you compute the pressure. The E5 BTs are Presonus’ largest entry into their mixed-use media monitor range. The Eris range has long been a quality choice for speakers that can span the divide between home listening, recording and production. Though compact and affordable, IK's newest monitors manage to cram in a remarkable amount of tech – and the results speak for themselves."

The SC2070 build quality is excellent, and these monitors are also quite hefty for their size (9.4kg each). Sonically, they sound very open, and this has as much to do with the mid-range precision as it does with the higher frequencies. Seems like both the port and woofer (s) have resonances around 2 to 4 kHz causing slight response errors. Not the most attractive monitor in the world, but you will not have to worry about build quality in the slightest. As I mentioned the great bass response earlier, this can only be achieved with the very sturdy housing and enough weight to keep the speakers from vibrating right off your stand or desk.

Maximum SPL @ 1m, one speaker playing, on axis: 103dB from 200Hz up sine wave, 95dB at 100Hz sine, 93dB pink noise At the budget end of the spectrum, there are certain concessions that have to be made versus more advanced models. Often, this comes in a reduction of the available frequency range and, more often than not, it’s bass that suffers. The Alesis Elevate 5 MKII proves this point, but that doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker; the Japanese firm has included a dedicated bass boost switch for those moments when you are listening for pleasure, rather than for reference. This will be no problem for the typical bedroom producer though, with the power on offer being more than enough for most. Overall, the Elevate 5 set performs well across a range of listening situations and would make a superb addition to any studio or gaming setup.Lastly the speaker placement, I had no issues at all, i could put these easely next to my monior, I use a 1.5m/4.92 ft. length - 80cm/2.62ft. width table.

The ST6 Twin6 is a reboot of the venerable Twin6 Be, an evergreen studio monitor in Focal’s pro range. The iLoud supports Bluetooth for wireless A2DP streaming, meaning that it works with iPhones, Android devices, and any laptop with Bluetooth. Pairing is as simple as powering it up, pressing the Bluetooth pairing button, waiting for the red LED to flash on the front, and then completing pairing from your mobile device. You can pair up to two devices simultaneously, but only one can play at a time wirelessly. IK Multimedia doesn't recommend performing or monitoring audio wirelessly, thanks to the inherent latency in the Bluetooth A2DP protocol; it's meant strictly for passive music listening. The speaker contains four small Class-D amplifiers: two 16-watt amps that drive two 3-inch neodymium woofers, and two 4-watt amps that drive a pair of 0.75-inch tweeters, along with custom digital signal processing (DSP). The full system is rated at 50Hz to 20kHz, but with no plus or minus dB figures, it's tough to get a sense of just what that means. A pair isn’t cheap, but they do offer the optimum balance between price and performance and they are sublime, top-drawer monitors that will be an asset to a small studio. IK has designed iLoud to tilt up at a slight angle so you can put it on a table or the floor and get a nice broad stereo field. A stabilizer folds out from the bottom if you're worried about iLoud tipping over. The Bottom LineiLoud Micro Monitor’s small footprint saves space on your desktop and ensures closer placement to your ears thus minimizing room reflections. Plus, its internal DSP offers various EQ settings for optimizing bass and treble response as well as position compensation — this lets you switch between a “free field” and “desktop” setup effortlessly. We’d definitely recommend auditioning a set of Precisions – you will hear your music in a completely new light so they could revolutionise your mixing. I myself, for example, used K&M 23250 offered by Thomann as they are perfect match for these monitors from design wise and have just enough height to lift these from desk level to my ear level. (Small hint to Thoman, maybe you should offer these together as bundle?)