Audio Video News

IK Multimedia iLoud MTM Desktop Speaker System: $700/pair

Over the past year we’ve all spent an inordinate amount of time gazing at screens — from TVs (main and secondary) to phones and tablets to your trusty laptop/computer monitor. Except for that big-screen TV, it’s safe to say that sound was (is?) seriously lacking in those other viewing experiences, which brings us to the iLoud MTM desktop speakers from Italy’s IK Multimedia (I had never heard of them either). At 11 inches tall, the monitors are quite a bit larger than your garden-variety PC speakers and miles ahead in terms of sound quality, with each woofer-tweeter-woofer complement drawing on 100 watts of power to create an amazing near-field listening experience.

On its own, the driver configuration goes a long way toward improving sound by minimizing potentially destructive reflections from the desktop and other nearby surfaces. Add to that stands that can be adjusted to tilt each speaker between 0 and 20 degrees. But IK doesn’t stop there, equipping the speakers with a DSP-controlled crossover, dynamic-range management, and a number of EQ settings for tailoring the sound to your liking. The system even provides automatic room correction via a supplied measurement microphone in what I would think is an exceedingly rare (non-existent?) feature for this category of speakers.

Running the output of his iMac through an outboard digital-to-analog converter, veteran audio reviewer Dan Kumin described the MTMs as “extraordinarily accurate” speakers capable of astonishing bass extension and output. “On my desktop, the IKs sounded clean, dynamic, and free of colorations or distortions, even at the lower frequencies where you'd expect 3.5-inch woofers to consider filing complaints.” He also found that the not-so-little speakers do well with “far-field” listening, meaning they would be a welcome addition in a small room. If your post-pandemic desktop audio setup is in need of an upgrade, put the iLoud MTM speakers on your short list.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Superbly accurate tonal balance
Remarkable bass extension
Highly adaptable onboard EQ options
Onboard auto room correction
Minus
Finite output may not suit far-field listening
No auto on/off
No built-in sub integration option

Full Review Here (posted 3/31/21)

Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 Surround Speaker System: $3,000 (as tested)

Elac’s plainly styled Uni-Fi 2.0 speakers may not be much to look at but the experience they deliver with movies and music is anything but pedestrian. In reprising the excellent Uni-Fi Series of speakers we reviewed in 2016, designer Andrew Jones has revisited the original line and made several improvements. All models in the revamped line have been updated with a new concentric driver featuring a wide-surround 1-inch soft dome, a beefed-up 5.25-inch woofer, and a receiver-friendly 6-ohm impedance (the original was 4 ohms).

The Uni-Fi Series doesn’t offer a subwoofer so the tower-based 5.1 home theater suite we put together included Elac’s highly capable SUB3030 subwoofer, which may well be unique for its total lack of physical controls. There’s not even a power button! Setup is handled entirely through Elac’s companion app, which provides the usual complement of controls plus four EQ presets and a parametric EQ with eight memory slots for storing custom settings.

It didn’t take reviewer Al Griffin long to conclude that Elac’s updates translated into impressive sound quality, conveying the chaotic soundtrack of District 9 with precision, clarity, and a heightened sense of drama. The sonic thrills continued with Requiem for a Dream’s dynamic soundtrack but didn’t stop there. The adventurous 5.1 remix of Roxy Music’s Avalon (1982) created a sense of full immersion with “well-balanced sound that was detailed but not overly bright” and powerful at the low end. Listening to a variety of music on Elac’s UF52 towers alone, Griffin marveled at the speakers’ ability to convey a “clean, lively presentation that never once sounded aggressive” with instruments spread across a wide soundstage.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Clean, well-balanced sound
Consistent off-axis performance
Subwoofer control app with Auto-EQ
Excellent value
Minus
Basic looks
Available only in black

Full Review Here (posted 2/3/21)

Monitor Audio Bronze 200 Surround Speaker System: $4,010 (as tested)

England’s Monitor Audio has been building and constantly refining high-quality speakers for more than four decades, while developing a specialty in metal-dome driver technology. A perfect example is the entry-level Bronze Series, introduced in 2006 and now in its sixth generation. Fifteen years later, the mix-and-match line is still going strong as evidenced by the remarkably full and detailed sound delivered by the 5.4.2 surround system we put together — an 11-piece setup comprising a pair of Bronze 200 towers outfitted with Dolby Atmos-enabled Bronze AMS height modules plus two additional AMS speakers for the rear of the room, a Bronze 150 center speaker, a pair of wedge-shaped Bronze FX surround speakers, featuring selectable bipole or dipole operation, and two Bronze W10 subwoofers.

Monitor’s longstanding focus and dedication paid off with music and movies. Jean Guillou's organ transcription of Pictures at an Exhibition (Dorian Recordings) was a stand out for reviewer Tom Norton with the 200 tower/W10 subwoofer duo handling the recording’s deep organ notes with ease and helping the W10 earn Top Pick status on its own. Likewise, he described the lively soundtrack of Blade Runner 2049 as “consistently involving with no sense of strain” and called the opening musical crescendo in Oblivion stunning: “As Jack fired up his bubble-copter, and later as he circled the ruined stadium just before landing, the performance of the two small Bronze subwoofers was gripping.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Affordable price
Detailed overall sound
Good envelopment with Atmos soundtracks
Minus
Towers have limited deep bass
Ordinary cosmetics

Full Review Here (posted 1/20/21)

PSB PWM-1 On-Wall Surround Speaker System: $6,193 (as tested)

PSB namesake Paul Barton has been building excellent speakers for almost 50 years and, thankfully for the audio buying public, shows no signs of letting up. His latest creation is a line of slim on-wall speakers for enthusiasts who want great sound from a setup that doesn’t commandeer the room it occupies. In our case, that room was a 12 x 15-foot space we outfitted with five PSB PWM1 speakers — the smallest of three models, all rectangular and designed to hug the wall — plus a PSB CustomSound CSIR Sub/CS 500W amp combo (shown below). The PWM1s were arranged in a standard home theater layout (front left, center, right plus two rear surrounds) that occupied no floor space whatsoever. With a depth of less than 5 inches, the svelte CSIR sub with its 10-inch woofer turned out to be a perfect match for the PWM1 speakers — you can mount it on the wall or place it upright using a supplied pedestal (which is how we used it).

Tests conducted by reviewer Michael Trei demonstrated that even a midline AV receiver can drive this low-profile home theater setup to realistic cinema-sound levels without strain, though a top-line AVR delivered a more authoritative experience. For a little butt-kicking surround action, Trei fired up Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol and enjoyed a “truly seamless sensation of envelopment” with coherent dialogue and a surprising degree of impact from such a small subwoofer. The system also handled music expertly, conveying the richness of Holly Cole’s sultry voice on “Little Boy Blue” from 1995’s Temptation. With his latest speaker series, the renowned PSB designer has struck a perfect balance between stealth and performance, whether you’re listening to music or watching a movie.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Dynamic sound for on-wall speakers
Versatile installation options
Solid build quality
Minus
Sub pricey compared with standalone units

Full Review Here (posted 3/24/21)