Iloud micro monitor speakers review

Top 3 Tips For Smaller Studios

If you are exploring small reference monitors you are likely working in a small studio space. Generally, small studios are not ideal for music production. Sound quality and ergonomics tend to suffer in smaller rooms. But there are a few small things you can do that can improve your space. Here are our top 3 tips for getting the most out of your small studio space.

Room Treatment

One of the most important things you can do is to treat the room. The two main components are absorption and diffusion. Bass traps and acoustic panels are a great way to absorb sound preventing reflections. This will result in a cleaner sound that is closer to the source material. Diffusion is also worth exploring if things are still not sounding right. Uneven surfaces help reflect sound more randomly. This can eliminate echoes and balance the sound in the room.

Acoustic Panels are a great way to balance out sound in your studio.

Comfort

If you are in a small space it doesn’t mean you need to feel uncomfortable. Ensure you pay extra attention to ergonomics. A comfortable chair is critical if you plan on spending long sessions in the studio. Enough space to move around is also ideal. Eliminate anything in your studio space that isn’t necessary so that you can focus on your productions.

Design

The aesthetic of the space should be inviting and uncluttered. You want to be motivated to sit down. Even if your space isn’t large you want it to feel airy and natural. Keeping your studio space clean and organized is a big part of this. Good cable management can go a long way to keeping things looking professional. But, don’t forget to inject some of your personality into the room. It is your personal space after all. You don’t want to be feeling like you are recording or producing in a lifeless and bland room.

User Reviews & Testimonials

Let’s look at some user reviews about this great studio monitor:

“Couldn’t be happier with the accuracy of these. Great flat response, very impressed with the bass frequency. I HIGHLY recommend these for any producer/composer/mix engineer.”

– Anonymous, Amazon

“They sound clean, clear, flat, and well defined. Instrument separation is excellent. Highs are crisp without any harshness. Mids are balanced and tight. Lows are clean and mellifluous.”

– Anonymous, Amazon

“The precision of sound is far better than many other studio monitors in the same price range. . . Also has little hiss on lower volume, like many other speakers.”

– Anonymous, B&H Photo Video

The Guitar Setup

Playing guitar through the unit was a big test, since guitar amps typically pack much bigger speaker systems. However, the iLoud Micro Monitors passed with flying colors as they captured the tone of my PRS CE 24 perfectly. Here’s how I had my guitar setup:

1. Guitar plugs into the iRig HD 2 interface2. Signal runs through GarageBand (I also tried it with Amplitube 4)3. Processed signal goes into the monitors via the provided RCA cable

I tried a clean and distorted tone via amp models in both pieces of software.

Settings and effects responded like you would expect from a full guitar rig, while output from the speakers sounded heavy and thick, like I was playing through an actual guitar amp or a much larger pair of speakers.

Thanks and credit:

Special thanks to the Audiophile subreddit for throwing their weight behind me, and being a big part of getting this review sample in my hands.

Also, this review was made better by my Patreon supporters, who are the best in the world at being patient.

Technology Behind iLoud Micro Monitors

In simpler language, here are a few of the advantages IK has focused on by building a smaller monitor:

1. Allows you to sit closer to the sound source at lower sound pressure levels (SPL)2. Reduced sound reflection off of walls and ceilings3. Can be placed closer to one another (helpful for laptops and computers).

For room size, IK gives an example of a 13-by-10 foot room, with both monitors placed on a desk.

Example room size given for the iLoud Micro Monitors. |

The following graphic shows the monitors set up to form a stereo equilateral triangle at a computer desk.

Triangular signal at a computer desk with each monitor in close proximity. |

Features & Sound

So first, let’s look at these monitor speakers on paper. Here are the highlights:

2-way active, bi-amped studio monitors
3” woofer
3/4” tweeter
50W RMS output power across both speakers (70W peak)
Frequency response (-3dB): 55Hz — 20kHz

All in all, pretty basic stuff for compact monitor speakers. Of course, even the loftiest specs don’t mean anything if the gear doesn’t perform well. We’re delighted to say that after putting them through their paces, the IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor speakers exceeded our expectations.

As a disclaimer, we should mention that the monitors our ears are most used to are the KRK Rokit 8. In our best studio monitor shootout, we also extensively tested the Yamaha HS series, Equator monitors, JBL monitors, and several others. We mention this because it’s not completely fair to compare the bass response of the iLoud Micro Monitor’s 3” woofer against that of a 6” or 8” woofer. Keep in mind as you’re reading this review that it’s more fair to compare these to similarly sized studio monitor speakers.

That said, these little guys are definitely capable of delivering big sound. The highs and mids are present and detailed, but not at all harsh. The bass response is impressive; For a relatively small 3” woofer to reach all the way down to 55Hz is a fantastic feat (most budget monitors with a 3” woofer are only able to go down to about 80Hz). 50W RMS output power is also no joke, and these can get very loud — much louder than you would probably need for nearfield monitoring (then again, the fact that they have Bluetooth and sound so good means you could provide music for a small to medium house party with them, in which case the volume on tap would come in handy).

We tested these speakers for casual listening with all sorts of genres — rap, classical, drum & bass, deep house — and they performed admirably. At multiple volume levels they remained very detailed, which is important. Again, bass response is not quite felt like on monitors with a 6-8” woofer, but what you lose there you gain bigtime in portability. We then put our producer hat on, and pulled up a few mixing sessions in Logic Pro X. Everything we had mixed on KRK Rokit 8 monitors and Beyerdynamic DT770 headphones translated beautifully to the iLoud Micro Monitors. They are indeed flat and truthful, which is exactly what you want out of nearfield monitors; If you get your mix right on these, it will sound good everywhere. Finally we pulled out our electric guitar, plugged it into our iRig HD 2, and fired up AmpliTube. Hearing a distorted electric guitar through the iLoud Micro Monitors highlighted their wonderful midrange detail.

You can definitely tell IK Multimedia put more thought into the sound quality than most small/budget monitors available today. Things like the distance between woofer and tweeter, build quality of the woofer, and crossover alignment have all been meticulously planned and designed. An internal 56-bit digital signal processor (DSP) is the brains of the operation. In IK Multimedia’s words:

On the control panel on the rear of the left speaker, you’ll find 3 EQ adjustment switches, which lets you manipulate the EQ depending on where your monitors are placed on your desk. We’ll leave it to the manual to explain this in more depth, but just know that with features like this, this is not your average set of cheap consumer “monitors.” Far from it, actually; These are pro level all the way.

Характеристики iLoud MTM

Ультраплоская частотная характеристика
Фазо-когерентный звук
Расширенный, контролируемый нижний частотный диапазон
Превосходный звук при небольших расстояниях
Идеально разметится на рабочем столе и зазвучит в небольших помещениях

Встроенная система автокалибровки ARC
Аналого-цифровые DSP-преобразователи
100 Вт мощности при максимальном уровне звукового давления в 103 дБ
Диапазон воспроизводимых частот 40 Гц – 24 кГц
Регулируемая подставка для изменения угла наклона в диапазоне 0° — 20°

MTM-дизайн для превосходного звучания на небольших расстояниях и снижения акустических отражений звука

2 3,5″ НЧ динамика

Линейный фазовый отклик для натурального звучания

Здесь живет бас

Настройки диапазона нижних частот, эквалайзера, акустической авто-калибровки

DSP-контроль над фильтрацией, временем, эквалайзером придется по вкусу любому аудиофилу

Вход для измерительного микрофона

Занимает крошечную площадь

Overview of the IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors

There are many factors that can affect how you create your home studio.

Of course, you want a setup that will help you produce excellent audio, even if you’re just a beginner.

Some people say that the output depends on the person rather than the tools — which is true to an extent.

After all, you’ll still need the RIGHT TOOLS that can help you perfect your craft.

However, it can be ESPECIALLY difficult if you’re dealing with a small studio and a relatively tight budget.

If you’re in that exact situation while building (or upgrading) your studio, the IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors are for you!

Main Features:

Two 25W active monitors
Flat/desk switch for midrange response
Bluetooth connectivity
Bi-amplified
Internal DSP to equalize sound
Can be used with an RCA or 3.5mm jack
Microphone stand thread

Specifications:

Type: Class D Bi-amp system (50W)
Frequency response: 55 – 20,000 Hz
Extended frequency range: 45Hz and 20kHz
Power output: 50 W RMS, 70 W peak
Bluetooth version: N.D.
Connectivity: 2 x RCA, TRS 1/8” stereo input, 4-pin speaker cable

The IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors were launched in 2016.

They’re beginner-to-intermediate level monitors that are PERFECT for home musicians who want to continuously improve their music production.

This pair has a small footprint, and the modest weight makes them PORTABLE.

But be careful when you use them — they’re definitely powerful enough to bother everyone outside your room!

Despite the small build, the monitors give EXCELLENT sound reproduction.

The build is of excellent quality, too, being sturdy and staying in place even if you play loud bass-y music.

Overall, at $350 a pair, these speakers are one of the BEST in their size and price range.

We’ll give you a breakdown below of why they should be high up on your list of studio equipment to invest in.

Pros

Small footprint
Portable and easy to set up
Has many settings
Accurate sound
Relatively affordable compared to competitors

The Glorious Sound

Sound is about moving air. High frequencies are short, easily dissipated energy. Bass is long, powerful energy. Physics says that a 3-inch speaker can only reproduce fundamentals of a low frequency in certain very small quantities.

Imagine headphones for a moment. You know you can hear deep bass through those. Heck, get a pair of Beats and sometimes you can’t hear anything but.

Consider how close those are to your ears. Without getting into the inverse square law, because it will put me to sleep, let’s just say that the difference between a speaker beside your ear and one on your desk is many orders of magnitude. This is a challenge that the iLoud takes and slams down successfully.

Not perfectly, but given the restrictions of the monitor size and speaker elements, it’s doubtful there could be much improvement. The secret to the bass is the port. It releases the energy from behind the woofer in a coherent way and extends the effective bass reproduction down to 55 Hz.

Compare it to thousand-dollar monitors and it’s artificial. Some fundamentals from filtered bass synths won’t sound at all.

However, listen to ordinary music at average levels and the sound is astonishing. And that’s really what a good speaker comes down to: is it listenable? The answer for the iLoud Micro is a definite ‘yes’.

We make compromises at all points along the decision cycle of home recording or even serious home listening. While the iLoud Micro does represent a few compromises, you can compromise with one tucked under each arm, connected via Bluetooth to your smart phone. There’s no question that the studio of the Twenty-first Century looks a little different.

IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor – Recommended!

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Unboxing & First Impressions

When IK Multimedia graciously sent us a pair to review and we first saw the box they come in, we realized they weren’t joking in calling them “micro” monitors. When we think studio monitor speakers, we can’t help but think of the KRK Rokit 8 monitors we had to lug from the music store to our own studio (a two man job); so the promise of good, powerful sound coming out of something so diminutive definitely got us excited.

Getting these speakers set up and playing music took us about 2 minutes. For our tests we didn’t use an audio interface, so the included 1/8” to RCA cable made it very easy to hook them up to our MacBook Pro’s headphones jack. For even less cable spaghetti, the iLoud Micro Monitor speakers come with Bluetooth connectivity! This is very cool because aside from powering them, all you need to do is “discover” the speakers from your laptop or iPad, and voilà, you’ll be getting sound out of them. Bluetooth is extremely convenient and the fewer cables we have to mess with the better, but as with any wireless technology it’s not always 100% dependable, so we recommend travelling with a cable just in case (also keep in mind Bluetooth introduces 155 ms or so of latency).

After plugging them in and placing them on either side of our laptop, a switch on the rear of the left speaker powers them on, causing a soft blue LED light to come on as an indicator. Volume level is easily adjusted using a volume knob (again located on the rear of the left speaker), which goes from -INF to +6dB, and clicks into place at the 12 o’clock unity gain position.

Measurements:

Windowed Frequency Response

This measurement is a combination of on and off axis measurements above 800 Hz and a ground plane measurement below 800Hz. All reflections have been windowed out of these results. Note that I was not perfectly on axis with the tweeter which accounts from most of the downward tilt of the measured response.

Bump at 2kHz shows up in every measurement and is audible. The 15kHz peak is either from diffraction or a higher order mode from the super steep horn loading. These artifacts are not end of the world bad, but it’s a less than the perfect response we were promised.

Close Mic

This is a close micing of the drivers and ports. This measurement technique is useful for finding crossover points, and seeing port leakage.

Moving from left to right, The extended bass response is digitally limited to protect the driver from killing itself. There is port leakage/whistling going on 600Hz, 1300Hz, and 1800Hz. The 600Hz leak is loud enough to cancel out some of the energy coming from the woofer. The 2kHz peak on the woofer is here, leading up to a crossover point that is lower than the provided specs. Given that the crossover is handled via DSP there is no way that this just drifted out of spec, I figure that the crossover was changed after marketing had written all of the copy. You can ignore this wild results above 10Khz, close mic measurements don’t get along with deep loaded tweeters.

Tone Controls

These measurements were done at elevated volumes, which is why the bass response is rolled off and uniform despite EQ options. They also include reflections with 1/6 smoothing to show the tonal differences between EQ options more clearly.

The desk setting is really strange, boosting output in a massive hump centered at 2kHz.

Ground Plane

This is the first time I’m including ground plane measurements in my reviews, so I’ll take a moment here and explain the idea. Basically if you put the speaker and microphone on the ground in the middle of an empty field you can avoid the floor bounce and room modes messing up your measurement.

Before I was using just close mic measurements to get an idea of bass response, but that measurement technique will show a rise at the FS of the driver. Ground plane is way more of a pain in the ass to setup, but is as accurate as you can get when measuring bass response.

Here you can see the tonal changes as the volume increases.

Bass vs Vanatoo Transparent Zero

While I had the iLoud out for testing I ran a few dozen measurements of the other speakers I’ve got in my stock pile, including the Transparent Zero.

The iLoud clearly plays deeper and flater than it’s rival the Vanatoo Transparent Zero. The Vanatoo shares similar output limitations, but does not have the obvious tonal changes of the iLoud’s DSP limiter. Bass response in a tiny box is about picking which compromise you can live with, both of these solutions are valid.

Right Vs. Left Speaker

Right and left speakers measure pretty much the same. Variability in upper frequency can be explained by being off axis just a fraction of a degree more or less between measurements. These are impressive results at this price point and this indicates good quality control from IK Multimedia.

Desktop Reflection Simulation

This group of measurements simulate the response you get when having a speaker flat on a desk surface(hint — it ain’t good). The measurements are windowed to remove as many unintended reflections as possible.

Kickstand Up vs Down Response

Going erect gets the speaker pointed more directly at the microphone, and as such we can see some gains in the treble response. Clearly the kickstand is a good thing for flat on desk setups.

Reflection off vs on with Flat EQ

The black line is what we want as a best case response, the red measurement shows the speaker with desk EQ turned off. Treble response looks like a mess, but is at the correct level. The real problem tonally that could be fixed with EQ is the boundary gain, where the woofer and it’s reflection start acting like one source. This starts around 800Hz, and gains max 6dB by 100Hz.

Reflection off vs on with Desk EQ

We can see the Desk EQ tries to pick up the midrange to match the level increase in the bass. This desk EQ tries real hard, and almost get it right, but does not boost the treble at all, and the boost is centered right at 2kHz, making a flaw in the speaker’s natural response way worse.

Priority should always be to have the speakers on stands, but if you are forced to have the iLoudMM on a desk surface I recommend not using the Desk EQ setting, and instead selecting the -3dB Low self. You will be left with a smooth hump between 150Hz and 700Hz, but it’s better than missing treble and peaky midrange.

Final Verdict

The iLoud Micro Monitors are a steep investment at just under $300, though this is still cheaper than many larger budget to mid-grade monitors. Furthermore, the iLoud set is on par (or better, depending on room size) in terms of sound quality.

We guitar players would like to see a 1/4″ input for more convenient instrument use, but that can be easily achieved with an inexpensive adapter (1/4″ to 1/8″ TRS; I’d recommend or an interface like the iRig HD 2.

But overall, the sound quality of the pair is just astounding, especially when you consider their small size.

A blindfold test would fool anyone into thinking they’re listening to a mid-sized guitar amp or larger pair of studio monitors.

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Compared to other monitor speakers

iLoud Micro Monitor vs JBL 305P Mk2

At low volumes, the iLouds actually perform just as well as these monitors do. For those of you leaning towards more professional music-making, the JBLs are the choice for you. If you’re just looking to watch some movies or have audio for your video games, the iLouds are a perfectly decent choice.

iLoud Micro Monitor vs PreSonus Eris E3.5

The Eris E3.5 speakers aren’t worth the money, in my opinion. If you absolutely need to have a pair of desktop speakers, do yourself a favor and save your money. The iLouds are the obvious choice here.

iLoud Micro Monitor vs Mackie CR3-X

Again, while these things are incredibly cheap, they aren’t worth it. You can go check our reviews to see that the Mackie is better than the Eris E3.5, but that’s not saying much. Save up and get the iLouds if you can.

You can also check our recommendations for the best studio monitors for professional and bedroom producers and the best budget studio monitors you can buy for $200-$400.

About IK Multimedia

IK Multimedia was founded in Modena, Italy, in 1996.

The company motto is “Musicians First,” which means they’re also musicians! So to cater to fellow musicians, they create products that they themselves would use.

This way, you could say that their products are immediately tried and tested by the creators themselves. Doing so ensures that what they’re offering definitely WORKS.

They were also the pioneers of the mobile music industry with apps like the following to connect the guitar and bass to mobile devices.

AmpliTube
AmpliTube Fender
iRig

They even have solutions for keyboardists, vocalists, and DJs! As for hardware, they offer:

Audio interfaces
Monitors
Mics
FX pedals
Accessories

You should also know that various artists have used IK Multimedia’s products, including the Rolling Stones, Eminem, and Coldplay.

With the company’s motto and credentials, you can be sure that ANYTHING they produce will undoubtedly help your audio sound good!

Высокая мощность, наименьшая площадь

Когда был выпущен оригинальный динамик iLoud он установил новый стандарт для портативной мощности и точности звучания в ультрамалом портативном форм-факторе. iLoud Micro Monitor — это естественная эволюция этой концепции дизайна, как и популярный предшественник, предлагающий абсолютно новый и непревзойденный звуковой опыт. iLoud Micro Monitor специально разработан для небольших импровизированных рабочих пространств — студий в спальне, небольших проектных студий, туровых автобусов или номера в отеле, и они идеально подходят в качестве дополнительной референсной системы мониторинга для суперближнего поля прослушивания.

Каждый твитер и вуфер разгоняется от ультраэффективных усилителей мощности класса D, которые толкают в общей сложности 50W RMS с поразительным низкочастотным откликом вплоть до 55 Гц (-3 дб) — лучший басовый отклик в своей категории. Каждый монитор вмещает 3/4” твитер с шелковой купольной мембраной, 3” вуфер, выполненный из композитного материала большой жесткости, и широкий передний отражатель басов. Благодаря этим особенностям, он способен дать гладкие высокие частоты, исключительно открытые, сфокусированные средние, и плотный контролируемый низ. Проще говоря, звук iLoud Micro Monitor настолько хорош, что это почти немыслимо для акустической системы такого размера и по такой цене.

Micro Machine

While the performance is almost impossibly impressive given the size of these speakers, the price isn’t equally modest. The cost comes somewhere between an entry level monitor and the “it’s starting to get serious now” territory inhabited by the likes of Adam, PreSonus, Mackie, Eve and others. Nevertheless, if you need a pair of very capable monitors for checking playback when making live recordings or for taking your laptop studio on holiday, they do an unbelievably good job. They are also well suited to the smaller home studio that’s maybe based on a desk stuck in the corner of a bedroom. If a super compact monitor appeals to you, then I’d urge you to try to get to listen to a pair of iLouds — because if you don’t, you just won’t believe how good they really are.

In terms of driver arrangement, the Genelec 8010A is probably the nearest equivalent.

Summary

The phrase ‘punch above their weight’ is somewhat overused but in this case it applies perfectly. Despite their pint-pot size, these are very capable monitors and so are ideal for mobile monitoring applications or for use in cramped spaces.

#3: Crossover and driver alignment

Audio drivers are paired in loudspeakers so they can cover low and high frequencies, at varying volumes, without distortion. Audio crossovers split the signal pre-driver into different frequency bands, prior to being amplified. This can also be called an «active crossover.»

The iLoud monitors employ an active crossover method where the two drivers are crossed via a digital signal processor (DSP), which results in the response coming to your ear as a singular sound. In other words, it doesn’t sound like it’s coming from two separate speakers between the tweeter and woofer.

This phenomenon can be visualized via the following diagram:

A diagram of the crossover alignment in the iLoud Micro Monitor and a conventional monitor. |