IK Multimedia iLoud MTM Review (active monitor)

[kofman13]

If you're a producer/mixer, you're well accustomed with the idea of equalization. These speakers give you the foundation to take measurements and develop a correction for your space. As long as you have them off the desk and otherwise set up properly, they can be made very neutral.

Is there anything better for $700 for the pair, for this kind of all around package with a microphone? (current sale price)

 

[earlevel]

Is there anything better for $700 for the pair, for this kind of all around package with a microphone? (current sale price)

For near-field monitors, at that price point, the combination of positioning flexibly (compactness, use of their stands or mic stand), flat response (certainly when configured—their didn’t sound bad in my room out of the box, but ymmv) that goes relatively low, and quiet amps, it’s already a tough matchup. And that’s before the mic and built-in calibration that’s good enough to get the job done (you can expand capabilities if you want to buy their calibration software, I couldn’t resist on a deal).

From what I’ve seen, the vast majority of people who don’t like them recommend something significantly more expensive. That’s not unreasonably, people can have their own level of what is the minimum acceptable, or just plain “sweet spot”. But it also goes a long way to answering your question—you see very little of, “for the same money, you could get…”

 

[kofman13]

For near-field monitors, at that price point, the combination of positioning flexibly (compactness, use of their stands or mic stand), flat response (certainly when configured—their didn’t sound bad in my room out of the box, but ymmv) that goes relatively low, and quiet amps, it’s already a tough matchup. And that’s before the mic and built-in calibration that’s good enough to get the job done (you can expand capabilities if you want to buy their calibration software, I couldn’t resist on a deal).

From what I’ve seen, the vast majority of people who don’t like them recommend something significantly more expensive. That’s not unreasonably, people can have their own level of what is the minimum acceptable, or just plain “sweet spot”. But it also goes a long way to answering your question—you see very little of, “for the same money, you could get…”

Thanks, i am pretty much sold on them now UNTIL someone responded on a different thread about a 2khz-3khz coil wine issue on MTM and that they had to exchange 5 times to get a silent pair which worried me. upon googling i found some more horror stories. but most are from 2021 before a hardware revision, a few posts after 2021 as well. and all of the users with this issue seem to be in europe running them 220V-240Voltage. no reviews in NA running 110V mentioning coil whine, and even a few EU users mentioned after they used a step down converter to run MTM in 110Voltage, the coil whine went away. i am in north america on 110V so if its just an EU voltage thing, then im okay. i am wondering if you heard this issue from your pair?

 

[Berwhale]

Thanks, i am pretty much sold on them now UNTIL someone responded on a different thread about a 2khz-3khz coil wine issue on MTM and that they had to exchange 5 times to get a silent pair which worried me. upon googling i found some more horror stories. but most are from 2021 before a hardware revision, a few posts after 2021 as well. and all of the users with this issue seem to be in europe running them 220V-240Voltage. no reviews in NA running 110V mentioning coil whine, and even a few EU users mentioned after they used a step down converter to run MTM in 110Voltage, the coil whine went away. i am in north america on 110V so if its just an EU voltage thing, then im okay. i am wondering if you heard this issue from your pair?

My MTM experience...

I bought my MTMs in November 2020 in the UK. I've had no issues with coil whine on either unit.

A couple of months ago, one of the units developed a fault where it would turn itself off without warning. Fortunately, the shop I purchased the MTMs from (Bax Music) offer a 3 year warranty on pretty much everything they sell. So I sent the MTM back for repair and Bax told me they would send it back to IKMultimedia (presumably in Italy).

I didn't want to be without my MTMs for weeks and Amazon happened to have them on offer for £200 each (1/3 off UK list price), so I bought another one. There is no issue with coil whine on this unit and it dropped right into my setup after calibrating it individually.

Around 6 weeks later, I received an e-mail from Bax stating that they were sending a replacement MTM. This arrived last week and judging by the serial number is of a similar vintage to the new unit purchased from Amazon. Again, there is no coil whine with this unit and it dropped straight into my setup after calibration.

I'm now using both new MTMs and have yet to decide whether to keep the old one as a spare or sell it (or perhaps use it in a 5.1 setup when I get around to rebuilding my study = it's only two MTMs and a multichannel DAC away!)

 

[earlevel]

Thanks, i am pretty much sold on them now UNTIL someone responded on a different thread about a 2khz-3khz coil wine issue on MTM and that they had to exchange 5 times to get a silent pair which worried me. upon googling i found some more horror stories. but most are from 2021 before a hardware revision, a few posts after 2021 as well. and all of the users with this issue seem to be in europe running them 220V-240Voltage. no reviews in NA running 110V mentioning coil whine, and even a few EU users mentioned after they used a step down converter to run MTM in 110Voltage, the coil whine went away. i am in north america on 110V so if its just an EU voltage thing, then im okay. i am wondering if you heard this issue from your pair?

Yes, I recall that issue—I believe it was indeed a 220v issue, at least I never heard any US owner complain, just European. And not since the rev. But no, mine have been quiet, since November 2020. I bought at the same price as current. I was lucky to have Black Friday follow a couple of weeks later that knocked $150 off the pair, BH credited back to me, but my opinion was already that I was happy spending $700 on them.

 

[solderdude]

Both I as well as my son both have MTM.
230V.
No coil whine, no audible noise (both bought in 2021)

 

[DarginMahkum]

I just got these for my wife's home studio and we were both quite impressed with how good they are, especially considering calibration, ergonomics and compactness. No noise issues. I also got the smaller micro monitors on my desk which I am super happy with (I don't need much subbass).

I actually knew the company from their software products like Amplitube and surprised that they have such good monitors nobody talks about.

 

[LunaRay]

I have used them for 1year already and I love them, definitely worth putting them on a mic stand to be at head level.
I use them at low levels in a city center flat.

Do you guys recommend setting low cut at? Currently I have 50Hz

 

[solderdude]

Depends on how loud you want to play basically and whether or not you have a sub.

Mine is set at 40Hz... If I want to go lower at higher levels headphones are the way to go.

 

[LunaRay]

Thanks! I thought it was not recommended!

 

[Berwhale]

I have used them for 1year already and I love them, definitely worth putting them on a mic stand to be at head level.
I use them at low levels in a city center flat.

Do you guys recommend setting low cut at? Currently I have 50Hz

I have mine set to 80hz, but that's with a sub which is also set to high pass 80hz (the sub is in-line between my DAC and MTMs).

 

[Chromatischism]

Mine are set to 40Hz.

 

[solderdude]

Thanks! I thought it was not recommended!

For nearfield and low level listening it is fine.

 

[LunaRay]

Can anyone recommend me upgrade from those? I listen at low levels in a small room.
Budget let's say 2-3x the cost of ilouds.
I use Mbox Studio as DAC.
I don't want a sub, because I don't want to disturb neighbors.

Maybe KH120II + MA1?

 

[solderdude]

Built-in room correction ?

Upgrade in what sense ?

https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/iloudprecision/?pkey=iloud-precision-mtm-versions

perhaps ? but for this amount you are in budget Neumann and Genelec territory already.

 

[LunaRay]

-- Built-in room correction ?
yes

-- Upgrade in what sense?
I wondering if buying more expensive gear would be profitable for me, I work as mixing engineer and audio plugin developer, and maybe I can hear more with those

Recently I bought dt1990 and It was mind-blowing, because before that I used hd600 a lot

 

[MKreroo]

I bought my pair sometime around late 2022 and they have been working just fine.
Since my pair is connected to 5K, I have set the LF cut at 50Hz, with another high-pass set to 50hz in the 5K to further cut any <50hz signal. Per SOS it seems the distortion at 60Hz LF is pretty decent, while 40Hz is pretty bad, I suppose 50 is a ok mid-ground for distortion but also "enough" bass.

On another note, I'm still not sure how the rear volume knob should be positioned for them to reach decent volume while avoid input clip. I have notice at higher/max volume position the hiss coming from tweeters are much louder than at min/lower.

 

[Berwhale]

On another note, I'm still not sure how the rear volume knob should be positioned for them to reach decent volume while avoid input clip. I have notice at higher/max volume position the hiss coming from tweeters are much louder than at min/lower.

Page 10 of the manual...

7. Turn your audio playback system on (Mixing console, Audio interface, etc.). Make sure you have set the
proper input sensitivity using the SENS button, then set the volume control to MAX (full clockwise). This
is the reference position for the SPL calibrated values in the specs. Adjust the volume control to a lower
position only if needed or only in case you require different levels between the speakers.

Personally, I run the volume around 12 o'clock and then adjust for LR balance.

 

[earlevel]

On another note, I'm still not sure how the rear volume knob should be positioned for them to reach decent volume while avoid input clip. I have notice at higher/max volume position the hiss coming from tweeters are much louder than at min/lower.

Personally, I run the volume around 12 o'clock and then adjust for LR balance.

Just looked at the back of mine—yep, 12 o'clock.

But basically I set them so they were as loud as I'd normally want to listen to for loud levels, with my DAC set to -10 dBFS—giving me a little headroom for unusually low input.

That means that if I just want the output loud enough to hear dialog or other things I'd like to hear sitting in front of the computer in a quiet room, the DAC is set around -30. Bump it up from there for something I want to hear better. That's digital (negative) gain, of course, and it's not wasting enough bits to matter for a 24-bit DAC.

Fully clockwise like the manual says isn't optimal for digital gain control of levels, though there isn't enough volume difference between 12 o' and fully clockwise to matter with 24 bits—you won't lose enough bits to hear it. And I don't hear any hiss either way, with my ear up to the speaker.