Take a quick look at the tiny grilles on either side of your keyboard (or on the edge of the screen, projecting outwards from your portable device) if you’re reading this on a laptop.
Now take a look at the powered speaker set up above; each one is outfitted with dual woofers measuring four inches in diameter, a silk dome tweeter measuring one inch in diameter, a 5.25-inch passive radiator, and 50W of class D amplification, and can be toed in (or out; hey, it’s your system) to find the sweet spot. It’s hardly a competition, is it?
The Monolith MTM 100 is not only a powerful 100W proposition but also a well-connected one; you can connect it wirelessly to your compact smartphone and computer via Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD, or you can use the included RCA cables for analog listening, the 3.5mm aux-in jack, the Toslink optical cable, or the USB-C port to connect digitally and use the onboard high-performance DAC to listen to your music.
To top it all off, they feature a wireless control and an input for a subwoofer, two features that, let’s be honest, even the best Bluetooth speakers lack.
The MidnightMagicSounds crew takes pleasure in having tested some of the best party speakers on the market, so they know exactly what it takes in terms of sound quality (and loudness) to get a party going in full swing, and this is it.
To quickly define powered speakers, consider that the goods in our best stereo speakers guide fall into one of three types: active, powered, or passive. My favorite slightly spooky Wilson Audio speakers indicate that passive speakers, the classic driver-filled enclosures that require an additional pre/power amp combo to produce sound, need not appear traditional.
When the amp’s signal reaches these enclosures, a crossover in the speakers automatically distributes the correct frequencies to the various drivers (tweeter, midrange driver, woofer, etc.)
All of that amplification is already integrated into active speakers, and, more importantly, each “way” has its own amplifier. A two-way speaker consists of a tweeter and a midrange/bass driver unit and is powered by two separate amplifier modules connected by an “active” crossover.
Then, we have potent speakers like these (although another good example is the Q Acoustics M20 HD). A built-in amplifier still powers the system’s drivers, but in this case, it is typically hidden away in one of the enclosures. This setup designates one speaker as the “master” and the other as the “slave” in the system.
It is common knowledge that powered speakers are less expensive than passive ones, as they eliminate the need for separate hi-fi components and additional dedicated amplifier modules (in active speakers).
Even though I have not heard them yet, I believe these speakers are worth announcing because they cost only $499.99 (about £440 or AU$795; we are waiting on the official price).
See, that’s $100 less expensive than the Q Acoustics choice up top, although it’s worth noting that you’re receiving 2 x 65W of power there, which is a little excessive for the typical office environment.
My suggestion? An alternative to even one of the finest PC gaming headsets or best computer speakers, the Monoprice Monolith MTM 100 is well worth a look if you’re an ardent gamer, musician, content creator, or just someone who likes excellent audio at their desk and needs a choice of connecting options.
I am a technology journalist with a passion for all things tech, writing about all the latest gadgets and gizmos. I love learning about new technology and sharing my knowledge with others.
