Some of you may be aware that I had recently been looking to replace my Behringer USB 50 monitors with something smaller but offering better-quality sound. The IK Multimedia iLoud Micro monitors have been receiving positive reviews for quite some time, so I finally decided on a pair of those.
If you’re looking for something space-saving but don’t want to fork out for Genelecs, these could be for you. They are incredibly small! I can fit them on either side of my screen with room to spare.
The build quality is excellent. The housings are all plastic, but they feel very solid. Each speaker has a built-in flip-out stand on the front bottom edge, allowing them to sit at an angle on the desk. Additionally, there’s a mounting point for speaker/mic stands, which is quite handy.
Connections are where I would mark them down. I know space constraints are a factor here, but there are just left/right RCA inputs and a 3.5mm input. Not ideal. However, they also include Bluetooth, which I assume was considered sufficient. In my case, it wasn’t. I’m using a Mac Mini M4, which only has USB-C ports and a headphone output. Unfortunately, the headphone output doesn’t work with the iLoud. I had to purchase a USB-C to 3.5mm lead with a built-in DAC. That works fine.
I could have used Bluetooth as it connects to the Mac flawlessly and works for most tasks, except when playing software instruments via a controller keyboard. There is noticeable latency, which is why I needed a wired connection.
There are some EQ controls on the rear of one speaker: Flat/Desk, Flat/HF+2dB, and Flat/LF-3dB. There’s also a volume control centered at 0dB, with a range from -∞ to +6dB.
The right-hand speaker connects to the left via a long, chunky cable. There’s more than enough length to stretch across my desk.
So, how do they sound? Surprisingly, there’s a good amount of low end—far more than I thought would be possible from such small speakers. This is with the Flat/Desk setting on Desk. If set to Flat, it rolls off quite a bit and is, I suppose, more natural, but not as pleasing to my ears.
The mids are “okay,” although I feel they get a little lost at times. The highs can occasionally be a bit harsh.
It really depends on the source material. Jazz and classical music tend to sound great, with a lot of detail I hadn’t noticed before. However, when playing more modern music, things can get a little out of control, especially when the mix is busy. I wouldn’t say it’s unpleasant, but it’s not as good as I expected based on all the reviews I’ve seen. Then I remember—many of those reviews are from people with a vested interest, as they were given the speakers for free!
Are they a good buy? If you can get them in a Black Friday sale, I’d say they’re decent. Certainly better than what I had before, and overall, I’m quite pleased with them… but I’m now eyeing the Adam D3V. They’re a bit more expensive, but I think they might be a better deal.
