These studio monitors go toe-to-toe with my favorite speakers, and they cost much less

I group desktop speakers into three camps:

Low-end speakers for those on a tight budget and who don't really care how they soundMid-range speakers for those still on a budget but want them to sound good
High-end speakers for those not on a budget and who want the best sound they can get for their money

Most consumers fall into the mid-range category because serious audio costs serious money, but they don't want to drop $10,000 on a pair of desktop speakers.

Fortunately, there are speakers that sort of lurk in the shadows of the three categories, refusing to be pigeonholed into one or the other. Those types of speakers often deliver far better sound than their price would indicate. Such is the case with my KEF LS50 Meta speakers, which cost around $1,000, and most recently, the IK Multimedia MTM MKII compact studio monitors.

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There's a big difference between standard desktop speakers and studio monitors. Desktop speakers tend to color the sound so it best represents the acoustic trend of the day, while studio monitors tend to go with a more flat frequency range to present the sound how the artist intended.

The "studio monitor" moniker should also give you a clue that these speakers aren't quite as plug-and-play as what you're used to. To use these speakers, you'll need an audio interface that let you connect them either via ¼ phone plug or XLR. There is no Bluetooth or USB-C connector available, so if that's your only option, you should look away from these beauties.

I connected the iLoud MTM MKII speakers to a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2, which then connected to my MacBook Pro, and then the fun began. Before I get into that, let's talk specs.

The specs

Frequency range - 48Hz to 28kHz ±2 dB, 36Hz to 32kHz at -10 dBLinear phase sound
Room calibration via ARC calibration
Two 3.5" woofers
One back-chamber loaded tweeter
Power -- 100 watts (RMS): 70 watts for bass/mids, 30 watts for treble
Adjustable low-frequency extension, LF/HF trim, sensitivity, and acoustic self-calibration
Can be mounted to included stands either vertically or horizontally
Dimensions -- 6"D x 5"W x 10"H
Weight -- 5.2 pounds
Price -- $800 on Amazon

My experience

First off… connecting the speakers. As I mentioned earlier, you have to connect the MTM MKII speakers via ¼ phone or XLR cables. That connection will allow your computer to send signals (sound) to the speakers. If you want to fine-tune the sound (which is done via the X Monitor software), you also have to connect the speakers to your machine using a USB-B to USB-A (or C) cable.

After that, you'll need to download the X Monitor tool, which requires that you first install the IK Product Manager software. Once you've installed X Monitor, you can calibrate the speakers with the included mic. This is an important step for getting the best sound from the speakers. Not only can you use the included ARC MEMS measuring mic to calibrate the sound for your listening area, but you can also select the "voice" of the speakers, meaning you can configure them to sound like other studio monitors.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

After taking care of all of that (it's a lot), I was ready to sit back and listen.

And listen, I did.

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I truly wasn't expecting to hear such accurate, detailed sound from a pair of sub-$1K speakers, but the MTM MKII delivered in ways that had me staring at the speakers with wide eyes.

These speakers are as close to true studio monitors as you'll get at this price, and they produce some of the cleanest, most accurate sound I've heard from a sub-$1K pair of speakers. Still, these are studio monitors, so don't expect massively thumping bass and glass-shattering highs. Instead, you'll hear some of the most accurate sound possible from a mid-range pair of speakers.

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No matter what I listened to with these speakers, the smile on my face refused to vanish. The bass was remarkably agile, the mids were smooth, and the highs were crisp. The most impressive thing about the sound was the accuracy. Every measure I listened to sounded almost as if I was standing in the recording studio, hearing the playback as the sound engineer did their thing.

Yeah, the MTM MKII speakers are that impressive. Because they don't take up much space, they'll fit perfectly on your desk and fill your office with glory.

Who are these speakers for?

If I'm being brutally honest, these speakers are best suited for people who create music or need to hear sound as clearly and accurately as possible. For example, I can imagine using these speakers attached to my iMac for video editing.

That doesn't mean you have to be an artist to appreciate these speakers. If you just want the best sound you can get, without having to drop the dimes for a pair of high-end speakers, the iLoud MTM MKII speakers will impress you and anyone who hears them.

ZDNET's buying advice

For simple plug-and-play desktop speakers, look elsewhere. If you want speakers that can be customized in ways you've never experienced from a desktop speaker and have the time and inclination to do so, these speakers will have you smiling, dancing, banging your head, or basking in your favorite music as it was meant to be heard.

If you have the $800 to spare and the willingness to optimize the sound, the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII speakers are a great buy. I honestly didn't think these speakers could stand toe-to-toe with my KEFs, but they certainly did. 

I haven't been this impressed by a pair of speakers for a while now. At first, I thought maybe it was all a gimmick, but I am happy to report that I was very wrong in that assumption. These speakers are the real deal.