Short answer: the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII. It ranks #20 of 64 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $799.99; the Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2 ranks #24 and costs $18043.20, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII offers: Compact MTM layout (two 3.5” midwoofers flanking a 1” tweeter) powered monitor rated at 100W per speaker with XLR input, sold as a pair with an ARC room-correction microphone included. Well-suited to nearfield desktop use, with linearity good enough for mixing or mastering. The bundled auto room-correction mic is genuinely effective - in testing it resolved specific room resonance peaks around 150Hz and 220Hz, making the midrange sound noticeably more lifelike. Back-panel switches allow desktop vs. free-field placement plus treble and bass trim. Harmonic distortion is good at a moderate 86dB output, appropriate for a speaker of this size. Watch for: Native treble tuning still runs about 3dB hot on-axis; the back-panel -3dB treble switch overcorrects, and roughly -1.5dB via external EQ works better. Vertical MTM lobing means staying within about 20-25° of the tweeter axis, or the upper-midrange to treble transition suffers significant suckout - the speaker should never be laid on its side unless the tweeter is pointed directly at the listener, or comb filtering results. Bass falls off sharply below its F3 of 51Hz (F10 45Hz), so a subwoofer is needed for anything lower. Multitone distortion rises sharply at 96dB/1m, and the reviewer recommends not exceeding about 86dB for extended listening at any distance - broadband output for the pair tops out around 94dB at 1 meter, with dynamic range essentially collapsing approaching 102dB. Horizontal directivity narrows with frequency rather than staying constant. Adding a subwoofer with an 80Hz crossover doesn’t meaningfully improve the distortion headroom, even though it does extend the low end.
What the Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2 offers: The best-measuring of Sigberg’s three active systems, with a 6.74 Spinorama preference score with a perfect subwoofer versus 6.26 for the SBS.1 and 5.91 for the Manta. This is the appropriate apples-to-apples comparison because all three are designed for use with companion subwoofers. Unlike the other two measurements, the SBS Gen 2 data includes its subwoofer and verifies 24Hz bass extension. Its updated asymmetric 1st/3rd-order linear-phase crossover also delivers the best on-axis linearity and in-room and sound-power smoothness of the three. Active 3-channel Hypex nCore Class D amplification (350W per speaker) includes a 9-band parametric EQ. Watch for: Slightly wider directivity variation than the Manta (spinorama directivity index standard deviation 3.27 versus 2.50), though broadly comparable to the SBS.1’s 3.19. Sold only as a complete speaker-and-subwoofer system with pricing well into flagship territory. Built to order with a lead time of several months.
Buy the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII | Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $799.99 | $18,043.20 for the full system (2 speakers + 2 dedicated subwoofers, built to order) |
| Ranked | #20 of 64 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #24 of 64 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 10.4"H x 5.1"W x 6.3"D (264.2 x 129.5 x 160 mm) | 16.1"H x 7.5"W x 9.1"D (410 x 190 x 230 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 48 Hz - 28 kHz (±2dB) (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52.7Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 24Hz (measured, spinorama.org, with companion subwoofer) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 46.3Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Inputs | XLR | XLR, RCA, Optical, Coaxial/SPDIF, AES |
| Drivers | 2x 3.5" (89mm) woofers, 1" silk dome tweeter | 5.5" midbass, 5.5" coaxial mid/tweeter with 1" silk dome |
| App | Yes (X-MONITOR speaker emulation) | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) | Yes (9-band parametric, factory presets) |
| Output Power | 100w Per Speaker | 350W per speaker |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) each | 20.9 lbs / 9.5 kg each |
| Max SPL | 112.5dB peak | 116dB |
| Enclosure | - | sealed |
| DSP | - | Yes |
| Country | - | Norway |
| Measurement Source | - | Manufacturer |
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- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs Genelec 8331A
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs Genelec 8331A
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs Kali Audio SM-5
- Edifier S2000MKIII vs Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2
Prices on this page were last checked August 25, 2026 at 6:19 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII: $799.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Compact MTM layout (two 3.5” midwoofers flanking a 1” tweeter) powered monitor rated at 100W per speaker with XLR input, sold as a pair with an ARC room-correction microphone included. Well-suited to nearfield desktop use, with linearity good enough for mixing or mastering. The bundled auto room-correction mic is genuinely effective - in testing it resolved specific room resonance peaks around 150Hz and 220Hz, making the midrange sound noticeably more lifelike. Back-panel switches allow desktop vs. free-field placement plus treble and bass trim. Harmonic distortion is good at a moderate 86dB output, appropriate for a speaker of this size.
Cons: Native treble tuning still runs about 3dB hot on-axis; the back-panel -3dB treble switch overcorrects, and roughly -1.5dB via external EQ works better. Vertical MTM lobing means staying within about 20-25° of the tweeter axis, or the upper-midrange to treble transition suffers significant suckout - the speaker should never be laid on its side unless the tweeter is pointed directly at the listener, or comb filtering results. Bass falls off sharply below its F3 of 51Hz (F10 45Hz), so a subwoofer is needed for anything lower. Multitone distortion rises sharply at 96dB/1m, and the reviewer recommends not exceeding about 86dB for extended listening at any distance - broadband output for the pair tops out around 94dB at 1 meter, with dynamic range essentially collapsing approaching 102dB. Horizontal directivity narrows with frequency rather than staying constant. Adding a subwoofer with an 80Hz crossover doesn’t meaningfully improve the distortion headroom, even though it does extend the low end.
Full IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII review and specifications →
| App | Yes (X-MONITOR speaker emulation) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 46.3Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52.7Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Dimensions | 10.4"H x 5.1"W x 6.3"D (264.2 x 129.5 x 160 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 3.5" (89mm) woofers, 1" silk dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 48 Hz - 28 kHz (±2dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR |
| Max SPL | 112.5dB peak |
| Output Power | 100w Per Speaker |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs Presonus Eris E5 XT
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs JBL 705P
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs Airpulse A100
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs HEDD Type 05 A-CORE
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs KEF LS50 Wireless II
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs Kali Audio IN-5
- See all 62 comparisons
Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2: $18,043.20 for the full system (2 speakers + 2 dedicated subwoofers, built to order) Sigberg Audio eBay
Pros: The best-measuring of Sigberg’s three active systems, with a 6.74 Spinorama preference score with a perfect subwoofer versus 6.26 for the SBS.1 and 5.91 for the Manta. This is the appropriate apples-to-apples comparison because all three are designed for use with companion subwoofers. Unlike the other two measurements, the SBS Gen 2 data includes its subwoofer and verifies 24Hz bass extension. Its updated asymmetric 1st/3rd-order linear-phase crossover also delivers the best on-axis linearity and in-room and sound-power smoothness of the three. Active 3-channel Hypex nCore Class D amplification (350W per speaker) includes a 9-band parametric EQ.
Cons: Slightly wider directivity variation than the Manta (spinorama directivity index standard deviation 3.27 versus 2.50), though broadly comparable to the SBS.1’s 3.19. Sold only as a complete speaker-and-subwoofer system with pricing well into flagship territory. Built to order with a lead time of several months.
Full Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 24Hz (measured, spinorama.org, with companion subwoofer) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Country | Norway |
| DSP | Yes |
| Dimensions | 16.1"H x 7.5"W x 9.1"D (410 x 190 x 230 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.5" midbass, 5.5" coaxial mid/tweeter with 1" silk dome |
| EQ | Yes (9-band parametric, factory presets) |
| Enclosure | sealed |
| Inputs | XLR, RCA, Optical, Coaxial/SPDIF, AES |
| Max SPL | 116dB |
| Measurement Source | Manufacturer |
| Output Power | 350W per speaker |
| Weight | 20.9 lbs / 9.5 kg each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2 vs KEF LSX II LT
- Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2 vs Edifier S2000MKIII
- Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2 vs KRK Classic 5
- Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2 vs Kali Audio IN-5
- Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2 vs Yamaha HS5
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