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.1 ranks #37 and costs $2500, 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.1 offers: Its 6.26 Spinorama preference score with a perfect subwoofer is the appropriate bass-normalized result because the SBS.1 is designed as a system with companion subwoofers, not for standalone use. That score exceeds the Manta’s 5.91, supported by better on-axis linearity and in-room smoothness above the subwoofer range. Distinctive 4-way coaxial design with dual 5.5” midbass drivers flanking a coincident 1” tweeter for time-aligned output. Active 3-channel Hypex nCore Class D amplification (350W per speaker) with a 9-band parametric EQ and factory presets. Watch for: Its 6.26 preference score with a perfect subwoofer trails the SBS Gen 2’s 6.74, and it has the widest listening-window deviation of the three Sigberg systems. Discontinued and sold out, replaced by the SBS Gen 2.
Buy the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sigberg Audio SBS.1 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.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $799.99 | $2,500.00 2023 listing, per speaker; requires a separate subwoofer, Discontinued |
| Ranked | #20 of 64 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #37 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) | 18Hz (manufacturer, with companion subwoofers) |
| 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 | 2x 5.5" midbass, 1" coaxial silk dome tweeter |
| 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 |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs KEF LS50 Wireless II
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs Kali Audio SM-5
- Edifier R1280T vs Kali Audio SM-5
- Edifier S2000MKIII vs Sigberg Audio SBS.1
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs Sigberg Audio SBS.1
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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 Sigberg Audio SBS Gen 2
- See all 62 comparisons
Sigberg Audio SBS.1: $2,500.00 2023 listing, per speaker; requires a separate subwoofer, Discontinued eBay
Pros: Its 6.26 Spinorama preference score with a perfect subwoofer is the appropriate bass-normalized result because the SBS.1 is designed as a system with companion subwoofers, not for standalone use. That score exceeds the Manta’s 5.91, supported by better on-axis linearity and in-room smoothness above the subwoofer range. Distinctive 4-way coaxial design with dual 5.5” midbass drivers flanking a coincident 1” tweeter for time-aligned output. Active 3-channel Hypex nCore Class D amplification (350W per speaker) with a 9-band parametric EQ and factory presets.
Cons: Its 6.26 preference score with a perfect subwoofer trails the SBS Gen 2’s 6.74, and it has the widest listening-window deviation of the three Sigberg systems. Discontinued and sold out, replaced by the SBS Gen 2. Discontinued.
Full Sigberg Audio SBS.1 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 18Hz (manufacturer, with companion subwoofers) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Country | Norway |
| DSP | Yes |
| Dimensions | 16.1"H x 7.5"W x 9.1"D (410 x 190 x 230 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 5.5" midbass, 1" coaxial silk dome tweeter |
| 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.1 vs Edifier R1280DB
- Sigberg Audio SBS.1 vs KRK Classic 5
- Sigberg Audio SBS.1 vs Edifier S2000MKIII
- Sigberg Audio SBS.1 vs KEF LSX II LT
- Sigberg Audio SBS.1 vs Kali Audio IN-5
- Sigberg Audio SBS.1 vs Yamaha HS5
- Sigberg Audio SBS.1 vs Adam Audio T5V
- Sigberg Audio SBS.1 vs JBL 305P MKII
- See all 10 comparisons