Short answer: the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM for better sound quality, the HEDD Type 05 A-CORE for the lower price. The IK Multimedia iLoud MTM ranks #21 of 64 powered bookshelf speakers at $800. The HEDD Type 05 A-CORE ranks #23 at $699, $101 cheaper.
What the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM offers: Compact MTM layout (two 3.5” midwoofers flanking a 1” tweeter) powered monitor with 100W per speaker and XLR input, well-suited to desktop/nearfield use with great linearity for mixing or mastering. Includes a genuinely effective auto-room-correction microphone that resolved specific room resonance peaks (150Hz and 220Hz in testing), making the midrange sound noticeably more lifelike. Extensive back-panel switches handle desktop vs. free-field placement plus treble/bass adjustment. Harmonic distortion looks good at a moderate 86dB output, appropriate for a speaker this size. Reasonable value at around $799/pair including the calibration mic. Watch for: Native treble tuning runs hot (about 3dB boosted on-axis); the reviewer found the back-panel -3dB switch too aggressive and preferred roughly -1.5dB via external EQ instead. Vertical MTM lobing means listeners need to stay within about 20-25° of the tweeter axis, or the upper-midrange to treble transition suffers significant suckout. Should never be laid on its side (introduces comb filtering); if it must be, the tweeter needs to be pointed directly at the listener. Bass falls off sharply below its F3 of 51Hz (F10 45Hz) - like a cliff - so a subwoofer is required for anything below about 50Hz. Multitone distortion rises sharply at 96dB/1m; the reviewer recommends not exceeding about 86dB for extended listening at any distance. SPL-limited overall: significant bass loss by 96dB, and dynamic range essentially collapses approaching 102dB; maximum broadband output for the pair tops out around 94dB at 1 meter. Horizontal directivity narrows with frequency rather than staying constant, unlike some rival designs.
What the HEDD Type 05 A-CORE offers: AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter paired with a 5” Honeycomb-compound woofer, hand-assembled and individually tested in Berlin. Pure-analog signal path with no ADC/DAC or DSP dependency, so there’s zero digital latency and no firmware to keep updated. Deepest measured bass extension relative to size in this whole batch: 43.9Hz at -3dB / 37.1Hz at -10dB. Bi-amped 200W total (2x100W ICEpower Class D). 5-year warranty after registration. Watch for: On-axis deviation is the roughest of this batch (aad_on_axis 0.658), and both nbd_on_axis (0.456) and nbd_listening_window (0.404) trail most other speakers added here - a comparatively less linear response than its stablemates. The analog-only design means no room-correction DSP or digital I/O, a deliberate tradeoff versus HEDD’s pricier DSP-based Type 05 MK2 sibling. Sold individually at $714/unit ($1,428/pair).
Buy the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the HEDD Type 05 A-CORE if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| IK Multimedia iLoud MTM | HEDD Type 05 A-CORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $800 Discontinued | $699 |
| Ranked | #21 of 64 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #23 of 64 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 50Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 43.9Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 37.1Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Dimensions | 10.4"H x 5.1"W x 6.3"D (264.2 x 129.5 x 160 mm) | 12.1" x 7.1" x 9.6" (308 x 180 x 245 mm) (12.1 x 7.1 x 9.7 in) each |
| Frequency Response | 50 Hz - 24 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 43Hz - 50kHz |
| Inputs | XLR | RCA unbalanced, XLR/TRS combo balanced |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg | 13.7 lbs / 6.2 kg (13.7 lb) each |
| Drivers | 2x 3.5" (89mm) woofers | AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter, 5" Honeycomb-compound woofer |
| App | No | None (analog-only, no DSP) |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) | Yes, analog High/Low shelving, ±6dB continuous |
| Output Power | 100w Per Speaker | 200W total, bi-amped (2x100W ICEpower Class D) |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Max SPL | - | 112dB per pair at 1m |
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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: $800 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Compact MTM layout (two 3.5” midwoofers flanking a 1” tweeter) powered monitor with 100W per speaker and XLR input, well-suited to desktop/nearfield use with great linearity for mixing or mastering. Includes a genuinely effective auto-room-correction microphone that resolved specific room resonance peaks (150Hz and 220Hz in testing), making the midrange sound noticeably more lifelike. Extensive back-panel switches handle desktop vs. free-field placement plus treble/bass adjustment. Harmonic distortion looks good at a moderate 86dB output, appropriate for a speaker this size. Reasonable value at around $799/pair including the calibration mic.
Cons: Native treble tuning runs hot (about 3dB boosted on-axis); the reviewer found the back-panel -3dB switch too aggressive and preferred roughly -1.5dB via external EQ instead. Vertical MTM lobing means listeners need to stay within about 20-25° of the tweeter axis, or the upper-midrange to treble transition suffers significant suckout. Should never be laid on its side (introduces comb filtering); if it must be, the tweeter needs to be pointed directly at the listener. Bass falls off sharply below its F3 of 51Hz (F10 45Hz) - like a cliff - so a subwoofer is required for anything below about 50Hz. Multitone distortion rises sharply at 96dB/1m; the reviewer recommends not exceeding about 86dB for extended listening at any distance. SPL-limited overall: significant bass loss by 96dB, and dynamic range essentially collapses approaching 102dB; maximum broadband output for the pair tops out around 94dB at 1 meter. Horizontal directivity narrows with frequency rather than staying constant, unlike some rival designs. Discontinued.
Full IK Multimedia iLoud MTM review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 50Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Dimensions | 10.4"H x 5.1"W x 6.3"D (264.2 x 129.5 x 160 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 3.5" (89mm) woofers |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 50 Hz - 24 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR |
| Output Power | 100w Per Speaker |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Audio Science Review Measurements More from Audio Science Review →
- DSAUDIO.review: IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs Genelec 8020D Sound & Frequency Response Comparison More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIOreview: IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs iLoud Micro Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs KRK Rokit 5 G4 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs Edifier S3000 Pro Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Neumann KH80 DSP vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Adam Audio A3X vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Yamaha HS8 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- Audio Science Review Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for IK Multimedia iLoud MTM Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
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- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs Airpulse A100
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- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs KEF LSX II LT
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs Kali Audio IN-5
- See all 47 comparisons
HEDD Type 05 A-CORE: $699 Bhphotovideo eBay
Pros: AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter paired with a 5” Honeycomb-compound woofer, hand-assembled and individually tested in Berlin. Pure-analog signal path with no ADC/DAC or DSP dependency, so there’s zero digital latency and no firmware to keep updated. Deepest measured bass extension relative to size in this whole batch: 43.9Hz at -3dB / 37.1Hz at -10dB. Bi-amped 200W total (2x100W ICEpower Class D). 5-year warranty after registration.
Cons: On-axis deviation is the roughest of this batch (aad_on_axis 0.658), and both nbd_on_axis (0.456) and nbd_listening_window (0.404) trail most other speakers added here - a comparatively less linear response than its stablemates. The analog-only design means no room-correction DSP or digital I/O, a deliberate tradeoff versus HEDD’s pricier DSP-based Type 05 MK2 sibling. Sold individually at $714/unit ($1,428/pair).
Full HEDD Type 05 A-CORE review and specifications →
| App | None (analog-only, no DSP) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37.1Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43.9Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Dimensions | 12.1" x 7.1" x 9.6" (308 x 180 x 245 mm) (12.1 x 7.1 x 9.7 in) each |
| Drivers | AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter, 5" Honeycomb-compound woofer |
| EQ | Yes, analog High/Low shelving, ±6dB continuous |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 50kHz |
| Inputs | RCA unbalanced, XLR/TRS combo balanced |
| Max SPL | 112dB per pair at 1m |
| Output Power | 200W total, bi-amped (2x100W ICEpower Class D) |
| Weight | 13.7 lbs / 6.2 kg (13.7 lb) each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs JBL 705P
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs KEF LSX II LT
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs Edifier S2000MKIII
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs KRK Classic 5
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs Kali Audio IN-5
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs Vanatoo Transparent Zero Plus
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs Yamaha HS5
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