Short answer: the Kali LP-UNF. It ranks #8 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $349; the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII ranks #20 and costs $799.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Kali LP-UNF: 1” dome tweeter on a waveguide crossed unusually low at 1.9kHz to a 4.5” ported midwoofer, giving wide vertical dispersion (about ±30-40° off the tweeter/mid reference axis) for a two-way design - well beyond the typical ±10-15°. The catch: F3 of 54Hz and F10 of 39Hz mean bass rolls off quickly below about 40Hz, bottoming out around 50Hz in-room.
What the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII gets right: 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. Set against that: 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.
Buy the Kali LP-UNF. It ranks higher for sound quality than the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Kali LP-UNF | IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.00 | $799.99 |
| Ranked | #8 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #20 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 46.3Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 52.7Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, USB-C (digital), RCA, TRS | XLR |
| Drivers | 4.5" woofer, 1" Textile Dome tweeter | 2x 3.5" (89mm) woofers, 1" silk dome tweeter |
| App | No | Yes (X-MONITOR speaker emulation) |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| EQ | No | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) each |
| Sensitivity | 88.1dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Dimensions | - | 10.4"H x 5.1"W x 6.3"D (264.2 x 129.5 x 160 mm) |
| Frequency Response | - | 48 Hz - 28 kHz (±2dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | - | 100w Per Speaker |
| Max SPL | - | 112.5dB peak |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Kali Audio IN-5 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- Yamaha HS5 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- Kali Audio IN-5 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
- Yamaha HS5 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
The Two Speakers In Full
Kali LP-UNF: $349.00 Amazon
Pros: 1” dome tweeter on a waveguide crossed unusually low at 1.9kHz to a 4.5” ported midwoofer, giving wide vertical dispersion (about ±30-40° off the tweeter/mid reference axis) for a two-way design - well beyond the typical ±10-15°. Extensive dip-switch tuning covers desk vs. free-standing placement, near-wall (<0.5m) compensation, and ±2dB treble/bass adjustment. Distortion stays below 3% at 86dB; the reviewer calls it the best-measuring powered desktop monitor he’s tested, ahead of competitors like the PreSonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen and Fosi SP3, which he describes as having one-note bass and roughly a 7dB midrange suckout. USB-C, RCA, TRS, and Bluetooth inputs; the secondary speaker is powered through a link cable from the primary unit rather than needing its own separate power connection. At $300/pair, called a no-brainer recommendation for a compact desktop monitor.
Cons: F3 of 54Hz and F10 of 39Hz mean bass rolls off quickly below about 40Hz, bottoming out around 50Hz in-room. No dedicated subwoofer output - pairing with an outboard sub (routing its own crossover back through the mains) is the only way to extend bass further. A built-in limiter caps real-world maximum output around 91dB/1m per speaker, about 5dB below the 96dB target used in compression testing, and distortion climbs past 3% beyond that point. Designed strictly for near-field use (about 0.8m recommended listening distance), not for filling a larger room at volume.
Full Kali LP-UNF review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Drivers | 4.5" woofer, 1" Textile Dome tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, USB-C (digital), RCA, TRS |
| Sensitivity | 88.1dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner Review Measurements
- Erin’s Audio Corner: The Perfect Desktop Speaker? Kali LP-UNF.
- Erin’s Audio Corner: The Best Budget Desktop Speakers, Tested & Rated
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Absolute Favorite Products of 2024 Revealed
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 10 Great (and Terrible) Speakers Under $300!
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for Kali LP-UNF Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII: $799.99 Amazon
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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- 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 Edifier Airpulse A100
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs KEF LS50 Wireless II
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs Kali Audio IN-5
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs KEF LSX II LT
- See all 26 comparisons