The LCM Nearfield Monitor DIY ranks #21 out of 48 total Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers for sound quality. See all Powered Home rankings for every top pick.
Prices on this page were last checked October 20, 2026 at 10:35 PM 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.
#21 LCM Nearfield Monitor DIY: $200 per pair estimated parts cost eBay
Pros: A tiny active monitor with a 3D-printed enclosure, a Tang Band W3-1876S 3-inch woofer and a Tectonic 2-inch BMR, driven by a Dayton Audio KABD-4100 amplifier board with SigmaStudio DSP. Its DSP voicing measures well for the size: the Spinorama preference score is 4.74, rising to 6.40 with a subwoofer, and the predicted in-room response is smooth (narrow-band deviation 0.346). At the measured level the DSP pulls bass down to about 38Hz at -3dB and 32Hz at -10dB, far deeper than a 3-inch driver manages unassisted. Directivity is consistent (SPDI deviation 2.7), the build instructions are free, and the footprint fits a crowded desk. Measured bass extension of 38Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Output is the hard limit: Erin reached only about 90dB at 1m, and the compression test could compare just 76 and 86dB. At higher volume a resonance and rising distortion around 200Hz become audible, so the deep DSP bass extension only holds at modest desk levels. The on-axis and listening-window curves tilt upward (narrow-band deviation 0.631 and 0.567), so the midrange benefits from a small EQ correction. Building it means printing the enclosures, sourcing drivers and the amplifier board, and loading the DSP configuration, so it is a project rather than a product.
Is the LCM Nearfield Monitor DIY right for you?
Buy it if
- you want deep bass without a subwoofer (-3 dB at 38 Hz).
Skip it if
- you want to stream from a phone without an adapter: it has no Bluetooth.
- you want the best value: the higher-rated Edifier M60 costs about $30 less.
| Released | 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | Dayton Audio KABD-4100 board, 4 x 100W with SigmaStudio DSP |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| DIY Kit | Yes |
| Drivers | 3” Tang Band W3-1876S woofer, 2” Tectonic TEBM35C10-4 BMR |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.74 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.40 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
Frequency Response
How the LCM Nearfield Monitor DIY measures across the audible range. A flatter listening window (the sound arriving straight at you) is more neutral: peaks sound forward or harsh, dips sound recessed. The estimated in-room response adds what a typical room does, and there a gentle, even tilt down toward the treble is ideal. Both curves are shifted so their 300 Hz to 3 kHz average sits at 0 dB.
Measurement data: spinorama.org, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner.
EQ for a Neutral Response
Flattens the measured listening window from the LCM Nearfield Monitor DIY's own bass extension up to 16 kHz. Set a preamp of -0.5 dB, then add these filters to any parametric equalizer in the signal path: the speaker's app or DSP if it has parametric EQ, a miniDSP, Equalizer APO or Wavelet. Boosts are kept to 3 dB, and EQ cannot fix how evenly the speaker spreads sound off-axis, which is why some speakers gain more than others. Predicted preference score with this EQ: 5.7, up from 4.7 (7.3 with an ideal subwoofer, up from 6.4). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from the spinorama measurements above.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| High shelf | 8,000 Hz | -0.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 860 Hz | +0.8 dB | 0.77 |
| Peak | 1,245 Hz | -1.5 dB | 1.66 |
| Peak | 3,564 Hz | -2.3 dB | 1.23 |
Questions about the LCM Nearfield Monitor DIY? Ask other owners on r/Powered_Speakers.