Monoprice In-wall Speaker Review: Battle Of The Best 5
Introduction
When it comes to In-Wall speakers, Monoprice has been known for its glory. But, often people wonder why their speakers are so famous in the market. We’ll tell you why.
The reason why these speakers do so well is because of the price-to-quality ratio. Within a budget price range, you’ll get great sound quality with these in-wall speakers.
As a result, you won’t have much to complain about. But, the price isn’t the only benefit of these speakers. In fact, there’s a lot to know about them.
For this reason, we’ve researched for a while and brought out this guide- monoprice in wall speaker review. Here, we’ve handpicked the 5 best products and discussed their features.
Lastly, we went to the extra yard and brought out the buying guide of these in-wall speakers. So, check it out in order to be more clear about these speakers.
Sounds fun? Join us then-
Comparison Table
Monoprice 134709 2-Way In-Wall Speakers
Product Overview
Drum Rolls! We’re introducing the best In-Wall speakers in our eyes- the Monoprice 134709. And, yes, it’s the battle of specs with these speakers!
So, be it the powerful 160w input power or the large 8-inch size- this 2-way speaker has it all. But, perhaps, the main selling point of this speaker is the “Titanium Silk Drivers”. Hence, let’s talk about it a bit-
These 25mm drivers offer an overall better warm tones projection. So you’ll have an immersive sound experience with the vocals defined in the background.
On the other hand, it comes with 8” aramid fibers. Here, aramid fibers are made of rigid and lightweight materials. And, they help at creating accurate yet clean bass reproduction.
And that’s not all, the lightweight transducer produces lesser distortion and an overall natural sound.
Now, let’s focus on the dome tweeter of this speaker. And, the “titanium silk dome tweeter” will make it easier at adjusting the angles. Here, you’ll just have to press the dome’s sides and tilt it.
So, you can direct the tones where you want. By doing this, you’ll minimize ceiling reflections easily as well.
Moving on, it has an incredible input power of 160w (max). So, they have a louder sound production. And, the 8-ohm impedance maintains the sound clarity all the time.
Speaking of sound clarity, the speaker has a frequency response of 50hz-20khz. So, it’ll transduce frequencies with quite some accuracy at this range.
Even though many don’t buy speakers for the sake of aesthetics, it does matter to some. And, if you’re on this list then you’ll be glad to know about the bezels.
Here, the speakers come with refined bezels. And, you can even install or paint them in order to blend them with the office or home setting easily. So, you have options to redefine these speakers.
In short, these speakers provide better sound quality and impactful bass. Overall, it provides better clarity of sound and maintains sound accuracy. And, if you love what you’ve seen, go purchase it.
Pros
- Produces deep bass
- A lightweight transducer causes lesser distortion
- Produces a natural sound
- Allows adjusting the angles in order to direct tones
- Has an easier installation process
Cons
- Painting the grille could leave a bit of residue
- Too much power causes a bit of distortion
Monoprice 3-Way In-Wall Speakers
Product Overview
Say hello to the first 3-way styled speaker on our list. Now, many people try to compare between 2-way and 3-way styled speakers. In our opinion, it depends on the setup and many other considerations.
Now, this product has almost the same specs as the previous one like 160w input power and frequency response. But, it does lack some features. Hence, we’ve pushed it down to 2nd place. That said, it has a lot to focus on.
So, let’s begin-
First off, it has woofers of carbon fibers in it. Due to carbon fiber being a stiffer and lighter material, you’ll get an impactful bass production all the time.
Moreover, as the material is stiffer, it’ll create better power handling capability as well. And, if you focus on the speaker cone then you’ll see that it’s more power sensitive.
As a result, you won’t require a higher volume for more power. Having a lower volume will allow you to get a high power with these speakers.
On the other hand, the carbon fiber in the woofer allows the speaker to ensure better power handling. And, the best part is that it’ll handle power better and even cause lesser distortion, at the same time.
When compared to the conventional drivers, the carbon fibers in this speaker cause lesser distortion. So, it’s a win-win situation.
And, the mid-range carbon fiber and dome tweeter of this speaker produces crisp and clear mids and highs. As if that’s not enough, you can even fine-tune the sound by using the frequency attenuator. So, if the sound is too high then you’ll have the option of adjusting it.
Moving on, the speaker comes with better aesthetics too. And, the 6.25-inch size can be hidden easily under the ceilings. So, the speaker decreases clutter and you can put it on the bookshelves.
It also comes with a metal grille that disappears from the view and can be painted in order to match the decor. And, when it comes to installation, life gets even easier.
Just use cutout templates at marking the walls. Then, cut them off using a screwdriver and secure speaker using the mounting tabs. But, you’ll need to install the mounting tabs firstly in order to secure them in place.
Pros
- Has an easier installation process
- Metal grille disappears from view
- Maintains sound clarity and accuracy
- Produces impactful bass
- Requires low volume to produce higher sound
Cons
- Power handling needs improvement
- Mounting screws need individual tightening firstly
Monoprice 5.25 Inch 2 Way In-Wall Speakers
Product Overview
Introducing the budget-friendly In-Wall speaker of our list. This 2-way speaker is favored by many. But there are other unique specifications like the size and wattage.
So, let’s break down the features one-by-one in the section below-
The first thing you’ll notice is the size itself, the speaker comes in a 5.25-inch size. In fact, it’s the smallest speaker on the list. So, you can hide it easily in the ceilings as it won’t take up much space.
Now, comes the interesting part- the sound production. And, let me tell you something, you’ll love the sound produced by this bad boy.
Even though it has a smaller size, it’s able to produce louder bass. And, the powerful sound production happens because of the 100W input power.
Besides, the oversized magnets come into play for producing the louder bass from these speakers. So, you can play that funky music without hesitation.
As it is a 2-way speaker, it’ll consist of woofers and tweeters. Here, the speaker comes with aramid cone woofers that provide distortion-free sounds. Hence, you’ll have an overall better sound clarity.
Following the distortion-free sounds is the cleaner bass production as well. The speaker comes with a “Kevlar Fiber Driver”. As kevlar itself is lighter, it’ll produce an overall clean bass. So, you’ll have a loud and clear bass.
Moving on to the tweeters, the speakers have “Titanium Silk Dome”. These tweeters offer better warm tones all the time. As a result, you can isolate the vocals and have a detailed yet clear sound from these speakers.
And, the tweeters can be pivoted. This means you can turn the acoustics towards a listening position that’ll provide a better immersive experience.
Other than that, this speaker does come with a magnetic grille. Well, they’re pretty easy to install as you’ll just need to align them. Later, fit them to their place by pressure.
As it’s magnetic, you’ll need to snap it for the installation and lift it up for the removal process. This does save up much time and effort. Another thing that saves uptime is the snap-lock tabs.
These mounting tabs reduce the time of installation significantly. But, how? Well, you’ll just need to position the speaker into place. After this, push the mounting tabs on the speakers that’ll secure them. And, for removing the speakers, just disengage the snap lock.
In the end, these small-sized speakers provide a louder and powerful sound production all the time. But, it isn’t only about loud sound, they work at providing clear and crisp sound as well.
So, if you like what you’ve seen till this point, go for this product.
Pros
- Allows surround sound
- Provides a loud bass
- Offers better sound clarity
- Affordable
- Hides easily in the ceilings due to the smaller size
Cons
- Could be louder
- Bass production needs improvement in clarity
Monoprice 10 Inch In-Wall Speaker
Product Overview
Say hello to the largest speaker on this list. This 10-inch speaker is an absolute beast when it comes to loud sound production. Don’t believe me? The 300w max power input of this speaker says otherwise.
And, yes, the large size of this product and the incredible input power are the main selling points. Another thing unique about the speaker is the subwoofer style. Unlike the other products, it doesn’t arrive in a 2-way or 3-way style.
Now, the benefit of having a subwoofer is that it’ll produce lower frequency sounds more effectively. So, these speakers ensure that the sound quality of almost every genre of music is improved.
In accordance with this style, the speaker comes with 1” tweeters of silk dome. As a result, you’ll have better clarity of sound and can focus easily on the defined vocals.
On top of that, the speakers arrive with carbon fiber drivers. And, they’ll provide a deeper yet louder bass. As a result, the speakers handle power significantly better while ensuring lesser distortion.
When compared to the other conventional materials, these speakers use carbon fiber woofers that are stiffer and lighter. The benefit of having a stiffer material is that you’ll get a deeper bass with better power handling.
Well, there are loads of other benefits of these carbon fiber materials too. As they have incredible durability, the speakers will hold their shape well even under heavier stress.
Due to this ability to hold its shape, the speakers cause lesser distortion as well compared to the other ones in the market. So, you can always have an immersive experience with these speakers.
Now, let’s head-on with the installation process. And, you’ll be glad to know it doesn’t require much effort. Firstly, use cutout templates and mark the walls.
After this, cut them using screwdrivers only. Then, go ahead and secure the speaker towards the wall. Here, the mounting tab installation will make things easier as they’ll secure the speaker to the wall.
Lastly, the speakers come with a minimalistic design of their own. So, the slim magnetic grills will make your speakers stand out and provide better aesthetics.
In the end, the speakers are known for their loud sound production and deeper bass. But, that’s not all. The speakers provide better sound clarity as well. So, if you’re trying to achieve both in the same place, give this option a look.
Pros
- Provides a deeper bass
- Ensures sound clarity all the time
- Holds its shape even under heavier stress
- Durable option
- Comes with a minimalistic design for simpler aesthetics
Cons
- The larger size doesn’t allow it to be hidden easily
Monoprice 8 Inch 2-Way In-Wall Speakers
Product Overview
Down to the last product of this list. If you’re here till this point then we’re bringing to you another 8-inch product. Similar to the first product, this one has the same size and style.
So, what are the other differences? Well, let’s find it out ourselves-
Starting off, this speaker is all about maintaining lesser distortion. This mainly happens due to the ribbon tweeter. Here, they’re capable of having higher acceleration.
As a result, the speakers will remain responsive all the time while maintaining lesser distortion.
Now, the audio’s “sweet spot” increases in this speaker. But, how? Well, the tweeters have a wider horizontal dispersion and a tighter vertical dispersion. So, you’ll get balanced sounds all the time.
Similar to the previous product, it comes with carbon fiber drivers as well. Here, the lightweight drivers help at providing improved audio accuracy. Overall, you’ll get flat frequency responses too.
As a result of this, you’ll get deep bass and tighter mids with lesser distortion.
On top of this, the speaker comes with a higher frequency attenuator. This feature allows the speaker to reduce the higher frequency to some extent. So, you can fine-tune the speaker’s higher response and match it to the listening environment.
Lastly, it has a magnetic grille that doesn’t rattle due to the powerful magnets. Now, the grille itself comes with slimmer bezels that make it easier at blending into the home’s decor.
Besides, the powerful 160w input helps at producing an overall impactful and louder sound production. And, it won’t sacrifice the audio clarity because of it.
Pros
- Maintains sound clarity and accuracy
- Provides impactful deep bass
- The magnetic grille doesn’t rattle due to magnets
- The speaker allows fine-tuning
- Causes lesser distortion
Cons
- Ribbon tweeter magnets aren’t glued strongly
- Installation requires a lot of time
Buying Guide
Tough, isn’t it? By ending the previous review section, we’ve come to a realization. And, that is- throwing away the best features and pros/cons about a product isn’t enough at all.
Rather, it can cause a bit of trouble in the overall processing. So, people get even more confused when they’re asked what to choose from.
Normally, options create opportunities. But, if you don’t know what to look for, things could get a bit dicey.
Don’t worry, friend. We’ve been through this situation ourselves. So, we’ve worked together in bringing out this informative section. Here, we’ve discussed what’s actually needed when going for an in-wall speaker.
So, take some time out for this section as it’ll go on for some time. Let’s begin, on that note-
Size Factor
You’ve seen different sizes of speakers in this list. So, which size should you go for? Well, in our opinion, the size would provide a bit of difference between the products themselves.
So, it’s better if you have the size planned out for you. Let’s clear more on this topic.
Different sized speakers will provide a different range of sounds. So, for example, the smaller speakers (4-inch or small) won’t deliver the loudest audio ever.
Moreover, these speakers won’t maintain a better lower or mid-range frequency too. So, you have to keep that in mind. So, what’s the use of them?
Here, these speakers are there for the show. Hence, if you’re in it for the aesthetics and good looks, these speakers will be your best friends. Due to the smaller size, you can hide them easily on the ceilings.
Now, let’s head on to the middle-sized speakers. The 5-6 inches will be under this category. Compared to the smaller speakers, these ones provide more of a balance in the sound department.
Also, they provide surround sound capability as well. And, the best part is that you can either own them or hide them in the ceilings. So, they’re a great choice if you admire both sound and aesthetics.
After this, we head on to the big boys. The 8-inch or 10-inch speakers are famous for their massive size. And, yes, you guessed it right. They provide excellent sound and bass.
But, you’ll need to support them by providing a better amplifier too. So, you need to keep that in mind. That said, you’ll have some trouble hiding them around as they’re pretty large.
Round Shape Vs. Square Shape
If you’re curious to know the difference between round and square-shaped speakers then we got you covered. As there are options for both these two shapes, let’s take a look at the opportunities both provide-
If you want surround sound in your room, get the rounded-shaped speakers. But, they’re not meant for that only. These speakers work well as they align properly with the rounded ceilings.
On the other hand, square speakers look way better in square rooms. But, you can install them on the ceilings as well. These speakers have a better appearance all the time.
So, at the end of the day, your room shape matters when installing these speakers. Thus, you’ll need to take action accordingly!
2-Way Vs. 3-Way Speakers
From the review section, you’ll know that there are 2-way and 3-way styles of speakers. So, we’ve decided to put them against one another in comparison. Care to give it a thought? Let’s find out-
First off, let’s begin with the 2-way speakers. These have tweeter and woofer drivers in them. Now, if you’re not familiar with the terms, the woofer basically is made for lower- frequency.
Whereas, the tweeter works with a higher frequency. Both of these two drivers work with high and low frequency of sounds.
On the other hand, the 3-way style speakers generate sounds through tweeter and woofer. But, they are in the mid-range as well. By now, you’ve guessed that tweeter and woofer work with high and low frequencies.
And, the mid-range adds in a kick to the middle range as well. But, that’s not all. All three drivers work with a wider range of frequencies separately as well.
As a result, the sound in 3-way speakers is way more clear and crisp compared to the 2-way ones. If you’re giving the win to the 3-way speakers then stop for a moment. There’s a thing we’d like to share.
Even though 3-way speakers provide better benefits, that doesn’t mean it wins automatically. But, why?
Well, if the set-up of the crossover isn’t right then you won’t find many differences between these speakers. Also, cabinet design plays a part and the quality of components makes a difference too.
If all of the criteria above aren’t set accordingly then a 2-way speaker will perform better than a 3-way speaker.
Input Power
Normally, the higher the input power, the better overall output you’ll get. So, if you want a loudspeaker then choose the ones that have a larger wattage.
That said, 100-160w speakers will sound loud and better compared to the lower wattage ones.
But, just because a speaker has higher wattage, doesn’t mean it qualifies automatically. This is because many factors can affect this statement.
Especially, the design of the amplifier can affect the amplifier efficiency. So, many designs of an amplifier can provide a higher output even with lower input power.
So, you’ll need to keep that into consideration as well.
Budget
In the end, the budget of the speakers matters too. But, you’re in luck because monoprice speakers don’t cost much compared to the other ones in the market.
This increased price gap gives them the desired lead in the competition too. Among the monoprice products, you can settle for a lower-priced product if the features impress you. Other than that, they won’t cost much, in general.
FAQs
Question: Are speakers from Monoprice worth it?
Answer: Yes, speakers from monoprice are worth the hype and money. Generally, these speakers have a smaller size compared to the competition. However, they still perform the job and produce a great sound. This means you won’t have problems while using these speakers for movies and music.
Question: Where are the monoprice speakers made in?
Answer: These speakers are made in China.
Question: Do monoprice sell in-ceiling speakers?
Answer: Yes, monoprice provides in-ceiling speakers. For the price, these speakers offer impressive performance. Question: What amount of in-wall speakers is needed for providing a balanced sound?
Answer: The more the speakers, the better the sound will be in a room. So, for a larger room, go for 2-3 pairs of speakers at different corners. These speakers will provide balanced yet loud sounds all the time. On the other hand, getting 1-2 speakers for a smaller room will do the trick eventually.
Question: Should you install a box around the in-wall speakers?
Answer: No, you don’t need to install boxes or any type of enclosures around the in-wall speakers. Leaving them as they are would provide the sound you desire.
Final Words
This is where we conclude the article. Hopefully, things have been easy and clear, by now. This means you might just go ahead with your purchase.
In the end, through our monoprice in wall speaker review, we’ve tried to bring in as many better products as possible. And, the 5 in this list will make your life way easier.
But, read the buying guide again if you want to get away with the best product. That said, it’s been a pleasure providing this information to you. Take care!
