Monoprice continues its move into high-end audio with its new Monolith Audition line of loudspeakers, available in tower, bookshelf, and center-channel configurations. The new speakers join an affordable lineup that has so far impressed with its high-quality, value-priced turntables, headphones, subwoofers, and home theater amplifiers.
Each speaker features internally braced MDF cabinets covered with a black wood-grain PVC material. There are two models each of the tower, bookshelf, and center channel speakers. They all present 4 ohms of impedance and are outfitted with 5-way binding posts. Add one of Monoprice’s Monolith subwoofers and an A/V receiver, and you can create your own 5.1-channel home theater setup.
Audition tower speakers
The Monoprice Monolith T4 (left) loudspeaker features a 20mm silk dome tweeter, one 4-inch driver configured as a mid-range, and two 4-inch woofers. The larger T5 loudspeaker uses the same tweeter, but has 5.25-inch drivers in the mid-range and woofer roles.
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The Audition T4 Tower Speaker sells for $199.99 each, while the larger Audition T5 Tower Speaker goes for $249.99. Either model can be used as a stereo pair in a home audio system or as the front left and right speakers in a home theater setup.
The Audition T4 (pictured above, left) is equipped with one 20mm silk cloth dome tweeter with a waveguide and a neodymium magnet. The mid woofer and two main woofers are 4-inch polypropylene cones with NBR surrounds. Frequency response is 56Hz – 20kHz and sensitivity is 85.5dB (2.83V@1m). The T4 measures 31.5 x 5.5 x 7.0 inches (HxWxD) and weighs 17.86 pounds.
The slightly larger Audition T5 (pictured above, right) is outfitted with the same 20mm silk cloth dome tweeter with a waveguide and a neodymium magnet. But it has a larger mid woofer and two main woofers: 5.25-inch polypropylene cones with NBR surrounds. This model can respond to lower frequencies, getting down to 48Hz, with sensitivity of 86.9dB (2.83V@1m). The T5 measures 35.4 x 6.5 x 9.8 inches (HxWxD) and weighs 23.4 pounds.
Audition bookshelf speakers
This illustration shows the inner construction of the Monoprice Monolith Audition B5 bookshelf speakers. The other tower, bookshelf, and center channel have similar designs with ported enclosures.
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The Audition B4 Bookshelf Speaker (pictured up top, on the left) sells for $99.99 each, while the slightly larger B5 (also pictured up top, on the right) goes for $124.99 each. As with the new towers, these models are designed to be used as a stereo pair in an audio system or as the left and right front speakers in a home theater setup. You could also deploy them as rear surrounds.
The Audition B4 is equipped with the same 20mm silk cloth dome tweeter with a waveguide and a neodymium magnet that’s used in the Audition T4 and T5 tower speakers. It’s outfitted with a single woofer, the same driver found in the Audition T4 tower speaker: a 4-inch polypropylene cone with NBR surround. The B4’s enclosure has a rear-facing bass port. Reported frequency response is 57Hz – 20kHz and sensitivity is 83.7dB (2.83V@1m). The speaker measures 11 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches (HxWxD) and weighs 5.5 lbs.
All the speakers in the Monolith Audition product line feature ported cabinets and 5-way binding posts.
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The Audition B5 measures 13.6 x 6.3 x 7.1 inches deep (HxWxD) and weighs 7.3 pounds. It uses the same 20mm tweeter as the rest of the line, and the same 5.25-inch polypropylene cone woofer as the Audition T5 Tower Speaker to deliver frequency response of 61Hz – 20kHz and sensitivity of 84.3dB (2.83V@1m). The enclosures of both the Audition B4 and the Audition B5 have rear-facing bass ports.
Audition center channel
The Monolith Audition C5 center speaker features a 20mm silk dome tweeter and two 5.25-inch woofers.
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Finally, the Audition C4 Center Channel Speaker has a retail price of $129.99, while the Audition C5 Center Channel Speaker sells for $159.99.
The Audition C4 is outfitted with the same 20mm silk cloth dome tweeter as the rest of the new line, along with a pair of 4-inch polypropylene cone woofers. Frequency response is 81Hz – 20kHz and sensitivity is 85.4dB (2.83V@1m). The C4 measures 5.5 x 14.96 x 5.5 inches (HxWxD) and weighs 8.2 lbs. The speaker’s height might encroach on the bottom of the typical TV screen, so buyers might need to elevate a TV that’s in an entertainment center.
The larger Audition C5 once again uses the same 20mm tweeter as the rest of the line and a pair of the same 5.25-inch woofers used in the T5 tower and B5 bookshelf speakers. Claimed frequency response is 73Hz – 20kHz and sensitivity is 86.7dB (2.83V@1m).
Author: James Barber, Freelance Contributor
James has worked in music as a producer, A&R executive, music publisher, manager and record store clerk. He writes about music, technology and movies from his home in Georgia.