IK Multimedia iLoud Precision 6 MKII review: Take control of your sound in any studio environment€1600 per pair, ikmultimedia.com
A year ago, I reviewed IK Multimedia’s iLoud Micro Monitor Pros and found them to be an excellent solution for working on the move with built-in room correction technology. Now, three years after the original launch, the Italian audio manufacturer has a new iteration of the iLoud Precision 6, the MKII.

READ MORE: HEDD Audio’s Type 05 A-Core monitors are practically perfect

There’s also a brand new 5-inch version and an update to the larger MTM MKII, but I was sent the 6 MKII, which sits in the centre of the lineup. They are designed both for home and professional studios (the calibration features help with room compensation, as we will see), but a little costly for keen amateurs. On the other hand, a pair of quality monitors could be with you for many years, so you can also look at it as an investment.
Each speaker is identical, powered from the mains and has a USB port, though this is for firmware and servicing and does not carry audio. There’s a combo jack / XLR input, manual level control, ARC mic input (a mic is included in the box) and a port for connecting the optional four-button remote. A button section has several options, including low frequency extension, low and high frequency boost and cut, plus a calibration start button. The speakers are also compatible with special mounting brackets you can buy from IK, making them suitable for immersive audio systems, and each speaker comes with a set of four feet to assist with isolation when placed on a flat surface.
Image: Press
This model uses a 6.5-inch, custom-made midwoofer and a 1.5-inch low-distortion, graphene-reinforced dome tweeter, with 150W total RMS power and a rear bass reflex port. Its frequency response is 45 Hz – 30 kHz with the ability to add low-end frequency extension (via a button press) to 37 Hz at -4 dB. Internally, the speaker uses DSP-controlled, 96 kHz processing. The speakers work with IK’s ARC X room correction and calibration system, and you will want to run through this process on the first set-up, or indeed when moving your speakers to a different position or room. It’s one of their main selling points, and though you don’t have to use it, you’d be missing out on a big feature of the product.
IK was kind enough to loan me the four-button remote (€100) to test, and this is really handy for quickly punching between four ARC X speaker emulation presets or custom voicings. You can also assign functions, including ARC on/off, mute and dim to the buttons. One unit daisy-chains to both speakers, and while it’s not strictly essential, I found it made my workflow faster, so it’s worth considering.
You can download the ARC X software for free after registering your hardware; it installs both an app and a plugin. The software can be purchased separately or with a dedicated hardware interface if you’re using third-party speakers, but here it’s included, and the measurement hardware is actually built into the speakers themselves. To that end there’s a mic input on each speaker, and the calibration can be performed using the relevant button on the rear panel. Instructions are provided online to walk you through this process, which is mostly done without requiring much input from you.
Image: Press
Given the imperfect design of many home studios, it’s a particularly useful thing to be able to compensate in software for the myriad things that can colour your sound. Using it in my space, I find it definitely sharpens and tightens up playback when auditioning tracks I’m familiar with. The stereo image becomes more focused, and the boomy bass, which I’m already aware is a problem in the room, is dramatically reduced. It’s well worth performing the calibration in a professional studio, too, of course, though if the space has already been treated, the results might be more subtle.
The ARC X system doesn’t stop at calibration; it’s also an advanced emulator. Once you have run the initial calibration, you are free to make your own fine-tuning changes or to emulate a number of other speakers or environments. If you’re looking to manually set the response, the Device Configuration section contains a range of parameters that let you do this. It’s pretty involved stuff, and if you’re not experienced in acoustics, it might be a bit much for you. The Virtual Monitoring section lets you choose from a bunch of monitor models and types, as well as hi-fi speakers and a generic TV or smartphone model. There’s also a list of Target options that let you select room types, Dolby Atmos and more.
ARC X. Image: Press
Speaker emulation isn’t unique to the iLouds, but it can be incredibly useful. IK’s advanced tech does a great job here, transposing the EQ and response curves of different speaker models onto the hardware to allow you to test your mixes without changing anything physically. And leaving the emulation to one side, these are extremely accurate, well-balanced and neutral monitors. They produce a firm but controlled low end that’s robust, a fast treble response and a high level of detail. These are speakers you can trust for every part of the production process, from tracking to mixing and mastering.
They are a little more expensive than HEDD’s Type 05 A-Core, which we loved, but basically the same price as the Type 05 MK2, which does have a bunch of DSP. Where IK’s model stands out is the integration of the onboard ARC system and bundled measurement mic. The resulting room calibration and also the speaker emulation work brilliantly and are compelling reasons to choose these, adding value to already-fine studio monitors. Whether you dig into the minutiae of fine-tuning the voicing or not, the iLoud Precision 6 MKII should serve you well for many years.

Key features

6.5-inch, custom made mid woofer, 1.5-inch tweeter and rear bass reflex port
Custom designed class D power amps, 150W RMS
DSP controlled system with 96 kHz internal sampling
ARC microphone and input for direct room calibration
ARC X plugin and software for calibration and speaker emulation
45 Hz – 30 kHz frequency response
On-body calibration controls
Bundled isolation feet
Optional remote control
Phase response: coherent, -/+20° max. from 150 Hz up

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