Written
: 1/16/99
When the FedEx babe dropped off a package containing a box with the word "Monsoon" written on it, the first thing I thought was "Hmm, Monsoon? This couldn't be the same company that makes OEM car audio speakers could it?" I remember the name because the stock system in my old Pontiac Trans Am came with a Monsoon system. I never did get to listen to it because the factory audio was one of the first things to be tossed in the trash. A little visit to the Monsoon website showed that the MH-500 was indeed made by the same Monsoon company that makes the car audio speakers.
The first thing that grabs you about the MH-500 is the price. Just $84 after a $15 rebate (if you order before Feb. 28, 2000). This puts the speakers at the same price as the recently reviewed SONIX S-2000. The MH-500 is made up of 2 dipole-radiating satellite planar speakers and one "sub woofer". I use the term sub woofer very loosely. Any speaker smaller than 8 inches is NOT a sub woofer. How any company can call a 4 inch speaker a sub is beyond me. The entire unit is painted jet black and housed in a metal case. No plastic here.
The system controls are located on the sub enclosure and a volume puck. The sub enclosure allows you to adjust the level of the boom you want in your game/music. The volume puck has a mute button and a volume control. That's it. There are no other adjustments. You really can't expect much more at this price range.
Even though Monsoon calls these dipole-radiating satellite planar speakers, they should not be mistaken for true dipole speakers. This is just Monsoon's marketing department at work, hence the word "dipole-radiating" and not just dipole. The satellite speakers are really nothing more than a planar tweeter with a 2.5" seal back mid range. Each speaker receives 17 watts of power from the amp built into the sub enclosure. The sub themselves also get 17 watts.
With a street price the same as the SONIX S-2000 it was a no brainer to compare the 2 speaker systems head to head. So let's find out which one is better.