Monoprice DT3BT Powered Bluetooth Speakers 2023 REVIEW

Speakers produce premium sound at a cost-effective price.

One of the most essential parts of my desk is the speakers. Even though I frequently use my headphones when I’m working, having powered Bluetooth speakers connected to my computer is very convenient for listening to music or watching videos. With so many different types of speakers available, why choose powered Bluetooth speakers?

Well, powered Bluetooth shelf speakers provide a convenient way to enjoy high-quality audio without having to deal with the hassle of separate amplifiers and cabling. In many cases, there is still a single speaker wire that connects the two satellite speakers, but aside from that, the only required cable is the one that provides power.

I personally love the convenience of having speakers that can either be connected with cables or wirelessly. The only issue ends up being the expense of them. The current set I have installed retails for $450. That can be very cost-prohibitive for many people and that’s why I’m glad that Monoprice released the DT3BT Multimedia Bluetooth Speakers. They provide a premium sound for a fraction of the cost of other comparable systems.

About

The Monoprice DT3BT Speakers are designed to provide superior sound from a more compact form factor than other shelf speakers. They feature 50 watts of Class AB amplification driving 3.5″ polypropylene woofers and 0.75″ silk dome tweeters, providing superior sound quality for near-field listening. The speakers also offer Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity as well as three wired options for connecting to a variety of sources. This makes them perfect for home, office, gaming, or entertainment setups.

Main Features

• Premium Drivers and Build → The speakers feature 3.5″ polypropylene woofers, 3/4″ silk dome tweeters, and 40 watts of Class AB amplification, all housed in custom-tuned, rounded, and ported MDF cabinets for superior near-field frequency response and sonic performance.
• Advanced Wired Connectivity → A variety of connectivity options are available, including a 3.5mm unbalanced TRS jack, unbalanced stereo RCA pair, and balanced 1/4″ stereo pair, and come with 3.5mm and RCA stereo audio cables and speaker wire for connecting the two speakers.
• Bluetooth 5.0 → Come with built-in Bluetooth so that you can wirelessly connect to stream audio from your favorite devices.
• Front Headphone Connection → The 3.5mm headphone jack on the front of the main speaker makes it easy to connect headphones at a moment’s notice.

Specs

• Frequency Response: 75Hz ~ 20kHz
• Woofer Driver (each): 3″ polypropylene cone
• Tweeter Driver (each): 3/4″ silk dome
• Amplifier Type: Class AB amplifier
• Woofer Amplifier Power (each): 12 watts
• Tweeter Amplifier Power (each): 8 watts
• Inputs: Unbalanced stereo 3.5mm TRS, unbalanced stereo RCA pair, balanced stereo 1/4″ TRS pair, Bluetooth®
• Output: Stereo 3.5mm TRS headphone
• Bluetooth® Version: 5
• Bluetooth Range: Up to 32 feet (10 meters)
• Bluetooth Operating Frequency: 2402 ~ 2480 MHz
• Bluetooth Maximum RF Power: 0.11dBm
• Dimensions (each): 5.5″ x 8.0″ x 5.9″ (140 x 204 x 150 mm)
• Weight (each): 3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg)

Pricing & Availability

The list price for the Monoprice DT3BT Multimedia Bluetooth Speakers is $99.99 and they can be purchased directly from Monoprice.com or Amazon. Monoprice currently has the speakers listed for $87.99 (at the time of publishing).

User Experience

The Monoprice DT3BT speakers come in a very simple box. It’s just a plain brown cardboard box with the name of the product on the outside. The Monoprice logo is stamped on the box along with the product name, but that’s about it. When you open the box, you’ll find the two speakers wrapped in plastic and surrounded by styrofoam. A user manual is also included, which was very helpful. Monoprice also has an electronic version on the product page of monoprice.com as a backup for users.

I love testing products like these speakers because there is very little required in the way of setup. I connected the two speakers using the provided speaker wire and plugged them into power. Then I flipped the power switch on the back of the main speaker and turned the knob on the front until it clicked indicating that they were ‘on’. There are two indicator lights on the front of the main speaker — one power indicator and one Bluetooth indicator. The Bluetooth indicator flashes when it is in the pairing process and then turns to solid blue when a device is paired.

I tested these speakers in two ways. First, I connected them to my computer using the 3.5mm stereo audio cable that was provided. I actually have my computer (an M1 MacBook Air) connected to my external monitor and speaker through a docking station. I have been having some issues lately with my current speakers connecting properly through this same connection, but when I plugged the DT3BT speakers into the port on the dock, I heard sound flowing through them immediately.

The second way I tested them was to pair my iPhone 14 Pro to them via Bluetooth and stream audio to them. I have to say that I found the streaming quality to be as good as if not better than the wired audio connection to my computer. I didn’t notice any issues with lag or syncing when I was watching videos and the connection never dropped.

I was also impressed with how effortlessly the speakers switched between devices. I was in mid-song on my computer when I started one on my iPhone. The computer paused and the audio from the iPhone started playing through the speakers.

I ended up turning the speaker volume up to 50% and tried to play music at around the same level on my connected devices. When it came to video, I ended up turning the volume on my device up to around 80% at times but I didn’t notice any audio breaking up or sounding muddied at all. I have included the playlists and videos that I played as my test soundtrack below.

Audio Testing Playlist

• Brother of Mine | Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
• No Diggity (feat. Dr. Dre & Queen Pen) | Blackstreet
• World Championship Finale 2 | The Barden Bellas (Pitch Perfect 2)
• A Thousand Miles | Vanessa Carlton
• Duel of the Fates | John Williams & London Symphony Orchestra (Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace)

Videos

• Hamilton — Opening sequence and the first song. Streamed using Disney+
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 — The opening scene and credits sequence. Streamed using Disney+
• The Lion King (animated version) — The Circle of Life and Scar’s first scene Streamed using Disney+
• Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace — The main battle scene at the end (”Duel of the Fates”) Streamed using Disney+

I’ve been incredibly impressed with these speakers. In fact, I swapped out my $450 speakers for these $99 ones. All the connections worked as they should and they were very easy to set up. I really like that they were packaged with all the required and optional cabling as well as the user manual. I also really love that they produce sound quality that I’m used to hearing from a much more expensive brand.

The only thing I’m not a fan of is that there is no Bluetooth pairing button on the front of the speaker. You have to reach around the backside of the main speaker to press it, which can be a little bothersome if you end up having to do it often. But that is really the only thing I would change about these cost-effective, premium-sounding shelf speakers.

Conclusion

With the Monoprice DT3BT Multimedia Bluetooth Speakers, you get the convenience and portability of a wireless speaker system, with the added benefit of integrated amplification. This makes it easy to set up a full-fledged sound system in any room, without needing to invest in bulky and expensive equipment. Plus, you can enjoy the flexibility of streaming audio directly from your smartphone or tablet without the need for any extra hardware. With the Monoprice DT3BT Multimedia Bluetooth Speakers, you can enjoy a truly immersive and powerful audio experience at home.

For more information, visit monoprice.com, Facebook, and Twitter.