Review: The Monoprice DT-3BT Speakers are Possibly the Best Sub-$100 Speakers
I was recently in the market for a new pair of speakers for my computer. The ones I had were old Logitech ones that probably cost about $25 brand new (I got them used from a friend) and they were dying. I was looking for something that was relatively affordable, but had some definite punch to them. I didn’t want them to distort when I turned the volume on my computer up past about 30. I found the Monoprice DT-3BT 50-Watt speakers for under $100! Monoprice was kind enough to send me a pair so I could write this review but the thoughts below are my own.
If your budget for computer speakers is $100 or less, I highly recommend the DT-3BT. It has a nice powerful sound, has plenty of headroom to prevent distortion of audio, and has plenty of inputs and features. You can connect your devices via Bluetooth, a 3.5mm aux port in the front, unbalanced stereo RCA (the red and white), or balanced 1/4” TRS connections. My personal choice is the RCA since the speakers come with a cable that goes from a 3.5mm for your computer and goes into the stereo RCA (white and red). You also get an aux cable, but then you’re plugging into the front and it won’t look as clean. If you plan on using the ¼” connection, you’ll need to supply your own cables, but chances are that you have those already if that’s what your goal is.
As I already mentioned, the sound is really good on the DT-3BT. However, it does take a little work to get there. The bass is really present and while it doesn’t muddy the sounds, it does seem a bit much. I found that I had to download an EQ tool so that I could best manage the speakers so that they sound full and powerful without feeling like I’m going to be punched in the gut as I sat at my desk. I was honestly worried that the bass wouldn’t be great since the DT-3BT is rated as having a frequency response range of 75Hz-20kHz whereas most headphones and speakers aim for the 20Hz-20kHz range, but it has proven me wrong.
In addition to sounding great with minimal effort (working the EQ was not bad), the DT-3BT looks fantastic. They’re so clean and professional looking. My only complaint about the physical design is that the pair button for the Bluetooth is located on the back of the speaker. This makes the Bluetooth a little inconvenient to set up.
The other complaint that I have is pretty trivial. I tend to like turning my volume knob pretty high and then using my computer volume to control levels since I can quickly adjust things with my keyboard. I did find that if I tried setting the DT-3BT past about the 12 o’clock mark, then a lot of additional noise would be there. It’s not noticeable when you’re listening to something, but if you’re not then the noise is very noticeable at these levels. That being said, I do not have a dedicated sound card or amplifier so I’m plugging directly into my motherboard.
I highly recommend the DT-3BT if you need new speakers. I could even see the case for possibly using these for your TV. You will probably want to adjust the EQ on whatever device you’re plugging these speakers into, but it shouldn’t take too much work. For under $100, I genuinely question if there’s a better pair of speakers.
