Micca M-8S 8 Inch 2-Way in-Wall Speaker
Micca M8S
I just got done testing a new install of the Micca M-8S, and to say I was impressed would be an understatement. This is a big and bold 8-inch driver two-way in-wall speaker that we will be reviewing today, and it’s here to take on the likes of Klipsch, Bose, and Polk Audio for your hard-earned cash.
This speaker is designed for home theaters as a front-facing component. Let’s see how they performed after a few days of watching movies and listing to music with them.
What are the Micca M8-S
I think I laid that out pretty well in the intro, but let’s dive into a little more depth. The speakers are designed to be used primarily as part of a home theater setup. Whether that be with your TV or with a home cinema screen, it doesn’t matter; the point is that this will be a great solution to improving your audio when watching movies and TV shows.
The big advantage to this over a hifi system is space. Hifi systems and speakers still sound better for music because they are optimized for them. Hifi speakers control the cabinet space and the airflow, whereas wall and ceiling speakers use your walls as the cabinet. The thing is, hifi systems are big and bulk and usually need to be positioned inside the room.
With a wall speaker, you are able to minimize clutter and still deliver great sound without intrusion into your space or home design. Wall speakers are minimally invasive and look very clean.
The Micca M8S is from a company called Miccatron. They have a good reputation in the home audio community for delivering great sound at a fantastic price.
It features a 1-inch dome tweeter and a large 8-inch woofer to deliver powerful sound. That 8-inch driver is perhaps the most important aspect of the speaker, and we will discuss why in the sound portion of this review.
Installing the Micca M8S (Tips for installing wall speakers)
Installing wall speakers is relatively straightforward if you have some DIY ability. If not, I would suggest getting a professional to do the job.
Basically, you will need to cut a hole in the wall to the correct size for the speaker but don’t worry because Micca has included a template in the box.
Next, you will need to run the cable into your wall from the source device you are using to drive the sound. These are not active speakers, so there is no internal amplification.
From there, pull the cable through the wall to the cut-out for your speakers and attach the cables. Then remove the grilles and push the speaker into the wall before adjusting and tightening the clamps to secure the M8s in the wall.
One extra note is that you must use an adequately insulated speaker cable that is designed to be used in a wall. The brand doesn’t matter, so don’t be fooled by expensive cables but look for cables made to the CL2 standard for safety reasons.
Build Quality
The speakers are well made using a good combination of high-quality no, brittle plastics, and metal for the guards.
The mounts are plastic, but this is done to cut down on weight and resonance. Given the large 8-inch driver needs a heavy magnet to drive it, plastic is a good material to save weight and release strain on the walls. It seems to be a high-quality ABS framing.
The tweeter we found out had a directional adjustment, and that was certainly not something I expected to see at this price. The material is a silk dome, so money is saved there, but that is made up for by the fact that I can direct the sound and dial in the sound space on installation.
The grilles are fairly standard metal and are paintable so that you can color match them to your room.
Sound Quality
Having tested budget speakers from Pyle, Goldwood, and Acoustic Audio, I certainly wasn’t expecting this. The sound is so good that I’m tempted to remove the old-fashioned saying of them being good for the money and just to state outright they are exceptional performers.
The sound is detailed and clear with an open spacious quality to them as well as having deep, impactful bass. Honestly, I’m a bit blown away by this, and over the past week have watched all the Daniel Craig bond movies back to back in a bit of a binge session. In that, I used two different configurations for the speakers. One as part of a Dolby Atmos setup and then with a pair of M8-S alone to see if the bass was really as capable as everyone had told me.
It was. This was to the point that if you were only going to use the Micca alone without a subwoofer, you are still in for a treat, and it sounds on completely different from listening on a soundbar or TV set alone. Everything is enhanced, and the listening experience becomes far more enjoyable.
The bass has a deep, resonant quality to it with the ability to resolve deep sub-bass notes on explosions while standing separate from the midrange. I never felt that the mids were being overwhelmed or swamped by the lows, which meant that the vocal remained clear and defined. Many lower-quality speakers using smaller or less refined woofers have the problem of pushing the bass enhancement too far at the expense of the overall presentation.
The M8s using a large and good quality 8-inch driver, is capable of moving a large volume of air without artificial enhancement of the lows to an overall degradation of the sound.
Highs and mid-range perform well and carry their notes with openness. I found them to be very tonally natural with just the hit of warmth which was beneficial in adding gravitas to male voices.
One final film I had to test them with was 2014’s Whiplash. This story of a drummer trying to make it to the top of the Jazz music world is a great test for any speaker. It has lots of musical fluidity and works well for testing high notes. I was expecting the splashy and offensive treble, but I got a smooth delivery with a hint of sparkle. It was very, very nice.
Here comes the overall sound evaluation. Where do I put them, and do I recommend them? Well, here we go. I would classify the Micca M8s as one of the best-sounding wall-mounted speakers under $200, which is almost 4x the price they actually cost. I will say that they easily match anything by Klipsch or Polk at this price and if you blind-tested me, I think there is no possible way I would definitively say the others are better. It is just that good.
These are off the charts when it comes to price vs. performance. Nothing comes close, and for the money, they are easily the best I have heard by a long, long way.
Final Verdict
I have not a single bad thing to say about these speakers, which can sometimes lead to being accused of shilling. But there is no motive here, and there is very little to be lost by you if you don’t like them. For just over $100 a pair, buy them and try them, and you can always return them if you don’t like them. This is a speaker that makes you realize you pay for name brands and marketing with established companies. Sometimes the little guy comes along and knocks it out of the park, and the consumers finally get a much-deserved win. Great speakers are easy to recommend.
Disclaimer
I know people like to read into motives, but this speaker was reviewed at the time of writing, and I have had no contact from Miccatron or any of their suppliers. This speaker was purchased and installed in our test room, and at the time of publishing, there are no affiliate links or advertising on the Stozz Audio website. No money has been received for this review.
