Micca PB42X Powered Bookshelf Speaker Review: Is This Budget Pair Worth It?

Micca PB42X powered bookshelf speakers: 15W x 2 built-in Class-D amp and 4-inch carbon fiber woofers 

Among budget audiophiles, the Micca MB42X and PB42X are about the only speakers in their price range that come highly recommended. The MB42X is an upgraded MB42 with a new crossover, while the PB42X is the powered version of the MB42X with a built-in amplifier.

The PB42X hits a sweet spot. For under $100, the MB42X is a bargain, but most buyers will pair it with a cheap amplifier that becomes the weak link in the setup. For not much more than the price of the MB42X, the PB42X includes a capable built-in Class D amp, which also makes for a cleaner, simpler setup.

Despite all the praise, I went years without hearing them. Recently, curiosity got the better of me: can they really rival speakers that cost twice as much, as people claim? I finally got the chance to test the Micca PB42X powered bookshelf speakers. Here are my thoughts.

The PB42X is the powered version of Micca’s upgraded MB42X, which introduced a new crossover and improved on the already solid and popular MB42. A powered speaker simply means the amplification is built in, so you don’t need a separate amplifier or receiver. Unlike the passive MB42X, the PB42X plugs into the wall and your audio source and is ready to go. Otherwise, the two speakers look essentially identical.

Each speaker has a small rear-firing port of about 1 inch. Connectivity is fairly minimal. The right (main) speaker has a 3.5mm or RCA input to connect to your source, a power adapter input, a simple on/off switch, and a volume knob, which I wish were on the front. The speaker terminals are actually nice 5-way binding posts rather than basic spring clips. The left (secondary) speaker only has a speaker-wire input, since it is passive. Some fancier powered speakers must be plugged in separately and designated left or right for stereo, but the PB42X works as a pair and needs only one wall socket.

For the newly initiated, setting up the PB42X is about as easy as it gets. Plug the right speaker into your audio source and the wall, then connect the +/- terminals to the left speaker with the included speaker wire, which comes pre-stripped so you don’t have to prep it. Feed the wire into the holes in the binding posts and tighten the knobs, and that’s it.

Micca PB42X Powered Bookshelf Speakers with 4-Inch Carbon Fiber Woofer and Silk Dome Tweeter (Pair)

Balanced woven carbon fiber woofer for tight transients and punchy bass High-efficiency silk dome tweeter for smooth treble and accurate imaging Ported enclosure delivers extended bass response with low distortion Optimized crossover for an open, balanced, and dynamic sound Built-in Class-D amplifier with 15W x 2 of clean power
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Quick verdict  

• Best for: budget desktop, bedroom or PC near-field listening
• Amp: built-in 15W x 2 Class-D, one wall socket for the pair
• Inputs: 3.5mm and RCA
• Not for: anyone who wants a subwoofer out or room-filling volume

Micca PB42X Specs, Setup and Sound Quality

I opted for a simple desktop setup and listened at close range. The speakers are fairly light and compact, with roughly 6 x 7-inch footprints, so they were easy to fit on the small computer desk I used. Micca says to give the rear ports at least 4 inches of breathing room, which is not hard to accommodate.

The speakers are rated at 15 W per channel, though I’ve read reports that a separately purchased, larger 24V adapter gets more power and volume out of the amp; do so at your own risk. Even so, these are clearly meant to be near-field or mid-field speakers. I cranked them up and they get loud enough to fill a non-large room, but the sound became noticeably thin, especially outside the sweet spot. The included speaker wire is only about six feet long, so if you want to space them farther apart (I wouldn’t), you’ll need to buy longer wire separately.

The frequency response of 60Hz-20kHz is about as good as it gets for a two-way bookshelf speaker with a 4-inch woofer, though there is some bass roll-off before the 60 Hz floor, which is to be expected. Some higher-end powered speakers have a line-out for a subwoofer, but the PB42X doesn’t, so keep in mind there is no room to upgrade with a sub. See the links at the end for recommendations on higher-end powered computer speakers with subwoofer support and other extra features. Plenty of great options open up for not much more money.

I’ve only done a preliminary few hours of listening, so my impressions so far are general, but overall these speakers sound really solid. They are clear and even at mid to low volume with no obvious flaws, which is a big plus for budget speakers this cheap. I’ll update this review with more detailed listening notes as I put more hours into them, but I can see why they are so widely recommended.

One issue is that the power adapter lets out an unpleasant audible squeal when I turn the speakers on. This is apparently common with cheaper power supplies, and other customers have reported the same complaint. It might resolve itself with some break-in or clever placement; otherwise, I’d ask Micca for a replacement and hope mine is just a bad unit. I could also buy that larger power supply anyway and try to get the true maximum these speakers can deliver. Maybe.

Micca offers a one-year warranty on its powered speakers, which is the bare minimum, but about what you can realistically expect at this low of a price.

Pros

• Built-in amp, so no receiver or separate amplifier needed
• Clean, balanced sound at low to medium volume
• 5-way binding posts and pre-stripped speaker wire included
• Compact footprint, easy to place on a desk or shelf
• Only one wall socket needed for the pair

Cons

• No subwoofer line-out, so little upgrade flexibility
• Volume knob is on the back of the right speaker
• Power adapter may squeal when switched on
• Sound gets thin at high volume and outside the sweet spot
• Only a one-year warranty

Where to Place the Micca PB42X

Try the PB42X in your home with your music. Place them along a wall or near a corner of the room for the best results. They can be used on desks, bookshelves, wall shelves, or speaker stands. If you are not absolutely delighted with the PB42X’s performance, return them for a refund.

• Woofer: 4” Carbon Fiber Cone with Rubber Surround
• Tweeter: 0.75” Silk Dome
• Crossover: 18dB/Octave
• Enclosure: Ported Cabinet
• Frequency Response: 60Hz-20kHz (Typical In-Room)
• Input: 3.5mm Stereo Mini Jack and Stereo RCA
• Power: 15Wx2 RMS, <1% THD+N
• Dimensions: 9.5” (H) x 5.8” (W) x 6.5” (D)

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Verdict: Micca PB42X Powered Bookshelf Speakers

The Micca PB42X comes with plenty of hype, to the point that I was eager to hear them for myself. It was perhaps naive to expect them to perform like $200 speakers, especially since they are more like $80 speakers, with the extra cost coming from the built-in amp. 

Looking at things objectively, though, it is hard to find speakers that cost this little and sound this good. They sound terrific for near-field listening at low to medium volumes. On songs that don’t test their limits or have dense instrumental layers, you could mistake them for more expensive speakers. 

Overall, they are my first recommendation for a roughly $100 budget setup. They offer zero upgrade flexibility and aren’t audiophile-tier as some might have you believe, but as a pair of fuss-free bedroom or PC speakers, they are a great deal.

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FAQ (for an FAQ block)

What is the difference between the Micca MB42X and PB42X? The MB42X is passive and needs a separate amplifier. The PB42X is the powered version, with a built-in 15W x 2 Class-D amp.

Do the Micca PB42X speakers need a separate amplifier? No. The amplifier is built into the right speaker. Connect your source with a 3.5mm or RCA cable, plug in the power adapter, and connect the two speakers with the included wire.

Can you connect a subwoofer to the Micca PB42X? No. The PB42X has no subwoofer line-out. If you want to add a sub later, look at powered speakers that include one.

How loud are the Micca PB42X speakers? Each speaker is rated at 15W RMS. They fill a small to medium room, but the sound gets thin when pushed hard.

Where should I place the PB42X? On a desk, bookshelf or stand, along a wall or near a corner. Leave at least 4 inches behind the rear ports.

Things I could not fix without changing HTML (your call)

1. Self-link: the first link (“Micca MB42X”) points to this same page (.../full-micca-pb42x-powered-bookshelf-speaker-review-2020). Remove it or point it to a real MB42X page.
2. Mismatched link destinations. I could only edit the visible text, so these links still go where they went before:
   • “speakers are rated at 15 W per channel” goes to a center channel speaker post
   • “speakers sound” goes to a car speakers post
   • “home with your music” goes to a Polk T50 tower speaker post
   • “powered bookshelf speakers” goes to a powered speakers for DJs post Consider swapping these hrefs for closer matches.
3. Duplicate IDs: id="productTitle" appears twice (H2 and the verdict H2).
4. Stray code: the SnapLinksContainer div at the bottom is left over from a browser extension and can be deleted.
5. Image alt text: I wrote these from the file names and surrounding text, so check each against the actual image.
6. Facts to verify before publishing: current price (“under $100”, “$80”, “$200”), the one-year warranty, the refund line, and the 24V adapter claim. These come from the 2020 version of the article.
7. Thin on first-hand testing: the review says “preliminary few hours” of listening. Adding real long-term impressions, or a comparison to a rival like the Edifier R1280T, would do more for rankings than any wording changes.

Related reading:   Introduction to Powered Speakers, and Best Speakers for Vinyl Turntables