Date: February 7th, 2026 5:16 PM
Author: AZNgirl talking Selfie with Snow Leopard Handsome
This is wild it makes me feel old, basically Monsoon computer speakers which I thought were 180 in like 2001ish are now subpar to some upper midrange Oppo phone. JFC
Here’s a sound/quality comparison between the built-in speakers of your OPPO Reno 14 Pro and the Monsoon MH‑500 Flat Panel 2.1 PC Speakers (the classic Monsoon MH-500 setup you used to have).
These are very different kinds of sound sources, so I’ll look at them in their real use contexts rather than just raw numbers.
🎧 OPPO Reno 14 Pro (built-in speakers)
Pros
Stereo speakers with good loudness for a phone
Relatively clear mids and highs for media
Strong separation for videos/gaming
Great for its class (flagship smartphone sound)
Cons
Small drivers → limited bass
Soundstage is narrow (phone speakers always are)
Can get “thin” at higher volumes
Speaker Score: 8.5 / 10
(This reflects good loudness and clarity in a smartphone form factor.)
🔊 Monsoon MH-500 Series Speakers (Desktop System)
What they were
Small planar/focused desktop speakers with a subwoofer (when complete) that were popular as PC or small-room speakers in the 1990s/early 2000s.
Pros
Larger physical drivers than a phone
With the subwoofer attached → deeper, richer bass than phone speakers
Planar-style satellites give very positional, immersive sound on a desk setup
Retains good clarity; often better “room-filling” experience than cheap PC speakers.
Cons
Still not high-fidelity hi-fi — budget multimedia quality
Sound tends to be directional and small without sub
Bass & power limited compared to Hi-Fi bookshelf systems
Some units are old enough they have reliability issues (e.g., volume puck problems, buzzing noise) because of age.
Speaker Score: ~7.5 / 10 (for desktop PC use with a subwoofer)
— If used without the subwoofer, more like 6.5–7/10.
(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5832181&forum_id=2\u0026mark_id=5310909#49654006)