Short answer: the Adam Audio T5V. It ranks #12 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $148.79; the Edifier Airpulse A100 ranks #17 and costs $999.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Adam Audio T5V side: Better than the HS5 in terms of vocals detail and better low end. Set against that: Elevated, slightly uneven top end from the AMT tweeter, shared with Adam’s other T-series monitors - the rear treble trim only tilts the response rather than flattening it.
What the Edifier Airpulse A100 gets right: Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter (inherited from Airpulse’s flagship 7001 monitor, designed by Phil Jones) paired with a 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer - a distinctive, low-mass driver combination rarely seen below $1,000. The tradeoff: On-axis deviation trails the pricier options in this group, and there’s no app-based EQ or DSP - bass/treble trim is limited to physical rear-panel knobs not reachable from the remote.
Buy the Adam Audio T5V. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Edifier Airpulse A100 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Adam Audio T5V | Edifier Airpulse A100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $148.79 | $999.99 |
| Ranked | #12 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #17 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Dimensions | 11.7"H x 7"W x 11.7"D (297.2 x 177.8 x 297.2 mm) | 6.3" x 11.1" x 10" (160 x 283 x 255 mm) (6.3 x 11.1 x 10.0 in) each |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 24kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 52Hz - 40kHz |
| Inputs | XLR, RCA | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX |
| Weight | 12.6 lbs / 5.7 kg each | 24.3 lbs / 11 kg (24.2 lb) each |
| Drivers | 5" (127mm) woofer | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5" hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer |
| App | No | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes (SBC, aptX) |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs |
| Output Power | 70w Per Speaker | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) |
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More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Yamaha HS5 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- Yamaha HS5 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs Presonus Eris E5 XT
- Genelec 8020D vs Adam Audio T5V
The Two Speakers In Full
Adam Audio T5V: $148.79 Amazon
Pros: Better than the HS5 in terms of vocals detail and better low end.
Cons: Elevated, slightly uneven top end from the AMT tweeter, shared with Adam’s other T-series monitors - the rear treble trim only tilts the response rather than flattening it. Distortion, while better controlled than most speakers in this price range, isn’t reference quality.
Full Adam Audio T5V review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7"H x 7"W x 11.7"D (297.2 x 177.8 x 297.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" (127mm) woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 24kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR, RCA |
| Output Power | 70w Per Speaker |
| Weight | 12.6 lbs / 5.7 kg each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Audio Science Review Measurements
- DSAUDIO.review: JBL 305P MKII vs Adam Audio T5V 6-Track Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Kali LP-6 vs Adam Audio T5V Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
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- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Adam Audio T5V sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: Adam Audio T5V vs Presonus Eris E5 5 Track Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: KRK Rokit 5 G4 RP5G4 vs Adam Audio T5V Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Bright and brighter. PreSonus E5 XT takes on Adam Audio T5V SOUND & FREQUENCY RESPONSE COMPARISON
- DSAUDIO.review: Adam Audio T5V vs Adam Audio T7V Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- Audio Science Review Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for Adam Audio T5V Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Adam Audio T5V vs JBL 305P MKII
- Adam Audio T5V vs Yamaha HS5
- Adam Audio T5V vs Vanatoo Transparent Zero Plus
- Adam Audio T5V vs Genelec 8320A
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Edifier Airpulse A100: $999.99 B&H Photo Airpulse
Pros: Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter (inherited from Airpulse’s flagship 7001 monitor, designed by Phil Jones) paired with a 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer - a distinctive, low-mass driver combination rarely seen below $1,000. Directivity spread is the widest and most controlled of this batch (directivity_spdi_stddev 4.26). A full input set for a desktop system: RCA, USB, optical, coaxial, and Bluetooth, plus a dedicated subwoofer output and an included IR remote.
Cons: On-axis deviation (aad_on_axis 0.498) trails the pricier options in this group, and there’s no app-based EQ or DSP - bass/treble trim is limited to physical rear-panel knobs not reachable from the remote. The compact 5” woofer caps sub-bass extension at 63.0Hz (-3dB) / 53.2Hz (-10dB), the second-shallowest in this batch, effectively expecting an external subwoofer for full-range use. No Wi-Fi streaming (AirPlay/Chromecast) - Bluetooth only.
Full Edifier Airpulse A100 review and specifications →
| App | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (SBC, aptX) |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 11.1" x 10" (160 x 283 x 255 mm) (6.3 x 11.1 x 10.0 in) each |
| Drivers | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5" hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer |
| EQ | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz |
| Inputs | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX |
| Output Power | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) |
| Weight | 24.3 lbs / 11 kg (24.2 lb) each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
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- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs Presonus Eris E5 XT
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs Yamaha HS5
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs JBL 705P
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