Short answer: the Audioengine A2+ for better sound quality, the Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen for the lower price. The Audioengine A2+ ranks #9 of 13 powered bookshelf speakers at $279. The Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen ranks #10 at $99.99, $179.01 cheaper.
What the Audioengine A2+ offers: Genuinely small footprint for real desktop use, with a wide input selection (RCA, 3.5mm, USB, Bluetooth) plus a rear volume knob and variable RCA output. The tradeoff: Raw anechoic response has an on-axis midrange dip the reviewer called “too much” at about 6dB peak-to-peak, and a persistent 2dB dip from 3-5kHz that desk placement doesn’t fix - possibly a crossover integration issue.
The case for the Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen: Includes rear-panel high- and low-frequency shelf tone controls, letting you tailor the sound (helpful for near-wall placement, where the reviewer suggests reducing the bass knob). Watch for: Stock on-axis response has a pronounced “smiley face” V-curve, with the midrange scooped roughly 6-7dB below the bass and treble - problematic for any mixing or monitoring use.
Buy the Audioengine A2+ if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen. It ranks near the bottom of the 13 powered bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audioengine A2+ | Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.00 | $99.99 |
| Ranked | #9 of 13 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #10 of 13 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Inputs | RCA, 3.5mm, USB, Bluetooth 5.0 | RCA, 1/4" Balanced |
| Drivers | 0.75" silk dome tweeter, 2.75" fiber woofer | 3.5" woofer, 1" silk dome tweeter |
| Output Power | 15W RMS / 30W peak per channel | 50W total (25W per speaker) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 22kHz (+-2dB, Manufacturer specified) | 80 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 105.5Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 80Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58.9Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 70Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | - |
| EQ | No (fixed volume knob only) | Yes (Acoustic space) |
| App | No | No |
| Dimensions | 6"H x 4"W x 5.25"D (152 x 102 x 133mm) | 8.3"H x 6"W x 5.5"D (210.8 x 152.4 x 139.7 mm) |
| Weight | 3.5 lbs / 1.6 kg (3.55 lb) left / 3.1 lbs / 1.4 kg (3.15 lb) right | 8.6 lbs / 3.9 kg |
| Outputs | - | 1/8" headphone jack |
| Bluetooth | - | No |
| Max SPL | - | 95dB @ 1m |
| Sensitivity | - | 87.4dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
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- Klipsch ProMedia Lumina vs Mackie CR3-X
- Edifier MR3 vs Klipsch ProMedia Lumina
- Edifier M60 vs Klipsch ProMedia Lumina
- Audioengine A2+ vs Mackie CR3-X
- IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor vs Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen
The Two Speakers In Full
Audioengine A2+: $279.00 Amazon Audioengine
Pros: Genuinely small footprint for real desktop use, with a wide input selection (RCA, 3.5mm, USB, Bluetooth) plus a rear volume knob and variable RCA output. Sound is well-behaved in its intended use case - sitting on the desk below ear level, where the natural desk-boundary reinforcement fills in the midrange the way the design expects. No port chuffing or major excursion issues noted. Better native tonal balance than its closest same-size, same-price rival tested alongside it (which had a severe 70Hz resonant boom and overly hot treble); at this size and price, a solid, inoffensive pick for background/nearfield desktop use.
Cons: Raw anechoic response has an on-axis midrange dip the reviewer called “too much” at about 6dB peak-to-peak, and a persistent 2dB dip from 3-5kHz that desk placement doesn’t fix - possibly a crossover integration issue. Bass rolls off below about 100Hz with real authority, so don’t expect low-end weight. Compression/limiting kicks in hard above roughly 87dB at 1m, well before most full-size monitors, so these aren’t for anyone who wants to push real volume. Do not put these on stands at ear level - that exposes the raw nonlinear response and makes them sound notably worse; desktop placement below ear level is required to sound right. Kali Audio’s similarly-priced LP-UNF is meaningfully more linear and extends lower, at roughly twice the cabinet size.
Full Audioengine A2+ review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58.9Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 105.5Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 6"H x 4"W x 5.25"D (152 x 102 x 133mm) |
| Drivers | 0.75" silk dome tweeter, 2.75" fiber woofer |
| EQ | No (fixed volume knob only) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 22kHz (+-2dB, Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | RCA, 3.5mm, USB, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Output Power | 15W RMS / 30W peak per channel |
| Weight | 3.5 lbs / 1.6 kg (3.55 lb) left / 3.1 lbs / 1.4 kg (3.15 lb) right |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen: $99.99 Amazon
Pros: Includes rear-panel high- and low-frequency shelf tone controls, letting you tailor the sound (helpful for near-wall placement, where the reviewer suggests reducing the bass knob). Distortion and neutrality can be meaningfully improved with simple mods - sealing the rear port and adjusting the tone controls (low +3dB, high -6dB in testing) noticeably flattened the default V-shaped response.
Cons: Stock on-axis response has a pronounced “smiley face” V-curve, with the midrange scooped roughly 6-7dB below the bass and treble - problematic for any mixing or monitoring use. The rear port is too small for the cabinet, producing peaky, boomy bass rather than genuine extension. A strong resonance around 1-2kHz persists even with the port sealed, suggesting an internal standing wave rather than a purely port-related issue. Directivity mismatch between the tweeter and woofer as the woofer narrows with frequency. Hard limiting kicks in above about 86dB, and distortion at 96dB is high - not intended for loud listening. Frequency response measurably drifts over time at moderate-to-high volume (about 1dB shift after 4 minutes at 86dB, worse within a couple minutes at 96dB). In direct comparison, measures 3-5dB hotter in the treble than the Mackie CR3-X, and even after sealing the port and adjusting the tone controls, still measured behind the Mackie overall. Best used aimed off-axis (about 30-40°) and with the port sealed; without EQ/DSP correction, significant tonal problems remain.
Full Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 80Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3"H x 6"W x 5.5"D (210.8 x 152.4 x 139.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 3.5" woofer, 1" silk dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Acoustic space) |
| Frequency Response | 80 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | RCA, 1/4" Balanced |
| Max SPL | 95dB @ 1m |
| Output Power | 50W total (25W per speaker) |
| Outputs | 1/8" headphone jack |
| Sensitivity | 87.4dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 8.6 lbs / 3.9 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner Review Measurements
- Audio Science Review Measurements
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs Presonus Eris E3.5 sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: Presonus Eris E3.5 vs Edifier R1280T Sound Demo w/ Bass Test
- DSAUDIO.review: Presonus Eris E3.5 vs Mackie CR3 Sound Demo w/ Bass Test
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Mackie CR3-X vs PreSonus E3.5 Budget Monitor Showdown!
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 10 Great (and Terrible) Speakers Under $300!
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Mackie CR3-X
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Klipsch ProMedia Lumina
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Edifier M60
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Fiio SP3
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Audioengine HD3
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Edifier MR3
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Adam Audio D3v
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor
- See all 9 comparisons