Short answer: the Barefoot Footprint 01. Both are rated 4.1/5 for sound quality (#72 and #71 of 119 powered bookshelf speakers), and the Barefoot Footprint 01 costs $2,999 against $3,798 for the Fluid Audio Image 2, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy.
What the Barefoot Footprint 01 does well: Compact three-way studio monitors with substantial low end weight from opposed woofers. The tradeoff: The 6.70 ideal-subwoofer score and 2.9dB response span from 300Hz to 5kHz indicate tonal unevenness relative to the strongest monitors.
What the Fluid Audio Image 2 does well: Three-way studio monitors with useful bass reach, broadly balanced mids, and DSP tools for studio installs. Watch for: The 6.80 ideal-subwoofer score places its measured native tonality below the leading monitors.
Buy the Barefoot Footprint 01. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $799 less than the Fluid Audio Image 2.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Compact three-way studio monitors with substantial low end weight from opposed woofers.
Three-way studio monitors with useful bass reach, broadly balanced mids, and DSP tools for studio installs.
Prices on this page were last checked October 23, 2026 at 8:27 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Barefoot Footprint 01 | Fluid Audio Image 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,999.00 per pair | $3,798 per pair |
| Ranked | #72 of 119 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #71 of 119 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | 3-way active, sealed woofer/midrange chambers, machined aluminum baffle | Active sealed 3-way |
| Drivers | 1” ring-radiator tweeter, 4” aluminum-cone midrange, 2x 8” paper-composite woofers (Dual-Force opposed) | AMT tweeter, 5-inch midrange, dual opposed 8-inch woofers |
| Dimensions | 14.0H x 9.5W x 13.0D in | 14.3H x 9.5W x 13.8D in |
| Weight | 35.1 lbs (15.9 kg) each | 28.4 lbs (12.9 kg) each |
| Amplifier Power | 650W total per speaker (500W LF, 150W HF), bi-amped | 675W each |
| Frequency Response | 36Hz-45kHz (+/-3dB) | 40Hz-27kHz +/-2.2dB |
| Country | United States | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.48 | 5.22 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.70 | 6.80 |
| Inputs | XLR | XLR/TRS, AES/EBU, SPDIF |
| XLR Input | Yes | Yes |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | Yes |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | Yes |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 112dB each |
Frequency Response Compared
Both speakers’ spinorama measurements, overlaid. A flatter line is more neutral: peaks sound forward or harsh, dips sound recessed. Each curve is shifted so its average from 300 Hz to 3 kHz sits at 0 dB, so loudness differences between the two are removed and only the shape is compared. The two were measured by different sources, so small differences, especially in the bass, can come from the measurement setup rather than the speakers.
Measurement data: Barefoot Footprint 01 (measured by Audio Science Review) and Fluid Audio Image 2 (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner), via spinorama.org.
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