Short answer: the Airpulse A100. It ranks #17 of 64 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $999.99; the Dynaudio LYD 5 ranks #45 and costs $1000, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Dynaudio LYD 5 offers: CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally flat on-axis response with well-controlled low-frequency distortion. Early reflections summation is smart engineering the reviewer called “pretty clever.” 100W total Class D amplification across a 5” woofer and 1” tweeter. Watch for: A dip shows up around 1.64kHz on-axis, and the upper bass is boosted to compensate for a lack of real deep bass extension, giving a mild tubbiness. Treble energy runs a bit hot, and the woofer beams around 4kHz, creating a directivity error there. Bass distortion exceeds acceptable levels above 1kHz at higher volumes. The reviewer said he’d personally reach for a JBL 305P MKII or Neumann KH80 DSP instead at this price.
What the Airpulse A100 offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
Buy the Airpulse A100. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Dynaudio LYD 5 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Dynaudio LYD 5 | Airpulse A100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1000 | $999.99 |
| Ranked | #45 of 64 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #17 of 64 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Dimensions | 10.2"H x 6.7"W x 8.3"D (260 x 170 x 211 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 | 50Hz - 21kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 52Hz - 40kHz |
| Weight | 11.9 lbs / 5.4 kg each | 24.3 lbs / 11 kg (24.2 lb) each |
| Drivers | 5" woofer, 28mm soft dome tweeter | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5" hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer |
| App | No | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) |
| EQ | No | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs |
| DSP | No | - |
| Output Power | 100W total (50W LF, 50W HF) | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) |
| Inputs | - | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX |
| Bluetooth | - | Yes (SBC, aptX) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Genelec 8030C vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- JBL 705P vs Pioneer DJ VM-50
- Pioneer DJ VM-50 vs Neumann KH120 MKII
- Genelec 8020D vs Airpulse A100
- Genelec 8020D vs Dynaudio LYD 5
Prices on this page were last checked August 25, 2026 at 6:19 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Dynaudio LYD 5: $1000 Bhphotovideo eBay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally flat on-axis response with well-controlled low-frequency distortion. Early reflections summation is smart engineering the reviewer called “pretty clever.” 100W total Class D amplification across a 5” woofer and 1” tweeter.
Cons: A dip shows up around 1.64kHz on-axis, and the upper bass is boosted to compensate for a lack of real deep bass extension, giving a mild tubbiness. Treble energy runs a bit hot, and the woofer beams around 4kHz, creating a directivity error there. Bass distortion exceeds acceptable levels above 1kHz at higher volumes. The reviewer said he’d personally reach for a JBL 305P MKII or Neumann KH80 DSP instead at this price.
Full Dynaudio LYD 5 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DSP | No |
| Dimensions | 10.2"H x 6.7"W x 8.3"D (260 x 170 x 211 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" woofer, 28mm soft dome tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 21kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 100W total (50W LF, 50W HF) |
| Weight | 11.9 lbs / 5.4 kg each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Airpulse A100: $999.99 Amazon B&H Photo eBay
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 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 |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Airpulse A100 vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- Airpulse A100 vs KEF LS50 Wireless II
- Airpulse A100 vs Kali Audio IN-5
- Airpulse A100 vs Presonus Eris E5 XT
- Airpulse A100 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
- Airpulse A100 vs Vanatoo Transparent Zero Plus
- Airpulse A100 vs Yamaha HS5
- Airpulse A100 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- See all 42 comparisons