Short answer: a tie on sound quality. Both are rated 3.6/5 (#8 and #9 of 16 compact 5 to 6.5-inch pa speakers), so choose on features and fit.
The case for the EAW MKC50: A 3.3kg coaxial cabinet with wide 110° x 110° coverage and a 121dB rating, small enough to hide in a wall or corner. The tradeoff: Bass reaches only about 103Hz (-3dB), so it needs a subwoofer for anything but speech, and predicted in-room smoothness of 0.469 is modest.
What the DB Audiotechnik 44S does well: A 3.6kg cabinet with dual 4.5-inch drivers and a rotatable horn that reaches 123dB, with a low on-axis deviation (narrow-band 0.37). The catch: Bass reaches only about 122Hz (-3dB), so it works as a speech and fill box that needs a subwoofer for music.
Buy the EAW MKC50 or the DB Audiotechnik 44S on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete PA & Live Sound rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| EAW MKC50 | DB Audiotechnik 44S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $375.00 each | - |
| Ranked | #8 of 16 in Compact 5 to 6.5-Inch PA Speakers | #9 of 16 in Compact 5 to 6.5-Inch PA Speakers |
| Configuration | Passive 2-way coaxial PA speaker | Passive 2-way compact PA speaker |
| Drivers | 5.25” low-frequency driver, 1” dome tweeter (coaxial) | Dual 4.5” neodymium woofers, dual 1.25” dome tweeters on a rotatable CD horn |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (manufacturer specified) | 90Hz - 17kHz (-5dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 9.3”H x 6.5”W x 5.6”D (235 x 165 x 141 mm) | - |
| Amplifier Power | Passive speaker; requires external amplification within the 150W handling rating | Passive speaker; requires external amplification within the 150W RMS / 500W peak handling rating |
| Power Handling | 150W (manufacturer specified) | 150W RMS / 500W peak (manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 121dB (manufacturer specified) | 123dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Coverage | 110° x 110° | Rotatable CD horn (measured 90° x 30°) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB | - |
| DSP | No (passive) | No (passive; used with d&b amplifiers for presets) |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) | 7.9 lbs (3.6 kg) (13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) with backbox) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 103Hz (measured, vendor Spinorama data) | 122Hz (measured, vendor Spinorama data) |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.37 | 3.14 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.89 | 6.61 |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Microphone Input | No | No |
| Guitar Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How EAW MKC50 compares with other leading options:
- Meyer Sound Ultra X22 vs EAW MKC50
- EAW MKC60 vs EAW MKC50
- EAW MKC50 vs Meyer Sound Ultra X20
- Turbosound NuQ62 vs EAW MKC50
- EAW MKC50 vs Seeburg X1
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 PM 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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The Two Speakers In Full
EAW MKC50: $375.00 each Passive Full Compass eBay
Pros: A 3.3kg coaxial cabinet with wide 110° x 110° coverage and a 121dB rating, small enough to hide in a wall or corner. Vendor Spinorama data gives preference scores of 3.37 standalone and 6.89 with an ideal subwoofer, with listening-window narrow-band deviation of 0.288. Measured bass extension of 103Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Bass reaches only about 103Hz (-3dB), so it needs a subwoofer for anything but speech, and predicted in-room smoothness of 0.469 is modest. It is passive, and the price is high for a 5-inch box.
Full EAW MKC50 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | Passive speaker; requires external amplification within the 150W handling rating |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 103Hz (measured, vendor Spinorama data) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Configuration | Passive 2-way coaxial PA speaker |
| Coverage | 110° x 110° |
| DSP | No (passive) |
| Dimensions | 9.3”H x 6.5”W x 5.6”D (235 x 165 x 141 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25” low-frequency driver, 1” dome tweeter (coaxial) |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 20kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Guitar Input | No |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Maximum SPL | 121dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Microphone Input | No |
| Optical Input | No |
| Power Handling | 150W (manufacturer specified) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Sensitivity | 87dB |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.37 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.89 |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
DB Audiotechnik 44S Passive eBay
Pros: A 3.6kg cabinet with dual 4.5-inch drivers and a rotatable horn that reaches 123dB, with a low on-axis deviation (narrow-band 0.37). Vendor Spinorama data gives preference scores of 3.14 standalone and 6.61 with an ideal subwoofer. Measured bass extension of 122Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Bass reaches only about 122Hz (-3dB), so it works as a speech and fill box that needs a subwoofer for music. It is passive and works properly only with d&b amplifiers, and pricing is dealer quoted.
Full DB Audiotechnik 44S review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | Passive speaker; requires external amplification within the 150W RMS / 500W peak handling rating |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 122Hz (measured, vendor Spinorama data) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Configuration | Passive 2-way compact PA speaker |
| Coverage | Rotatable CD horn (measured 90° x 30°) |
| DSP | No (passive; used with d&b amplifiers for presets) |
| Drivers | Dual 4.5” neodymium woofers, dual 1.25” dome tweeters on a rotatable CD horn |
| Frequency Response | 90Hz - 17kHz (-5dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Guitar Input | No |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Maximum SPL | 123dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Microphone Input | No |
| Optical Input | No |
| Power Handling | 150W RMS / 500W peak (manufacturer specified) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.14 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.61 |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 7.9 lbs (3.6 kg) (13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) with backbox) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons