Short answer: the Edifier Airpulse A100. It ranks #17 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $999.99; the JBL 705P ranks #22 and costs $1998, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Edifier Airpulse A100 side: 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 catch: 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.
The case for the JBL 705P: CEA2034 spinorama shows flat response with excellent directivity, similar to its larger 708P sibling. Set against that: A cancellation around 750Hz (likely port-related) and a bit of boosted response at the 1.75kHz crossover show up in the on-axis curve.
Buy the Edifier Airpulse A100. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL 705P and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier Airpulse A100 | JBL 705P | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999.99 | $1998 |
| Ranked | #17 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #22 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | 80Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Inputs | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX | - |
| Drivers | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5" hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer | 5" woofer, 2409H 1" compression driver |
| App | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes (SBC, aptX) | - |
| EQ | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs | No |
| Weight | 24.3 lbs / 11 kg (24.2 lb) each | 12.6 lbs / 5.7 kg each |
| Output Power | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) | 500W total (250W woofer, 250W tweeter) |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 11.1" x 10" (160 x 283 x 255 mm) (6.3 x 11.1 x 10.0 in) each | 10.6"H x 5.9"W x 10.8"D (268 x 151 x 274 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz | 39Hz - 36kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| DSP | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL 305P MKII vs KEF LS50 Wireless II
- KEF LS50 Wireless II vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- Yamaha HS5 vs KEF LS50 Wireless II
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs JBL 705P
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs JBL 705P
The Two Speakers In Full
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
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs KEF LS50 Wireless II
- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs Kali Audio IN-5
- 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 Adam Audio T5V
- See all 10 comparisons
JBL 705P: $1998 Bhphotovideo
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows flat response with excellent directivity, similar to its larger 708P sibling. Bi-amplified 500W design (250W woofer, 250W compression driver) into a 5” woofer and JBL’s 2409H compression tweeter.
Cons: A cancellation around 750Hz (likely port-related) and a bit of boosted response at the 1.75kHz crossover show up in the on-axis curve. Sits right around the ear’s most sensitive hearing range near 100Hz, so that region is partially audible even at modest levels.
Full JBL 705P review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 80Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DSP | No |
| Dimensions | 10.6"H x 5.9"W x 10.8"D (268 x 151 x 274 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" woofer, 2409H 1" compression driver |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 39Hz - 36kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 500W total (250W woofer, 250W tweeter) |
| 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
- Head-to-Head Comparisons