Short answer: the Airpulse A100. It ranks #35 of 108 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality (rated 4.0/5) at $999.99 and is still sold new; the M-Audio BX5 D3 ranks #42 (rated 3.9/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
What the Airpulse A100 does well: A compact powered pair with a ribbon tweeter, Bluetooth, digital inputs, a remote and a subwoofer output. It keeps a wired aux input, which the M-Audio BX5 D3 lacks. The catch: Bass reaches -3dB around 63Hz, so lower notes need a subwoofer for full weight.
What the M-Audio BX5 D3 does well: A budget studio monitor with balanced inputs and room adjustment for a basic home studio. Watch for: The response slopes downward by about 0.65dB per octave, potentially softening treble relative to the midrange.
Buy the Airpulse A100. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the M-Audio BX5 D3 is discontinued.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
A compact powered pair with a ribbon tweeter, Bluetooth, digital inputs, a remote and a subwoofer output.
A budget studio monitor with balanced inputs and room adjustment for a basic home studio.
Prices on this page were last checked October 31, 2026 at 7:11 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Airpulse A100 | M-Audio BX5 D3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999.99 per pair | $637.22 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #35 of 108 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #42 of 108 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | - |
| Inputs | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX | XLR and TRS |
| Drivers | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer | 1-inch silk tweeter, 5-inch Kevlar woofer |
| App | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes (SBC, aptX) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX | - |
| EQ | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs | - |
| Weight | 24.3 lbs (11 kg) each | 12.3 lbs (5.6 kg) each |
| Amplifier Power | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) | 100W each |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 11.1” x 10” (160 x 283 x 255 mm) each | 10H x 6.9W x 7.8D in |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz | 52Hz-35kHz |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.56 | 4.09 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.08 | 6.69 |
| XLR Input | No | Yes |
| RCA Input | Yes | No |
| TRS Input | No | Yes |
| Optical Input | Yes | No |
| Coaxial Input | Yes | No |
| USB Input | Yes | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | - |
| Enclosure | - | Active 2-way, rear-ported |
| Maximum SPL | - | 110dB |
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