Short answer: the Edifier MR3. It ranks #8 of 24 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $109.99; the Edifier MR4.5 ranks #45, rated 3.6/5, and costs $249, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
Their tonal accuracy is close; the MR4.5’s advantage is bass. Erin’s measurements give the MR3 preference scores of 3.91 on its own and 6.53 with an ideal subwoofer, and the MR4.5 lands at about 3.9 and 6.1. The difference is where each falls short: the MR3 has mild ripples through the midrange, while the MR4.5 has a broad upper bass bump around 120 to 150Hz, a dip around 2 to 3kHz and brighter treble. The MR4.5 reaches about 60Hz at -3dB and 44Hz at -10dB, well past the MR3’s 70Hz at -3dB and 53Hz at -10dB, so it sounds noticeably fuller without a subwoofer.
Both are nearfield speakers. The MR3 runs out of output around 86 to 87dB per speaker at 1m, and the MR4.5 shows meaningful compression by 96dB with distortion climbing between 700Hz and 3kHz. Either works well at an arm’s length desk distance, and neither is a good choice for filling a living room.
Their features overlap more than the price gap suggests. Both have balanced TRS, RCA and aux inputs, a front headphone output, rear tone knobs and room compensation settings in the ConneX app. The MR4.5 adds balanced XLR and upgrades Bluetooth to version 6.0 with LDAC and multipoint, where the MR3 has Bluetooth 5.4 with SBC only. The MR3 is the smaller cabinet, 220mm tall against 244mm.
Buy the Edifier MR3. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Edifier MR4.5 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier MR3 | Edifier MR4.5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $109.99 per pair | $249 per pair |
| Ranked | #8 of 24 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #45 of 67 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| App | Yes (Edifier ConneX) | Yes (Edifier ConneX) |
| Dimensions | 8.7"H x 4.9"W x 7.3"D (220 x 125.5 x 185 mm) (active); 220H x 125.5W x 176D mm (passive) | 5.5"W x 9.6"H x 9"D (140 x 244 x 229 mm) (active); 140W x 244H x 208D mm (passive) |
| EQ | Yes (rear knobs and app room compensation) | Yes (app EQ, room compensation settings and rear high/low controls) |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz-40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Balanced TRS, RCA, Aux, Bluetooth | Balanced XLR, balanced 6.35mm TRS, RCA, 3.5mm Aux, Bluetooth |
| Weight | 8.5 lbs (3.85 kg) | 14.6 lbs (6.63 kg) |
| Drivers | 3.5" mid-low driver, 1" silk dome tweeter | 4.5-inch mid-bass driver + 1-inch silk-dome tweeter (each) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 44Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 60Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes, 6.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | LDAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 6.0 |
| Amplifier Power | 36W total (18W per speaker) | 80W RMS total (Manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 83.3dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) | - |
| Maximum SPL | 93dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) | 98dB (Manufacturer specified, 1m) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.91 | 3.86 (calculated from Erin's Audio Corner CEA2034 data) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.53 | 6.10 (calculated from Erin's Audio Corner CEA2034 data) |
| XLR Input | No | Yes |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | Yes | Yes |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Outputs | 3.5mm headphone | 3.5mm headphone |
| Headphone Output | Yes | Yes |
| Measurement Source | - | Erin's Audio Corner |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Edifier MR3 compares with other leading options:
- Edifier MR3 vs Genelec 8010A
- Adam Audio D3v vs Edifier MR3
- Edifier MR3 vs Cambridge Audio L/R S
- Edifier MR3 vs IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor
- Edifier M60 vs Edifier MR3
Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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
Edifier MR3: $109.99 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Erin’s measurements show little overall tilt across the listening window, helping voices retain a broadly natural balance at a desk. Scores of 3.91 standalone and 6.53 with an ideal subwoofer support it as a useful budget nearfield option rather than a reference monitor. Tone controls and app-based EQ provide unusually flexible adjustment, and its bass extends farther than the Fostex PM03’s. Measured bass extension of 70Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83.3dB.
Cons: Local response ripples remain: the measured 300Hz-5kHz span is 4.5dB and listening-window narrow-band deviation is 0.538. Bass reaches -3dB at about 70Hz. The limiter protects the drivers but prevents much extra loudness when pushed; existing compression testing puts effective single-speaker output around 86-87dB at 1m. Vertical crossover interference makes tweeter height and tilt important.
Full Edifier MR3 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 36W total (18W per speaker) |
| App | Yes (Edifier ConneX) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.7"H x 4.9"W x 7.3"D (220 x 125.5 x 185 mm) (active); 220H x 125.5W x 176D mm (passive) |
| Drivers | 3.5" mid-low driver, 1" silk dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (rear knobs and app room compensation) |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Headphone Output | Yes |
| Inputs | Balanced TRS, RCA, Aux, Bluetooth |
| Maximum SPL | 93dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Outputs | 3.5mm headphone |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Sensitivity | 83.3dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.91 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.53 |
| TRS Input | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 8.5 lbs (3.85 kg) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Edifier MR4.5: $249 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Bass reaches about 60Hz at -3dB and 44Hz at -10dB in Erin’s measurements, notably deep for a 4.5-inch desktop monitor and well beyond the smaller MR4. It connects to nearly anything: balanced XLR and TRS, RCA and 3.5mm aux inputs, Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC and multipoint, plus a front headphone output. Rear high and low shelving knobs and the ConneX app’s room compensation settings help tune it for desk or wall placement. Measured bass extension of 60Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The response is uneven, with a broad upper-bass bump around 120 to 150Hz, a presence dip of roughly 3dB around 2 to 3kHz and brighter treble above it (listening-window tilt +0.22dB per octave), which holds its preference score to about 3.9 on its own and 6.1 with an ideal subwoofer. Vertical lobing means the tweeter should be aimed at ear height. Compression is already meaningful at 96dB and distortion climbs sharply between 700Hz and 3kHz when pushed, so it suits nearfield desk listening rather than filling a room.
Full Edifier MR4.5 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 80W RMS total (Manufacturer specified) |
| App | Yes (Edifier ConneX) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 6.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | LDAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.5"W x 9.6"H x 9"D (140 x 244 x 229 mm) (active); 140W x 244H x 208D mm (passive) |
| Drivers | 4.5-inch mid-bass driver + 1-inch silk-dome tweeter (each) |
| EQ | Yes (app EQ, room compensation settings and rear high/low controls) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz-40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Headphone Output | Yes |
| Inputs | Balanced XLR, balanced 6.35mm TRS, RCA, 3.5mm Aux, Bluetooth |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (Manufacturer specified, 1m) |
| Measurement Source | Erin's Audio Corner |
| Optical Input | No |
| Outputs | 3.5mm headphone |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.86 (calculated from Erin's Audio Corner CEA2034 data) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.10 (calculated from Erin's Audio Corner CEA2034 data) |
| TRS Input | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs (6.63 kg) |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons