Short answer: the Edifier MR3. It ranks #11 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $149.99; the Edifier MR4 ranks #72, rated 3.5/5, and costs $169.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The MR3 measures a little better despite its smaller size. In Erin’s measurements the MR3 earns preference scores of 3.91 on its own and 6.53 with an ideal subwoofer, against 3.25 and 6.00 for the MR4. Both have fairly little overall tilt, so neither sounds obviously bright or dull, but the MR4’s listening window carries more local irregularity, especially in the lower treble.
Neither goes deep, and the MR4’s bigger woofer does not help. The MR3 reaches 70Hz at -3dB and 53Hz at -10dB, the MR4 79Hz and 59Hz, so both roll off early and both benefit from a subwoofer for music with real low bass. Both also limit or distort audibly when pushed; the MR3 tops out around 86 to 87dB per speaker at 1m, which is fine at a desk but not for filling a room.
The MR3 is the newer and better equipped design. Both offer balanced TRS for an audio interface, RCA and aux inputs and a front headphone output. The MR3 adds Bluetooth 5.4, rear tone knobs and room compensation settings in the ConneX app, where the MR4 has no Bluetooth and only Monitor and Music sound modes. The MR3 is also the smaller cabinet at 220mm tall against about 229mm.
Buy the Edifier MR3. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Edifier MR4 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier MR3 | Edifier MR4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.99 per pair | $169.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #11 of 48 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #72 of 108 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| App | Yes (Edifier ConneX) | 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) | 9”H x 5.5”W x 7.6”D (228.6 x 139.7 x 193 mm) |
| EQ | Yes (rear knobs and app room compensation) | Yes (Monitor and Music modes) |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Balanced TRS, RCA, Aux, Bluetooth | TRS Balanced, RCA, Aux |
| Weight | 8.5 lbs (3.85 kg) | 9.9 lbs (4.5 kg) |
| Drivers | 3.5” mid-low driver, 1” silk dome tweeter | 4” (102mm) woofer, 1” silk dome tweeter |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 59Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 79Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | - |
| Amplifier Power | 36W total (18W per speaker) | 42W RMS total (21W per speaker) |
| Sensitivity | 83.3dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 78dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Maximum SPL | 93dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.91 | 3.25 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.53 | 6.00 |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| 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 | Headphone |
| Headphone Output | Yes | Yes |
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