Short answer: the HiVi Swan X3. It ranks #10 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.9/5, at $179. The Edifier MR3 ranks #11, rated 3.8/5, at $109.99, $69.01 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The case for the Edifier MR3: An affordable desk pair with balanced sound, Bluetooth, and tone controls, a good first set of monitors. It keeps a wired aux input, which the HiVi Swan X3 lacks. The catch: Local response ripples remain: the measured 300Hz-5kHz span is 4.5dB and listening-window narrow-band deviation is 0.538.
The case for the HiVi Swan X3: An affordable small coaxial desktop pair with fairly balanced sound for the money. The catch: Not a flat reference monitor: the response spans 5.0dB from 300Hz to 5kHz and trends upward toward the treble.
Buy the HiVi Swan X3. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $69.01 saving on the Edifier MR3 is not enough to make up the difference.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
An affordable desk pair with balanced sound, Bluetooth, and tone controls, a good first set of monitors.
An affordable small coaxial desktop pair with fairly balanced sound for the money.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier MR3 | HiVi Swan X3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $109.99 per pair | $179.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #11 of 48 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #10 of 48 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| App | 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” x 4.8” x 7.1” (128 x 123 x 181 mm) (W x D x H) |
| EQ | Yes (rear knobs and app room compensation) | - |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 75Hz - 20kHz (±2.5dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Balanced TRS, RCA, Aux, Bluetooth | RCA |
| Weight | 8.5 lbs (3.85 kg) | 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg) each |
| Drivers | 3.5” mid-low driver, 1” silk dome tweeter | 3-inch coaxial woofer and tweeter |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | - |
| Amplifier Power | 36W total (18W per speaker) | 28W RMS Per Speaker |
| Sensitivity | 83.3dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Maximum SPL | 93dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.91 | 4.04 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.53 | 7.03 |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | Yes | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Outputs | 3.5mm headphone | - |
| Headphone Output | Yes | - |
| Enclosure | - | Active coaxial, rear-ported |
| Bass Extension (-6dB) | - | 71Hz (measured, Spinorama) |
| Configuration | - | Powered desktop monitor |
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