Short answer: the Edifier MR4.5 if sound quality matters most, the Edifier MR4 if price matters most. The Edifier MR4.5 ranks #45 of 67 powered bookshelf speakers, rated 3.6/5, at $249. The Edifier MR4 ranks #48, rated 3.5/5, at $139.99, $109.01 cheaper.
The MR4.5 is the MR4 with real bass. Its 4.5-inch woofer reaches about 60Hz at -3dB and 44Hz at -10dB in Erin’s measurements, where the MR4 is 3dB down at 79Hz and 10dB down at 59Hz. That makes the MR4.5 sound much fuller on its own, and it has almost twice the amplifier power at 80W in total.
Tonal accuracy is similar, with different flaws. The MR4.5 scores about 3.9 on its own and 6.1 with an ideal subwoofer, against 3.25 and 6.00 for the MR4, so most of the MR4.5’s lead comes from bass extension. The MR4.5 has a broad upper bass bump around 120 to 150Hz, a dip around 2 to 3kHz and brighter treble, plus strong vertical lobing, so aim its tweeter at ear height. The MR4 is flatter overall but has lower treble unevenness.
The MR4.5 is the better connected speaker. Both have balanced TRS, RCA and aux inputs and a front headphone output. The MR4.5 adds balanced XLR, Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC and multipoint, and room compensation settings in the ConneX app, where the MR4 has no Bluetooth and only Monitor and Music sound modes. Both compress and distort when pushed hard, so either is best kept to nearfield desk listening.
Buy the Edifier MR4.5 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Edifier MR4 if the price matters more than sound quality.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier MR4.5 | Edifier MR4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 per pair | $139.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #45 of 67 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #48 of 67 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| 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) | 9"H x 5.5"W x 7.6"D (228.6 x 139.7 x 193 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz-40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Balanced XLR, balanced 6.35mm TRS, RCA, 3.5mm Aux, Bluetooth | TRS Balanced, RCA, Aux |
| Outputs | 3.5mm headphone | Headphone |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs (6.63 kg) | 9.9 lbs (4.5 kg) |
| Drivers | 4.5-inch mid-bass driver + 1-inch silk-dome tweeter (each) | 4" (102mm) woofer, 1" silk dome tweeter |
| App | Yes (Edifier ConneX) | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | LDAC, SBC | - |
| EQ | Yes (app EQ, room compensation settings and rear high/low controls) | Yes (Monitor and Music modes) |
| Amplifier Power | 80W RMS total (Manufacturer specified) | 42W RMS total (21W per speaker) |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (Manufacturer specified, 1m) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 79Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 59Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.86 (calculated from Erin's Audio Corner CEA2034 data) | 3.25 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.10 (calculated from Erin's Audio Corner CEA2034 data) | 6.00 |
| Measurement Source | Erin's Audio Corner | - |
| Headphone Output | Yes | Yes |
| XLR Input | Yes | 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 |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 6.0 | No |
| Sensitivity | - | 78dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
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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 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
Edifier MR4: $139.99 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Erin’s data supports a useful budget desktop monitor: a 3.0dB midrange span, little overall on-axis tilt, and preference scores of 3.25 standalone and 6.00 with an ideal subwoofer. Balanced TRS inputs and tone controls are practical at its price, and its response is more balanced than the measured R1280T. Measured bass extension of 79Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 78dB.
Cons: Bass reaches -3dB around 79Hz, so deep extension should not be inferred from the overall flat trend. Listening-window response still has local irregularities, including lower-treble unevenness. The existing review reports rapidly increasing distortion and audible distress when pushed well above moderate desktop levels. No Bluetooth, and adding a subwoofer does not cure every output or tonal limitation.
Full Edifier MR4 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 42W RMS total (21W per speaker) |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 79Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9"H x 5.5"W x 7.6"D (228.6 x 139.7 x 193 mm) |
| Drivers | 4" (102mm) woofer, 1" silk dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Monitor and Music modes) |
| Frequency Response | 60 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Headphone Output | Yes |
| Inputs | TRS Balanced, RCA, Aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Outputs | Headphone |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Sensitivity | 78dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.25 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.00 |
| TRS Input | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 9.9 lbs (4.5 kg) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner Review Measurements More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Audio Science Review Measurements More from Audio Science Review →
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs Edifier R1280DBs sound.DEMO More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs Edifier R1700BT sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs JBL 305P MKII sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs Presonus Eris E3.5 sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs iLoud Micro Monitor sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs Presonus Eris E4.5 sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs Mackie CR4-X sound.DEMO
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Jasper Tech: Best Desktop Computer Speakers for Every Budget – 2026 More from Jasper Tech →
- Jasper Tech: Are the iLoud Micro Monitor Pro the Best Studio Monitor Speakers for your Home Studio?
- Head-to-Head Comparisons