Short answer: the Edifier MR4.5. It ranks #69 of 108 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality (rated 3.6/5) at $199.99 and is still sold new; the PreSonus Eris E5 XT ranks #70 (rated 3.5/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The PreSonus Eris E5 XT’s replacement, the PreSonus Eris Studio 5, is rated 3.6/5 at $299.98.
The case for the Edifier MR4.5: A desktop monitor pair with deep bass for its size, LDAC Bluetooth, balanced inputs, a headphone jack and app tuning. It keeps a wired aux input, which the PreSonus Eris E5 XT lacks. Watch for: 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.
What the PreSonus Eris E5 XT does well: An affordable 5 inch studio monitor with fairly deep bass and balanced XLR, TRS and RCA inputs. The catch: The response has bass and treble emphasis with a recessed crossover region; smooth directivity carries that imbalance into room reflections rather than fixing it.
Buy the Edifier MR4.5. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the PreSonus Eris E5 XT is discontinued, so it is only available used.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier MR4.5 | PreSonus Eris E5 XT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.99 per pair | $239.98 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #69 of 108 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #70 of 108 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) | 10.2”H x 7”W x 7.7”D (259.1 x 177.8 x 195.6 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz-40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 53Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Balanced XLR, balanced 6.35mm TRS, RCA, 3.5mm Aux, Bluetooth | TRS, XLR, RCA |
| Outputs | 3.5mm headphone | - |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs (6.63 kg) | 10.1 lbs (4.6 kg) each |
| Drivers | 4.5-inch mid-bass driver + 1-inch silk-dome tweeter (each) | 5” (127mm) woofer |
| 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 (Room adjustment) |
| Amplifier Power | 80W RMS total (Manufacturer specified) | 80w Per Speaker |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (Manufacturer specified, 1m) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 56.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 46.9Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.86 (calculated from Erin’s Audio Corner CEA2034 data) | 3.58 |
| 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 | - |
| XLR Input | Yes | 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 | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | No |
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