Short answer: the Edifier MR4.5 on measured sound quality, the Presonus Eris E5 XT on price. The Edifier MR4.5 ranks #45 of 67 powered bookshelf speakers, rated 3.6/5, at $249. The Presonus Eris E5 XT ranks #46, rated 3.5/5, at $119.99, $129.01 cheaper.
The case for the Edifier MR4.5: 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. 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: ASR’s measurements show reasonably consistent directivity through the crossover, so EQ changes are more likely to benefit both direct and reflected sound. 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 if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Presonus Eris E5 XT if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier MR4.5 | Presonus Eris E5 XT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 per pair | $239.98 per pair |
| Ranked | #45 of 67 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #46 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) | 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) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 65Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| 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, 6.0 | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Edifier MR4.5 compares with other leading options:
- Edifier MR4.5 vs Dayton Audio M4
- Onkyo GX-30ARC vs Edifier MR4.5
- Kanto YU vs Edifier MR4.5
- Edifier MR4.5 vs Yamaha HS5
- Adam Audio A4V vs Edifier MR4.5
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
Presonus Eris E5 XT: $239.98 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: ASR’s measurements show reasonably consistent directivity through the crossover, so EQ changes are more likely to benefit both direct and reflected sound. Bass reaches -3dB around 56Hz. A standalone preference score of 3.58 rises to 6.00 with an ideal subwoofer, indicating useful bass reach but only moderate native tonal performance. Measured bass extension of 85Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The response has bass and treble emphasis with a recessed crossover region; smooth directivity carries that imbalance into room reflections rather than fixing it. Existing distortion testing shows problems across a broad range when pushed to 96dB. Tone correction and moderate levels help, but it is not a reference-flat monitor out of the box.
Full Presonus Eris E5 XT review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 80w Per Speaker |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 65Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.2"H x 7"W x 7.7"D (259.1 x 177.8 x 195.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" (127mm) woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 53Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | TRS, XLR, RCA |
| Optical Input | No |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.58 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.00 |
| TRS Input | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs (4.6 kg) each |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- DSAUDIO.review: New PreSonus E5 XT and Yamaha HS5 could not sound any more different! SOUND AND RESPONSE COMPARISON More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: Bright and brighter. PreSonus E5 XT takes on Adam Audio T5V SOUND & FREQUENCY RESPONSE COMPARISON
- DSAUDIO.review: PreSonus Eris E5 XT vs PreSonus Eris E5 (new vs old) Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: PreSonus E7 XT vs PreSonus E5 XT Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: PreSonus Eris E8 XT vs PreSonus Eris E5 XT Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: PreSonus E5 XT vs KRK Rokit 5 G4 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- Audio Science Review Measurements More from Audio Science Review →
- Audio Science Review Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs Edifier S2000MKIII
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs Edifier MR4
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs Palmer STUDIMON 5
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs KRK Classic 5
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs Adam Audio A4V
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs Yamaha HS5
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs M-Audio BX4 D3
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs Presonus Eris E5
- See all 54 comparisons