Short answer: the Edifier MR4.5. Both are rated 3.6/5 for sound quality (#69 and #66 of 108 powered bookshelf speakers), and the Edifier MR4.5 costs $199.99 against $399.98 for the Yamaha HS5, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy.
The Edifier MR4.5 is the deeper-bass choice. A desktop monitor pair with deep bass for its size, LDAC Bluetooth, balanced inputs, a headphone jack and app tuning. Its bass reaches about 60Hz before falling 3dB, against 88Hz for the Yamaha HS5. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Yamaha HS5 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 Yamaha HS5 does well: A popular 5 inch studio monitor with balanced inputs and room placement controls for a home studio. The catch: The measurements do not support describing it as very neutral: excess midrange and reduced lower-midrange/upper-bass weight produce a bass-light balance.
Buy the Edifier MR4.5. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $199.99 less than the Yamaha HS5.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier MR4.5 | Yamaha HS5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.99 per pair | $399.98 per pair |
| Ranked | #69 of 108 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #66 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) | 11.2”H x 6.7”W x 8.7”D (284.5 x 170.2 x 221 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz-40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 58Hz - 24kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Balanced XLR, balanced 6.35mm TRS, RCA, 3.5mm Aux, Bluetooth | XLR |
| Outputs | 3.5mm headphone | - |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs (6.63 kg) | 12.1 lbs (5.5 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) | 45w Per Speaker |
| Maximum SPL | 98dB (Manufacturer specified, 1m) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 88Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 68Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.86 (calculated from Erin’s Audio Corner CEA2034 data) | 3.70 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.10 (calculated from Erin’s Audio Corner CEA2034 data) | 6.32 |
| Measurement Source | Erin’s Audio Corner | - |
| Headphone Output | Yes | - |
| XLR Input | Yes | Yes |
| RCA Input | Yes | No |
| 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 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | No |
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