Short answer: the Edifier MR3. It ranks #11 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $149.99; the Edifier R1280DB ranks #94, rated 3.1/5, and costs $189.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The Edifier R1280DB is the deeper-bass option. An inexpensive powered bookshelf pair with Bluetooth, optical and coaxial inputs, a remote and tone controls. Its bass reaches about 63Hz before falling 3dB, against 70Hz for the Edifier MR3. The catch: The compact format is better suited to nearfield listening than high-volume playback across a large room.
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 Edifier R1280DB lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Edifier R1280DB lacks. The catch: Local response ripples remain: the measured 300Hz-5kHz span is 4.5dB and listening-window narrow-band deviation is 0.538.
Buy the Edifier MR3. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Edifier R1280DB and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier R1280DB | Edifier MR3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $189.99 per pair | $149.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #94 of 108 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #11 of 48 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - shares the R1280T driver and cabinet; read from that measurement | 70Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 9.2”H x 5.7”W x 7.7”D (233.7 x 144.8 x 195.6 mm) | 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) |
| Frequency Response | 55 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 52Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax | Balanced TRS, RCA, Aux, Bluetooth |
| Outputs | None | 3.5mm headphone |
| Weight | 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) | 8.5 lbs (3.85 kg) |
| Drivers | 4” (102mm) woofer | 3.5” mid-low driver, 1” silk dome tweeter |
| App | No | Yes (Edifier ConneX) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.4 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) | SBC |
| EQ | No | Yes (rear knobs and app room compensation) |
| Amplifier Power | 42w RMS Total | 36W total (18W per speaker) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | No | Yes |
| Optical Input | Yes | No |
| Coaxial Input | Yes | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Sensitivity | - | 83.3dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 93dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 3.91 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 6.53 |
| Headphone Output | - | Yes |
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