Short answer: the Presonus Eris E5 XT. It ranks #19 of 58 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $119.99; the Edifier R1280DB ranks #35 and costs $159.98, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Edifier R1280DB offers: Same drivers and cabinet as the ASR-measured Edifier R1280T (identical 4” woofer, same 4.9kg enclosure) plus Bluetooth and digital optical/coax inputs the R1280T doesn’t have. ASR’s measurements of that shared platform found the woofer handled a demanding bass-heavy track without bottoming out or audible distortion, and distortion stayed low and inaudible at a normal 86dB SPL listening level. Built-in remote and bass/treble tone controls, no separate preamp needed. Watch for: Shares the R1280T’s jagged on-axis response rather than a neutral one, with a woofer resonance around 5kHz and a tweeter peak near 10kHz that also show up in the directivity data. The reviewer’s raw impression of that platform was “a bit bass heavy and after a track or two, somewhat bright,” and recommends EQ correction; vertical listening window is narrow, so the tweeter needs to be angled toward the ears. Not quite as neutral sounding as the Edifier MR4.
What the Presonus Eris E5 XT offers: CEA2034 spinorama shows very smooth, consistent directivity through the crossover region and into the treble, with early reflections tracking the on-axis curve closely. Watch for: On-axis response is uneven, with peaks at both frequency extremes and a dip around the roughly 3kHz crossover, giving a bass-and-treble-heavy tonal balance with the midrange partially recessed. Because directivity is otherwise good, room reflections closely mirror that same imbalance rather than smoothing it out. At 96dB SPL distortion spans a wide range of frequencies, and while dropping to 86dB helps, the woofer or its amplifier remains the weak link.
Buy the Presonus Eris E5 XT. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Edifier R1280DB and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier R1280DB | Presonus Eris E5 XT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.98 | $119.99 |
| Ranked | #35 of 58 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #19 of 58 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 80Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - shares the same driver/cabinet platform as the R1280T; read from that thread’s chart | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - shares the same driver/cabinet platform as the R1280T; read from that thread’s chart | 65Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 9.2"H x 5.7"W x 7.7"D (233.7 x 144.8 x 195.6 mm) | 10.2"H x 7"W x 7.7"D (259.1 x 177.8 x 195.6 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 55 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 53Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax | TRS, XLR, RCA |
| Outputs | None | - |
| Weight | 10.8 lbs / 4.9 kg | 10.1 lbs / 4.6 kg each |
| Drivers | 4" (102mm) woofer | 5" (127mm) woofer |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| EQ | No | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Output Power | 42w RMS Total | 80w Per Speaker |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Edifier R1280T vs Pioneer DJ VM-50
- Edifier MR4 vs Edifier R1280T
- Edifier R1280T vs JBL One Series 104
- Edifier R1280DB vs JBL One Series 104
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs Pioneer DJ VM-50
Prices on this page were last checked August 24, 2026 at 6:53 AM 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 R1280DB: $159.98 Amazon eBay
Pros: Same drivers and cabinet as the ASR-measured Edifier R1280T (identical 4” woofer, same 4.9kg enclosure) plus Bluetooth and digital optical/coax inputs the R1280T doesn’t have. ASR’s measurements of that shared platform found the woofer handled a demanding bass-heavy track without bottoming out or audible distortion, and distortion stayed low and inaudible at a normal 86dB SPL listening level. Built-in remote and bass/treble tone controls, no separate preamp needed.
Cons: Shares the R1280T’s jagged on-axis response rather than a neutral one, with a woofer resonance around 5kHz and a tweeter peak near 10kHz that also show up in the directivity data. The reviewer’s raw impression of that platform was “a bit bass heavy and after a track or two, somewhat bright,” and recommends EQ correction; vertical listening window is narrow, so the tweeter needs to be angled toward the ears. Not quite as neutral sounding as the Edifier MR4.
Full Edifier R1280DB review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - shares the same driver/cabinet platform as the R1280T; read from that thread's chart |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 80Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - shares the same driver/cabinet platform as the R1280T; read from that thread's chart |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Dimensions | 9.2"H x 5.7"W x 7.7"D (233.7 x 144.8 x 195.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 4" (102mm) woofer |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 55 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax |
| Output Power | 42w RMS Total |
| Outputs | None |
| Weight | 10.8 lbs / 4.9 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Audio Science Review Measurements More from Audio Science Review →
- DSAUDIO.review: Edifier R1280DB vs Edifier R1700BT Sound Demo w/ Bass Test More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: Edifier R1280DBs vs Edifier R1700BTs Sound Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs Edifier R1280DBs sound.DEMO
- Audio Science Review Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for Edifier R1280DB Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Edifier R1280DB vs Focal Alpha 50 EVO
- Edifier R1280DB vs Edifier R1280T
- Edifier R1280DB vs Topping MA4
- Edifier R1280DB vs Vanatoo Transparent One Encore Plus
- Edifier R1280DB vs Audioengine A5+ Classic
- Edifier R1280DB vs Presonus Eris E5
- Edifier R1280DB vs Edifier MR4
- Edifier R1280DB vs KRK Classic 5
- See all 36 comparisons
Presonus Eris E5 XT: $119.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows very smooth, consistent directivity through the crossover region and into the treble, with early reflections tracking the on-axis curve closely.
Cons: On-axis response is uneven, with peaks at both frequency extremes and a dip around the roughly 3kHz crossover, giving a bass-and-treble-heavy tonal balance with the midrange partially recessed. Because directivity is otherwise good, room reflections closely mirror that same imbalance rather than smoothing it out. At 96dB SPL distortion spans a wide range of frequencies, and while dropping to 86dB helps, the woofer or its amplifier remains the weak link.
Full Presonus Eris E5 XT review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 65Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bluetooth | 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) |
| Inputs | TRS, XLR, RCA |
| Output Power | 80w Per Speaker |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs / 4.6 kg each |
- 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)
- Reddit Search for Presonus Eris E5 XT Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs Airpulse A100
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs KEF LS50 Wireless II
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs JBL 705P
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs Kali Audio IN-5
- Presonus Eris E5 XT vs Vanatoo Transparent Zero Plus
- See all 24 comparisons