Short answer: the Edifier MR3. Both are rated 3.8/5 for sound quality (#11 and #103 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers), and the Edifier MR3 costs $149.99 against $499.99 for the Edifier R2850DB, and with sound quality even, the cheaper one is the better buy.
Why pick the Edifier R2850DB: A big three way powered pair with deep bass, enough output for a large room, and Bluetooth, optical and RCA inputs. It supports aptX Bluetooth, which the Edifier MR3 lacks. The tradeoff: The big cabinets need real stand or furniture space, and their bass is slightly boomy.
What the Edifier MR3 does well: 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 R2850DB lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Edifier R2850DB 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. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $350 less than the Edifier R2850DB.
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Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier R2850DB | Edifier MR3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499.99 per pair | $149.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #103 of 119 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #11 of 48 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 18.1”H x 10.1”W x 12.4”D (459.7 x 256.5 x 315 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 | 42Hz-20kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 52Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax | Balanced TRS, RCA, Aux, Bluetooth |
| Weight | 50.7 lbs (23 kg) | 8.5 lbs (3.85 kg) |
| Drivers | 8” (203mm) 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, aptX | SBC |
| EQ | No | Yes (rear knobs and app room compensation) |
| DSP | No | - |
| Amplifier Power | 75w RMS Per Speaker | 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 |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 70Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| 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 |
| Outputs | - | 3.5mm headphone |
| Headphone Output | - | Yes |
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