Short answer: the Genelec 8361A for better sound quality, the Edifier R2850DB for the lower price. The Genelec 8361A ranks #5 of 66 powered bookshelf speakers at $10900. The Edifier R2850DB ranks #56 at $499.99, $10400.01 cheaper.
What the Edifier R2850DB offers: 3 way speaker. Deeper bass and more of a fun listen compared to the neutral sound of the HS8. Shockingly close to the HS8 at half the price. Watch for: Quite large and heavy
What the Genelec 8361A offers: Three-way coaxial design: 5” mid-range with an inset 1” metal dome tweeter, flanked symmetrically above and below by two 10” front-loaded woofers, giving nearly identical vertical response whether you’re sitting or standing. Wide, consistent horizontal radiation of about ±60°, very forgiving for multiple seats or a home-theater row. Distortion at both 86dB and 96dB/1m stays below roughly 1%, and multitone distortion is also under about 1% - among the cleanest speakers reviewed. Long-term compression is practically non-existent, with no woofer bottoming or audible intermodulation even driven to 90dB+ at 10 feet. In-room bass extension reaches down to about 35Hz without a subwoofer. Extensive back-panel tuning (bass rolloff, bass profile, treble profile, and a desk/console compensation switch) for boundary placement. Watch for: Approximately $11,000 per pair; Genelec’s GLM room-correction add-on (measurement mic plus software) is another ~$450 and wasn’t used in this review. Shows an on-axis dip around 200Hz that may be tied to some rear-panel radiation or resonance the reviewer couldn’t fully explain. In far-field listening there’s a mild upper-midrange/lower-treble rise (roughly 2-3kHz) that only smooths out with 5-10° of toe-out or closer near-field placement. Short-term compression testing shows some tweeter limiting, though it didn’t translate to audible issues in real-world listening. At about 70 lbs, awkward to lift onto a stand alone.
Buy the Edifier R2850DB if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the Genelec 8361A if sound quality matters more than the price.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Edifier R2850DB. It ranks near the bottom of the 66 powered bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier R2850DB | Genelec 8361A | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499.99 | $10900 |
| Ranked | #56 of 66 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #5 of 66 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 18.1"H x 10.1"W x 12.4"D (459.7 x 256.5 x 315 mm) | 22.5"H x 14"W x 13.6"D (571.5 x 355.6 x 345.4 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz-20KHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 30Hz - 43kHz (±2dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax | XLR |
| Weight | 50.7 lbs / 23 kg | 70.3 lbs / 31.9 kg each |
| Drivers | 8" (203mm) woofer | Dual 263 x 137 mm woofers, 5.1" coaxial with tweeter midrange, 1" (25mm) coaxial tweeter |
| App | No | Yes (GLM) |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| EQ | No | Yes (via GLM software) |
| DSP | No | Yes |
| Output Power | 75w RMS Per Speaker | 1000w Per Speaker |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 29Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 34Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Max SPL | - | 118dB @ 1m |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Genelec 8351B vs JBL 4305P
- Focal Twin6 Be vs Genelec 8351B
- Klipsch The Nines vs Neumann KH420
- Genelec 8361A vs Kali Audio IN-8 V2
- Genelec 8361A vs Focal Alpha 65 EVO
Prices on this page were last checked August 25, 2026 at 6:19 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 R2850DB: $499.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: 3 way speaker. Deeper bass and more of a fun listen compared to the neutral sound of the HS8. Shockingly close to the HS8 at half the price.
Cons: Quite large and heavy
Full Edifier R2850DB review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bluetooth | No |
| DSP | No |
| Dimensions | 18.1"H x 10.1"W x 12.4"D (459.7 x 256.5 x 315 mm) |
| Drivers | 8" (203mm) woofer |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz-20KHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax |
| Output Power | 75w RMS Per Speaker |
| Weight | 50.7 lbs / 23 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Edifier R2850DB vs Adam Audio T7V
- Edifier R2850DB vs Klipsch The Sevens
- Edifier R2850DB vs Kali Audio LP-8
- Edifier R2850DB vs Emotiva Airmotiv 6s
- Edifier R2850DB vs Adam Audio S2V
- Edifier R2850DB vs Genelec 8341A
- Edifier R2850DB vs JBL 306P MKII
- Edifier R2850DB vs Focal Twin6 Be
- See all 33 comparisons
Genelec 8361A: $10900 Bhphotovideo eBay
Pros: Three-way coaxial design: 5” mid-range with an inset 1” metal dome tweeter, flanked symmetrically above and below by two 10” front-loaded woofers, giving nearly identical vertical response whether you’re sitting or standing. Wide, consistent horizontal radiation of about ±60°, very forgiving for multiple seats or a home-theater row. Distortion at both 86dB and 96dB/1m stays below roughly 1%, and multitone distortion is also under about 1% - among the cleanest speakers reviewed. Long-term compression is practically non-existent, with no woofer bottoming or audible intermodulation even driven to 90dB+ at 10 feet. In-room bass extension reaches down to about 35Hz without a subwoofer. Extensive back-panel tuning (bass rolloff, bass profile, treble profile, and a desk/console compensation switch) for boundary placement.
Cons: Approximately $11,000 per pair; Genelec’s GLM room-correction add-on (measurement mic plus software) is another ~$450 and wasn’t used in this review. Shows an on-axis dip around 200Hz that may be tied to some rear-panel radiation or resonance the reviewer couldn’t fully explain. In far-field listening there’s a mild upper-midrange/lower-treble rise (roughly 2-3kHz) that only smooths out with 5-10° of toe-out or closer near-field placement. Short-term compression testing shows some tweeter limiting, though it didn’t translate to audible issues in real-world listening. At about 70 lbs, awkward to lift onto a stand alone.
Full Genelec 8361A review and specifications →
| App | Yes (GLM) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 29Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 34Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| DSP | Yes |
| Dimensions | 22.5"H x 14"W x 13.6"D (571.5 x 355.6 x 345.4 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual 263 x 137 mm woofers, 5.1" coaxial with tweeter midrange, 1" (25mm) coaxial tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (via GLM software) |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz - 43kHz (±2dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR |
| Max SPL | 118dB @ 1m |
| Output Power | 1000w Per Speaker |
| Weight | 70.3 lbs / 31.9 kg each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons