Short answer: the Airpulse A100. It ranks #34 of 100 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $999.99. The Edifier S2000MKIII ranks #69, rated 3.5/5, at $529.99, $470 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The Airpulse A100 is the more accurate compact system. A horn-loaded ribbon tweeter and a 5-inch aluminum woofer give a 2.9dB midrange span and a preference score of 4.56 in Audio Science Review’s measurements. It has a remote, aptX and a subwoofer output. Its bass falls 3dB at 63Hz, so a subwoofer helps, and its tone knobs are on the back, out of the remote’s reach.
The S2000MKIII is the larger pair with deeper bass. Its 5.5-inch woofers reach an estimated 41Hz before falling 3dB, and it has digital inputs up to 192kHz/24-bit and aptX HD. Its 4.0dB midrange span and uneven predicted room response suggest noticeable coloration.
Buy the Airpulse A100. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $470 saving on the Edifier S2000MKIII is not enough to make up the difference.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier S2000MKIII | Airpulse A100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $529.99 per pair | $999.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #69 of 100 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #34 of 100 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 13.5”H x 7.8”W x 10.8”D (342.9 x 198.1 x 274.3 mm) | 6.3” x 11.1” x 10” (160 x 283 x 255 mm) each |
| Frequency Response | 40.5Hz at -3dB; 37Hz at -6dB (Spinorama) | 52Hz - 40kHz |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.24 | 4.56 |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX |
| Outputs | None | - |
| Drivers | 5.5” (140mm) woofer | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer |
| App | No | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes (SBC, aptX) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX HD | SBC, aptX |
| EQ | No | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs |
| Amplifier Power | 65w RMS Per Speaker | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) |
| Weight | 20.7 lbs (9.4 kg) | 24.3 lbs (11 kg) each |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.99 | 7.08 |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | Yes | Yes |
| Coaxial Input | Yes | Yes |
| USB Input | No | Yes |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Airpulse A100 compares with other leading options:
- Airpulse A100 vs Genelec 8331A
- Neumann KH120 MKII vs Airpulse A100
- Genelec 8030C vs Airpulse A100
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs Airpulse A100
- Dynaudio LYD 5 vs Airpulse A100
Prices on this page were last checked October 7, 2026 at 9:25 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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The Two Speakers In Full
Edifier S2000MKIII: $529.99 per pair Amazon eBay
Older model: the Edifier S2000 Pro (ranked higher, rated 3.7/5).
Pros: The available digitized response suggests substantial bass reach, with a -3dB estimate around 41Hz. Scores are 4.24 standalone and 5.99 with an ideal subwoofer. Digital inputs and a self-contained stereo-pair format are convenient for general music listening. Digital input handles high-resolution audio up to 192kHz/24-bit.
Cons: The 4.0dB midrange span and uneven predicted room response suggest meaningful coloration. Favorable modeled EQ results should not be treated as the sound of the stock speaker or as proof that all dispersion issues are correctable.
Full Edifier S2000MKIII review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 65w RMS Per Speaker |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX HD |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Coaxial Input | Yes |
| Dimensions | 13.5”H x 7.8”W x 10.8”D (342.9 x 198.1 x 274.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.5” (140mm) woofer |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 40.5Hz at -3dB; 37Hz at -6dB (Spinorama) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| Outputs | None |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.24 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.99 |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 20.7 lbs (9.4 kg) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier S1000MKII vs Edifier S2000MKIII sound.DEMO More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier S2000MKIII vs Klipsch The Three II sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier R2850DB vs Edifier S2000MKIII sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: Edifier S2000MKIII vs Edifier S3000PRO Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- Archimago Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Edifier S2000MKIII vs Edifier MR4
- Edifier S2000MKIII vs Presonus Eris E5 XT
- Edifier S2000MKIII vs Edifier MR4.5
- Edifier S2000MKIII vs KRK Classic 5
- Edifier S2000MKIII vs Palmer STUDIMON 5
- Edifier S2000MKIII vs Adam Audio A4V
- Edifier S2000MKIII vs M-Audio BX4 D3
- Edifier S2000MKIII vs Yamaha HS5
- See all 72 comparisons
Airpulse A100: $999.99 per pair Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Same family: the Airpulse A60 (smaller bookshelf, estimated 3.8/5), the Airpulse A80 (smaller bookshelf, ranked lower, estimated 3.9/5) and the Airpulse A200T (larger bookshelf, ranked lower, estimated 4/5).
Pros: ASR’s Klippel data gives a 2.9dB midrange span and scores of 4.56 standalone and 7.08 with an ideal subwoofer. The ribbon tweeter and five-inch woofer provide a distinctive compact powered system, with remote control and a subwoofer output simplifying everyday use. Measured bass extension of 63.0Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Bass reaches -3dB around 63Hz, so lower notes need a subwoofer for full weight. Listening-window narrow-band deviation of 0.419 shows more local tonal variation than the leading monitors. Rear tone controls are less flexible than parametric EQ or room correction. Neither the ribbon tweeter nor a directivity-index summary establishes uniquely wide or perfectly controlled dispersion. The remote cannot reach the rear bass and treble knobs, and there is no app EQ.
Full Airpulse A100 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) |
| App | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (SBC, aptX) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX |
| Coaxial Input | Yes |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 11.1” x 10” (160 x 283 x 255 mm) each |
| Drivers | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer |
| EQ | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.56 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.08 |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | Yes |
| Weight | 24.3 lbs (11 kg) each |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons