Short answer: the Focal Trio6 ST6. It ranks #63 of 119 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $6,998; the Ex Machina Pulsar MKII ranks #105, rated 3.8/5, and costs $11,700, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
Why pick the Ex Machina Pulsar MKII: A high end active three way studio monitor with deep bass that can skip a subwoofer and digital and analog inputs. Watch for: Its 6.16 ideal-subwoofer score and uneven listening-window response do not support a top accuracy ranking.
The Focal Trio6 ST6 is the better-sounding option. Three-way studio monitors with useful deep bass and switchable Focus modes for flexible mix checking. The catch: The measured balance tilts downward through the treble, with a 2.6dB response span from 300Hz to 5kHz.
Buy the Focal Trio6 ST6. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Ex Machina Pulsar MKII and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Ex Machina Pulsar MKII | Focal Trio6 ST6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $11,700 per pair | $6,998 per pair |
| Ranked | #105 of 119 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #63 of 119 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | Powered sealed 3-way | 3-way active, sealed/ported |
| Drivers | 9-inch SEAS woofer, 7-inch coaxial midrange/tweeter | 1.5” beryllium inverted-dome tweeter, 5” W-composite midrange, 8” W-composite woofer |
| Amplifier Power | 250W LF, 100W MF, 50W HF per speaker | 250W total (2x 100W Class-G bass/mid, 50W Class-AB tweeter) |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz-32kHz (+/-1dB) | 35Hz - 40kHz (+/-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB continuous at 1m | - |
| Coverage | 90 degrees conical | - |
| Inputs | Analog and AES/EBU digital | XLR |
| DSP | SHARC, phase and magnitude correction | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.04 | 5.46 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.16 | 7.12 |
| XLR Input | No | Yes |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Dimensions | 19” x 11.4” x 13.6” (483 x 289 x 345 mm) (H x W x D) | 21.1”H x 11.5”W x 14.4”D (537 x 292 x 367 mm) |
| Weight | 50.7 lbs (23 kg) | 55.1 lbs (25 kg) each |
| Country | - | France |
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