Short answer: the Genelec 8320A. It ranks #10 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $850; the Edifier Airpulse A100 ranks #17 and costs $999.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Genelec 8320A side: The Directivity Control Waveguide and die cast aluminum Minimum Diffraction Enclosure produce a listening window smoothness score of 0.53 and a low frequency alignment Q of just 0.227, the cleanest, least resonant bass rolloff of any speaker in this whole batch. Set against that: On axis deviation measures 0.169dB average, decent but not class leading next to the AsciLab and Audio Smile entries in this batch.
What the Edifier Airpulse A100 offers: Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter (inherited from Airpulse’s flagship 7001 monitor, designed by Phil Jones) paired with a 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer - a distinctive, low-mass driver combination rarely seen below $1,000. Watch for: On-axis deviation trails the pricier options in this group, and there’s no app-based EQ or DSP - bass/treble trim is limited to physical rear-panel knobs not reachable from the remote.
Buy the Genelec 8320A. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Edifier Airpulse A100 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Genelec 8320A | Edifier Airpulse A100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $850 each | $999.99 |
| Ranked | #10 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #17 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | ported | - |
| Drivers | 0.75" metal dome tweeter, 4.1" cone woofer | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5" hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer |
| Dimensions | 9.5"H x 5.9"W x 5.6"D (242 x 151 x 142 mm) (9.5 x 5.9 x 5.6 in) | 6.3" x 11.1" x 10" (160 x 283 x 255 mm) (6.3 x 11.1 x 10.0 in) each |
| Weight | 7.1 lbs / 3.2 kg (7.1 lbs) each | 24.3 lbs / 11 kg (24.2 lb) each |
| Power Output (Watts) | 100W total (50W woofer, 50W tweeter, Class D) | - |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz-23kHz -6dB | 52Hz - 40kHz |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 67.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Max SPL | Peak 107dB | - |
| Warranty | 2 years (5 with product registration) | - |
| Country | Finland | - |
| Inputs | - | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX |
| App | - | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) |
| Bluetooth | - | Yes (SBC, aptX) |
| EQ | - | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs |
| Output Power | - | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Genelec 8320A: $850 each Bhphotovideo
Pros: The Directivity Control Waveguide and die cast aluminum Minimum Diffraction Enclosure produce a listening window smoothness score of 0.53 and a low frequency alignment Q of just 0.227, the cleanest, least resonant bass rolloff of any speaker in this whole batch. It network calibrates through Genelec’s GLM software for automatic room correction, and Intelligent Signal Sensing drops standby power to under 0.5W.
Cons: On axis deviation measures 0.169dB average, decent but not class leading next to the AsciLab and Audio Smile entries in this batch. The compact 4.1 inch woofer limits low frequency extension to a measured 67.4Hz at -3dB, so a subwoofer is needed for full range use. The GLM calibration kit that unlocks its room correction features is sold separately from the speaker price, and max SPL tops out around 100dB, modest next to Genelec’s larger 8000 series monitors.
Full Genelec 8320A review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 67.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Country | Finland |
| Dimensions | 9.5"H x 5.9"W x 5.6"D (242 x 151 x 142 mm) (9.5 x 5.9 x 5.6 in) |
| Drivers | 0.75" metal dome tweeter, 4.1" cone woofer |
| Enclosure | ported |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz-23kHz -6dB |
| Max SPL | Peak 107dB |
| Power Output (Watts) | 100W total (50W woofer, 50W tweeter, Class D) |
| Warranty | 2 years (5 with product registration) |
| Weight | 7.1 lbs / 3.2 kg (7.1 lbs) each |
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- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Edifier Airpulse A100: $999.99 B&H Photo Airpulse
Pros: Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter (inherited from Airpulse’s flagship 7001 monitor, designed by Phil Jones) paired with a 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer - a distinctive, low-mass driver combination rarely seen below $1,000. Directivity spread is the widest and most controlled of this batch (directivity_spdi_stddev 4.26). A full input set for a desktop system: RCA, USB, optical, coaxial, and Bluetooth, plus a dedicated subwoofer output and an included IR remote.
Cons: On-axis deviation (aad_on_axis 0.498) trails the pricier options in this group, and there’s no app-based EQ or DSP - bass/treble trim is limited to physical rear-panel knobs not reachable from the remote. The compact 5” woofer caps sub-bass extension at 63.0Hz (-3dB) / 53.2Hz (-10dB), the second-shallowest in this batch, effectively expecting an external subwoofer for full-range use. No Wi-Fi streaming (AirPlay/Chromecast) - Bluetooth only.
Full Edifier Airpulse A100 review and specifications →
| App | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (SBC, aptX) |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 11.1" x 10" (160 x 283 x 255 mm) (6.3 x 11.1 x 10.0 in) each |
| Drivers | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5" hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer |
| EQ | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz |
| Inputs | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX |
| Output Power | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) |
| Weight | 24.3 lbs / 11 kg (24.2 lb) each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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