Short answer: the HiVi Swan X3. It ranks #10 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.9/5, at $179; the Audioengine HD3 ranks #29, rated 3.2/5, and costs $359, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The HiVi Swan X3 is the better-sounding choice. An affordable small coaxial desktop pair with fairly balanced sound for the money. The tradeoff: Not a flat reference monitor: the response spans 5.0dB from 300Hz to 5kHz and trends upward toward the treble.
The case for the Audioengine HD3: Compact powered desktop speakers with Bluetooth and analog inputs for when space is tight. It keeps a wired aux input, which the HiVi Swan X3 lacks. The catch: Limited bass makes a subwoofer useful for fuller music reproduction.
Buy the HiVi Swan X3. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Audioengine HD3 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
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Specifications Side By Side
| HiVi Swan X3 | Audioengine HD3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.00 per pair | $359.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #10 of 48 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #29 of 48 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | Active coaxial, rear-ported | - |
| Drivers | 3-inch coaxial woofer and tweeter | 2.75” woofer, 0.75” silk dome tweeter |
| Bass Extension (-6dB) | 71Hz (measured, Spinorama) | - |
| Inputs | RCA | Bluetooth, Aux, RCA Input |
| Configuration | Powered desktop monitor | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.04 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.03 | - |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Amplifier Power | 28W RMS Per Speaker | 30W total (15W per speaker) |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | 5” x 4.8” x 7.1” (128 x 123 x 181 mm) (W x D x H) | 9”H x 5.5”W x 6.5”D (228.6 x 139.7 x 165.1 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (±2.5dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 65 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg) each | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
| Outputs | - | RCA variable output (subwoofer) |
| App | - | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 58Hz |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 65Hz |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, aptX |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.0 |
| EQ | - | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 90dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) |
| Subwoofer Output | - | Yes |
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