Short answer: the Cambridge Audio L/R S for better sound quality, the HiVi Swan X3 for the lower price. The Cambridge Audio L/R S ranks #4 of 23 powered bookshelf speakers at $549. The HiVi Swan X3 ranks #7 at $249, $300 cheaper.
What the HiVi Swan X3 offers: ASR’s Spinorama data predicts 3.13 standalone and 6.12 with an ideal subwoofer, placing its bass-normalized tonal performance ahead of several similarly small budget monitors. Listening-window narrow-band deviation is 0.420, lower than the MR3’s 0.538, indicating fewer local response irregularities by that measure. The compact coaxial layout is convenient for a small desktop system. Watch for: Not a flat reference monitor: the response spans 5.0dB from 300Hz to 5kHz and trends upward toward the treble. Bass reaches -3dB at about 79Hz, so a subwoofer remains important. Coaxial construction alone does not guarantee uniform dispersion, and the preference score does not establish distortion or maximum clean output.
What the Cambridge Audio L/R S offers: A 2-way active bookshelf pair built for near-field desktop use, with a 21mm aluminum tweeter and a 3-inch long-throw woofer on each speaker. Erin’s Audio Corner measured a very neutral on-axis response with good directivity control up through the 2-3kHz handoff to the tweeter, an F3 of about 57Hz and F10 of about 50Hz, and output held within roughly plus or minus 2.5dB from 80Hz to 20kHz. Horizontal dispersion of about plus or minus 60 degrees and a vertical window of about plus 30 to minus 20 degrees make it forgiving of off-center desktop seating. Two rear switches (a desktop-placement compensation switch and a near-wall/free-space switch) plus in-app DSP for room size, wall distance, and reflective surface type let you tune the in-room response rather than just hoping placement works out, and the reviewer noted an audible tightening of the bass moving between room-size settings. Rear connectivity includes RCA, optical digital, USB-C, and a dedicated subwoofer output. Watch for: Maximum clean output is limited: Erin’s Audio Corner measured about 86dB before the onboard limiter engages around 96dB to protect the drivers, so this is a near-field or small-room speaker rather than one built to fill a living room. Each speaker’s Class D amplifier splits only 50W to the woofer and 50W to the tweeter, modest for the class. The DSP room-correction options are preset-based rather than a true microphone-measured calibration at the listening position, so results depend on picking settings that match your actual room.
Buy the HiVi Swan X3 if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the Cambridge Audio L/R S if sound quality matters more than the price.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| HiVi Swan X3 | Cambridge Audio L/R S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 per pair | $549.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #7 of 23 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #4 of 23 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | Active coaxial, rear-ported | - |
| Drivers | 3-inch coaxial woofer and tweeter | 21mm aluminum dome tweeter, 3" long-throw woofer |
| Bass Extension (-6dB) | 71Hz (measured, Spinorama) | - |
| Inputs | RCA | RCA, optical digital, USB-C |
| Configuration | Powered desktop monitor | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.13 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.12 | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 57Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 50Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Frequency Response | - | 55Hz - 24kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 100W total (50W to woofer, 50W to tweeter, per speaker) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD |
| App | - | Yes |
| DSP | - | Yes, room size, wall distance, and reflective surface correction; desktop-placement and near-wall/free-space switches |
| Dimensions | - | 5.3" (134 mm) W x 226mm H x 180mm D (each) |
| Weight | - | 6.6 lbs (3.0kg) primary speaker, 5.7 lbs (2.6kg) secondary speaker |
| Subwoofer Output | - | Yes |
| Outputs | - | Subwoofer, wired speaker-to-speaker link |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Cambridge Audio L/R S compares with other leading options:
- Genelec 8010A vs Cambridge Audio L/R S
- Adam Audio D3v vs Cambridge Audio L/R S
- IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor vs Cambridge Audio L/R S
- Edifier M60 vs Cambridge Audio L/R S
- Edifier MR3 vs Cambridge Audio L/R S
Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 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
HiVi Swan X3: $249 per pair eBay
Pros: ASR’s Spinorama data predicts 3.13 standalone and 6.12 with an ideal subwoofer, placing its bass-normalized tonal performance ahead of several similarly small budget monitors. Listening-window narrow-band deviation is 0.420, lower than the MR3’s 0.538, indicating fewer local response irregularities by that measure. The compact coaxial layout is convenient for a small desktop system.
Cons: Not a flat reference monitor: the response spans 5.0dB from 300Hz to 5kHz and trends upward toward the treble. Bass reaches -3dB at about 79Hz, so a subwoofer remains important. Coaxial construction alone does not guarantee uniform dispersion, and the preference score does not establish distortion or maximum clean output.
Full HiVi Swan X3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-6dB) | 71Hz (measured, Spinorama) |
|---|---|
| Configuration | Powered desktop monitor |
| Drivers | 3-inch coaxial woofer and tweeter |
| Enclosure | Active coaxial, rear-ported |
| Inputs | RCA |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.13 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.12 |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Cambridge Audio L/R S: $549.00 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: A 2-way active bookshelf pair built for near-field desktop use, with a 21mm aluminum tweeter and a 3-inch long-throw woofer on each speaker. Erin’s Audio Corner measured a very neutral on-axis response with good directivity control up through the 2-3kHz handoff to the tweeter, an F3 of about 57Hz and F10 of about 50Hz, and output held within roughly plus or minus 2.5dB from 80Hz to 20kHz. Horizontal dispersion of about plus or minus 60 degrees and a vertical window of about plus 30 to minus 20 degrees make it forgiving of off-center desktop seating. Two rear switches (a desktop-placement compensation switch and a near-wall/free-space switch) plus in-app DSP for room size, wall distance, and reflective surface type let you tune the in-room response rather than just hoping placement works out, and the reviewer noted an audible tightening of the bass moving between room-size settings. Rear connectivity includes RCA, optical digital, USB-C, and a dedicated subwoofer output. Measured bass extension of 57Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Maximum clean output is limited: Erin’s Audio Corner measured about 86dB before the onboard limiter engages around 96dB to protect the drivers, so this is a near-field or small-room speaker rather than one built to fill a living room. Each speaker’s Class D amplifier splits only 50W to the woofer and 50W to the tweeter, modest for the class. The DSP room-correction options are preset-based rather than a true microphone-measured calibration at the listening position, so results depend on picking settings that match your actual room.
Full Cambridge Audio L/R S review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W total (50W to woofer, 50W to tweeter, per speaker) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 57Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD |
| DSP | Yes, room size, wall distance, and reflective surface correction; desktop-placement and near-wall/free-space switches |
| Dimensions | 5.3" (134 mm) W x 226mm H x 180mm D (each) |
| Drivers | 21mm aluminum dome tweeter, 3" long-throw woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 24kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | RCA, optical digital, USB-C |
| Outputs | Subwoofer, wired speaker-to-speaker link |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes |
| Weight | 6.6 lbs (3.0kg) primary speaker, 5.7 lbs (2.6kg) secondary speaker |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Adam Audio D3v
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Edifier M60
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Genelec 8010A
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Edifier MR3
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Klipsch ProMedia Lumina
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Mackie CR3-X
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Fiio SP3
- See all 9 comparisons