Short answer: the Edifier R1280DB, if you are buying new. The KRK Rokit 5 G4 ranks higher than it (#42 vs #61 of 68 powered bookshelf speakers, 3.7/5 vs 3.1/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Edifier R1280DB is still sold new at $189.99.
What the KRK Rokit 5 G4 offers: Deeper bass than the HS5. Watch for: Not quite as detailed as the HS5, not as good for mixing.
What the Edifier R1280DB gets right: Same drivers and cabinet as the ASR-measured Edifier R1280T (identical 4” woofer, same 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) enclosure) plus Bluetooth and digital optical/coax inputs the R1280T doesn’t have. The catch: Shares the R1280T’s jagged on-axis response rather than a neutral one, with a woofer resonance around 5kHz and a tweeter peak near 10kHz that also show up in the directivity data.
Buy the Edifier R1280DB if you want one new; the KRK Rokit 5 G4 is discontinued, so only look for it used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| KRK Rokit 5 G4 | Edifier R1280DB | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $337 per pair Discontinued | $189.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #42 of 68 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #61 of 68 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 55.7Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 63Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - shares the R1280T driver and cabinet; read from that measurement |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44.4Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) | 53.2Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Dimensions | 11.2”H x 7.5”W x 9.5”D (284.5 x 190.5 x 241.3 mm) | 9.2”H x 5.7”W x 7.7”D (233.7 x 144.8 x 195.6 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 24kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 55 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | TRS/XLR | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax |
| Weight | 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) each | 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) |
| Drivers | 5” (127mm) woofer | 4” (102mm) woofer |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes, 5.1 |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) | No |
| Amplifier Power | 55w Per Speaker | 42w RMS Total |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.92 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.29 | - |
| XLR Input | Yes | No |
| RCA Input | No | Yes |
| TRS Input | Yes | No |
| Optical Input | No | Yes |
| Coaxial Input | No | Yes |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Outputs | - | None |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for KRK Rokit 5 G4:
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Genelec 8331A
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Neumann KH120 MKII
- Genelec 8030C vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Neumann KH80 DSP
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Dynaudio LYD 5
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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
KRK Rokit 5 G4: $337 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the KRK Rokit 5 G5. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we don’t have measurements to confirm that yet.
Pros: ASR’s data gives -3dB bass around 56Hz and scores of 3.92 standalone and 6.29 with an ideal subwoofer. The waveguide provides useful horizontal directivity control, while onboard adjustments help tailor broad balance. The existing review reports low distortion at 86dB and low audible hiss. Measured bass extension of 55.7Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The 3.6dB midrange span and listening-window narrow-band deviation of 0.502 show that native response is not reference-flat. A port-region resonance and other tonal irregularities remain. Its deeper bass does not establish greater detail or mixing accuracy than another monitor. EQ can help, but the unequalized measurements determine the starting recommendation. Discontinued.
Full KRK Rokit 5 G4 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 55w Per Speaker |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44.4Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 55.7Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.2”H x 7.5”W x 9.5”D (284.5 x 190.5 x 241.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 5” (127mm) woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 24kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | TRS/XLR |
| Optical Input | No |
| RCA Input | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.92 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.29 |
| TRS Input | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) each |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Audio Science Review Measurements More from Audio Science Review →
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs KRK Rokit 5 G4 RP5G4 sound.DEMO More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: KRK Rokit 5 G4 RP5G4 vs Adam Audio T5V Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review KRK Classic 5 CL5G3 vs KRK Rokit 5 RP5G4 sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: KRK Rokit 5 G4 RP5G4 vs Yamaha HS5 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: KRK Rokit 5 G4 RP5G4 vs Presonus Eris E5 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: PreSonus E5 XT vs KRK Rokit 5 G4 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Genelec 8020D & KRK Rokit 5 G4 PR5G4 - Same, same, but different Sound & Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Neumann KH80 DSP vs KRK Rokit 5 G4 RP5G4 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Tannoy Gold 5 vs KRK Rokit 5 G4 RP5G4 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs KRK Rokit 5 G4 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- Audio Science Review Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Yamaha HS5
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Dayton Audio M4
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Focal Alpha 50 EVO
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Presonus Eris E5 XT
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Neumi BS5P
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Edifier S2000MKIII
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Edifier MR4
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Vanatoo Transparent Zero Plus
- See all 46 comparisons
Edifier R1280DB: $189.99 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Optical/coaxial inputs and Bluetooth add practical flexibility over the analog R1280T, while remote and tone controls simplify everyday listening. It is a convenient inexpensive stereo system rather than a separate amplifier-and-speaker setup. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The compact format is better suited to nearfield listening than high-volume playback across a large room. Basic tone controls offer less flexibility than parametric equalization.
Full Edifier R1280DB review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 42w RMS Total |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - shares the R1280T driver and cabinet; read from that measurement |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Coaxial Input | Yes |
| Dimensions | 9.2”H x 5.7”W x 7.7”D (233.7 x 144.8 x 195.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 4” (102mm) woofer |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 55 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| Outputs | None |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Related-model measurements: Edifier R1280T (not R1280DB)
- DSAUDIO.review: Edifier R1280DB vs Edifier R1700BT Sound Demo w/ Bass Test More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: Edifier R1280DBs vs Edifier R1700BTs Sound Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs Edifier R1280DBs sound.DEMO
- Related-model Spinorama: Edifier R1280T (not R1280DB)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Edifier R1280DB vs Edifier R1700BT
- Edifier R1280DB vs Edifier R1280T
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