Short answer: the Genelec 8331A for better sound quality, the KRK Rokit 5 G4 for the lower price. The Genelec 8331A ranks #1 of 64 powered bookshelf speakers at $5750. The KRK Rokit 5 G4 ranks #18 at $337, $5413 cheaper.
What the KRK Rokit 5 G4 offers: Deeper bass than the HS5. Good horizontal directivity - the small woofer mates well with the waveguided tweeter. Distortion is quite low at 86dB SPL and scales gradually with volume rather than breaking up suddenly, tweeter hiss is nearly inaudible, and the onboard DSP/app lets you dial in EQ, including for the 680Hz port resonance. Watch for: Not quite as detailed as the HS5, not as good for mixing. A little more hifi sounding
What the Genelec 8331A offers: A true compact point source: the coaxial mid/tweeter and acoustically concealed opposed woofers produce exceptionally uniform directivity, superb nearfield summation and pinpoint imaging. Erin measured F3 at 49Hz and F10 at 39Hz, heard useful 40Hz in-room extension, and reached 100dB at 3m before protection activated. Response is highly neutral, distortion is low, and GLM provides calibrated level, delay and room-response correction. The die-cast aluminum waveguide/enclosure is both structurally inert and nearly diffraction-free. Watch for: At $4,500/pair it is expensive for a monitor whose protection circuit mutes near its limit rather than allowing short-term overload; larger rooms and bass-heavy playback still benefit from a subwoofer. GLM calibration requires separate network hardware, and connectivity is studio-centric—analog/AES XLR with no consumer streaming. The compact dual racetrack woofers cannot match larger Genelec Ones for deep-bass headroom, and passive sensitivity is not applicable because all filtering and amplification are internal.
Buy the KRK Rokit 5 G4 if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the Genelec 8331A if sound quality matters more than the price.
Specifications Side By Side
| KRK Rokit 5 G4 | Genelec 8331A | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $337 | $5750 |
| Ranked | #18 of 64 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #1 of 64 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 49Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 11.2"H x 7.5"W x 9.5"D (284.5 x 190.5 x 241.3 mm) | 12"H x 7.4"W x 8.3"D (305 x 189 x 212 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 24kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Inputs | TRS/XLR | - |
| Weight | 10.8 lbs / 4.9 kg each | 14.8 lbs / 6.7kg each |
| Drivers | 5" (127mm) woofer | Dual 130x65mm woofers; 90mm coaxial mid; 19mm tweeter |
| App | No | - |
| Bluetooth | No | - |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) | - |
| Output Power | 55w Per Speaker | - |
| Sensitivity | - | Not applicable (active DSP loudspeaker) |
| Maximum Output | - | 100dB at 3m before protection (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Amplification | - | 72W LF + 36W MF + 36W HF |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Neumann KH120 MKII vs Kali Audio SM-5
- Neumann KH120 MKII vs KEF LS50 Wireless II
- Neumann KH120 MKII vs Genelec 8330A
- Genelec 8331A vs Yamaha HS5
- Genelec 8331A vs Kali LP-UNF
Prices on this page were last checked August 25, 2026 at 6:19 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
KRK Rokit 5 G4: $337 Amazon eBay
Pros: Deeper bass than the HS5. Good horizontal directivity - the small woofer mates well with the waveguided tweeter. Distortion is quite low at 86dB SPL and scales gradually with volume rather than breaking up suddenly, tweeter hiss is nearly inaudible, and the onboard DSP/app lets you dial in EQ, including for the 680Hz port resonance.
Cons: Not quite as detailed as the HS5, not as good for mixing. A little more hifi sounding
Full KRK Rokit 5 G4 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bluetooth | 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) |
| Inputs | TRS/XLR |
| Output Power | 55w Per Speaker |
| Weight | 10.8 lbs / 4.9 kg each |
- 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)
- Reddit Search for KRK Rokit 5 G4 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Airpulse A100
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Presonus Eris E5 XT
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs KEF LS50 Wireless II
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Kali Audio IN-5
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs Vanatoo Transparent Zero Plus
- KRK Rokit 5 G4 vs JBL 705P
- See all 45 comparisons
Genelec 8331A: $5750 Bhphotovideo eBay
Pros: A true compact point source: the coaxial mid/tweeter and acoustically concealed opposed woofers produce exceptionally uniform directivity, superb nearfield summation and pinpoint imaging. Erin measured F3 at 49Hz and F10 at 39Hz, heard useful 40Hz in-room extension, and reached 100dB at 3m before protection activated. Response is highly neutral, distortion is low, and GLM provides calibrated level, delay and room-response correction. The die-cast aluminum waveguide/enclosure is both structurally inert and nearly diffraction-free.
Cons: At $4,500/pair it is expensive for a monitor whose protection circuit mutes near its limit rather than allowing short-term overload; larger rooms and bass-heavy playback still benefit from a subwoofer. GLM calibration requires separate network hardware, and connectivity is studio-centric—analog/AES XLR with no consumer streaming. The compact dual racetrack woofers cannot match larger Genelec Ones for deep-bass headroom, and passive sensitivity is not applicable because all filtering and amplification are internal.
Full Genelec 8331A review and specifications →
| Amplification | 72W LF + 36W MF + 36W HF |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 49Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 12"H x 7.4"W x 8.3"D (305 x 189 x 212 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual 130x65mm woofers; 90mm coaxial mid; 19mm tweeter |
| Maximum Output | 100dB at 3m before protection (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | Not applicable (active DSP loudspeaker) |
| Weight | 14.8 lbs / 6.7kg each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons