Short answer: the Presonus Eris E5 XT. It ranks #46 of 67 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $119.99; the M-Audio BX4 D3 ranks #50, rated 3.4/5, and costs $149, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
Why pick the M-Audio BX4 D3: Balanced TRS, RCA and front auxiliary/headphone connections, plus tone controls, make this a flexible inexpensive desktop pair. Watch for: A rising response of about 0.62dB per octave and listening-window deviation of 0.546 indicate bright, locally uneven reproduction.
Why pick the Presonus Eris E5 XT: ASR’s measurements show reasonably consistent directivity through the crossover, so EQ changes are more likely to benefit both direct and reflected sound. The tradeoff: The response has bass and treble emphasis with a recessed crossover region; smooth directivity carries that imbalance into room reflections rather than fixing it.
Buy the Presonus Eris E5 XT. It is rated higher for sound quality than the M-Audio BX4 D3 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| M-Audio BX4 D3 | Presonus Eris E5 XT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149 per pair | $239.98 per pair |
| Ranked | #50 of 67 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #46 of 67 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | 2-way powered stereo pair, rear-ported | - |
| Drivers | 1" dome tweeter, 4.5" Kevlar woofer | 5" (127mm) woofer |
| Dimensions | 8.9H x 6.1W x 6.9D in | 10.2"H x 7"W x 7.7"D (259.1 x 177.8 x 195.6 mm) |
| Weight | 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg)/pair | 10.1 lbs (4.6 kg) each |
| Amplifier Power | 120W peak system | 80w Per Speaker |
| Inputs | TRS, RCA, 3.5mm aux; headphone output | TRS, XLR, RCA |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.29 | 3.58 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.03 | 6.00 |
| XLR Input | No | Yes |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | Yes | Yes |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Frequency Response | 69Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 53Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 65Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| App | - | No |
| EQ | - | Yes (Room adjustment) |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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
M-Audio BX4 D3: $149 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Balanced TRS, RCA and front auxiliary/headphone connections, plus tone controls, make this a flexible inexpensive desktop pair. The third-party measurement gives scores of 3.29 standalone and 6.03 with an ideal subwoofer, with -3dB bass estimated around 67Hz.
Cons: A rising response of about 0.62dB per octave and listening-window deviation of 0.546 indicate bright, locally uneven reproduction. The compact system suits moderate nearfield use; the preference estimate does not verify high-level headroom.
Full M-Audio BX4 D3 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 120W peak system |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.9H x 6.1W x 6.9D in |
| Drivers | 1" dome tweeter, 4.5" Kevlar woofer |
| Enclosure | 2-way powered stereo pair, rear-ported |
| Frequency Response | 69Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | TRS, RCA, 3.5mm aux; headphone output |
| Optical Input | No |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.29 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.03 |
| TRS Input | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg)/pair |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Presonus Eris E5 XT: $239.98 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: ASR’s measurements show reasonably consistent directivity through the crossover, so EQ changes are more likely to benefit both direct and reflected sound. Bass reaches -3dB around 56Hz. A standalone preference score of 3.58 rises to 6.00 with an ideal subwoofer, indicating useful bass reach but only moderate native tonal performance. Measured bass extension of 85Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The response has bass and treble emphasis with a recessed crossover region; smooth directivity carries that imbalance into room reflections rather than fixing it. Existing distortion testing shows problems across a broad range when pushed to 96dB. Tone correction and moderate levels help, but it is not a reference-flat monitor out of the box.
Full Presonus Eris E5 XT review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 80w Per Speaker |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 65Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.2"H x 7"W x 7.7"D (259.1 x 177.8 x 195.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" (127mm) woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 53Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | TRS, XLR, RCA |
| Optical Input | No |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.58 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.00 |
| TRS Input | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs (4.6 kg) each |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- DSAUDIO.review: New PreSonus E5 XT and Yamaha HS5 could not sound any more different! SOUND AND RESPONSE COMPARISON More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: Bright and brighter. PreSonus E5 XT takes on Adam Audio T5V SOUND & FREQUENCY RESPONSE COMPARISON
- DSAUDIO.review: PreSonus Eris E5 XT vs PreSonus Eris E5 (new vs old) Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: PreSonus E7 XT vs PreSonus E5 XT Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: PreSonus Eris E8 XT vs PreSonus Eris E5 XT Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: PreSonus E5 XT vs KRK Rokit 5 G4 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- Audio Science Review Measurements More from Audio Science Review →
- Audio Science Review Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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