Short answer: the Mackie MR524. It ranks #33 of 108 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $379.98; the Edifier S1000MKII ranks #82, rated 3.3/5, and costs $499.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The Mackie MR524 is the better-sounding choice. A budget studio monitor with decent bass depth, an even midrange, and balanced and RCA inputs. Watch for: The measured response trends upward toward the treble by about 0.47dB per octave, which can lend a brighter balance.
Why pick the Edifier S1000MKII: A self-powered stereo pair with optical, coaxial, analog and Bluetooth inputs that makes switching sources simple. The tradeoff: High-resolution input support is not a guarantee of perfect tuning, and the fixed internal amplification prevents the gradual upgrades possible with separates.
Buy the Mackie MR524. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Edifier S1000MKII and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Prices on this page were last checked November 11, 2026 at 3:26 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.
Specifications Side By Side
| Mackie MR524 | Edifier S1000MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $379.98 per pair | $499.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #33 of 108 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #82 of 108 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 46.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | approximately 38Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | - |
| Drivers | 5-inch polypropylene woofer; 1-inch silk-dome tweeter | 5.5” (140mm) woofer |
| Inputs | Balanced XLR, balanced TRS, RCA | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax |
| Amplifier Power | 50W bi-amplified per speaker | 60w RMS Per Speaker |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz-20kHz | 45Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.11 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.06 | - |
| XLR Input | Yes | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | 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 |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | 11.1” x 7.1” x 8.7” (281 x 180 x 221 mm) (H x W x D) | 13.6”H x 7.6”W x 11.6”D (345.4 x 193 x 294.6 mm) |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs (4.6 kg) | 37 lbs (16.8 kg) |
| Outputs | - | None |
| App | - | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, aptX HD |
| EQ | - | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.0 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Mackie MR524 compares with other leading options: