Short answer: the Audio First Fidelia. It ranks #1 of 179 bookshelf speakers by sound quality (rated 4.8/5); the Micca RB42 ranks #154 (rated 2.3/5).
What the Micca RB42 does well: A budget bookshelf speaker with a curved cabinet that looks far pricier and works with a wide range of amplifiers. Watch for: CEA2034 spinorama shows significant peaks and valleys in the on-axis and listening-window response starting a few kHz up, with excess high-frequency energy the reviewer found fatiguing over time despite seeming detailed at first.
The Audio First Fidelia is the more accurate, deeper-bass option. An excellent medium bookshelf speaker, a compact kit with remarkably accurate sound and good bass for its size at a great value. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.45 against 4.59 for the Micca RB42. Its bass reaches about 53Hz before falling 3dB, against 85Hz for the Micca RB42. The catch: Kit assembly required; lower sensitivity (~83-85 dB vs. typical 85 dB average) demands adequate amplifier power.
Buy the Audio First Fidelia. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Micca RB42.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
A budget bookshelf speaker with a curved cabinet that looks far pricier and works with a wide range of amplifiers.
An excellent medium bookshelf speaker, a compact kit with remarkably accurate sound and good bass for its size at a great value.
Prices on this page were last checked October 31, 2026 at 7:11 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Micca RB42 | Audio First Fidelia | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.99 per pair | £950 per pair for the flatpack kit (assembly required) |
| Ranked | #154 of 179 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #1 of 179 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - the reviewer noted an artificial boost around 100-300Hz, so true extension may be worse than this on-axis reading suggests | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - the reviewer noted an artificial boost around 100-300Hz, so true extension may be worse than this on-axis reading suggests | 38Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 4” coated paper woofer, 0.75” silk dome tweeter | 5” ceramic-aluminum cone woofer, 1” ceramic-aluminum tweeter |
| Dimensions | 8.7H x 4.9W x 7.9D in | 11.8”H x 7.1”W x 11.7”D (300 x 180 x 297.6 mm) |
| Weight | 6 lbs (2.7 kg) each (per retailer listing) | 15 lbs (6.8 kg) each |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified, typical in-room) | - |
| Sensitivity | 80dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) | 84dB |
| Impedance | 4-8 ohms | 4 ohms |
| Power Handling | 15-100W each | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.59 | 6.45 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.87 | 8.46 |
| DIY Kit | No | Yes |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 1560Hz |
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