Short answer: the Cambridge Audio L/R S for better sound quality, the Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen for the lower price. The Cambridge Audio L/R S ranks #4 of 23 powered bookshelf speakers at $549. The Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen ranks #21 at $99.99, $449.01 cheaper.
What the Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen offers: Rear-panel bass and treble controls allow broad correction for desk and wall placement. Erin’s second-generation Klippel measurements give a -3dB point around 69Hz, so the speaker has useful upper-bass reach for its size. Its adjustable balance is more flexible than a fixed-response budget desktop pair. Watch for: The stock response spans 7.2dB from 300Hz to 5kHz and has a strong rising trend of about 1.27dB per octave, emphasizing treble over the midrange. Preference scores of 1.15 standalone and 3.81 with an ideal subwoofer indicate major tonal problems beyond bass extension. EQ may help, but a subwoofer alone will not make it neutral. Output and port-modification results from reviews of the original E3.5 should not be assumed to apply to this second-generation model.
What the Cambridge Audio L/R S offers: A 2-way active bookshelf pair built for near-field desktop use, with a 21mm aluminum tweeter and a 3-inch long-throw woofer on each speaker. Erin’s Audio Corner measured a very neutral on-axis response with good directivity control up through the 2-3kHz handoff to the tweeter, an F3 of about 57Hz and F10 of about 50Hz, and output held within roughly plus or minus 2.5dB from 80Hz to 20kHz. Horizontal dispersion of about plus or minus 60 degrees and a vertical window of about plus 30 to minus 20 degrees make it forgiving of off-center desktop seating. Two rear switches (a desktop-placement compensation switch and a near-wall/free-space switch) plus in-app DSP for room size, wall distance, and reflective surface type let you tune the in-room response rather than just hoping placement works out, and the reviewer noted an audible tightening of the bass moving between room-size settings. Rear connectivity includes RCA, optical digital, USB-C, and a dedicated subwoofer output. Watch for: Maximum clean output is limited: Erin’s Audio Corner measured about 86dB before the onboard limiter engages around 96dB to protect the drivers, so this is a near-field or small-room speaker rather than one built to fill a living room. Each speaker’s Class D amplifier splits only 50W to the woofer and 50W to the tweeter, modest for the class. The DSP room-correction options are preset-based rather than a true microphone-measured calibration at the listening position, so results depend on picking settings that match your actual room.
Buy the Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen when the price outweighs sound quality for you, and the Cambridge Audio L/R S when sound quality outweighs the price instead.
Skip the Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen if sound quality matters to you. It ranks near the bottom of the 23 powered bookshelf speakers.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen | Cambridge Audio L/R S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 per pair | $549.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #21 of 23 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #4 of 23 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 8.3"H x 6"W x 5.5"D (210.8 x 152.4 x 139.7 mm) | 5.3" (134 mm) W x 226mm H x 180mm D (each) |
| Frequency Response | 80 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 55Hz - 24kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | RCA, 1/4" Balanced | RCA, optical digital, USB-C |
| Outputs | 1/8" headphone jack | Subwoofer, wired speaker-to-speaker link |
| Weight | 8.6 lbs (3.9 kg) | 6.6 lbs (3.0kg) primary speaker, 5.7 lbs (2.6kg) secondary speaker |
| Drivers | 3.5" woofer, 1" silk dome tweeter | 21mm aluminum dome tweeter, 3" long-throw woofer |
| App | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 50Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 80Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 57Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No | - |
| EQ | Yes (Acoustic space) | - |
| Sensitivity | 87.4dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 50W total (25W per speaker) | 100W total (50W to woofer, 50W to tweeter, per speaker) |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 1.15 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 3.81 | - |
| Headphone Output | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD |
| DSP | - | Yes, room size, wall distance, and reflective surface correction; desktop-placement and near-wall/free-space switches |
| Subwoofer Output | - | Yes |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen: $99.99 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Rear-panel bass and treble controls allow broad correction for desk and wall placement. Erin’s second-generation Klippel measurements give a -3dB point around 69Hz, so the speaker has useful upper-bass reach for its size. Its adjustable balance is more flexible than a fixed-response budget desktop pair. Measured bass extension of 80Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 87.4dB.
Cons: The stock response spans 7.2dB from 300Hz to 5kHz and has a strong rising trend of about 1.27dB per octave, emphasizing treble over the midrange. Preference scores of 1.15 standalone and 3.81 with an ideal subwoofer indicate major tonal problems beyond bass extension. EQ may help, but a subwoofer alone will not make it neutral. Output and port-modification results from reviews of the original E3.5 should not be assumed to apply to this second-generation model.
Full Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W total (25W per speaker) |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 80Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3"H x 6"W x 5.5"D (210.8 x 152.4 x 139.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 3.5" woofer, 1" silk dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Acoustic space) |
| Frequency Response | 80 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Headphone Output | Yes |
| Inputs | RCA, 1/4" Balanced |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) |
| Outputs | 1/8" headphone jack |
| Sensitivity | 87.4dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 1.15 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 3.81 |
| Weight | 8.6 lbs (3.9 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner Review Measurements More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Audio Science Review Measurements More from Audio Science Review →
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs Presonus Eris E3.5 sound.DEMO More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: Presonus Eris E3.5 vs Edifier R1280T Sound Demo w/ Bass Test
- DSAUDIO.review: Presonus Eris E3.5 vs Mackie CR3 Sound Demo w/ Bass Test
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Mackie CR3-X vs PreSonus E3.5 Budget Monitor Showdown!
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 10 Great (and Terrible) Speakers Under $300!
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Jasper Tech: Are the iLoud Micro Monitor Pro the Best Studio Monitor Speakers for your Home Studio? More from Jasper Tech →
- Jasper Tech: Best Desktop Computer Speakers for Every Budget
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Midiplus MI3 II
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Fiio SP3
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Mackie CR3-X
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Audioengine HD3
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Klipsch ProMedia Lumina
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Audioengine A2+
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs Edifier MR3
- Presonus Eris E3.5 2nd Gen vs HiVi Swan X3
- See all 12 comparisons
Cambridge Audio L/R S: $549.00 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: A 2-way active bookshelf pair built for near-field desktop use, with a 21mm aluminum tweeter and a 3-inch long-throw woofer on each speaker. Erin’s Audio Corner measured a very neutral on-axis response with good directivity control up through the 2-3kHz handoff to the tweeter, an F3 of about 57Hz and F10 of about 50Hz, and output held within roughly plus or minus 2.5dB from 80Hz to 20kHz. Horizontal dispersion of about plus or minus 60 degrees and a vertical window of about plus 30 to minus 20 degrees make it forgiving of off-center desktop seating. Two rear switches (a desktop-placement compensation switch and a near-wall/free-space switch) plus in-app DSP for room size, wall distance, and reflective surface type let you tune the in-room response rather than just hoping placement works out, and the reviewer noted an audible tightening of the bass moving between room-size settings. Rear connectivity includes RCA, optical digital, USB-C, and a dedicated subwoofer output. Measured bass extension of 57Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Maximum clean output is limited: Erin’s Audio Corner measured about 86dB before the onboard limiter engages around 96dB to protect the drivers, so this is a near-field or small-room speaker rather than one built to fill a living room. Each speaker’s Class D amplifier splits only 50W to the woofer and 50W to the tweeter, modest for the class. The DSP room-correction options are preset-based rather than a true microphone-measured calibration at the listening position, so results depend on picking settings that match your actual room.
Full Cambridge Audio L/R S review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W total (50W to woofer, 50W to tweeter, per speaker) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 57Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD |
| DSP | Yes, room size, wall distance, and reflective surface correction; desktop-placement and near-wall/free-space switches |
| Dimensions | 5.3" (134 mm) W x 226mm H x 180mm D (each) |
| Drivers | 21mm aluminum dome tweeter, 3" long-throw woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 24kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | RCA, optical digital, USB-C |
| Outputs | Subwoofer, wired speaker-to-speaker link |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes |
| Weight | 6.6 lbs (3.0kg) primary speaker, 5.7 lbs (2.6kg) secondary speaker |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Adam Audio D3v
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Edifier M60
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Genelec 8010A
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs HiVi Swan X3
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Edifier MR3
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Klipsch ProMedia Lumina
- Cambridge Audio L/R S vs Mackie CR3-X
- See all 9 comparisons