Short answer: the PreSonus Eris Studio 5. Both are rated 3.6/5 for sound quality (#64 and #65 of 105 powered bookshelf speakers), and the PreSonus Eris Studio 5 costs $299.98 against $397 for the Yamaha HS5, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
What the PreSonus Eris Studio 5 does well: A 5.25” woven composite woofer and 1” silk dome tweeter on a 120° x 60° EBM waveguide for a wide sweet spot. The tradeoff: No independent measurements yet, so its tonal balance and directivity can’t be compared with ranked speakers.
The case for the Yamaha HS5: ASR found reasonably smooth early-reflection directivity, which makes broad EQ correction more promising than on speakers whose off-axis response changes abruptly. The catch: The measurements do not support describing it as very neutral: excess midrange and reduced lower-midrange/upper-bass weight produce a bass-light balance.
Buy the PreSonus Eris Studio 5. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $97.02 less than the Yamaha HS5.
About the ratings: the PreSonus Eris Studio 5’s rating is estimated from measured siblings and predecessors rather than its own measurements, with a likely range of 3.4 to 3.8, so this verdict could change once it is measured.
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Specifications Side By Side
| PreSonus Eris Studio 5 | Yamaha HS5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.98 per pair | $397.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #64 of 105 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers Estimated | #65 of 105 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Weight | 11.5 lbs (5.2 kg) | 12.1 lbs (5.5 kg) each |
| Dimensions | 11.5”H x 8”W x 8.8”D (292 x 203 x 223 mm) | 11.2”H x 6.7”W x 8.7”D (284.5 x 170.2 x 221 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25” woven composite woofer, 1” silk dome tweeter | 5” (127mm) woofer |
| Amplifier Power | 80w Per Speaker (Class AB) | 45w Per Speaker |
| Frequency Response | 48Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 58Hz - 24kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | TRS, XLR, RCA | XLR |
| RCA Input | Yes | No |
| XLR Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | Yes | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (Low-cut, Mid and High controls, 3-way acoustic space tuning) | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 88Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 68Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| App | - | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 3.70 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 6.32 |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 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
PreSonus Eris Studio 5: $299.98 per pair Estimated Amazon eBay
Older models: the PreSonus Eris E5 XT (ranked lower, rated 3.5/5) and the PreSonus Eris E5 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5). See every PreSonus Eris generation.
Same family: the PreSonus Eris Studio 4 (smaller bookshelf, ranked lower, estimated 3.4/5) and the PreSonus Eris Studio 8 (larger bookshelf, rated 3.9/5).
Pros: A 5.25” woven composite woofer and 1” silk dome tweeter on a 120° x 60° EBM waveguide for a wide sweet spot. 80W Class AB bi-amplification rated to 102dB peak, a front-firing port, and balanced XLR and TRS plus unbalanced RCA inputs. PreSonus rates response at 48Hz to 20kHz.
Cons: No independent measurements yet, so its tonal balance and directivity can’t be compared with ranked speakers. Sold individually, so a stereo pair costs twice the listed price.
Full PreSonus Eris Studio 5 review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| AES Input | No |
| Amplifier Power | 80w Per Speaker (Class AB) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.5”H x 8”W x 8.8”D (292 x 203 x 223 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25” woven composite woofer, 1” silk dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Low-cut, Mid and High controls, 3-way acoustic space tuning) |
| Frequency Response | 48Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | TRS, XLR, RCA |
| Optical Input | No |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| TRS Input | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 11.5 lbs (5.2 kg) |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Yamaha HS5: $397.00 per pair Amazon eBay
Same family: the Yamaha HS3 (smaller bookshelf, estimated 2.9/5), the Yamaha HS4 (smaller bookshelf, estimated 3.1/5), the Yamaha HS7 (larger bookshelf, rated 3.9/5), the Yamaha HS8 (larger bookshelf, rated 4.4/5) and the Yamaha HS8S (subwoofer, rated 3/5).
Pros: ASR found reasonably smooth early-reflection directivity, which makes broad EQ correction more promising than on speakers whose off-axis response changes abruptly. Balanced inputs and placement controls suit studio use. The measured preference scores are 3.70 standalone and 6.32 with an ideal subwoofer. Measured bass extension of 88Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The measurements do not support describing it as very neutral: excess midrange and reduced lower-midrange/upper-bass weight produce a bass-light balance. The 300Hz-5kHz span is 4.3dB. Its automated -3dB crossing is affected by response shape, so it should not be treated as a simple bass-cutoff specification. A subwoofer adds low bass but does not fix the elevated midrange.
Full Yamaha HS5 review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2013 (13 years ago) |
|---|---|
| AES Input | No |
| Amplifier Power | 45w Per Speaker |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 68Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 88Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.2”H x 6.7”W x 8.7”D (284.5 x 170.2 x 221 mm) |
| Drivers | 5” (127mm) woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 24kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | XLR |
| Optical Input | No |
| RCA Input | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.70 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.32 |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 12.1 lbs (5.5 kg) each |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Audio Science Review Measurements More from Audio Science Review →
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review KRK Classic 5 CL5G3 vs Yamaha HS5 sound.DEMO More from DSAUDIOreview →
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- DSAUDIO.review: Genelec 8020D vs Yamaha HS5 Soun & Frequency Response Comparison
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- DSAUDIO.review: Adam Audio T5V vs Yamaha HS5 5 Track Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Yamaha HS5 vs Presonus Eris E5 Sound Demo
- DSAUDIO.review: KRK Rokit 5 G4 RP5G4 vs Yamaha HS5 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: New PreSonus E5 XT and Yamaha HS5 could not sound any more different! SOUND AND RESPONSE COMPARISON
- DSAUDIO.review: Yamaha HS8 vs Yamaha HS5 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Genelec 8010A (Genelec G One) vs Yamaha HS5 Sound Demo w/ Bass Test
- Audio Science Review Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons