Short answer: the Cambridge Audio L/R S. It ranks #4 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.4/5, at $549; the Sovox MiniMax3 ranks #14, rated 3.7/5, and costs $650, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Sovox MiniMax3 does well: A tiny aluminum coaxial monitor with a wide sweet spot, deep bass for its size and placement presets for desk or wall. The tradeoff: Output tops out around 86dB, with heavy compression and very high distortion as it gets there, so it only suits nearfield listening at modest volume.
The Cambridge Audio L/R S is the more accurate, deeper-bass choice. Compact desk speakers with very accurate sound, Bluetooth and optical and USB inputs, best for close listening. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.08 against 3.84 for the Sovox MiniMax3. Its bass reaches about 57Hz before falling 3dB, against 66Hz for the Sovox MiniMax3. The catch: 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.
Buy the Cambridge Audio L/R S. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sovox MiniMax3 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Sovox MiniMax3 | Cambridge Audio L/R S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $650 per pair | $549.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #14 of 48 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #4 of 48 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 66Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 57Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 50Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 7.7”H x 4.3”W x 7.9”D (195 x 110 x 200 mm) | 5.3” (134 mm) W x 226mm H x 180mm D (each) |
| Weight | 9 lbs (4.1 kg) each | 6.6 lbs (3.0kg) primary speaker, 5.7 lbs (2.6kg) secondary speaker |
| Drivers | 3 in. carbon fiber coaxial midrange with 1 in. silk dome tweeter, 3.5 in. carbon fiber woofer, 5 in. passive radiator | 21mm aluminum dome tweeter, 3” long-throw woofer |
| Inputs | XLR, RCA | RCA, optical digital, USB-C |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| DSP | Yes | Yes, room size, wall distance, and reflective surface correction; desktop-placement and near-wall/free-space switches |
| EQ | Yes (Free, Desk, Wall and Desk & Wall presets; treble and bass trims) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 68.6W total (44.3W LF + 17.95W MF + 6.32W HF Class D) | 100W total (50W to woofer, 50W to tweeter, per speaker) |
| Maximum SPL | 97dB @ 1m short term (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Frequency Response | 49Hz - 20kHz (±3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 55Hz - 24kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.84 | 5.08 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.48 | 7.72 |
| Subwoofer Output | No | Yes |
| XLR Input | Yes | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | Yes |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD |
| App | - | Yes |
| Outputs | - | Subwoofer, wired speaker-to-speaker link |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.1 |
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