Short answer: the SVS Prime Bookshelf. It ranks #150 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $599. The HSU Research MFL-6 ranks #166, rated 3.3/5, at $558, $41 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The SVS Prime Bookshelf is the more accurate option. Affordable bookshelf speakers with a sealed woofer compartment, wide even dispersion and reasonable sensitivity. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.17 against 2.63 for the HSU Research MFL-6. The tradeoff: A scooped mid-range paired with a boosted upper mid-range creates an audibly uneven tonal balance, and there’s an additional dip in the treble around 4-5kHz that reads as slightly tinny relative to the recessed mid-range.
Why pick the HSU Research MFL-6: An affordable high output bookshelf speaker with a horn loaded tweeter, easy to drive, that can sit on a wall, stand or sideways. The tradeoff: Its response deviation is substantial and the horn narrows dispersion, so tonal balance and seating coverage are less even than the best conventional monitors.
Buy the SVS Prime Bookshelf. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $41 saving on the HSU Research MFL-6 is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| SVS Prime Bookshelf | HSU Research MFL-6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599.00 per pair | $558 per pair |
| Ranked | #150 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #166 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 6.5” polypropylene cone woofer with aluminum shorting ring (sealed sub-compartment), 1” aluminum dome tweeter | 1” horn-loaded tweeter, 6.5” paper-cone woofer |
| Weight | 15.5 lbs (7.03 kg) each | 13 lbs (5.9 kg) each |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 3.9 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85.6dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 72Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 77.6Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 49Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | about 41.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Frequency Response | 48Hz - 25kHz ±3dB (manufacturer specified) | 60Hz-20kHz +/-2dB |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.17 | 2.63 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.78 | 4.77 |
| Dimensions | 13.2”H x 8”W x 10.2”D (335.3 x 203.2 x 259.1 mm) | 16H x 8W x 6.25-10.375D in |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Enclosure | - | 2-way bass reflex |
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