Short answer: the Thomann Swissonic A306. It ranks #24 of 31 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $250; the Edifier S3000Pro ranks #29 and costs $900, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Thomann Swissonic A306 offers: Powered two-way desktop/nearfield design with a shaped waveguide around the 1” silk dome tweeter and a 6.5” woofer, giving very good dispersion control - about ±60° horizontal, wider and more consistent than its closest direct comparison, the JBL 306 MK2. Watch for: Out of the box has an audible treble rise (symbols/sibilants get a bit of extra emphasis) and a mild dip in the lower mid-range/vocal region (200-400Hz) that the reviewer wished were filled in a bit more - both are addressable with the rear DSP switches, but that means the speaker needs some setup time to sound its best rather than being right out of the box.
What the Edifier S3000Pro offers: High resolution digital input up to 96khz/24bit Watch for: No major drawback is currently noted in our review summary.
Buy the Thomann Swissonic A306. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Edifier S3000Pro and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 31 powered bookshelf speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Thomann Swissonic A306 | Edifier S3000Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $250 | $900 |
| Ranked | #24 of 31 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #29 of 31 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 6.5" woofer, 1" silk dome tweeter with waveguide | 6.5" (165mm) woofer |
| Output Power | 100W bi-amplified total (50W + 50W, Class D) | 78w RMS Per Speaker |
| Inputs | XLR (balanced), RCA (unbalanced) | Bluetooth, XLR, RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax, USB |
| Crossover Frequency | 2600Hz | - |
| Dimensions | 8.8"W x 14.2"H x 11.1"D (224 x 361 x 282 mm) | 14.5"H x 9.1"W x 14"D (368.3 x 231.1 x 355.6 mm) |
| Weight | 13.6 lbs / 6.17 kg each | 29.8 lbs / 13.5 kg |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Sensitivity | 89.9dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (manufacturer specified) | 38Hz-20KHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| DSP | Yes (rear-panel treble/bass trim, wall/near-wall placement switches) | No |
| Outputs | - | None |
| App | - | No |
| Bluetooth | - | No |
| EQ | - | Yes (Room adjustment) |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Thomann Swissonic A306: $250 Thomann
Pros: Powered two-way desktop/nearfield design with a shaped waveguide around the 1” silk dome tweeter and a 6.5” woofer, giving very good dispersion control - about ±60° horizontal, wider and more consistent than its closest direct comparison, the JBL 306 MK2. Overall a neutral, smooth speaker once the rear-panel DSP trims are dialed in: dropping the tweeter trim by 2dB and raising the bass trim by 2dB got the reviewer to a response he had no real complaints about. XLR and RCA inputs plus a standby function. Erin directly preferred this over the JBL 306 MK2 in his side-by-side comparison, primarily due to more consistent directivity. Genuinely good value for the price, especially for European buyers who avoid the international shipping premium.
Cons: Out of the box has an audible treble rise (symbols/sibilants get a bit of extra emphasis) and a mild dip in the lower mid-range/vocal region (200-400Hz) that the reviewer wished were filled in a bit more - both are addressable with the rear DSP switches, but that means the speaker needs some setup time to sound its best rather than being right out of the box. US buyers face real added cost: the speaker ships from Germany with a EU plug, and after ~$60/speaker shipping plus needing a EU-to-US adapter or IEC cable, all-in cost lands around $370-385/pair rather than the $250 sticker price.
Full Thomann Swissonic A306 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2600Hz |
| DSP | Yes (rear-panel treble/bass trim, wall/near-wall placement switches) |
| Dimensions | 8.8"W x 14.2"H x 11.1"D (224 x 361 x 282 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" woofer, 1" silk dome tweeter with waveguide |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 20kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR (balanced), RCA (unbalanced) |
| Output Power | 100W bi-amplified total (50W + 50W, Class D) |
| Sensitivity | 89.9dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 13.6 lbs / 6.17 kg each |
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Edifier S3000Pro: $900 Amazon
Pros: High resolution digital input up to 96khz/24bit
Full Edifier S3000Pro review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bluetooth | No |
| DSP | No |
| Dimensions | 14.5"H x 9.1"W x 14"D (368.3 x 231.1 x 355.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" (165mm) woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 38Hz-20KHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, XLR, RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax, USB |
| Output Power | 78w RMS Per Speaker |
| Outputs | None |
| Weight | 29.8 lbs / 13.5 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons