In this review, we will be comparing MR5 and MR4.5, two Powered Bookshelf speakers by Edifier. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Edifier MR5 and Edifier MR4.5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Edifier MR5 | Edifier MR4.5 |
|---|
| Brand | Edifier
China · founded 1996 | Edifier
China · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 110-watt RMS | 80-watt RMS |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 3.75" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" | 4.5" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-40k Hz | 50-40k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 96 kHz | 24-bit / 96 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 6.0 | Built-in 6.0 |
|---|
| App control | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.4" x 6.3" x 11"
264.0 x 159.0 x 280.0mm | 9.6" x 5.5" x 9"
244.0 x 140.0 x 229.0mm |
|---|
MR5 and MR4.5 are members of Edifier's MR series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that MR5 is a 3-way design whereas the MR4.5 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Edifier MR5Edifier MR4.5
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Drivers drawn to scale and directly comparable. Cabinet outlines are indicative: full dimensions are not published for both. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Edifier MR5 |
Edifier MR4.5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 3.75-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
MR5 features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 3.75" Midrange and 1 x 5" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 155Hz, 2600Hz. On the other hand, the MR4.5 features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
MR5 has a frequency range of 46-40k Hz whereas MR4.5 has a frequency range of 50-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the MR5 can go slightly deeper then the MR4.5's min frequency of 50Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both MR5 and MR4.5 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Edifier MR5's and Edifier MR4.5's external dimensions. Edifier MR5 has external dimensions of 264.0 x 159.0 x 280.0mm (10.4 x 6.3 x 11inch) whereas Edifier MR4.5 has external dimensions of 244.0 x 140.0 x 229.0mm (9.6 x 5.5 x 9inch).
Edifier MR5 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 19mm wider, 20mm taller and 51mm deeper than Edifier MR4.5.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Edifier MR5 needs about 39% more floor or shelf area. Edifier MR5 is 51mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Edifier MR5 is 20mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Edifier MR5 is approximately 445.2cm2 / 69.0inch2 and base area of the Edifier MR4.5 is approximately 320.6cm2 / 49.7inch2. The MR5 requires 39% more surface area than the MR4.5 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.