In this review, we will be comparing Sonos Five and Mackie CR3-XBT, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Sonos and Mackie. 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 Sonos Five and Mackie CR3-XBT first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonos Five and Mackie CR3-XBT compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Sonos Five and Mackie CR3-XBT are 2-way speakers.
Driver |
Sonos Five |
Mackie CR3-XBT |
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
Tweeter
|
3 x 0.8-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
Woofer
|
3 x 2.75-inch
|
1 x 3-inch
|
Sonos Five features a 3 x 0.8" Dome Tweeter and 3 x 2.75" Cone Woofer . On the other hand, the Mackie CR3-XBT features a 0.75" Silk Dome Tweeter and 1 x 3" Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Sonos Five has a frequency range of whereas Mackie CR3-XBT has a frequency range of 80-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of Hz, the Sonos Five can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Mackie CR3-XBT's min frequency of 80Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sonos Five has a front firing port whereas Mackie CR3-XBT has a rear firing ports. Sonos Five's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Mackie CR3-XBT with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Sonos Five's and Mackie CR3-XBT's external dimensions. Sonos Five has external dimensions of 201.6 x 363.5 x 174.6mm ( 7.9375 x 14.3125 x 6.875inch) whereas Mackie CR3-XBT has external dimensions of 206.4 x 139.7 x 190.5mm ( 8.125 x 5.5 x 7.5inch) .
Sonos Five is 4.8mm shorter and 15.9mm less deeper than Mackie CR3-XBT but it is also 223.8mm wider.
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 Sonos Five is approximately 634.7cm2 / 98.4inch2 and base area of the Mackie CR3-XBT is approximately 266.1cm2 / 41.2inch2. The Sonos Five requires 139% more surface area than the Mackie CR3-XBT which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Sonos Five?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonos Five:
Wireless audio speaker 6.5-feet AC power cord Quickstart Guide Important Safety Information
What's in the Box of Mackie CR3-XBT?
Here are the items that come with the Mackie CR3-XBT:
Powered monitor w/ attached 5.5-feet power cord (C7 unpolarized)Passive monitor6.5-feet Speaker wire5-feet Stereo mini to RCA cableQuick Start Guide