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Sonos Five vs Mackie CR4-XBT Comparison

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Sonos Five

Powered Bookshelf |

Sonos Five
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Mackie CR4-XBT

Powered Bookshelf | 65-20k Hz

Mackie CR4-XBT
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Sonos Five Sonos Five
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Mackie CR4-XBT Mackie CR4-XBT
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Sonos Five
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Mackie CR4-XBT
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Sonos Five vs Mackie CR4-XBT Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Sonos Five and Mackie CR4-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 CR4-XBT first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sonos Five Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • Integrated Amplifier
  • 3 x 0.8" Dome Tweeter
  • 3 x 2.75" Cone Woofer
  • Frequency Response
  • 16-bit Max Depth / 44.1kHz Max Sample Rate
  • App Control Feature
  • Weight:6.40kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 201.6" x 14.3125" x 6.875"( 201.6 x 363.5 x 174.6mm )

Mackie CR4-XBT Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 25-watt RMS( 50-watt Peak) Integrated Amplifier
  • 0.75" Dome Tweeter
  • 4" Polypropylene Woofer
  • 65-20k Hz Frequency Response
  • N/A Max Depth / N/A Max Sample Rate
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 222.3" x 6.125" x 8.5"( 222.3 x 155.6 x 215.9mm )

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonos Five and Mackie CR4-XBT compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both Sonos Five and Mackie CR4-XBT are 2-way speakers.

Driver Sonos Five Mackie CR4-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 4-inch

Sonos Five features a 3 x 0.8" Dome Tweeter and 3 x 2.75" Cone Woofer . On the other hand, the Mackie CR4-XBT features a 0.75" Silk Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Polypropylene Woofer .

Frequency Response

Sonos Five has a frequency range of whereas Mackie CR4-XBT has a frequency range of 65-20k 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 CR4-XBT's min frequency of 65Hz.

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

Sonos Five
Mackie CR4-XBT
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Sonos Five
Mackie CR4-XBT
Min
Average
Max

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Sonos Five has a front firing port whereas Mackie CR4-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 CR4-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 CR4-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 CR4-XBT has external dimensions of 222.3 x 155.6 x 215.9mm ( 8.75 x 6.125 x 8.5inch) .

Sonos Five is 20.7mm shorter and 41.3mm less deeper than Mackie CR4-XBT but it is also 207.9mm 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 CR4-XBT is approximately 335.9cm2 / 52.1inch2. The Sonos Five requires 89% more surface area than the Mackie CR4-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 CR4-XBT?

    Here are the items that come with the Mackie CR4-XBT:
  • Powered monitor w/ attached 5.5-feet power cord (C7 unpolarized)
  • Passive monitor
  • 6.5-feet Speaker wire
  • 5-feet Stereo mini to RCA cable
  • Quick Start Guide

  • Reasons to choose Sonos Five over Mackie CR4-XBT
    Number of Woofers 3 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response Hz vs 65 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Port Position Front vs Rear Gives more flexibility placing close to walls
    App-Based Control Apple iOS, Android, Mac, Windows vs None Control the speaker via an app
    Height 201mm vs 222mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Ethernet Connection Yes vs No High quality streaming over Ethernet
    3.5mm Connection Yes vs No Connection via 3.5mm AUX input
    Subwoofer Output Optional Wireless vs No Pair your speakers with external subwoofer

    Reasons to choose Mackie CR4-XBT over Sonos Five

    Woofer Size 4 inches vs 2.75 inches Larger woofer
    High Frequency Response 20k Hz vs k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Base Surface Area 335cm2 vs 634cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 170USD vs 1098USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    RCA Connection Yes vs No Connection via RCA input
    Headphone Output 3.5mm vs No Connect your headphone
    Sonos Five vs Mackie CR4-XBT Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Sonos Five Mackie CR4-XBT
    Brand Sonos Mackie
    Speaker Type Powered Stereo Speakers Powered Stereo Speakers
    Frequency Response 65-20k Hz
    Amplifier
    Watts RMS (Continuous) n/a 25-watt RMS
    Watts Peak (Max) n/a 50-watt RMS
    Max Bit Depth 16-bit N/A
    Max Sample Rate 44.1kHz N/A
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 3 1
    Woofer Size 2.75" 4"
    Woofer Composition Cone Polypropylene
    Tweeter Size 3 x 0.8" 0.75"
    Tweeter Type Dome Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No No
    Firing Direction front rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 201.6mm (7.9") 222.3mm (8.8")
    Width 363.5mm (14.3") 155.6mm (6.1")
    Depth 174.6mm (6.9") 215.9mm (8.5")
    Weight 6.40kg (14.1lbs) n/a
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Aux Inputs 3.5mm RCA
    USB Port No No
    Phone Input No No
    Subwoofer Output Optional Wireless No
    Digital Input No No
    HDMI Input No No
    Headphone Jack No 3.5mm
    Ethernet Port Yes No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 1 Year 1 Year
    Labor Warranty 1 Year 1 Year

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