A backstory
I’ve always been passionate about high-quality sound, which has led me to invest in top-tier hi-fi systems for both home theatre setups and music enjoyment. During the pandemic, I needed to quickly establish a home workspace. After watching countless reviews and testing around a dozen audio systems, I decided on the budget-friendly Edifier R1100. I was genuinely impressed by its stylish, compact wooden body that delivered remarkable sound quality! While some might critique the slightly boosted bass or recessed mids, these issues can be easily adjusted with an equaliser. In short, I relied on those speakers daily for two years, sometimes preferring them over much pricier audio systems.
A few months ago, while setting up a new workspace, I was on a fence between YouTubers-recommended, pricier options like the Audioengine A2 and Kanto YU2, and more budget-friendly alternatives such as Sanyun and PreSonus. I nearly bought the PreSonus at a discount, but fortunately, I decided to give them a listen first. Although they are slightly cheaper and offer decent audio quality, the Edifier MR4 outperformed them.
Impressions
- The Sound. The audio quality is excellent. Edifier markets these speakers as studio monitors, allowing you to choose between a flat response (press the knob for a red indicator) or a more music-enhanced sound (press again for a green indicator). The frequency range and power are more than sufficient, even for a fairly large room. For my needs, the bass meets my expectations, and I see no reason to add a subwoofer. The treble is well-balanced. Admittedly, the product description could be clearer, as the woofers are 3.5" rather than 4". However, size doesn’t matter much to me (though I probably shouldn’t say that out loud).
- Connectivity and Controls. The variety of connections — RCA, TRS, low and high adjustments, AUX, and a headphone jack — is great. However, the volume knob could be improved. It adjusts in steps rather than smoothly, which can be a bit frustrating when trying to find the perfect volume between levels.
- Design. The plastic front panel might not be to everyone’s taste. Design is subjective, and some may think the speakers look “cheap.” Frankly, they are solidly constructed, and I have no complaints about their overall build quality.
A Note
While these speakers are marketed as studio monitors, my assessment is purely subjective, as I haven't tested them in a professional studio environment. From my perspective, professional work often requires professional (and expensive) equipment. If I were to set up an actual audio studio, I would lean toward established brands like KRK, Adam Audio, or Yamaha, knowing that such investments directly impact revenue.
Verdict
For my use case, which is primarily listening to audio content during long workdays and occasionally monitoring sound for video editing (which I still mainly do with headphones), these speakers are a perfect fit. I have no regrets about my choice and can confidently recommend them. If you prioritise great sound, they are an excellent option for any home office.
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Edifier
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This item  Edifier MR4 Powered Studio Monitor 2.0 Speakers 42 Watts (Black) | Recommendations  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | £99.99 | £89.99 | £215.52 | £99.99 | £105.00 | -16% £75.00 RRP: £89.00 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Saturday, May 31 | Get it as soon as Saturday, May 31 | Get it 9 – 11 Jun | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 29 | Get it as soon as Saturday, May 31 | Get it as soon as Saturday, May 31 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sold by | Emax UK | Digitalis Direct | qiuxushenzen | Digitalis Direct | Amazon | Amazon |
| speaker size | 4 inches | 22 centimeters | 4 inches | 13 millimeters | 4.5 inches | 3.5 inches |
| power source | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | Corded Electric | Corded Electric |
| connectivity tech | RCA | Bluetooth, RCA | wired | RCA, Auxiliary | Bluetooth | ¼” TRS, RCA, and ⅛” Stereo Aux Inputs |
| speaker type | Monitor | Bookshelf | Bookshelf | Bookshelf | Monitor | Monitor |
| mounting type | Tabletop | Tabletop | Stand, Shelf, Desk | Shelf Mount | Tabletop Mount | Tabletop |
| weight | 4500 grams | — | 4 pounds | 12.6 pounds | 4.3 kilograms | 3.1 kilograms |
| control method | remote | touch | touch | remote | application | touch |
| model name | MR4 | MR3 | Media Series | R1280T | BX4 PAIR BT | Eris 3.5 |
| surround channels | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| woofer diameter | 10.16 centimeters | — | 4 inches | 4 inches | 4.5 inches | 3.5 inches |
Exceptional sound on a budget for the home office
A backstory I’ve always been passionate about high-quality sound, which has led me to invest in top-tier hi-fi systems for both home theatre setups and music enjoyment. During the pandemic, I needed to quickly establish a home workspace. After watching countless reviews and testing around a dozen audio systems, I decided on the budget-friendly Edifier R1100. I was genuinely impressed by its stylish, compact wooden body that delivered remarkable sound quality! While some might critique the slightly boosted bass or recessed mids, these issues can be easily adjusted with an equaliser. In short, I relied on those speakers daily for two years, sometimes preferring them over much pricier audio systems. A few months ago, while setting up a new workspace, I was on a fence between YouTubers-recommended, pricier options like the Audioengine A2 and Kanto YU2, and more budget-friendly alternatives such as Sanyun and PreSonus. I nearly bought the PreSonus at a discount, but fortunately, I decided to give them a listen first. Although they are slightly cheaper and offer decent audio quality, the Edifier MR4 outperformed them. Impressions - The Sound. The audio quality is excellent. Edifier markets these speakers as studio monitors, allowing you to choose between a flat response (press the knob for a red indicator) or a more music-enhanced sound (press again for a green indicator). The frequency range and power are more than sufficient, even for a fairly large room. For my needs, the bass meets my expectations, and I see no reason to add a subwoofer. The treble is well-balanced. Admittedly, the product description could be clearer, as the woofers are 3.5" rather than 4". However, size doesn’t matter much to me (though I probably shouldn’t say that out loud). - Connectivity and Controls. The variety of connections — RCA, TRS, low and high adjustments, AUX, and a headphone jack — is great. However, the volume knob could be improved. It adjusts in steps rather than smoothly, which can be a bit frustrating when trying to find the perfect volume between levels. - Design. The plastic front panel might not be to everyone’s taste. Design is subjective, and some may think the speakers look “cheap.” Frankly, they are solidly constructed, and I have no complaints about their overall build quality. A Note While these speakers are marketed as studio monitors, my assessment is purely subjective, as I haven't tested them in a professional studio environment. From my perspective, professional work often requires professional (and expensive) equipment. If I were to set up an actual audio studio, I would lean toward established brands like KRK, Adam Audio, or Yamaha, knowing that such investments directly impact revenue. Verdict For my use case, which is primarily listening to audio content during long workdays and occasionally monitoring sound for video editing (which I still mainly do with headphones), these speakers are a perfect fit. I have no regrets about my choice and can confidently recommend them. If you prioritise great sound, they are an excellent option for any home office.
Top reviews from United Kingdom
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 December 2024
A backstory
Exceptional sound on a budget for the home office
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 December 2024
I’ve always been passionate about high-quality sound, which has led me to invest in top-tier hi-fi systems for both home theatre setups and music enjoyment. During the pandemic, I needed to quickly establish a home workspace. After watching countless reviews and testing around a dozen audio systems, I decided on the budget-friendly Edifier R1100. I was genuinely impressed by its stylish, compact wooden body that delivered remarkable sound quality! While some might critique the slightly boosted bass or recessed mids, these issues can be easily adjusted with an equaliser. In short, I relied on those speakers daily for two years, sometimes preferring them over much pricier audio systems.
A few months ago, while setting up a new workspace, I was on a fence between YouTubers-recommended, pricier options like the Audioengine A2 and Kanto YU2, and more budget-friendly alternatives such as Sanyun and PreSonus. I nearly bought the PreSonus at a discount, but fortunately, I decided to give them a listen first. Although they are slightly cheaper and offer decent audio quality, the Edifier MR4 outperformed them.
Impressions
- The Sound. The audio quality is excellent. Edifier markets these speakers as studio monitors, allowing you to choose between a flat response (press the knob for a red indicator) or a more music-enhanced sound (press again for a green indicator). The frequency range and power are more than sufficient, even for a fairly large room. For my needs, the bass meets my expectations, and I see no reason to add a subwoofer. The treble is well-balanced. Admittedly, the product description could be clearer, as the woofers are 3.5" rather than 4". However, size doesn’t matter much to me (though I probably shouldn’t say that out loud).
- Connectivity and Controls. The variety of connections — RCA, TRS, low and high adjustments, AUX, and a headphone jack — is great. However, the volume knob could be improved. It adjusts in steps rather than smoothly, which can be a bit frustrating when trying to find the perfect volume between levels.
- Design. The plastic front panel might not be to everyone’s taste. Design is subjective, and some may think the speakers look “cheap.” Frankly, they are solidly constructed, and I have no complaints about their overall build quality.
A Note
While these speakers are marketed as studio monitors, my assessment is purely subjective, as I haven't tested them in a professional studio environment. From my perspective, professional work often requires professional (and expensive) equipment. If I were to set up an actual audio studio, I would lean toward established brands like KRK, Adam Audio, or Yamaha, knowing that such investments directly impact revenue.
Verdict
For my use case, which is primarily listening to audio content during long workdays and occasionally monitoring sound for video editing (which I still mainly do with headphones), these speakers are a perfect fit. I have no regrets about my choice and can confidently recommend them. If you prioritise great sound, they are an excellent option for any home office.
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 December 2024
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 October 2024
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 June 2024
Studio speakers are designed to be listened to at close proximity. To get the most out of these speakers you need to elevate the speakers . On my desk they are on 180mm high speaker stands so the tweeters are in line with my ears. They have a good balance to treble and bass for easy quality listening. Coming from a very old 2.1 Logitech system, these Edifiers are awesome. For the cheaper end of studio monitors, these fit my bill for music and all things YouTube. Very impressed.
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Top reviews from other countries
- LReviewed in the United States on 18 January 2023
Edifier MR4 vs PreSonus Eris 3.5
INTRODUCTIONLEdifier MR4 vs PreSonus Eris 3.5
Reviewed in the United States on 18 January 2023
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A little run down. My short quest for new speakers came about when the Mackie CR3’s I had for 7 years decided to stop working. In that time, I was quite happy with them. I don’t produce music, but do video editing on occasion. My primary use case is casual listening to music/movies/games. In that regard, I don’t need to have the flattest sound available or desire it – I just like clean, distinctive audio. I’ve been using Sennheiser HD555 headphones with a Sound Blaster Z soundcard for about a decade now. I know there’s better sound options out there these days, but really, these do the job well enough for me and it’s not a necessity to upgrade at the moment. Particularly, I’m impressed with the Sound Blaster software and functionality. I can switch between headphones and speakers on my computer easily and with separate settings for each that changes automatically. Which seems it’d be a convenience barrier switching to a DAC. In any case, I was previously using RCA and have switched to TRS when trying these speakers. The sound is noticeably clearer and unearths sounds more hidden with RCA. I have to crank the windows output a bit higher, but it’s unquestionably better. I also don’t turn the speaker volume up more than half or 3/4th to mitigate noise. With that, I’ll move onto my experience with these two speakers I decided to try to replace my deceased CR3’s.
Upon receiving the Edifier MR4 first, I threw on some lossless tracks with some variety, albeit dated.
Some artists included:
Boris Brejcha, The Chemical Brothers, Erik Jackson, Emancipator, Gorillaz, Hot Chip, Linkin Park, Macklemore, MGMT, Nero, Paul Oakenfold, Papadosio, Pretty Lights, Rinôçérôse, Robert Miles, Sleater-Kinney, System Of A Down
EDIFIER MR4
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Off the bat I wasn’t stricken with the high end. I like a crispness in my highs and found there was room to be desired with snares etc. But it’s definitely good enough and doesn’t invoke fatigue. Using an equalizer in addition to increasing the treble knob helps and with dialogue in entertainment; which can be a bit muted. The speakers have decent separation and pleasing bass; while having a sound that’s brought together coherently. I have an external bass, which I won’t be inclined to turn on often, as I can also amplify it through software. Playback is warm and easy to listen to. Pressing the power button once enables or disables Music Mode. From what I could tell, it raises the decibel level slightly, as well as the bass and mids for added presence, at the expense of some clarity. I’ll probably use Monitor Mode most of the time. What I particularly liked about these speakers over the E3.5’s is a perceived wider soundstage; instruments have depth and can lightly reverberate (while still having a flatness to them), which sounded more lively comparatively. Overall, these grew on me and I’ve been pleased. If they could be a bit brighter, there wouldn’t be much else I’d desire out of them.
ERIS E3.5
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The ERIS has an adequate amount of treble and clarity in the high range that I liked at first listen. At the tradeoff of it being sharper and more fatiguing with prolonged use or higher volumes. Highs can sometimes be borderline harsh without equalizing; vocals can be sibilant. I turn the bass knob to the max at +6db and lowering or not touching the treble; which only does so much for lows anyhow. Bass is present, but it’s limited and not as full sounding – the frequency it can hit is punchy though. If you EQ more bass you can get a slight rumble, but nothing compared to the MR4. Even with a subwoofer, it’s not as full sounding. The lower mids don’t feel like they quite bridge to the bass. These speakers don’t sound bad and if I had no other options in this price range or hadn’t compared it directly to a pair with more lows, they might be acceptable. They can just be a bit flat and lifeless (which is part of the idea with monitors I guess), despite having crispness on it’s side. Honestly, I didn’t give this set as much time of day, as I kept gravitating towards the MR4’s; which didn’t make me weary with listening either. If the MR4’s weren’t around as an option, I might have compared with the Mackie CR3’s again. But doubtful: as I think their updated design is ugly, still have that green accent, and apparently they’ve declined in build quality.
BUILD
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Both speakers are quite similar with an understated clean design and near identical dimensions. The MR4 seems to have a slightly better build and I prefer the the carbon fiber looking cone.
The volume knob for the E3.5 is smooth – the MR4 turns with an interval of 12 clicks.
The E3.5 indicator light is blue and brighter for my taste: I’d cover it up if I were to keep these speakers. The MR4 has a subdued red and green LED for monitor/music mode. Unfortunately, the green light has already started acting up and stopped working in less than a weeks use.
The bass/treble knobs have more length to them on the MR4 and are easier to reach back and turn than the E3.5’s.
The MR4 weighs a bit more and comes with slightly nicer speaker wire than the E3.5
The E3.5 has a detachable power cord – MR4 does not.
The MR4 tweeter actually measures about three quarters of an inch, not the full 1” they claim.
With both these speakers I could occasionally detect light distortion/crackling in mids and highs. Not enough to be detrimental for me in keeping the MR4’s. But also due to some solid portrayal, I could hear more of the noise added to the production of certain tracks. For example, listening to some Phantogram, where vinyl grain is frequently added. I believe the E3.5’s also displayed this characteristic, but I returned them already upon noticing more of this.
CONCLUSION
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I tried both these speakers in various configurations of equalizing, but made most my judgments based on how they sound out of the box or their capabilities. The Presonus ERIS E3.5 can hit a higher frequency range; while clear, I found the Edifier MR4 sounded more pleasing and I could almost picture vocalists singing into a mic, rather than just sound coming from a speaker. This carries into the overall experience between the two. The MR4 can give me the impression of being at a concert or watching a movie at a theater, to a degree. I feel the E3.5’s are lacking a bit of soul, but maybe that’s because they’re not as warm. When switching between the two to compare, I found myself wanting to just keep listening to the Edifier’s and not switch back to the Presonus. It’s more lush with it’s prevalent bass for the size and highs can be more pronounced after equalizing (though, they still have an audible frequency ceiling, whereas the E3.5 reaches higher). Given, both these speakers haven’t had a chance for a decent break-in period; but that’ll mostly round out the sound that’s already there anyhow.
I’ve also seen more feedback in regards to the Presonus not working after only a year. Most products these days can be a crap shoot, but I’d rather keep the MR4’s for the sound alone and physicality of it (with the aforementioned differences) and hope I get lucky they last awhile. But the LED being faulty already isn’t ideal and I’ll probably replace the pair. I might look further into spending a bit more for different speakers. Though, it seems moving up generally doesn’t include an aux input/headphone output, which is occasionally useful. So, once again, it comes down to weighing out price/sound/conveniences. The MR4 really does sound decent for the price ($129) and I will probably just stick to this model in the end, since I’m not ready to invest in a DAC setup either, that’ll make it worthwhile for spendier speakers. Again, I'm not a music producer, so I can't speak to the decency of these speakers for actual production – you can find reviews with graphs. I'd spend the $30 extra for the Edifiers; unless pronounced highs are super important to you (especially for rock & jazz). But if you create music with any substantial caliber of bass and need to portray it, I’d probably look elsewhere than the Presonus 3.5’s. You’d likely be wanting larger speakers anyhow; though, you may be able to get away with it by adding a sub. If you do consider the Edifier MR4’s, just know there’s a small margin of highs that aren’t as present. But they can be a more fun listening experience overall and less fatiguing.
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- latifuReviewed in Canada on 17 July 2024
Excellent Value and Performance for Budget Studio Monitors
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- J. F. HindyReviewed in the United States on 20 November 2023
Quite nice
So, there are two types of people who look at this product. The first is as an audiophile who is comparing this to speakers 2 or 3 times as expensive. The second is as a non-audiophile reaching up to this price point from the $40 Logitech speakers you've had since 2017 that get the job done, but you're ready for something better.J. F. HindyQuite nice
Reviewed in the United States on 20 November 2023
I have experience with the first type of person for headphones, but for desktop speakers, it's time to retire my old Logitechs.
Pros:
1. The sound quality, compared to my $40 Logitech speakers, is incredible. It's the same feeling I got when I got my first nice pair of over ear headphones after years of using those old Apple earbuds (not airpods, the wired earbuds they gave out with iPods lol). The sound is much clearer, the bass is punchier, and it's just overall better than the Logitech speakers.
2. The power button doubles as a studio/music profile switched. Red light means studio, green light means music. The green light one sounds better to me, provided you use the bass knob in the back to turn the bass down 3 or 4dB. Otherwise the bass gets a little boomy. But, I like the dual profiles, even if these are, in no way, good for actual studio use (although, to be fair to Edifier, they are vastly better than $50 desktop speakers for studio use lol, it's all about perspective when it comes to audio).
3. These are built for desktop use. Headphone jack in the front, RCA to 3.5mm cable in the box to plug into your PC tower, and they are active speakers, so you don't need any additional equipment to run them like you do with fully passive speakers.
4. Headphone jack is adequate. Won't beat a dedicated amp/dac, but they are on par with the jacks in your PC tower, which is fine, especially if your tower is really far away like mine and your headphones can be powered by a normal headphone jack.
5. Bass and treble knobs in the back are nice for fine tuning. Again, I turned the bass down a few dB to avoid boominess, and the treble stayed at default.
6. Speaker wire is long enough to get around a 34-inch ultrawide with about two feet of cable to spare, maybe more. These will fit around even larger monitors.
Neutral
1. I downloaded Equalizer APO to fine tune these just a little bit more. They sound very good out of the box, but I felt they needed a bit more tweaking. I recommend Equalizer APO to really dial in the sound you want.
2. Some folks may want to pair these with a subwoofer. I didn't find it necessary for casual desktop PC use (I also didn't want to deal with connecting a subwoofer to it, or spend anymore money lol), but if you do, it's not the worst idea in the world. The bass is gold enough for uber casual listening but it is another half step up to get a dedicated subwoofer to do it instead.
Cons
1. While these are vastly better, clearer, and more sonically competent than any sub $100 speakers I'm aware of, they do have their limitations. Instrument separation gets a little stuffy with big, complex music with lots of instruments. The bass is boomy out of the box (easy fix), and it'll distort when it gets loud enough on some songs. However, I had this up at 60% volume on both the speaker and Windows, and I'm never going any higher than that anyway lol.
2. The volume knob is a step/click style and not a smooth style, and the jumps in volume are surprisingly large. You'll likely need to use both your source volume and this thing's volume knob to get the right volume for you.
3. A front cover would've been nice, like you find on other Edifier speakers like the 1280DB. Not that I mind the bare speaker look, but still, would've been a nice option.
Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase. I've had nice headphones for ages (Sennheiser HD650 currently, and probably forever. If it ain't broke, don't fix it), but I still remember the Sennheiser HD558 as my entry level audiophile headphone that got me away from cheap headphones, and how I had that "I hear things in songs I know that I've never heard before" moment with them.
The Edifier MR4 is that same feeling stepping away from less expensive PC speakers. Yes, this is the ground floor of audiophilia, so it's not going to impress someone who already owns or has experienced higher end speakers. However, this is still a HUGE step up from the essentially any sub-$100 PC speaker, and that's all I was looking for.
It's nice to be able to get some reasonably good audio without needing to wear headphones.
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