Edifier Launches MR5 Studio Monitors Featuring A Tri-Amped Crossover

As more people set up home studios for recording their own music or editing videos, the market for near-field speakers or studio monitors, as they are better known, has rarely looked so healthy. This year, new monitors have already been released by brands like PreSonus, Yamaha and Kanta. Now Edifier has announced its MR5 monitors designed for home studio use and featuring tri-amped crossover technology.

According to Edifier, its new MR5 studio monitors offer the kind of clarity that is essential for studio work an theyd feature a patented acoustic design with a tri-amped crossover that projects a richer and more balanced sound. Edifier says its new monitors can capture the nuances that are lurking in the lower frequencies as well as the sparkle and detail in the treble.

Edifier is an audio brand that’s been quietly building a reputation for high-quality audio with value for money prices. Earlier this year, I wrote about the new and affordable Edifier MR3 studio monitors and now it’s the turn for a hands-on with the brand-new MR5 which offer a major step up in terms of sound quality.

Tri-Amped Crossover

With their patented acoustic architecture and a high-end and tri-amped active crossover, the Edifier MR5 have been made for music producers and video editors, but they are also affordable enough to use as a pair of active speakers for anyone working from home computer setup.

Featuring three separate drivers, each MR5 monitor includes a 5-inch downward firing woofer for the bottom end, a 3.75-inch midrange woofer plus a 1-inch silk dome tweeter that takes care of the upper frequencies. Each of the transducers is driven through the tri-amped crossover which distribute the bass, mids and treble frequencies to their allotted driver.

As well as having such a precise active crossover, the MR5 speakers also have a set of rotary knobs at the rear of the main speaker. These controls can be used to adjust the sound to compensate for a room’s acoustic characteristics. The controls can trim adjustments for both the low and high frequencies.

For example, the “High” knob can be used to cut or boost frequencies above 10kHz by ±6dB. The “Low” knob can cut or boost frequencies around 125Hz by up to ±6dB. There are also a few other controls, including a Low Cut-Off for limiting specific low-frequency bandwidth that best suits the volume of the listening room.

Meanwhile, there’s an Acoustic Space control that can be used to compensate for mid and bass boosts as well as tweaking the sound of the MR5 depending on where the speakers are placed. For example, if they have to be close to a wall, the Acoustic Space control can temper the sound for that. A Desktop Control is also included to compensate for reflection of sound waves from a desk surface. All of these controls enable the user to sculpt the sound of the MR5 precisely to suit a room’s characteristics and provide an optimal listening experience.

Flat Frequency Response

As you might expect from a pair of studio monitors, the MR5s are designed to deliver a flat frequency response. This means the speakers aren’t artificially tweaked to boost the bass or treble to make them sound overly exciting. Instead, these are tuned to accurately convey music as it is meant to be heard without any coloration. With a neutral tone, it’s easier to mix audio and add bass or boost treble using editing software and be confident that what you are hearing is what you will get in the final mix.

With a sound profile that’s been engineered for accuracy, the wide and flat frequency response of the MR5 starts off at 46Hz and extends to 40kHz, which is quite a large step beyond the 20kHz that many studio monitors end at. This neutral and transparent sound profile is Edifier’s deliberate way of ensuring that nuances in the original recording is accurately reproduced, enabling the editor or producer of the piece of music or a video soundtrack to hear exactly what was recorded. This makes the MR5 suitable for critical listening, final mixing and mastering.

A Wider Sweet Spot

Edifier’s MR5 has a specially designed dimpled tweeter waveguide that enhances the extension of higher frequencies and ensures clarity while widening the listening area. The waveguide creates a broader sweet spot of sound for a more consistent and accurate presentation wherever the listener is standing in the room. Edifier says this makes the MR5 suitable for collaborative workspaces and professional studio environments.

The MR5 have a built-in amplifier that can output up to 110W RMS and a peak SPL of 101dB (@1 meter). Whether the MR5 are used for near-field listening or as part of a mid-field setup, Edifier says they have enough power to fill a medium-sized room without breaking a sweat. This makes the MR5 a flexible choice for installing in studios, edit suites or for high-fidelity home listening where living space might be limited.

Hi-Res Audio Certified

The Edifier MR5 are designed to deliver an audiophile-grade performance and they feature a premium analog front end as well as Class-D amplifiers that support 24-bit/96kHz resolution for precise signal conversion and more accurate amplification.

The MR5 are certified for Hi-Res Audio Wireless listening, enabling high-resolution wireless streaming over Bluetooth using the LDAC codec at resolutions up to 990kbps and 24-bit/96kHz. Thanks to the use of Bluetooth 6.0, devices running Android 8.0 or higher can have the freedom to listen wirelessly without compromising on sound quality.

The Edifier MR5 have a selection of input options such as professional-grade balanced XLR and TRS inputs for low-noise connections when working with audio interfaces and mixers. There are also options for RCA and AUX inputs to support multi-device connectivity. For convenience, Edifier has also included a dedicated headphone jack at the front of the speaker for a convenient way to listen privately.

Bluetooth Multipoint Connectivity

Another advantage of using the latest version of Bluetooth 6.0 is the MR5 also support Multipoint connectivity which means a user can connect two Bluetooth devices at the same time. The latest Bluetooth also provides a stable wireless connection that a user can switch seamlessly between two devices such as smartphones, computer or digital music player.

As well as having a full selection of manual controls at the rear of the primary speaker cabinet, the MR5 can also be controlled remotely using the Edifier ConneX smartphone app. The app provides controls for playback, customizing sound effects and adjusting room compensation settings, plus it includes an online user manual.

Price & Availability:

The new Edifier MR5 studio monitors are available now from Amazon.com and are priced at $349.99 per pair.

Tech Specs:

• Total output power (RMS): 10W + 10W (Treble) / 15W + 15W (Mid) / 30W + 30W (Bass).
• Drivers: 5″ woofers / 3.75″ mid drivers / 1″ silk dome tweeters
• Frequency response: 46Hz – 40kHz.
• Signal-to-Noise ratio: ≥ 85dB (A).
• Audio inputs: Balanced XLR, Balanced ¼-inch TRS, Unbalanced RCA, 3.5mm stereo AUX, Bluetooth.
• Input sensitivity: XLR: 1,228 ± 50mV / TRS: 1,228 ± 50mV / RCA: 700 ± 50mV / AUX: 600 ± 50mV / Bluetooth: 600 ± 50mFFS.
• Bluetooth: V6.0.
• Audio codecs: LDAC, SBC.
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 159 x 264 x 280mm (Active speaker) / 159 x 264 x 257mm (Passive speaker).
• Net weight: 10.38kg.
• Crossover: Bass/Mid 155Hz / Mid/Treble 2600Hz.
• Sound Pressure Level (Max.): 101dB (@1 meter)
• Headphone output: 3.5mm stereo.