PreSonus Eris E5 BT Active Media Reference Monitors

20 Apr 2022 by Lasse Eilers |

4,3 / 5,0 | Approximate reading time: 2 Minutes

PreSonus Eris E5 BT · Source: PreSonus

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PreSonus expands its line-up of Bluetooth-equipped speakers with the new Eris E5 BT Active Media Reference Monitors. With 5.25” woofers, the Eris E5 BT monitors are designed for home recording, beatmaking, and all kinds of media production. But how do they compare to the regular Eris E5?

PreSonus Eris E5 BT

The smaller Eris E3.5 and Eris E4.5 models have been available in Bluetooth variants for a couple of years. PreSonus has now added wireless connectivity to the larger Eris E5, creating a larger wireless monitor for those who need a bit more power and low end punch.

Like the regular Eris E5, the Eris E5 BT monitors feature 5.25-inch woven glass composite woofers and 1-inch silk dome tweeters. The frequency response is also the same, ranging from 53 Hz to 22 kHz.

However, the amplifier setup is quite different. The regular Eris E5 has a Class-AB amp module in every speaker. The new Eris E5 BT, on the other hand, is a multimedia monitor that’s only sold in pairs, with only the left speaker housing the amp module. The right speaker is passive and receives its signal from its active counterpart via a special speaker cable. The Class-D amplifier of the Eris E5 BT puts out a total of 100 watts (50 watts per side), which is actually less than two regular Eris E5 combined.

PreSonus Eris E5 BT rear panel · Source: PreSonus

Connections

On the back of the active speaker, there’s a pair of balanced TRS inputs and a pair of unbalanced RCA inputs. The Eris E5 BT does not offer XLR inputs. However, it does have a subwoofer output, to which you can connect a subwoofer such as the PreSonus Eris Sub8. Furthermore, there’s a 2-band equalizer for acoustic tuning, and a pair button for connecting Bluetooth devices via Bluetooth 5.0. In addition to this, you’ll find an 1/8″ aux input, a headphone output, and a volume control on the front side.

I’m a bit ambivalent about the Eris E5 BT. The regular Eris E5 now sells for less per pair than the Bluetooth version, despite the fact that it’s actually a more powerful and more versatile speaker with bi-amplification, more EQ options and an extra XLR input. In conclusion, it’s probably best to go with the regular Eris E5 if you can do without Bluetooth.