Trying Out the PRESONUS Eris E3.5!

The PRESONUS Eris E3.5 is highly regarded as a low-cost monitor speaker with excellent sound quality. I recently purchased this speaker, so I would like to share my thoughts on its design, sound quality, and usability.

PRESONUS (PreSonus) / Eris E3.5 Monitor Speaker Studio Monitor

The Eris E3.5 is part of the Eris series from PRESONUS—the company who’s also known for developing Studio One, which is the smallest model in the lineup.

■ The deciding factors: design and price!

Personally, what I like most about the Eris E3.5 is its design. Of course, since it's a monitor speaker, sound quality is the most important factor—but I would like to focus on the design here.

The body is made of plastic with a matte black finish. Being a two-way monitor speaker, it features both a woofer and a tweeter. What’s especially cool is the woofer cone, which has a bluish tint with a hint of yellow. The PRESONUS logo at the bottom right corner also uses this color.

Additionally, the power indicator light on the left speaker glows blue, giving the whole setup a unified black and blue color scheme. It’s a very simple yet elegant design, making it a visually appealing monitor speaker.

As for the price, the small 3.5-inch size makes the Eris E3.5 a very affordable option. As of December 2021, a pair could be purchased from Sound House for ¥15,400.
In the same price range, its main competitors are the MACKIE CR3-X at ¥12,800 and the JBL 1 Series 104-BT at ¥18,800 (both prices also from Sound House as of December 2021). Among these, I chose the Eris E3.5 because I felt it had the cleanest and most refined design.

MACKIE / CR3-X

A compact monitor speaker that's even more affordable than the Eris E3.5. Its design features green trim as a highlight. Like the Eris E3.5, it has a rear bass reflex port and a power switch located on the back.

JBL / 1 Series 104-BT

A compact monitor speaker known for its unique rounded design. It also has a rear-facing bass reflex port. If you're a fan of the distinct JBL sound, this one could be a solid choice.

■ Well-Balanced Sound Quality Is a Key Feature

The sound quality is flat across the high, mid, and low frequencies, as expected from a monitor speaker. However, since there’s a bass reflex port on the back, the low end can feel slightly emphasized. Because of that, some people might perceive the sound as a bit muffled.

That said, there are EQ adjustment knobs on the back of the unit, so you can lower the bass and raise the treble to shape the sound more to your liking. If you still find the bass too strong, one option is to block the bass reflex port.

In my case, since I wanted to use these both as monitor speakers and for casual listening, I found the bass response to be just right.

■ Highly Directional

As often mentioned in reviews, these speakers are quite directional. You’ll get a much clearer sense of their performance if you place the tweeters at ear level using monitor speaker stands.

Even at low volumes, the sound feels well-balanced, making these a great choice as nearfield speakers for compact DTM setups.

■ Frequently Used Controls on the Front Panel

The power button and volume knob are conveniently placed on the front, making it easy to turn the speakers on and off and adjust the volume. AUX and headphone jacks are also located on the front, allowing for quick connections to a smartphone or easy headphone listening.

■ Connections: Dual TRS and RCA Inputs

The Eris E3.5 offers two types of input connections: TRS and RCA. I'm using TRS to connect it to the FOCUSRITE Scarlett 2i2 interface. For cables, I went with the CLASSIC PRO DSS010 from Sound House. It's incredibly affordable, yet it feels very solid and well-built. Even if you plan to upgrade your cables in the future, this one offers more than enough quality to start with.

I'm using the 1-meter version, but that length includes the connectors—so the actual cable length is closer to 0.8 meters. It might be safer to choose a slightly longer cable than you think you need.

CLASSIC PRO / DSS010

Sound House’s original TRS cables are affordable and come in 1-meter increments, from 1m to 5m, making it easy to find the perfect length for your setup.

■ Left and Right Speakers Connected via Speaker Cable

The left and right monitor units are connected using a speaker cable. It's worth experimenting with higher-quality cables here, as it could improve the overall sound quality. Power is supplied only to the left speaker, so just one power outlet is needed. Some monitors in this size class require two outlets, so the Eris E3.5's single-plug setup makes it more convenient and user-friendly.

■ Lightweight Design Is a Plus

Because the Eris E3.5 has a plastic body, it's extremely lightweight. This means it's unlikely to fall even when placed on compact speaker stands. I'm currently using stands that fit the size almost perfectly, and they feel very stable. Using slightly larger stands would probably give even more stability.

■ Recommended Speaker Stand for Eris E3.5

CLASSIC PRO / MST Monitor Speaker Stand

This is a Sound House original speaker stand. It is slightly larger than the Eris E3.5, which provides great stability. It is affordable, making it easy to purchase, and I highly recommend it. Since the Eris E3.5 has high directionality, I believe a speaker stand is essential.

■ Enjoy DTM and Music with PRESONUS Eris E3.5

I introduced all of the awesome features of the PRESONUS Eris E3.5, and I hope it was helpful. For beginners in home recording, it’s a great choice as the first monitor speaker, offering good sound quality at an affordable price. I’ll be happy if this article helps you choose a good monitor speaker!

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