The Presonus Eris 3.5 2nd Gen is an active two-way stereo studio monitor set. Featuring a 3.5" woofer and a 1" tweeter, this model is the smallest in the manufacturer's compact class. The series combines an attractive price tag with an accurate and balanced sound reproduction that has been configured for greater precision in the second-generation monitor set, particularly in the bass range. In addition, the basic Eris models feature an impressive array of connection options. The Eris 3.5 2nd Gen offered here (minus the suffix "BT") dispenses with a Bluetooth interface in favour of an affordable price.
The Presonus Eris 3.5 2nd Gen comes in a highly compact and robust bass reflex housing produced from vinyl-laminated MDF. The 3.5" woven-composite woofer produces a clear bass response from 80Hz and ensures a uniform dispersion across the entire frequency spectrum, while the 1" tweeter with silk dome ensures natural articulation of highs and a wide sweet spot in the listening position. Each speaker is powered by a 25W class AB amplifier. The two amplifiers are housed in the left-hand speaker, which also features a handy headphone output at the front. The right-hand speaker is connected like a satellite and does not require a dedicated power supply.
The Presonus Eris 3.5 2nd Gen is ideal for all users who are looking for reliable monitoring at a low price and, thanks to the speaker's extremely compact housing, is not only perfect for YouTubers and podcasters who operate at minimalistic workstations, but also for music and video production. The 3.5" woofer is ideally suited to near-field use in small to very small rooms. What is more, the Presonus Eris 3.5 2nd Gen boasts a simple filter section with two shelving filters for bass and treble (+/- 6dB each), allowing the sound to be adapted to a room's acoustics. For an optimised low end, combining the monitors with a subwoofer such as the Eris Sub 8BT may just produce the desired result. As the subwoofer also happens to come with a Bluetooth interface, users will barely notice the omission of this function from the Eris 3.5.
Presonus is a US company founded in 1995 by Jim Odom and Brian Smith in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The firm designs hardware and software at both professional and more affordable levels for musicians and producers. Presonus first made a splash in the mid-1990s with the DCP8, an eight-channel analogue compressor/limiter/gate with fader and mute automation that could be digitally controlled by MIDI. In the early 2000s followed a series of microphone amplifiers and the first audio interfaces for the then-emerging home studio scene. Today, the company’s product range includes audio interfaces, microphone preamps, digital mixing consoles, and studio monitors as well as the established DAW software Studio One.
The Presonus Eris 3.5 2nd Gen offers extensive connectivity, making it ideal for integration into a versatile living and working area. The left-hand speaker is equipped with balanced 6.3mm TRS jack sockets for audio interface connection and an unbalanced RCA socket for HiFi systems. The 3.5mm stereo jack input at the front of the speaker enables the rapid connection of wired playback devices such as smartphones or tablets. For added practicality, the volume control and headphone jack can also be found on the speaker.