Edifier S350DB review: 2.1 computer speakers with true class

The vary of choices accessible to these looking for a high quality set of two.1 laptop audio system is pretty restricted nowadays – exterior of placing collectively a Hello-Fi system – however the Edifier S350DB is doing its bit. These audio system ship excellent sound high quality, with enormous quantities of quantity and bass presence when wanted, all whereas trying stylish and for a very reasonable worth.

The mixture on provide from Edifier right here is sufficient to make these simply the very best laptop audio system you should buy should you’re looking for a high quality 2.1 set. The shortage of gaming extras means they miss out on our general choose for the very best gaming audio system, but when a extra various set of makes use of is your major concern, these deserve your consideration.

Specs

Design

Magnificence is within the eye of the beholder, however the Edifier S350DB is to our eyes a extremely handsome-looking set of audio system. Solely accessible on this brown or a black end – another Edifier audio system such because the R1280DB have extra coloration choices – their wooden grain impact could not fairly slot in with the extra trendy, glossy look of many trendy gaming setups. Nonetheless, as standalone gadgets, these have a timeless high quality to them.

They’re constructed like a tank too. Though the wooden grain is from a vinyl wrap, not strong wooden, it appears to be like and feels excellent. Plus, beneath the wrap, the containers for every speaker and the sub are constituted of thick slabs of MDF. Mix this with the standard parts inside they usually all weigh a substantial quantity – the entire set weighs 17.4kg (38lbs). That compares to simply beneath 10kg (22lbs) for the in any other case similarly-specced Razer Nommo V2 Professional, for example.

This weight is mirrored within the measurement of the audio system too. Every satellite tv for pc speaker measures 127 x 156 x 222mm, which is definitely a contact smaller than the R1280DB 2.0 audio system however a lot bigger than a number of 2.1 satellite tv for pc audio system. They use a rear-firing bass port too, so will want a little bit of house behind them to permit the speaker to breathe. With no detachable material covers, the S350DB’s satellite tv for pc audio system solely provide the possibility of an exposed-driver look.

As for the sub, it’s basically a 1ft dice, and whereas the Razer Nommo V2 Professional’s sub can also be 1ft tall, it’s noticeably shorter and narrower. What’s extra, the Edifier sub has a forward-firing and utterly uncovered driver which suggests you’ll should watch out about the place you place it, so that you don’t by chance put your foot via the driving force (that’s not us jesting, both – it’s a real concern for a tool hidden beneath your desk).

Accompanying the audio system is a hockey puck-sized and formed infrared distant management, which has a pleasingly weighty and curved steel base and plastic prime. It might simply be the distant you discover accompanying a high-end Hello-Fi system.

Options

The Edifier R1280DB has a barely out-of-date set of options in some methods. Whilst you can join Bluetooth gadgets on to it, and it’ll soak up optical (cable offered) or coax digital alerts, you may’t simply plug the entire setup instantly into your PC through a USB cable. Whereas loads of motherboards and sound gadgets do have digital audio outputs, it’s not a assure, so that you would possibly have to depend on your system’s analog audio output. As such, in case your motherboard or different sound output gadget doesn’t have decent-quality analog outputs, you’ll be barely limiting the standard of the audio from these audio system.

This apart, although, the Edifier R1280DB is filled with options. As I discussed earlier, you get Bluetooth and digital inputs, plus there are two additional analog inputs (one twin phono to stereo jack cable offered).

All these ports are on the subwoofer’s rear, which isn’t fairly as handy because the Nommo V2 Professional’s setup the place the USB cable runs from the suitable speaker and the subwoofer is then wi-fi (although needing its personal subwoofer energy provide). Plus, the satellite tv for pc audio system each connect through customized cables, quite than plain speaker wire. That is handy and permits for the suitable speaker to incorporate quantity/enter, bass, and treble controls, nevertheless it means a damaged cable can’t be simply changed.

On the distant, you get controls for energy, quantity, enter choice, Bluetooth connection, and Bluetooth playback (play, pause, ahead, again). It’s a responsive distant, with the audio system by no means struggling to reply to our button presses (the sensor’s on the suitable speaker). We’d desire it to make use of AA or AAA batteries than a button cell, although, given its comparatively chunky measurement.

Outdoors of those core connection options, the S350DB doesn’t conceal some other gaming extras up its sleeve. It’s a straight-up set of two.1 audio system that delivers its gaming and no matter different sonic excellence through sheer sound high quality quite than encompass sound methods or RGB.

Talking of which, every satellite tv for pc homes a 3.5-inch  major driver and a 0.75-inch tweeter, together with the aforementioned bass port. This combo permits every speaker to say a mixed 40W RMS of audio energy alone, with RMS being a far stricter measure of true audio energy than the height figures offered for many audio system. These satellites can ship a sonic vary of 160Hz – 20kHz.

As for the sub, it homes a single 8-inch driver with a bass port venting from the suitable aspect of the cupboard. It’s rated to an enormous 70W RMS for a mixed system energy of 150W, and its rated frequency vary goes from 40Hz to 160Hz.

Sound high quality

Fairly merely, these audio system blow each different competing set of gaming 2.1 audio system out of the water in the case of general sound high quality. The quantity of quantity, the depth and energy of the bass, the readability, and the smoothness of transition between subwoofer sounds and satellite tv for pc sounds is not like some other set of laptop audio system we’ve examined. There’s loads of competitors within the extra Hello-Fi oriented house, however for plug-and-play laptop audio system, there are vanishingly few direct options of this class.

Beginning with that all-important bass, the large 8-inch driver can dole out enormous quantities of energy, shaking your flooring and desk at enough quantity. It doesn’t arrive with fairly the in-your-face, bass-heavy tuning to the general setup because the Razer Nommo V2 Professional, however as a substitute, it lets no matter you’re listening to ship the bass when it needs to. It’s so clean and pure sounding.

Crucially, utilizing a system with a sub like this actually makes you understand fairly the place most cheaper 2.0 speaker techniques and soundbars simply aren’t in a position to ship true bass. You get a thumping decrease mid-range impact with these techniques, nevertheless it doesn’t hit you within the chest or make the air really feel prefer it’s vibrating round you. That’s what you get right here (once more, quantity and bass stage dependent) and it’s completely absorbing.

The draw back is that in many homes in additional densely-populated areas it is going to all be an excessive amount of so that you can use, significantly on higher flooring. The bass from the sub will roll proper on via a picket ground, not like a typical set of two.0 audio system sitting on a desk.

As for the satellites right here, they’re simply nearly as good because the sub. Their general energy with the shared load throughout two completely different drivers means they’ll get very loud and but preserve crystalline readability. Once more, there’s a purpose Hello-Fi audio system price a lot cash, however for many listeners, these can be among the many best-sounding laptop audio system they’ve ever heard.

Together with the readability of those audio system, it’s their potential to ship full, mid-range heat that integrates so seamlessly with the subwoofer that impresses. With so many cheaper 2.1 techniques, the satellites and subwoofer address excessive and low frequencies properly, respectively, however they have an inclination to go away a little bit of a hole within the mid-range. That’s simply not the case right here.

So, whether or not you’re listening to rock, EDM, or hip hop, firing up a cinematic sport with digital encompass sound (which, if it’s software-based, will nonetheless work via this setup), or settling in to observe the newest Christopher Nolan audio problem, these audio system address the lot.

Worth

With a worth of $399.99, the Edifier S350DB isn’t an inexpensive set of audio system. Nonetheless, it affords glorious worth for the options, construct high quality, and sound high quality you’re getting. A number of extra gaming-oriented manufacturers have similarly-priced choices that focus extra on gaming extras than the sound high quality right here.

Options

Razer Nommo V2 Professional

Should you’re after an identical stage of sonic energy on this worth vary, however need just a little extra deal with gaming options and RGB, this Razer Nommo V2 Professional set is good. The audio system don’t sound fairly as sonically completed, with a barely extra pressured bass sound and fewer readability throughout the sonic vary. Nonetheless, they nonetheless sound first rate, have lots of energy and bass, and their Razer software program options are nice for video games.

Learn our full Razer Nommo V2 Professional evaluation.

Verdict

For these looking for only a high quality set of laptop audio system that may flip its hand to something you throw at it, the Edifier S350DB is the one. With sufficient quantity to energy a home occasion or drive a house cinema setup, plus readability that places most gaming-brand options to disgrace, they actually can’t be crushed when it comes to bang per buck.

You don’t get loads when it comes to gaming options, although. There’s no RGB, not one of the game-specific audio enhancements of some choices, and maybe most crucially, you may’t simply plug these straight into your system through USB. In any other case, they arrive extremely really useful, as long as you don’t thoughts disturbing your neighbors/family with the thumping bass.