KitGuru KitGuru.net – Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards
We tested the Edifier e25HD speakers in a rectangular room approximately 6.5 meters by 5 meters, using a variety of music, films and games over a two day period.
The design incorporates an optical input for use in the living room, Bluetooth 4.0 pairing capability for your mobile devices and an integrated DSP (Digital Signal Processor) for enhanced audio performance and distortion control.
The speakers feature dynamic range compression (DRC), which works to reduce the ‘gap’ between the quietest and loudest sound waves in an audio track, so they can all be amplified to a much higher level overall. In an ideal situation, the right combination of DRC and DSP will give you higher volume levels without clipping.
For direct audio comparison, we had a Wavemaster Moody 2.1 speaker set, which retails at around £100 less than the Edifiers. We used both Bluetooth and cables to connect the e25HD units.
Music
These tracks were chosen to push the speakers in different ways across the full spectrum of audio demands. We have included links to the videos for your reference, but were using Apple etc as the source for testing.
Yaeji – Drink I'm Sippin On
Choosing this track first was a fortunate coincidence for Edifier. It has a pulsing (rather than overpowering) bass underpinning a delicate female vocal melody, which plays to the speakers’ strengths.
Gary Moore – Out in the fields
Classic rock track with clear, sharp guitar and cymbals. Sounded great close up, but the lack of punch from a separate sub-woofer became clear when moving more than 2 metres away.
EDX Festival Remix – Human
The original track has Christina Perri’s hauntingly clear vocals, but the dance remix packs a huge bass punch on most speaker systems (specifically the drop at 1:54). That direct punch was not present with the Edifiers, but it was during this track that we went to brew more coffee and noticed that while the track didn’t have the impact we’re used to ‘in the room’, it actually carried between floors very well indeed.
The Alicia Keys Empire State of Mind
This also sounded crystal clear, but again there was less power at the lower end of the audio spectrum.
Massive Attack’s Teardrop
Our last track provided the E25s with the chance to shine again. There is clearly a sweet spot for these speakers and it lands outside thumping bass/huge volume. The word that comes to mind is fidelity.
Film
Modern film and TV offers rich, complex audio – none more so than Star Trek Discovery. From moments of quiet introspection, to the richly detailed soundscape on the bridge and the full-on battle scenes, this show has it all. The Edifier speakers did a fine job of separating out the individual sounds and creating an immersive experience, apart from the battle scenes. We ran the Klingon attack from Way of the Warrior in Deep Space 9 and had the same situation.
Mindhunter is a drama series set in the late 1970s as FBI behavioural scientists begin to understand the complex emotions that drive serial killers. There are plenty of scenes that rely on the audio component to build tension. Again, the Edifiers do a decent job with separation, but the punch is limited.
Gaming
Our experience with music and film was echoed across to games. Atmospheric titles suite the Edifiers, while heavy duty/intense battle scenes lack a deep bass punch. We used console titles like Destiny to see how the speakers reacted in the ‘living room environment' that they have so clearly been designed for.
