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When you think of home speakers, you may well think of small dull rectangles. Edifier has definitely been breaking the mould with its simple, rounded approach to futuristic speaker design. But, as any audiophile knows, looks don’t make the speaker. We’re searching for the sound. The separation. The punch and clarity. That’s what will influence our spend. That leaves only one question: While the Edifier e235 2.1 set is great to look at, will it produce a sound worth £400?
When we first looked at the Edifier e25 Luna Eclipse HD speaker set back in November, the only outstanding negative was a lack of presence. Shortly after, we put the e255 Surround Sound Speaker Kit through its paces. The full line up of stylish speakers had no problem inducing tremors in the atmosphere, but at £600, the wobble continued through to your wallet. Let’s see if the e235 does a good job of plugging the gap.
Once upon a time, PC chassis were beige boxes and the word ‘speaker’ conjured a black or brown rectangular shape in your mind’s eye. When squirrelled away in a loft, basement or man cave – the physical design or a product takes a definite back seat to pure audio quality. But, in a design-conscious world, living room speakers need to satisfy a more demanding visual aesthetic.
As well as optical and aux connections, Edifier’s e235 features Bluetooth 4.0 (aptX) and claims to be able to sustain signal reception at close to 100 metres. You can then control them through your paired device or the supplied remote control unit. It is THX-certified and has built-in DSP (Digital Signal Processing), DRC (Dynamic Range Control) and 3D sound.
Depending on which account you believe, THX was the result of an experiment by Tomlinson Holman while working with George Lucas on the original Star Wars trilogy. Its aim is to create reproducible sound fields – where the intention of the film/game-maker is accurately reproduced in a cinema or home environment. THX has been developed over the years and is now owned by Razer – lock, stock and barrel full of intellectual property.
Holman also came up with the concept of a 10.2 speaker set-up, which seems logical for a man focused on creating the perfect cinema experience. For the purist, THX is the stuff of floating floors, acoustic dampening and asymmetrical room design. Quite how THX-certification helps a set of 2.1 speakers we’re not sure, but it looks cool to have the logo on the product.
Features
- THX certified home entertainment system with wireless subwoofer
- Bluetooth aptX technology
- Optical input ideal for digital audio devices including Playstation® and Xbox® for gaming
- 5.8GHz wireless active subwoofer with two 8” speakers delivers 100W RMS power
- 2-way 38W RMS bi-amplified satellite speakers with natural silk dome tweeters and passive radiators
- Total power: 176W RMS
- Built-in Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Dynamic Range Control (DRC), and 3D sound processing
- Touch sensitive controls for volume, track change and power
Specifications
- Power output : RMS 16W × 2 + 22W x 2 + 100W
- Signal to noise ratio : =85dBA
- Input sensitivity : AUX: R/L: 550±50mV
- SW: 800±50mV
- Optical: R/L: 300±50mFFS, SW: 250±50mFFS
- Bluetooth: 300±50mFFS, SW: 250±50mFFS
- Input type : Optical/AUX/Bluetooth
- Bass unit : 8 inch (210mm)
- Mid-range unit : 3 inch (82mm)
- Treble unit : F19mm silk dome
If package weight was directly proportional to audio quality, these 2.1 speakers would stand unparalleled. Most 2.1 speaker sets you will have encountered in high street computer stores will weigh a few kilos. Logitech’s Z533 is 6Kg. This set of Edifiers weigh more than 15Kg.
One thing we know to be true for quality manufacturers: The heavier the product, the more protection it will receive. The e235’s come in a double-box with large quad polystyrene foam grids, ready to take a courier’s hit to protect your purchase.
The external box looked like it had been in a fight when we received it, but the speakers were thankfully undamaged. Each of them wrapped in their own white cotton pouch complete with a pull tie. The only thing missing was some retail-ready packaging or sleeve – which might indicate that Edifier is not expecting to sell this product ‘off the shelf’ in local retail outlets.
The box also featured a smaller plastic casing for the user manual and cables, as well as a plastic pouch with an Edifier micro-fibre cloth for cleaning the glossy speakers.
The hand-held remote is a good size and weight with rubberised buttons that are easy enough to find. It would be more effective with a backlight, though. While small/slim/sleek has its design advantages, keeping it anywhere near your sofa is likely to result in a search when it inevitably slips between the cushions.
The satellites have a ¾” tweeter and 3 inch driver giving you 38 watts. The ‘thunk’ comes from the big, round subwoofer, which is equipped with a pair of 8” drivers and a 100 watt built-in amplifier.
We found the subwoofer and satellite units were paired straight out of the box. If you do lose the link for some reason, then the re-connection process is simple enough.
The tweeters on all the speakers are protected by a curved piece of metal. However, the 8” speakers on the sub-woofer are exposed, so you might want to consider physical factors before choosing the e235. Certainly a cat, dog or toddler in the house should make you think twice.
We tested the Edifier e235 speakers in a rectangular room approximately 6.5 meters by 5 meters, using a variety of music, films and games over a three-day period.
We used the optical connector. It also offers Digital Sound Processing, this works to make the audio more accurate. It has Dynamic Range Control which compresses an audio's signal range by clipping really loud sounds and amplifying very quiet ones. 3D Sound Processing is another feature it contains which claims to add a three-dimensional area of sound – but if a 360 audio landscape is what you’re after, then you’d be advised to buy a set-up with many more speakers.
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 quality streams like Tidal as the source for testing ourselves.
Yaeji – Drink I’m Sippin On
When tested using the 2.0 Edifier e25 Luna Eclipse speakers, this track totally failed to turn up to the party. With the addition of a solid 100w sub-woofer we got the full benefit of the pulsing bass underpinning the delicate female vocal.
Gary Moore – Out In The Fields
Again, the pure bass boost was a welcome addition to the clear, sharp guitars and cymbals. Layer separation was also excellent.
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). When we tested the e25s, we noticed that this track carried well between floors (something that we tested by accident during a coffee break), but this time the bass presence added a pleasing vibration through the house.
The Alicia Keys Empire State of Mind
A stunning reproduction. There’s no doubting the clarity of Edifier’s speaker solutions, but the bass element changes everything.
Massive Attack’s Teardrop
Fidelity finds force. Our last track provided the E235s with the chance to shine. Excellent reproduction with enough low-end harmonics to feed your soul.
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.
One of the most popular series on Netflix, Mindhunter is set in the late 1970s – as FBI behavioural scientists started the process of understanding the complex emotions that drive serial killers. There are plenty of scenes that rely on the audio component to build tension. The powerful bass rumble from the e235s added a completely different dimension to this engaging drama.
Gaming
We tested console titles like Destiny 2 to see how the speakers reacted in the ‘living room environment’. They are marketed as being the perfect solution for Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo. The e235s provided an engaging experience and (at high volume) quite happily disturbed people in other rooms – and going about their business on other floors.
Offering 176 watts, the Edifier e235 speaker set pushes a lot of air around the room. The integrated DSP should prevent distortion at high volume and we had a pleasant experience with music, games and film.
Having tried the satellites with the sub-woofer, we’re tempted to go back to the original e25 speaker review and dock half a point or more. They were fine speakers, but when you add the 100w sub-woofer, everything changes.
There are 3 main modes to the speakers: THX, Music and 3D. The ‘forced separation' in 3D mode is unlikely to appeal to many and we’re unconvinced by THX as a benefit with a 2.1 speaker set like this (apart from the fact that it makes for good tick-box marketing). Music mode should do for most people in most environments.
If you want to be assaulted by sound from every angle, then these are not for you. Similarly, if you like the delicate boost of a soundbar, then that’s your choice. If you’re looking for clarity and enough punch to knock most soundbars out completely, then the Edifier e235 is a good choice.
Then we come to the money.
While the e235 speaker set is attractive, clear and punchy – the £399 price tag gives it a similar problem to the e255. If you're planning on putting the e235 set into your living room, then – at that price – you need to bear in mind that you can buy a Pioneer/Denon/Yamaha AV receiver and pair of speakers. Sure, they might not look as clean but you’ll have more flexibility in the long run.
You can buy the e235 for £399.95 from Overclockers UK HERE.
KitGuru says: When it comes to 2.1 speaker sets, the Edifier e235 represents the high-water mark in terms of looks and performance. However, it also represents the high-water mark when it comes to price. Audio quality is great and the bass punch is solid – so it all comes down to looks and budget.
