We are used to seeing standard dome tweeters on most speakers we come across. The Edifier S2000 Pro speakers do away with these and replace them with flat diaphragm tweeters instead. So rather than using a dome, a voice coil and magnet, these tweeters are made using a thin film or foil. This makes them lighter and removes stiffness, allowing sound to pass over evenly without becoming distorted. This also paves the way for ultra fast response times as sound waves change.
The tweeters aren't the only star of the show though, the S2000 Pro speakers also pack a 5.5inch aluminium cone woofer, surrounded by a rubber hemming. The speakers also utilise two Texas Instruments TLV320AIC3254 digital signal processing chips (DSP) under the hood which work together to remove unwanted resonance, creating a woofer that is well-built and can provide clean, low-frequencies.
The final piece of technical information we have to dive in to is the Burr-Brown DAC and ADC. The S2000 Pro speakers can convert digital to analogue and reverse, reaching a signal to noise ratio of 94dB. If you are using one of the analogue inputs, then you are in good hands. Meanwhile, the digital optical and coaxial inputs utilise a PCM9211 interface chip that supports a 24-bit, 216KHz audio signal. We used the provided optical cable throughout our testing today.
So without further ado, how do these speakers hold up in practise? For my listening tests, I used a few different high-quality tracks chosen to really push the speakers. The list includes:
- Times of Grace – The Forgotten One: This is one of my favourite acoustic songs. It is wonderfully produced and builds up nicely over the course of the track, resulting in a wonderful final chorus with different vocal layers, harmonies and layered guitars.
- London Grammar – Stay Awake: This song was chosen for its balance of piano, acoustic guitars and drums. There is a great range of high and low frequencies all coming together, which can be tough for some speakers to keep up with.
- Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart – God In The Beginning: This is the most obscure track in the list but it acts as a good torture track, particularly where bass is concerned.
I've had these speakers plugged in for a couple of weeks now, spaced out roughly 1.5 meters apart. Throughout my listening, I actually found them to be comparable to the higher-end AirPulse A100 speakers that we reviewed just a few weeks ago. This is in large part thanks to the planar diaphragm tweeters, which give similar accuracy and detail when compared to the ribbon tweeters found inside the A100s.
Throughout my listening tests, I found the speakers to be extremely accurate and clear across the spectrum. High frequencies don't become brittle or fatiguing, meanwhile the mid range and bass pokes through without becoming overpowering. The crossover is smooth, creating an excellent balance across frequencies. It's this kind of balance which really helps the versatility of the speakers – I found a wide variety of genres worked very well with the S2000 Pro, so you can mix up your music and these will be able to keep up without a problem.
If you are listening to tracks with heavy bass, though, you won't be disappointed as both the mid-bass and sub-bass are reproduced very well. The Edifier S2000 Pro speakers are more than capable in this area and can provide deep lows that rumble throughout the room (and annoy the neighbours!).
In many ways, the Edifier S2000 Pro speakers would be perfect as part of a living room Hi-Fi setup. I cranked the volume up quite high and they performed admirably with no signs of distortion. These speakers are more than powerful enough to fill a larger-sized room and the listening angle is very good, so you don't necessarily need to be right in the middle to appreciate them. It's certainly an achievement considering the small size of the cabinets.