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The Active Bookshelf Speakers by Edifier, model R1280DB, are outstanding. When adjusted to your taste, they deliver a very pleasant and clean-sounding audio experience that also packs a very powerful bass punch. You will become more drenched after reading this than a Christmas stamp licker. Chinese firm Edifier is well-known for offering inexpensive bookshelf speakers and wireless earbuds, and it has seen significant growth in the market in recent years.
An improved version of the R1280DB, a leader in this field, is the R1280DBs. Due to the sound quality and feature set of the R1280DB, which was introduced back in 2017, it quickly became popular. With the R1280DBs, Edifier is enhancing Bluetooth connectivity and introducing a few new features, such as the ability to connect to an external subwoofer. Powerful speakers called the Edifier R1280DB are primarily suited for desktop computers.
However, they also work well as a one-stop Hi-Fi solution or a quick audio boost for a TV. They are simple to set up and have a respectable amount of versatility thanks to their analogue and digital inputs, Bluetooth connectivity, and remote control. Additionally, they have plenty of power available with a total power output of 42W. They’re an affordable upgrade, whether you’re searching for a home entertainment system or simply something to give your PC a little boost. you can read our article on Edifier R1280DBs Active review.
Design
It’s not at all a terrible thing that the R1280DB and its predecessor are virtually identical. The speakers are reasonably priced, but feel well built and are eye-catching thanks to their stunning wooden side panels. They are small for bookshelf speakers and work well with computer setups. And their timeless style guarantees compatibility with every aesthetic The black R1280DB from Edifier is also available and better suited to contemporary settings. Protective fabric baffles are already attached at the factory, however they may be removed or clipped out with ease.
This displays the front-firing bass port and two driver woofer + tweeter arrangement underneath. Subjectively, we feel that speakers without baffles are more appealing and a little clearer, but this is more of a matter of taste. All of the electronics are housed into the right unit because this is an active speaker and doesn’t require an additional amplifier
. Three dials are still located on the right front of the device, and inputs are still located on the back. The wireless remote’s IR receiver is located on the front of the right speaker, but the status LED is still on the speaker’s right side, making it challenging to see when set on a shelf.
The controls are responsive and well-weighted, allowing the user to adjust the amount of bass and treble to their preferences or the specific acoustics of their setup. By doing so, users may compensate for the bass increases brought on by corner placement and create a balanced sound in spaces with varying levels of noise.
The rear also includes two spring-loaded outputs that send audio to the left slave speaker in addition to a power switch and inputs. Since Edifier speakers typically have a fixed power cable, buyers from other countries may need to use an extension cable or adapter.
Edifier R1280DBs Active review: Features
The Edifier R1280DBs are a pair of powered bookshelf speakers, so putting them together is pretty simple. You just plug them in, use the included speaker connecting cable to connect the two speakers, and then connect the active speaker to your TV using the available (or preferred) port or jack.
Just keep in mind to use the remote to select the proper input. If you want to go wireless as well, pairing a mobile device with Bluetooth is also incredibly simple. Simply use the remote to change the speakers’ input to Bluetooth, then follow your device’s normal Bluetooth connection procedures to connect.
Of course, you can physically connect these bookshelf speakers to four different devices and appliances at once thanks to an optical audio port, a coaxial input, and the dual RCA inputs on the T models. That not only makes it the ideal addition to a small entertainment Centre where there may be a PlayStation or Xbox, a vinyl player, and another media player on top of the TV, but it also greatly improves the quality of your entertainment.
However, no one wants to constantly have to go behind their media consoles to detach and reconnect cables. You won’t ever have to leave your cozy couch again when you take into account the remote, which contains a button specifically for the RCA inputs and another for the optical and coaxial inputs.
Unfortunately, there is no subwoofer included with these bookshelves. However, you should still be able to enjoy the intense action sequences, huge explosions, and fight scenes found in video games and movies by purchasing a subwoofer or simply connecting your existing one to the Sub Out port found below the coax connector.
Connectivity
This speaker is the ideal complement to your desk thanks to its hassle-free connectivity to your smartphone, tablet, laptop, and desktop. There are numerous connecting possibilities available with the Edifier R1280DB. It is simpler to connect the speakers to your TV or DVD player thanks to two traditional RCA inputs. For lossless connectivity to the majority of televisions, computers, and music systems, it also includes optical and coaxial inputs.
This vintage bookshelf speaker has a contemporary twist thanks to the Bluetooth connectivity option. We found it to be incredibly convenient to place the speakers virtually anywhere in our home without sacrificing style thanks to their premium design and wireless connectivity.
The Edifier R1280DB includes an AUX port, as is typical in most speakers, to round out the available connectivity options. Even more speakers can be added to your current 2.0 system using the speaker cable to improve the audio quality. also you will learn our article on Edifier R1280DBs Active review.
Edifier R1280DBs Active review: Sound Quality
No matter the improvement, the sound performance of the most crucial will, of course, ultimately reflect it. It works well with a computer because it is a multimedia speaker device. We are testing the sound with some equipment in hand in the hopes of getting better results, to make sure that the Edifier R1280DB’s sound bottleneck does not show up on the computer. We have a cordless Audioengine B1 DAC. It performs well in terms of sound. The input is Bluetooth 5.0, which guarantees incredibly high fidelity.
We selected a selection of songs that I frequently use as tests, including contemporary pop, vocal songs, rock music, light music, classical music, and other genres. The sound of the Edifier R1280DB PC speaker is generally fairly pleasant. Although the sound quality is not completely balanced, it is neither vulgar nor without features, and yet it sounds so cosy. R1280DB does not priorities quality above quantity. Instead, it can provide us with a perfect hearing sense and guarantee the operation of various frequency bands.
That appears to be plenty for 2.0 entry-level speakers. It’s true that many other 2.0 entry-level speakers haven’t yet surpassed this standard, though. The controllability of the R1280DB is comparatively adequate, and the sound has a certain momentum. It won’t significantly bypass its bottleneck in the ensemble.
Of course, it is a different story if you use a large-scale orchestra or a chorus of thousands of people to listen to it. The Edifier R1280DB has a genuinely warm and crisp sound. That is both a crucial component of 2.0 speakers and the ideal sound quality for speakers used for listening to music.
Edifier R1280DBs Active review: Inputs
Speakers at this price category typically don’t have many options for hookups. The Edifier offers the typical RCA connection choices that you might anticipate. However, they also provide coaxial and optical connection options. They are a good option if you want to connect them to your TV or computer because of their digital options. Additionally, a Bluetooth connection option has been added. This enables you to pair the speakers with your smartphone or another Bluetooth-enabled device. It draws attention to the speakers’ philosophical foundations.
They can be your go-to speakers for all of your devices and are not just intended for use as studio monitors. Even if Bluetooth is a practical choice, it has drawbacks. It can be a little difficult and tedious to connect to gadgets. If there is anything obstructing the view, they struggle. It wasn’t a deal-breaker for us because we personally don’t connect speakers via Bluetooth very often. If you do want to use the Bluetooth frequently, you could occasionally become annoyed.
Price and availability
Although they are slightly more expensive than the earlier R1280 series speakers, the Edifier R1280DBs speakers are a more affordable option for just $139 / AU$199 (about £100). They are new for 2020. This means that a wider frequency range, a sub output, and the Soundfield Spacializer feature cost an additional $10 over the R1280DB but the Bluetooth connectivity and Optical/Coaxial inputs cost only $40 more over the R1280Ts. At the time of writing, the UK appears to be out of stock of the Edifier R1280DBs, but it is currently available in the US and Australia. also you can check our article on Edifier R1280DBs Active review.
Conclusion
There are several factors to take into account when wanting to buy a high-quality pair of bookshelf speakers. Finding a lot of high-quality selections can be more difficult if your budget is less than $200. A pair of inexpensive bookshelf speakers that fit that description are the R1280DBs from Edifier.
They are little, yet they offer Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, a tone of input possibilities, cables that are supplied, a remote control, inbuilt tuning dials, and a subwoofer out. For this price level, the sound quality is adequate. Just don’t anticipate studio-quality audio. That’s not what makes these bookshelf speakers so popular. At this low price point, those are the only features and functionalities that are included.