How To Set Up Edifier R1280db

Our Verdict

The Edifier R1280DBs proves that yous don't have to pay a lot for impressive sound. For an affordable pair of bookshelf speakers in a compact package, they deliver rich, clear, and punchy audio with proficient sound imaging, and a couple of extra features to boot.

For

Rich, full sound
Bully sound clarity
Surprising corporeality of volume
Inexpensive price

Against

Equalizer doesn't change much
Spatializer tech could be better

TechRadar Verdict

The Edifier R1280DBs proves that you don't have to pay a lot for impressive sound. For an affordable pair of bookshelf speakers in a compact package, they deliver rich, articulate, and punchy sound with good sound imaging, and a couple of actress features to boot.

Pros

+
Rich, total sound
+
Keen sound clarity
+
Surprising amount of book
+
Inexpensive price

Cons

-
Equalizer doesn't modify much
-
Spatializer tech could be better

30-2d review

The Edifier R1280DBs proves, one time again, that yous don't have to shell out a whole lot of money for cracking sound. That might exist difficult to believe with pricier brands similar Q Acoustics, Bowers & Wilkins, and Dali dominating the best speakers list, only those brands aren't the simply ones doing sound right.

The R1280DBs' predecessor, the Edifier R1280 serial, has been known for awhile now for its beautiful sound quality for much less, however the Edifier R1280DBs has upped its game in a number of ways: it has a wider frequency response than both the R1280Ts and the R1280DB to first, giving users a clearer, more than detailed, and meliorate-defined sound that yous'll be hard-pressed to find in other bookshelf speakers in the same toll range.

Factor in features like the Soundfield Spacializer, a sub output, and several input options, and y'all might beginning to wonder why in the world anyone would want to spend more than $150/AU$199 if they don't take to.

Price and availability

New for 2022
Available in the US and Australia (no UK availability)
Price: $139/ AU$199 (about £100)

The Edifier R1280DBs is new for 2022 and though they're slightly more expensive than the older speakers in the R1280 series, the Edifier R1280DBs speakers are an economical option at only $139 / AU$199 (about £100).

That means y'all're paying $10 more over the R1280DB for a wider frequency range, a sub output, and the Soundfield Spacializer adequacy, and but $40 more over the R1280Ts for the Bluetooth connectivity and Optical/Coaxial inputs.

The Edifier R1280DBs is currently available in the US and Australia, but seems to exist unavailable in the Britain at the time of writing.

Blueprint

Part of the Edifier R1280DBs' charm is its design. Compact and minimalist still swish and seamless, these bookshelf speakers would fit just about any home or setup. The Edifier R1280DBs' side panels are a lovely wood grain with a slightly darker, redder pecan finish while its summit, forepart, and back are covered in durable gray plastic, which has probably helped keep its price downward.

It'due south even so an elegant-looking package, nonetheless, especially with the removable grills that cover its front console.

That greyness on archetype wood expect has always been the series' signature look, simply for the R1280DBs, Edifier opted to go darker grey, which works even better. Much similar the R1280DB, it likewise comes in black, though we remain steadfastly loyal to the traditional shade.

The active portion of the system resides in the right speaker, which also houses the inputs and the power switch. Its born amplifier has several input options on hand: two RCA inputs, an optical audio port, and coaxial digital port. At that place'south also a sub output here, which means you can claw these upward to a subwoofer to get more oomph and rumble, as well as jacks for speaker wire. On the correct panel are three knobs – 2 are EQ controls that can cutting or boost treble and bass by 6 db – and the 3rd is a digital book knob.

To deliver the sound, each speaker cabinet comes with a 4-inch bass driver, a flared bass reflex port (basically a specially-constructed hole that increases the bass response), and a silk dome tweeter.

Finally, the remote control comes with quite a few buttons that can adjust the volume, break/play, rewind and fast-frontwards, and mute/unmute. Because the Edifier R1280DBs comes with five input options available, there are three buttons dedicated for switching inputs: a Bluetooth button, a Opt/Coax button that lets you toggle between Optical to Coaxial, and a Line1/two push for the ii RCA inputs. Finally, there are on and off buttons for the Soundfield Spacializer characteristic.

Features

Considering the Edifier R1280DBs is a pair of powered bookshelf speakers, setting it up is pretty straightforward: you simply plug it into an outlet, connect the two speakers together using the included speaker connecting cable, and connect the active speaker to your Telly via the bachelor (your preferred) port or jack. Only remember to select the appropriate input using the remote.

Connecting a mobile device via Bluetooth is also incredibly easy if you want to go wireless, too. Just set the speakers' input to Bluetooth using the remote, and get through the usual steps connecting via Bluetooth on your device.

Of course, with an optical audio port and a coaxial input joining the T models' dual RCA inputs, you can physically connect these bookshelf speakers to four different devices and appliances at the same time. That not simply makes it a perfect addition to a modest amusement center where at that place might be a PlayStation or Xbox, a vinyl player, and some other media role player on elevation of the TV, but it also makes your entertainment feel a lot more than seamless.

That said, nobody wants to reach behind their media consoles to disconnect and reconnect things everytime they switch devices. Cistron in the remote, which has a split button for the RCA inputs and another for the optical and coaxial inputs, and you never accept to get upward from your comfy burrow once again.

These bookshelves don't come with a sub, unfortunately, simply you should even so be able to enjoy those massive explosions, fight scenes, and intense moments in games and movies by investing in a subwoofer or only connecting your existing 1 via the Sub Out port located below the coax connector.

Functioning

If the Edifier R1280DBs' elegant design, easy setup, multiple input options, and sub output aren't plenty to convince y'all, its solid performance will.

These bookshelf speakers produce fantabulous sound quality with plenty of headroom, which ways that they are powerful enough that the audio won't distort at higher volumes. But, what is well-nigh appealing well-nigh them is that they deliver a lot of lower mids and a good amount of high-finish, producing sound that is as rich and full-bodied equally information technology is crisp and detailed.

Fleetwood Mac'south "Landslide" sounds richer and fuller while The Beach Boys' "Wouldn't It Be Squeamish" sounds clearer and more detailed. Taylor Swift's "The Lakes" gets more richness in her vox and ameliorate representation of the cord instruments. Twin Shadow's "To the Height," on the other hand, has a flake more punch to it with a picayune more bass and meliorate defined low-stop while likewise keeping things on the loftier-cease nowadays.

These are all reinforced with Kendrick Lamar and SZA's "All the Stars." Listening to this song on the Edifier R1280DBs, it gets more clarity and particular without sounding painful. At the same time, it is punchier and has more body, the lower mids essentially balancing the sound.

All that being said, whatever you do, however, don't turn on the Soundfield Spacializer when listening to music. This effect, which sounds like added reverb to give the sound a bit more space, kind of compresses and distorts the mids because information technology's being overwhelmed past that reverb. In turn, the distorted mids overwhelm the balance of the frequencies.

The Soundfield Spacializer does, all the same, make movies and Goggle box shows a lot more than cinematic. As information technology's supposed to, equally Edifier says, "produce a panoramic sound phase," it isn't surprising that information technology sounds improve on videos than it does on music. We'd even become as far as to say that we adopt watching movies and shows with it on, as the alternative merely sounds flatter.

In WandaVision, that Marvel opening sequence sounds punchier and more cinematic. Meanwhile, the voices in the testify come out very conspicuously even though there'south no eye channel. Everything else is as well clear and well-counterbalanced.

The action scenes in The Mandalorian are just as ballsy-sounding, though peradventure ever so slightly more than compressed and distorted in the mids. The sound imaging is impressive though – you tin really hear where the blasters, stomps, and explosions are coming from. Fifty-fifty the motion of an elevator closing is apparent. Plus, there's the tiniest chip of rumble when the Dark Troopers are marching in the terminal episode of season ii.

Disney's Soul sounds exquisite on these speakers. With this Soundfield Spacializer characteristic on, everything merely sounds wider and grander, but the way the Great Across and the Great Before are supposed to audio. The score also sounds cute – rich and textured.

Bear in mind that this is only with the RCA connection. Via the optical port and cable, you're getting a noticeably higher quality audio that's fuller, punchier, and more detailed and that has a lot more headroom. Sadly, via Bluetooth, it's a fleck hollow, slightly compressed, and less detailed. However, with four other input options that are much better, you can merely apply this one for casual listening, if you're more discerning about your sound experience.

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Michelle Rae Uy is a Los Angeles-based editor, writer and photographer with a bad instance of wanderlust. She is a regular contributor for Thrillist, TravelAge West, HuffPo Travel, Paste Magazine, and Travel Pulse. She has written for publications like Nylon, Fodor's and SmarterTravel, and is likewise the contributing editor for MiniTime.com.