Following on from the Edifier S1000DB speakers we reviewed last year, we were recently sent the next model up in the range, the Edifier S2000 Pro, for review. Very similar in looks, they also are a hefty £130 more, so whilst they should be better, are they worth the extra outlay?

Serious speakers need serious stands

The S2000 Pro are big heavy speakers. Designed to be a ‘bookshelf’ speaker they will need some hefty shelves to put them on. It’s much more likely that they’ll be placed on a desk, or ideally some decent speaker stands to really get the most from them.

Looks wise, they have beautifully finished wooden side panels, which lend the speakers a real air of classic quality and stature. The more modern looking front of the speakers hints at the technology contained within, and overall it’s a design that works well. The angled front makes the speakers look like they mean business from the outset, and the subtle status indicator on the front of the right hand speaker is a nice touch.

Around the back of the speakers we have a lot more connection options. Remembering that these are powered speakers, there are no standard speaker sockets, and instead we’re treated to some real pro options, as the name would suggest. So we have Bluetooth 4.0 capability to start with, and the wired options include Optical, Coaxial, RCA and 3 pin XLR connectors.

Setting Up

The right hand speaker requires connecting to a power outlet, and you then connect each speaker together with the interconnecting cable. This is a unique five-pin design made by Edifier aimed at ensuring the treble and bass signal transmissions are kept fully separate, as well as reduce interference. The cable is thick but quite flexible and the 16ft length gives you some degree of flexibility with positioning.

You can then connect your cable of choice and get going. We went for the lazy way initially, and just hooked up the mobile phone using Bluetooth. This was straightforward and quick and we were soon putting the speakers through their paces.

A quick note on the remote control though which is a huge improvement. It is a full size, wonderfully simple and arranged remote which although sparse in buttons, has all you need and is a delight to use and lends an extra level of quality to the whole ensemble.

Pro sound from pro speakers

The weak point of the S1000DB was definitely the vocals for us, so we purposely concentrated on this from the outset with these S2000’s, and with it being Christmas at the time of review, we had to kick off proceedings with a bit of Michael Buble! Like him or loathe him, Mr Buble has a great all round vocal range and the difference between these S2000 and the S1000DB was immediately obvious. The speakers held the voice in just the right place between bass and trebles without them getting lost of overwhelmed. This in itself was quite a feat as the bass produced from these speakers was remarkable – loud, deep and controlled and well integrated with the vocals.

The trebles weren’t quite as sharp and as prominent as we liked initially, but this is more of a personal preference, and the excellent bass and treble controls on the rear of the speaker can tame or promote the ranges as you see fit.

Testing the speakers over a range of music and video produced no obvious hiss, or any other shortcomings.

If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

Visually, the Luna Eclipse HD identical to the originals. They come in a choice of three colours: black, white, and the red we had to test. The finish of the speakers is superb and like previous Edifier speakers we’ve had, the quality control and attention to detail is top notch. Each speaker is spray painted to achieve the high gloss finish. The ‘Ferrari’ red ones we had are not subtle by any means so choosing this colour will certainly make a statement!

The speakers need to be connected together, so each of the speakers has a speaker connection socket, with the right hand speaker also having an 3.5mm aux socket, optical socket and of course the power socket. All these cables are included.

Inside the box you also get a neat little remote control for controlling the volume and power. The right speaker can also be used to control the speakers with 3 touch sensitive areas allowing you to control power, volume, and change tracks with tap or swipe movements. We didn’t find this particularly easy to use however, but seeing as most people will use the Bluetooth speakers with a phone or tablet nearby, it wasn’t really an issue.

Like previous Edifier products, the actual un-boxing experience was an enjoyable start to the process. The packaging is always well done, and the e25HD’s were no exception. Each speaker comes in it’s own felt back to prevent any scratches, and are well secured in the plush box.

There are also optional stands for them to complete the look.

Over the moon with the sound

The speakers have a 3″ driver on the front with a 3/4″ silk domed tweeter at the top of the speaker. Bass is provided by dual 3″ bass radiators on the rear (in the cut out you can see on the photos).

We didn’t really have any complaints when we reviewed the original speakers. The only thing we mentioned was that they seemed to struggle with powerful songs. The updated Edifier e25HD versions were much improved and although still not perfect in that regards, are probably as good as you can expect from a speaker this size. Otherwise though, the sound was wonderful and rich, and the slight excessive dynamism seemed a little more controlled this time. The trebles again seemed to lack some crispness as before.

They are versatile speakers too. At low volumes the sound is pleasant without being over the top, so are ideal for background music. However, drive the speakers with more volume and they truly come alive providing room filling sound with ease.

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Edifier e25HD Luna Eclipse HD Gallery

Big bookshelves required

Calling themselves ‘active bookshelf speakers’, the Edifier S1000DB’s are big, and heavy. You need some sturdy bookshelves to support them, and house them.

They are also well made as we’ve come to expect from Edifier. The soft sheen of the wood veneer is just right and the speaker drivers have a nice outline visible under the removeable grilles.

Despite the quality of the materials, the striking thing about them initially is the angled front. This was surprise number 1. Edifier claim this is to create a “larger sound with a low frequency” and to “reduce the resonance of the sound”. Whatever, it looks slightly awkward in the flesh and does not add to the speakers otherwise respectable appearance.

The bottom of the right-hand speaker has an LED status indicator to let you know which input is currently selected.

Around the back of the speakers we have a standard array of inputs ranging from RCA to optical, and digital coaxial.

The speaker is also equipped with Bluetooth aptX for higher quality streaming. There is also a bass and treble controls to give you a little control over the audio.

Finally, a dinky little remote control is included that you can use to select inputs and control volume. It’s a fine piece of craftsmanship and adds to the overall quality if the package.

Does the angled front make a difference?

Edifier’s experiments with angle of the front of the speaker seem to have paid off. The bass is remarkably tight and up front and gives an instant dynamic edge to the speakers. So much so that I was eager to run more party music through them than I normally would do. This was a very welcome surprise number 2.

The trebles easily kept up with the titanium dome tweeters providing a sparkling finish. The power was more than enough and there was no major distortion as the volume was pumped higher.

Despite all this goodness though, the speakers were really let down by their disappointing mid-range and vocals.

It may have been down to the success of the bass and trebles, but there was just very little there to get excitied about. The voices just seemed a little lost in all the other gloriousness. For me, that was a show stopper and was the final surprise of the package.

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Edifier S1000DB Gallery

Smooth, pleasing styling

Edifier have always brought a keen sense of style to their speakers, bringing a fresh approach to the design of the typical “black box”. Styling a soundbar is a different challenge though as it has to fit in a specific place, so there isn’t too much scope to change the long and thin form.

What Edifier have tried to do with the B3 Soundbar is to make it as sleek as possible. This means that it has smooth lines, and a very simple yet welcome triangular design.

The very front of the speaker is completely covered with speaker cloth with the back and bottom of the soundbar in a high quality matte plastic. The sides of the speaker are finished in a black aluminium with a ground bevelled edge to give it an extra dimension of quality.

With a total length of 1000mm, the B3 is one of the longer soundbars on the market, so make sure you measure your television first. The depth and height is relatively compact at 80mm.

Behind the cloth we have a 19mm tweeter at either end of the soundbar, with two 70mm speaker units to each tweeter. Next to each pair of speakers there is a bass port. This model does not have a separate subwoofer so all the bass is produced by the soundbar itself.

One the rear there is the optical, RCA, aux and coax inputs, as well as a subwoofer out should you want to connect one. The soundbar comes with a small remote control, and optical and RCA cable. It also comes with a wall mounting bracket.

Solid, seamless performance

Connecting the Edifier B3 is straightforward – simply use the appropriate cable and then the appropriate input method using the remote control. Depending on the television you may need to mute the volume.

Although you can connect a subwoofer to the soundbar, it doesn’t come with one as standard and despite my initial concerns about a lack of bass, you don’t really need one. The sound is wonderfully well balanced and nothing stands out as performing poorly. The bass, whilst not low, is evident and adds a welcome presence to back up the clear mids and sharp trebles.

Even a demanding film like “Mad Max: Fury Road” was made more enjoyable with the Edifier B3. It really didn’t struggle or distort at any point, and as any good speaker system will, it dramatically improved the viewing experience.

Turning the soundbar off every now and again to compare the difference between it and the television speakers brought it into context as just how well it does perform.

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Edifier B3 Soundbar Gallery

Speakers which can stand out, or blend in – your choice

The speakers and subwoofer come in two big boxes with the sub weighing in at 19kg (it weighs 22kg in its box so will ideally require two people to lift it), with the five speakers weighing in at a more manageable 11.5kg combined.

When you get the speakers out of the packaging, you are met with a set of fairly standard and nondescript black boxes. The outer box has a “rain splatter” effect that gives the exterior a bit of interest but the removable grill is darker than it appears on the photographs and as a result the shiny speaker cones behind aren’t as obvious.

It’s clear that Edifier have played safe here which is no bad thing, as many people want their speakers to simply blend in, but those that do want to show them off can just remove the grilles and let them take centre stage. The best of both worlds.

The subwoofer is much less subtle though with a big, beautifully curved grill with a smart aluminium effect centre piece. The side of the speakers have two bass radiators to the side to give maximum depth to the sound.

Completing the package, is not one, but two remote controls. One is a standard style infra-red remote, but the other is a bit more special. It’s hard wired to the subwoofer so is not portable but it does allow a more intuitive method of controlling the inputs and sound effects with a screen and tactile volume dial.

Connections for most circumstances

Everything on the Edifier S760D is driven from the subwoofer, so you’ll need to position this where you can easily connect your devices to it. There are a multitude of options, with kamagra vs generic viagra three optical connections, one coaxial, dual stereo inputs and analogue 5.1 connections.

The subwoofer acts as the amplifier too and will decode Dolby Digital, Pro Logic II and DTS to deliver the best possible performance.

You can connect a number of devices and use one of the remote control to switch between the inputs – an optical cable is supplied. Then it is a simple case of connecting the speakers using the supplied cable to the spring clip connections on the rear of the subwoofer and speakers. The cable supplied is decent quality and a good length at around 2m for the front three speakers, and 3m for the rear speakers.

Sound quality

There is a certain anticipation of sound quality that comes with both the physical size, and the price of speakers. One of the most rewarding things about reviewing speakers is when the product meets or exceeds these expectations. The Edifier S760D speakers did this, but not in ways we thought.

Firstly, using the tried and trusted Matrix lobby scene (still one of the most demanding home cinema audio tracks) I got a feel for the overall speed, and consistency of the system.

The bass response is good and gives a satisfying depth to the explosions. It did have a little trouble keeping up at times, but this is a part of a £400 set of speakers so was always going to. The overall depth is on par with how a 10” driver should perform so all is good, and the volume is certainly enough to annoy the neighbours but without overpowering the rest of the speakers.

The three front speakers blend perfectly together, and the centre speaker has a pleasant neutral tone to voice scenes, but holds its own and isn’t overwhelmed by the rest of the set up.

The front and rear speakers have a wonderful sharpness to them and the sound of bullets hitting the floor was crystal clear and lifelike. The mid tones, although not excelling to the same standard as the trebles, are well-balanced and perfectly acceptable.

Overall, the sound, for such a low-priced system is very good indeed, and by looks you’d expect the subwoofer to be the powerhouse in this set up, but it is the lovely crisp trebles from the four speakers that sets this package apart, and exceeds expectations

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Edifier S760D Gallery

Known for its groundbreaking and world-changing unveilings, this year’s IFA will be held at the Berlin Expocenter City, between the 4th and the 9th of September. One thing that has people talking in 2015 is the buzz around the new proposed Ultra HD Blu-ray system. Yes, Blu-ray is getting a major reboot, and it seems to have been timed perfectly to coincide with the biggest electronics fair in the world. It’s all eyes on Berlin…

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) have just released information that they will commence licensing of the new Ultra HD Blu-ray format from the 24th of August this year. This means that all of the major manufacturers are expected to reveal hardware and/or unveil plans for the future of Blu-ray home cinema. This is bound to draw a lot of attention from the press and eager resolution buffs alike.

But what does Ultra HD Blu-ray have in store, and what is it likely to set you back?

Well, the new format will be in the super clear 3840 x 2160 resolution, with frame rates of up to 60 per second, and will be compatible with equally impressive new sound set ups, like Dolby Atmos. So, bigger, clearer, more immersive, mind blowing stuff. Of course, you will need a 4K TV ready to handle the increased resolution, as well as purchasing a new Ultra HD Blu-ray player, which are expected to be available before the year is out. The price for these new players is expected to be around two to three times the price of a current HD equivalent, so our guess is as good as yours there.

The next generation of home cinema is approaching fast. Keep an eye on Berlin this September for all the big updates.

Espon PowerLite 740HD

Appealing to the needs of a wide market, there are three new models, starting with another 720p model, the 740HD, which offers plug and play action and a bright 3,000 lumen display – perfect for the typical family who may not have the space for a full home cinema set-up and a dark room to enjoy movies in.

The 740HD has Epson’s 3LCD, 3-chip technology to deliver incredible colour and detail without the risk of the dreaded “rainbow effect”.

Espon PowerLite 2040 and 2045

Further up the ladder are two new full HD models, the Epson Home Cinema 2040 and Home Cinema 2045 editions, which are directly aimed at enthusiasts. These 3D supporting models offer a contrast ratio of 35,000:1 and brightness of up to 2,200 lumens. On the software side, they both offer the latest in detail boosting techniques and interpolation to improve the image quality.

As many home cinema users move into the Blu-ray and HD streaming age, they support MHL devices to stream TV content, Netflix and other services, plus PC and consoles games in HD. The models have four preset modes to offer the best on-screen results, depending on the content source and type.

Wireless connectivity is also offered on the Home Cinema 2045 model for those used to casting content from their smartphones or tablets; it supports Miracast and Intel’s WiDi 4 standard, so will work with iOS, Android and other devices.

Among the hardware-level improvements are an up-rated optical engine, better LCD panel, and the latest video processing technologies. The lens features an improved New Wing iris, which is quieter and produces deeper blacks via efficient light reduction processing.

The 3D glasses are sold separately if you want to enjoy that modern cinema experience, while both projectors feature their own in-built speakers, but you can connect them to home cinema audio systems for that big sound experience.

There is no date for a UK release of these new models as yet, and pricing is to be confirmed, but will likely be in line with Epson’s current full HD models, so around £1,300 to £1,600.

Another ‘Wow!’ design from Edifier

In another example of their stunning speaker design, the Prisma Encore E3360BT from Edifier brings a very modern feel to desktop computer speakers. With an edgy, space age look they are certainly different from the more usual rectangular style of speaker we’re used to seeing.

The subwoofer especially looks great and seems like it should do a lot more that simply produce bass – it just looks impressive, and important! The awkward thing about it though is the size – at 216mm high by 301mm deep, it’s not quite compact enough to go on most peoples desktops, which is a shame because it needs to be seen.

The speakers are a good size at 247mm high by 110mm deep so they aren’t going to dominate your desktop.

We also especially like the remote control – it’s not a standard credit card style, but instead matches the design of the speakers perfectly and is simple to use. It’s these details from Edifier that continually impress us.

The quality of the speakers is good, the gloss plastic feels good and overall build standard is high.

There are little niggles like the rubber feet on the bottom of the speaker becoming easily detached (which we saw on the Edifier M3280BT too), and the speaker joining cable being shorter than we would have liked, but overall the Prisma Encores look like they will last well.

Sharp design, sharp sound?

From an edgy looking speaker we were expecting a bright, punchy sound, but instead the Prisma Encores are much more subtle.

The treble and bass are controlled and not allowed to become dominant, with the mid range only being allowed a little more freedom. The overall balance is good and the speakers never seem flustered, we just expected more. The sound is easy to live with, if a little uninspiring.

The speakers can be connected by a 3.5mm headphone lead, a red and white RCA to 3.5mm lead (both supplied) or via Bluetooth. It’s this last addition that elevates the Prisma Encores beyond a simple desktop speaker to something much more flexible and versatile.

Edifier Prisma Encore E3360BT Gallery

To make your family time even more special, why not create special themed movie nights for your kids – you’ll make memories that last a lifetime (and it’s the perfect way to keep them busy!).

The hype around Frozen is still very much alive, so it’s a perfect pick for a home cinema evening in. Print some colouring sheets of Olaf, Elsa and co. off the internet to get them in the mood before your movie has even started, then take an ice-cream sundae making break halfway through the film. To make the most of all the CGI splendour, you can invest in a top quality home cinema system, with a top of the range HD screen. Or, for a truly big screen experience, purchase a projector – the kids will definitely feel like they’re at the movies.

Treat your kiddies to a screening of an old favourite: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – the original, of course! Take them to an old fashioned sweetshop beforehand to choose snacks and nibbles, and help them to create golden tickets they can hand over before they enter your home cinema. Choose top-quality speakers to really get the most from the iconic tunes sung by Charlie, Wonka and the Oompa Loompas – you’ll find that if all of your audio equipment is the same brand, you’ll get the kind of rich sound experience that mum and dad can enjoy just as much as the kids.

The other big film of the moment is Despicable Me and the minions from it are a firm favourite with kids the world over. Help your kids to create superhero capes to wear while they watch the film, and decorate rich tea biscuits with lurid yellow minion-coloured icing and draw minions’ faces on them for snacks while the film is playing.

It’s the perfect way to spend some quality time with your children and also get a little bit of peace and quiet – so the next time you’re stuck for something to do on a rainy day, how about a themed movie night?

Image attribution: Home movie night by Citizen 4474 licensed under Creative commons 4

While it may seem like a slightly daunting task, a home cinema couldn’t be easier to achieve. All you require are some surround sound speakers, a projector, a large white object to show your film on, a HDMI cable and a laptop with a HDMI port (thankfully, these tend to come as standard now).

The most vital factor to consider is where you would like to project your film. A pale wall would be ideal here, but you can just as easily hang a white sheet or use a projector screen. A projector screen has the additional benefit of allowing you to not rely on the structure of your house for your viewing location. If you wish to make use of the ambient summer weather, positioning your screen outside could allow for an incredible night time viewing experience under the stars. This open air home cinema lends itself particularly well to big Hollywood blockbusters and classics such as E.T. and Star Wars.

Once you’ve chosen your location, setting up your home cinema takes only five minutes. Arrange your seating and lay out your movie snacks and drinks first; it is much easier to set up your technology around yourself rather than risk knocking into wires and speakers later on as you adjust furniture and gather nachos.

All you have to do then is set up your projector and laptop behind your seating arrangement on a secure table or stand. It is vitally important to check that the projected image fits comfortably onto your wall, sheet or screen, and that your view will not be impaired by the silhouettes of viewers.

The next step is to arrange your speakers appropriately around the room and viewers. It may also be advisable to adjust the sound of your speakers according to the style of film ahead of time. This would prevent searching for the remote control or correct button during the screening. Don’t forget to connect your speakers with your laptop or projector.

Finally, link your laptop to your projector with a HDMI cable and insert your choice of DVD into your laptop or choose a movie via an online streaming service. All that’s left is to sit back, relax, and enjoy your personal cinema experience. It really could not be easier to achieve.