Edifier S2000MKIII Review – Stunning Bookshelf Speakers
|These are Edifier’s S2000 Mark 3’s, a pair of bookshelf speakers that are pretty fancy. They have planer magnetic tweeters, 5.5 inch woofers, and the most premium feel to them I’ve seen. They do cost a pretty penny though, with an MSRP of £450, so are they worth it? Well, lets find out. But first, if you haven’t already, consider subscribing for more videos like this one every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Here’s the headline stats, like I said, they use planer magnetic tweeters that draw 15W each, along with 50W RMS Woofers. They are a stereo pair with no (obvious) way to connect a subwoofer, or directly extend the arrangement beyond the two that come in the box. They do however have a fairly large selection of inputs. 2 Stereo RCA inputs, Optical, Coax and Bluetooth, which can all be switched between with the included remote. The fact it supports optical and bluetooth means there is a reasonable amount of audio processing that happens onboard, rather than a set of basic studio monitors which require a good DAC and preamp to operate. That’s furthered by the options on the remote, which are “monitor”, “dynamic”, “classical”, and “vocal”.
When it comes to fine tuning the sound, you can use those profiles, but also dedicated treble and bass dials on the back which offer “+6” to “-6” for each. There is also a physical volume dial back here too, although that can be adjusted on the remote whereas bass and treble can’t. To know what volume level, or input, you are using, you can reference the relatively small black and white display on the right speaker. It’ll tell you which mode, input and volume you are using, along with flashing the Edifier logo when powered on. A nice touch, considering all the inputs, and is subtle enough that it doesn’t disturb the look.
Speaking of the look, these are rather nice. They’ve got a removable front netted grille, a wooden exterior, although I’m fairly certain it’s MDF with a veneer over the top. Still, these are hefty, definitely the heaviest speakers I’ve tested too. As for a listening experience, they are pretty impressive. They are remarkably clear, and ridiculously crisp. If these are your first “higher end” audio device, you’ll hear elements of songs you didn’t know were there, and have an incredibly immersive listening experience.
If I had to critique them, I’d argue the fancy tweeters do a little bit too good of a job on the higher notes. I stuck the bass to +4 which did give a really impressive rumble, considering they are sub-less. But the higher notes were just a tad piercing, a little overpowering. In anything other than the “monitor” mode, it sounded so overdone on the higher pitches and generally uncomfortable to listen to, especially with lighter music.
When you start playing more grunge rock, you really get the most out of them. It’s a rich listening experience that offers a great sound profile for that kind of music, and something I could definitely sit and enjoy.
I should make it clear, I’m no audiophile. I’m slowly being converted, but from my “layman’s” perspective, I’m not sure these are something I’d spend my own cash on. If I needed bookshelf speakers, the £80 Edifier ones I reviewed last year would likely suit me better, as they, to me anyway, sound almost as good but cost nearly 6 times less. Don’t get me wrong, these S2000’s are great and once you’ve set them up to the profile you like I’m sure you’ll enjoy them plenty, but if you are like me and aren’t a stickler for pristine audio, there are other options you might want to check out first.