When I’m at home, you’ll usually find me listening to music or watching a good movie. This is the case whether I’m relaxing, chilling with my girlfriend, or getting some work done. Over the years, I’ve been through a lot of different speakers. Single portable speakers, stationary pairs, ones with and without subwoofers, tower speakers and short, squat ones, wired ones and wireless speakers – if you can name a type of speaker, I’ve had it.
During this time, I’ve become a bit of a speaker connoisseur. I’ve learned that many brands don’t really aim to make the best-sounding speaker; they often focus on making one that looks cook or have features that deliver a “wow!” factor but don’t sound great.
With the S350DB Bookshelf Speakers from Edifier, I think I’ve finally found speakers that have the entire package: looks, fantastic features and functionality, and a sound that simply can’t be beat.
The Look
First of all, let me say how impressed I am with the visual appeal of these speakers. I’m a really huge fan of retro-looking technological devices, but I’ve found that with many gadgets and gizmos, their exceptionality doesn’t go beyond their looks. Not so with Edifier’s S350DB’s, but we’ll get more to their performance later. For now, let me say that I love the old-school look of the wood-grain sides of this set, which comes with two speakers and one subwoofer. One speaker features manual control knobs for the bass, treble, and volume – and the knobs look like they’re straight off of a sound system from the 1970s.
If you’re hoping for small speakers that you can tuck somewhere out of the way, then these won’t suit your purposes. I wanted something that would be attractive and functional, and I wasn’t disappointed. My S350DBs are the focal point of my living room; I’ve got them set up on either side of my TV where they play music as well as function with my home theater system for movies and games.
The Sound
My last few speakers have been cheap ones that didn’t have a subwoofer, and wow – did I miss having a quality speaker set that really sounds out the lows! This 8-inch Edifier subwoofer has an enhanced side bass panel for added performance, meaning that whether I’m enjoying thumping hip-hop or my favorite racing game, the sound is simply amazing.
The speakers are mind-blowing, as well. They don’t just look nice; their 3/4-inch titanium dome tweeters produce a sound that’s beautiful to hear. They produce crystal clear highs, whether I’m gaming, listening to music, or following dialogue in a movie or TV show. The system is powered by an amplifier that helps it put out clear, high-quality sound, especially when it’s processing digital music or other audio. It also uses dynamic range control to boost quiet sounds while reducing louder ones, which means I’m not constantly turning the volume up and down to even things out when watching a film or show.
The Functionality
While there are manual controls, the system also comes with a wireless remote that allows me to control the power, volume, fast-forward and reverse, as well as switch between optical, coaxial, auxiliary, and Bluetooth inputs.
Edifier’s S350DB Bookshelf Speakers aren’t the cheapest option on the market…and they definitely don’t sound like it. After throwing so much money away on cheaper speakers, it’s nice to have a set that look – and sound – like a truly high-quality product.
