Review: Edifier R1280DB Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers — how are these under $210?

Edifier are making waves in Australia with its high-quality speaker options at affordable prices.  Recently, they launched the R1280DB Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers, and at under $210, it’s hard to see how good they can actually be.

Edifier sent me a pair to test and see what I thought.  We received them in the Black woodgrain finish, but they are also available in white and brown options.  

Each speaker includes a 4-inch bass woofer and a 13-mm silk-dome tweeter with a total power of up to 42W.  Sure, that isn’t a massive amount of power, but they are designed to be used in small to medium-sized spaces, so it *should* be enough.

The speakers offer a range of input options, including Bluetooth, optical, dual RCA and coaxial digital inputs.  At $209, my expectations were tempered, and I was dubious, but after using them for just a short amount of time, I realised I had no reason for these thoughts and worries.

Design + features

The speakers I received from Edifier are the black woodgrain finish, and I am here for it.  The black is stylish and sits somewhere between the classic brown finish and the modern white design.

The front grille features a silver line and the Edifier name to add something to what would otherwise be a plain black box.  The grille can be removed, although it wasn’t easy – you just need to pull carefully where the pins are.  Without the grille on, you can see the front port, the tweeter, and the bass woofer – I prefer this.

The rear of the main speaker houses the main power button, all the inputs/ports, of which there are plenty, including a subwoofer out.  On the side of the main speaker, you will find the speaker controls.  Here is where you can select the input source, adjust the volume, and adjust the bass and treble.

The satellite speaker is connected to the main speaker directly (it does need power, of course), and from the front, it looks the same as the main speaker.  The rear just has the connection to the main speaker.

Then there is the remote control.  It also adjusts the source and power and allows you some control over the music when in Bluetooth mode.

As active speakers, the R1280DB include a built-in Class 4 amp, providing a big sound.

Sound quality

Running through my usual list of songs to test the sound quality of the Edifier R1280DB speakers, I was pleasantly surprised.

They produce a loud enough sound to easily fill a small to medium-sized room and environment.  The bass was good, while not being the deep, super-punchy bass you get from a dedicated subwoofer.  There is no real ‘rumble’ of the bass, but the bass slots in nicely to a song.

Comparing the speakers to my current desktop speaker, an audiophile-quality Astell & Kern speaker, the Edifier R1280DB lacked the crispness at the top end but the bass was a bit stronger and had more kick to it (albeit with less crisp accuracy).

This tends to be the case when it comes to cheaper speakers and headphones:  the tweeter and woofer quality differs.  Now, by themselves, I loved their sound, and they seemed crisp in the high end. Although the sound is certainly better than my PC/monitor, the audiophile speaker just had a bit more clarity overall, but you pay for that.

The upper end was good, as were the mids and bass, pumping out decent sound. Remember, you can adjust the treble and bass to change how the music sounds.  This was effective in increasing or decreasing the bass’s overpowering nature.

Overall, the sound was well-balanced and of surprisingly good quality.

Connectivity

The instruction manual mentions that you may struggle to connect some Bluetooth devices to the speakers and I encountered this.  I was unable to pair the speakers with my PC, but had no issues with any of my phones or other devices.  

I used the headphone jack on my Thunderbolt 4 dock to connect the speakers to my PC and had no issues at all.   I also tested the speakers with the optical output from my LG TV and was impressed by how good they sounded in a decently sized room. Honestly, I couldn’t discern any difference between that and a coaxial connection, but it was still good in a medium-sized room.

Price and conclusion

Edifier has continued its tradition of producing audio equipment with high-quality sound but at an affordable price with the new R1280DB Bluetooth speakers. They produce a good overall soundstage with decent bass without window-rattling rumble, and cover the mids and the upper end of the registry with a relatively crisp sound.

They offer virtually all types of connectivity and although I had issues connecting them to the Bluetooth on my PC they connected to my mobile devices’ Bluetooth without issues. There are so many other connectivity options that I had no issues connecting them to my PC using the PC’s headphone jack.

At just 9, there is no reason not to buy these speakers from Edifier for your smaller rooms; the question is just how many sets you should purchase. They are available now from Officeworks for RRP AU9 (although it seems Officeworks has decided to tack on to Edifier’s RRP, making them 0). Either way, still a great deal.