Born from passion and determination, Edifier have slowly made their mark on the audio world with their award-winning premium sound systems. Their ethos and strive for technological innovation has helped the Beijing company garner plentiful fans and consumers worldwide. This in part has been inspired by their commitment to value and it can often be seen that their products maximize their price-performance ratios.
Enter – the $799 Edifier S3000Pro – a pair of active wireless monitor speakers with Bluetooth-ready capability and Qualcomm aptX HD decoding. The speakers feature planar diaphragm tweeters to provide impressive high-frequency transient response as well as 6.5 inch aluminum alloy diaphragm for powerful lows and a clear and precise midrange. Edifier have aimed to reduce ‘rat nest’ wiring with each speaker only requiring a mains supply cable to run. The clever implementation of KleerNet wireless technology has also enabled impressive stability between the two speakers regardless of distance apart. The proprietary tech also enables less interference, lower latency and lower bandwidth consumption compared to similar traditional digital speakers.
To improve user experience, Edifier have equipped the S3000Pro with a wireless remote control which features adjustable bass, treble and volume controls.
The Packaging
The Edifier S3000Pro speakers arrive in a rather large box with two foam inserts supporting the base and top of the speakers. Included within the items of accessory are: two power cables (for each speaker), a TOSLINK optic cable, one RCA to RCA cable, one RCA to 3.5 mm jack and one USB cable. Users are supplied with an Edifier S3000 Pro manual as well as a wireless remote control.
Build & Design
The S3000Pro come in a 14 x 9.1 x 11.5 inch profile with a weight of 10.4 kg each. They are a rather large and weighty pair of speakers which make them less optimal as near-field ‘desktop’ speakers. However, the S3000Pro are considerably well built with their mix of matt black inlays and wooden veneer panelling. The choice of a darker wood along with the carefully constructed notching does exude a more premium appeal. Each speaker incorporates a 1 inch tweeter above a 6.5 inch aluminum dome covered in a black cloth grille. The overall aesthetic fuses a modern vibe with rustic charm allowing it to work well throughout multiple settings.
At the rear of the right speaker, there are a variety of inputs and controls options. These include a balanced XLR, RCA, USB, optical and coaxial inputs alongside a treble and bass dial control. Here, users have the ability to either tweak bass or treble from the rear of the device or from the included remote control. A volume dial at the top doubles as a clickable input selector which changes selection inputs seen on a small LED underneath the Edifier logo. A power input as well as the on/off switch can also be found in this ‘master’ unit. The left speaker only hosts the power input and power on/off switch and connects to the right master speaker wirelessly.
Driver & Internals
The Edifier S3000Pro have chosen to implement the notoriously difficult to make planar ribbon driver for its tweeters. This type of driver uses a thin metal diaphragm suspended in an electromagnetic field. The end result being a highly responsive, detailed and dynamic sound. The drawbacks, however, include their expense and high sensitivity which require dedicated amplification. For the midrange and bass performance, the Edifier S3000Pro uses a 6.5 inch aluminum dome diaphragm with a consistent flexless piston action for powerful and responsive lows. The unit makes use of digital signal processing (DSP) and digital electronic crossover with the help of Texas Instrument’s professional-grade TLV320AIC3268 chip. The S3000Pro incorporates a PCM5242 DAC supporting playback up to 24 bit/192 kHz with an impressive signal-to-noise ratio of up to 114 dB. The on-board ADC (analog-to-digital converter) is also from Texas Instruments and is the PCM1861 (supporting up to 192 kHz).
The fully active system hosts a TPA3251 chip for power amplification with the theoretical maximum power reaching 175W which is certainly more than enough for a bookshelf speaker for its design. It is clear that Edifier have put a lot of thought into the guts of the S3000Pro and the circuitry certainly stems from high quality components.
Remote control
Each speaker comes pre-paired and only requires connection to the mains supply for automatic connection to one another. Edifier have taken heed of advice of previous remotes and the new one remote is much more streamlined with a smaller but more appropriate footprint. Button options are quite comprehensive and users can select different balanced inputs (optical, coaxial, line and balanced) as well as several custom presets including monitor, dynamic, classic and vocal. All quick access features such as play/pause, next and previous track and volume keys are present. There is also the power on/off button as well as the option for USB and Bluetooth connectivity. Overall, the remote control works well with good tactile feedback. One suggested area of improvement could be the use of an LED directly integrated into the remote control itself. This would avoid having to go up to the speakers to see if they are in ‘Bluetooth’ mode. Similarly, an LED displaying volume level and the different custom presets would be a welcomed bonus.
Bluetooth Connectivity
The S3000Pro supports the latest Bluetooth protocol (v5.0) with the use of its CSR8675 chipset from Qualcomm. The chip has built-in aptX HD decoding supporting lossless transmission up to 24 bit/ 192 kHz sampling rate. With its use seen in flagship digital audio players, the new standard of Bluetooth boasts better range, lower distortion and more favorable power consumption. Coupled with the KleerNet wireless technology, the S3000Pro achieves fantastic stability in an era of growing wireless convenience.
Sound impressions
The Edifier S3000Pro offers an impressive and accomplished sound from the low frequencies all the way to the brilliance territories. Edifier are keen investors of research & development in the digital audio space and it clearly shows with the high-quality tri-band output that these speakers render.
Starting off at the low-end, the bass is impactful, authoritative and incredibly taut. This can be seen in ‘NICE’ by The Carters, where the underlying bass line appears with palpability and yet decays rapidly without unnecessary bloating or reverb. Where lesser quality speakers may distort bass at higher volume levels, the Edifier S3000Pro takes it in its stride with accurate reproduction of bass at all decibel levels. Extension is exceptional and the S3000Pro is able to recreate subwoofer-type lows as demonstrated in James Blake’s ‘Limit To Your Love’. For those yearning for even more thunderous lows, the rear bass panel control can be used to adjust bass gain. ‘Don’t Matter To Me’ by Drake (ft. Michael Jackson) is often a good track in revealing bass texture and the S3000Pro certainly passes here with a rich bass with excellent transitions.
The S3000Pro is a highly capable performer with the ability to convey details with ease. This extends across to the midrange where vocals sound natural, balanced and spacious. In ‘One’ by U2 & Mary J. Blige, vocals sound lifelike which are accompanied by vibrant guitar riffs. Similarly, in ‘Cruisin’ by Smokey Robinson, vocals sound airy and expansive filling the room with ease. It is clear that the S3000Pro has great stereo separation and there is a good projection of sonic cues in the elements of width and height. There is little in the way of coloration and the S3000Pro renders vocals with clarity, depth and realistic timbre. The S3000Pro is also less position dependent compared to the likes of acoustic horn designs such as Ferguson Hill’s FH007.
The S3000Pro employs a great feat of engineering – a planar ribbon twitter which outputs the S3000’s treble frequencies. Unlike conventional dome tweeters, the planar ribbon uses an ultra-thin metal diaphragm suspended in an electromagnetic field. Hence, the planar ribbon does away with structurally stiff materials and is evenly responsive across its entire surface to an adjacent magnet. As a result, the S3000Pro is remarkably adept at micro-detail retrieval. Cymbal crashes and hi-hats are produced with fantastic incision and the treble frequencies effortlessly soar. At its price point, the S3000Pro continues to impress and vocals shine here without ever sounding constrained or boxed in.
Overall, the Edifier S3000Pro’s tonality can best be described as bright and airy while supported by a strong low-end foundation.
Conclusion
The Edifier S3000Pro is an outstanding set of sub $1000 speakers from the Beijing-based audio brand. The digital active speakers incorporate both KleerNet wireless and Bluetooth 5.0 technology to provide a clutter free, highly stable and convenient set up. Build quality is equally excellent with a robust frame housed in wooden veneers and matte black inlays. Though the speakers are rather on the larger side, a well-proportioned room and suitable distance apart would help in circumventing their prominent build. The sound completes the package with an authentic, balanced tonality with a powerful yet disciplined low-end & a delicate yet responsive top-end. It is a marvel how despite the differences in driver configuration, the Edifier S3000Pro outputs a cohesive sound throughout the frequency spectrum. For all these reasons, it is very hard to fault the Edifier S3000Pro on the basis of sound alone and they deserve a must-buy status for those in the market for a sub $1000 pair of active wireless speakers.
Available from:
Manufacturer: Edifier
Edifier S3000Pro Specifications
- Frequency Response: 38HZ ~ 40KHZ
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 85dBA
- Input Type: Line in, Balance, Bluetooth, Optical, Coaxial, USB
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Total Power Output: R/L (Treble): 8W+8W RMS | R/L
(Mid-range and bass): 120W+120W RMS - Bass unit: 6.5” (179mm)
- Cabinet size: 9 inches x 10.5 inches x 14 inches