Edifier’s New ES Series Of Bluetooth Speakers And ANC Headphones Unveiled

Posted by Mark Sparrow, Senior Contributor | 9 hours ago | /consumer-tech, /innovation, Consumer Tech, Innovation, standard, technology | Views: 11


One of China’s premium audio brands has launched a new series of wireless speakers and headphones. Edifier has been making speakers and headphones since 1996 and with almost 30 years of experience under its corporate belt, the brand can almost be placed in the “venerable” category due to an established and solid reputation for making robust audio gear with a refined sound.

Today, Edifier revealed four new audio products consisting of three wireless speakers and a pair of ANC wireless headphones. The ES20, ES60 and ES300 speakers are joined by the ES850NB, a new pair of over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones with Active Noise Cancellation. Edifier says all four of the products are “elegant and superb” and that’s why they carry the ES Series prefix.

Sporting a rich leather-like texture on the outside, each of the ES speakers has been designed to evoke a sense of timeless luxury as well as clear sound with plenty of depth and detail.

Three New Portable Speakers

The speaker range kicks off with the compact ES20, followed by the mid-sized ES60 and the immersive ES300 which has AirPlay connectivity as well as Bluetooth. What’s more, Edifier says it has sufficient power to fill a larger space with sound.

The flagship Edifier ES300 has a handcrafted wooden construction finished off with deluxe leather-like accents. There is a braided speaker grille and a metallic control panel that lends the ES300 an elegant and slightly retro look.

With two 1.25″ silk dome tweeters and a 4″ long-throw mid-bass driver, the ES300 can output a total of 60W. And thanks to Edifier’s MazeTube and TurbMuff technologies, it also features an enhanced bass. Edifier has managed to minimize the port noise as well as tame any acoustic resonance.

Some bass-heavy speakers can create an annoying booming sound from the reflex port at the rear of the speaker. This can be particularly noticeable when playing podcasts and speech programs at lower volume levels; there’s simply too much boom. Interestingly, Edifier has addressed this problem which can plague quite a few high-powered speakers.

Hi-Res Audio And USB Input

With onboard support for high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/96kHz, the ES300 has dual-band Wi-Fi and is compatible with Apple AirPlay 2. Thanks to the Wi-Fi features and AirPlay, the ES300 can be used in a multi-room audio setup to stream audio all around the home with other AirPlay-equipped devices.

Featuring USB-A and analog AUX inputs, the new ES300 can also be used as a compact computer speaker. Alternatively, the ES300 can be used to stream Hi-Res music directly from a smartphone or computer. In addition, there is an ambient lighting system offering three lighting effects with two colors.

Mid-Sized ES60

The Edifier ES60 is the mid-range in Edifier’s ES speaker series. Although it’s relatively small, it can output up to 34W via two 22mm tweeters and an oval mid-bass driver using neodymium magnets. The speaker also includes a passive radiator that underpins the mid-range with some impressive bass frequencies.

Built around Bluetooth 5.4, the Edifier ES60 can be paired with other speakers to create a wider stereo soundstage. It also supports Multi-point connectivity for connecting two Bluetooth sources at the same time, enabling seamless switching between them.

With up to nine hours of playing time from a single charge, the ES60’s built-in battery. Can be recharged via a USB-C port which also doubles as a digital input for taking audio from a digital source such as a computer or smartphone. The ES60 has a built-in microphone for making phone or video calls and it’s suitable for all-day use. A dustproof and waterproof rating makes the speaker suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

Finally, the ES60 has dynamic ambient lighting effects which is becoming something of a trend lately on many Bluetooth speakers. The lighting and other settings on the ES60 can be controlled using Edifier’s ConneX smartphone app.

The Baby Of The Bunch

The baby speaker of the ES range is the square-shaped Edifier ES20. This compact and portable Bluetooth speaker can deliver up to 6W of dynamic sound and has a surprisingly punchy bass for its size. The sound comes from a 43mm full-range driver that uses neodymium magnets. A 55mm passive radiator beefs up the lower frequencies for extra bass response.

The Edifier ES20 is driven by high-efficiency Class-D amplification which means the speaker can play for up to 15 hours on a single charge. Thanks to an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, Edifier claims the ES20 is suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

With the latest Bluetooth Version 5.4, the E20 can be paired with other speakers to produce a stereo pair that doubles the output and produces a wider soundstage. The speaker also supports Multi-point connectivity for pairing two devices at once. Phone calls can be made using the built-in, high-sensitivity microphone.

As with the other two speakers in the Edifier ES Series, the ES20 has ambient lighting effects that can be customized with Edifier’s ConneX smartphone app which makes light work of personalizing the speaker’s options.

New ANC Wireless Headphones

Finally, Edifier has announced its new ES850NB. These over-the-ear wireless ANC headphones sport a sleek design and a powerful sound. The headphones are also certified for Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless operation.

The ES850NB headphones have 40mm dynamic drivers that have a titanium-coated composite diaphragm. There’s support for LDAC, AAC and SBC audio codecs which makes them suitable for use with iPhone and Android devices.

Like many closed-back headphone designs on the market, the ES850NB come with Active Noice Cancelation and offer up to -45dB of effective noise reduction. Phone calls can be made with the headphones thanks to an AI algorithm that produces clearer call quality. A full charge of the battery can provide up to 92 hours of playing time.

Edifier says its new headphones provide immersive listening and are comfortable for all-day listening. Featuring a lightweight and foldable design, the ES850NB headphones also have skin-friendly ear cushions and ship with a handy travel case to keep them safe. Smart features include a touch-to-chat button, Multi-point connectivity and customization via the Edifier ConneX smartphone app and TempoHub. The colorway options are black, brown, pink or white.

Pricing and Availability:

The new Edifier ES Series of speakers and headphones are now available from Amazon.com although the ES300 and ES850NB are not yet available in the U.K. The ES300 is priced at $399.99 and the mid-range ES60 costs $199.99. The compact ES20 portable speaker sells for $89.99 while the ES850NB wireless ANC headphones retail for $169.99.



Forbes

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