Edifier S2000MKIII Bookshelf Speakers Review

The Edifier S2000MKIII are a pair of powered bookshelf speakers, featuring Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity with aptX HD, Hi-Res Audio support and a variety of inputs – making them great for use in the office, or in the lounge.

Video Review

Design

If you’re familiar with Richard Tech reviews, you may recognise the design of these speakers from when we previously reviewed the S3000PRO – a slightly larger and higher-end model of these already high-end speakers. The speakers are large and certainly have a visual presence within a room, coming in at roughly 34cm tall and 20cm wide and weighing 8.3kg each.

The speakers have a wooden and black plastic look that looks modern to blend into the home but still with a traditional taste. The wooden texture can be seen on the sides of the speaker and is a textured laminate print – it’s not real wood. The sides also pinch inwards towards the top, giving the otherwise boxy design a more angular look.

The front of the speaker is home to the woofer and tweeter drivers which are housed behind a fabric grille to offer some protection whilst still allowing you to see the speaker drivers themselves. The grille is removable if you do not wish to use it and you can also purchase a replacement set from Edifier’s website.

The right-side speaker behaves as the controller for the two providing both sound and power to the left speaker. The right featuring all the connectivity on the back as well as an IR receiver and OLED display on the front for source and listening mode selection. I’m a big fan of the OLED display, it is clear and provides more information in comparison to a single indicator LED.

The back of the right-side speaker features two RCA inputs as well as an optical and coaxial input, Bluetooth connectivity is also an option if you want to go fully wireless – offering plenty of versatility for whatever setting you may be in. There’s also a 5-pin speaker out port which is used to connect to the other speaker, these don’t use speaker wire to connect, but a 5-pin connecting cable is included and is around 15ft long, albeit a bit thick.

The power cable for the speaker is also not removable and is affixed into the back of the right-side speaker, I think it would’ve been more convenient to have this removable as it allows for the speakers to be more easily transported and would also allow for a longer cable if needed.

Additionally, on the right-side speaker, are the dials for volume/input selection as well as manual controls for bass and treble, so you can tweak the sound profile of the speakers straight from the device if you wish to do so without messing around with the pre-sets. The volume dial is digital so that it works without overriding the remote.

The speakers also have brass coloured feet with a rubber base, which will allow you to place the speakers on a surface without worry of either the speakers or your surface becoming scratched.

Sound Quality

As can be expected from Edifier, the S2000MKIII sound great, providing a room-filling sound that packs a punch thanks to the 5.5” woofer and great detail and clarity from the tweeter. I have been very impressed with the listening experience offered by the speakers.

The speakers offer good coverage of the audio spectrum, from 40Hz to 45KHz, allowing for deep bass for kick drums or bass instruments and clear treble for vocals and percussion. I spent a lot of time listening to electronic music when testing these speakers and I can confirm the 50W power per woofer definitely helps pack a punch and bring energy to listening.

Mid and treble frequencies also sounded good, with 15W power per tweeter. I did find that the trebles could be subdued when the speakers were at a very quiet volume, almost sounding muddy, but when the speakers were turned back up again, they offered clarity and sounded bright.

Regardless of the volume, the speakers manage to sound decent and I found myself listening at around 15-20 on the volume level, which I can easily check using the OLED display. The speakers also remember the previous volume level you were at, but if you were listening at loud volumes it may dial it down a bit as a safety and preservation measure.

Of course, you can tweak the sound profile with the dials on the back of the speaker to fine-tune it to your preference for your volume level and you can also explore the four different pre-sets that can be selected. The pre-sets do sound very similar to each other, like on the S3000PRO, but I do think you can tell a little bit of a difference – but it is still close.

Overall, I am very happy with how the speakers sounded and the listening experience that is offered and they can get loud if you need them to – with a total of 130 watts of power across the board.

Features and Accessories

The S2000MKIII come packed with all the cables you’d need to get up and running, including a 3.5mm to RCA, RCA to RCA, optical and speaker connecting cable. The speakers also include an infrared remote to control the speakers from across the room, this is particularly handy as it prevents you needing to reach behind the right-side speaker to adjust any settings.

The also speakers feature Bluetooth 5.0 with Qualcomm aptX HD connectivity, so you can even connect to them without the need for any additional wires, aside from the power cable. The speakers also support Hi-Res audio.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a set of speakers that will provide an enjoyable listening experience that packs a punch, the S2000MKIII are a great option. The range of inputs allows them to be a flexible choice for your home office or entertainment centre, as long as they can fit due to their size.

The Edifier S2000MKIII bookshelf speakers are available to purchase on Amazon, you can learn more on Edifier’s website.