If you’re in the market for a pair of 2.1 bookshelf speakers that also includes a subwoofer, Edifier may have you covered with the new S355DB. It’s got a pleasantly simple and unassuming design, and it’ll fit on just about every desk.
What Am I Looking At?
Design-wise, the Edifier S355DB isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. Once again, it’s a bookshelf and desktop design: square-ish and clean-cut, with the edge sharp enough to stab your palms deep and make you swear like a sailor. The right speaker houses the control knobs for the S355DB. Specifically, it’s three dials: one each for volume, treble, and bass.
Edifier has done a pretty bang-up job in keeping the amount of wires down to a minimum, but I use that word reservedly. Both the 3.5-inch speakers and the 8-inch subwoofer get their own dedicated power ports, but both modules are connected to each other via an 8GHz wireless connection.
Connectivity options are bountiful with the S355DB too. Wirelessly, you get Bluetooth 6.0 support with Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless support, and LDAC and SBC codec support too. Physically, you have HDMI eARC, optical, Coaxial, USB-C, and Line-In connectivity. Like I said, bountiful.
Oh, there’s a dedicated remote control that comes with the S355DB, but you can also use the dedicated Edifier ConneX mobile app too. For another matter, the speaker also boasts end-to-end DSP with tri-amped active crossover and DRC.
What’s Good About It?
One of the more positive aspects of the S355DB is its relatively compact size. Unlike older generation Edifier speakers – and fans will know what I’m talking about – I don’t have to deal with subwoofers that are absolute units. At 8-inches, the subwoofer on this set is lighter and easier to move around, even with my feet.
As a whole, the S355DB general output sounds clean. Highs and mids are its strengths, and Edifier is clearly playing to them. Modern, high-energy songs like Who Do You Love by The Chainsmokers sound crisp and clear, as do the vocals, although sound staging feels a bit crowded. While playing Digging My Potato by Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts, the harmonica absolutely sings at the high octaves, with no signs of breaking. The percussion, while low (more on this in the next section) and sounding a little muddy, still came through with the sharper crashes of the fingers’ contact with the box.
What’s The Catch?
The power of the bass and the woofer, I would say, is the S355DB’s weakest link. I’m not saying it’s terribly weak, but the tweeters and drivers in the speakers are more pronounced in their delivery, to the point that they drown out almost any lows, and that is with the system playing straight out of the box. And should you crank up the bass levels, it’s just a whole lot of unconcentrated “whoompf” being extolled. Case in point, the bass in Venus de Milo by Stacey Kent and the iconic Tuba in Feeling Good by Nina Simone sound underwhelming and rough, with no thump being felt in the chest. Oh, and you can’t really place it too far apart from the speakers either.
While not the most expensive, it’s still rather steep at RM1,599, and that’s for a pair of bookshelf cum desktop speakers. For another matter, because the control dials are located on the side, you cannot technically lay it down on any other side but its left.
Should I Buy It?
As an alternative to the growing trends of soundbars, or if you’re a “purist” that insists on having a 2.1 stereo system, the Edifier S355DB makes some rather convincing sounds. That wireless subwoofer, especially, eliminates that “too many wires” issue, and eARC support makes it even more of an ideal alternative to a soundbar.
I will make it clear that these speakers aren’t for dedicated audiophiles: it’s a sound system designed for versatility, for the folks that want to listen to their favourite music or podcast while having their morning tea, or if they want something playing gently in the background while they focus. If that’s not what you’re after, then look away.
