Edifier R1280DB Review

As we all know, when it comes to purchasing DJ equipment, turntables, needles, and mixers are all essential. If you’re looking to take DJing seriously you need to purchase great quality equipment. While they are an investment, they’re worth it.

However, a lot of beginners may overlook the importance of good DJ speakers. But, having great quality speakers is just as important as the other components.

While you may have produced the best mix in history, if you don’t have good speakers to show it off, you won’t get very far!

While there are thousands of speaker options on the market to choose from, we’re focusing on one model in particular, the Edifier R1280DB.

If you’re looking for inexpensive speakers on a budget they’re potentially a great option to choose.

In this article, we’ll be providing you with an in depth review of these speakers to find out if they pack a punch. We will be taking a closer look at specifications such as audio quality, controls, and inputs.

Edifier Company Background

Before we jump into our review of the Edifier R1280DB Speakers, let’s take a look at Edifier’s company background. It’s always useful to take a look at a company’s values in closer detail before deciding whether to use their products.

Edifier is a well established company being set up in May 1996. It was founded in Beijing, China, and set up by a group of people with a passion and love for music.

When looking at the music equipment industry as a whole, they’re a fairly small company, with just 3,000 employees across the globe.

However, they’re a very popular company, and their products are held in high esteem, and some are even award-winning. They supply products to over 70 countries, and operate in regions such as America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

They’re consistently growing as a company, and provide a wide range of products, such as music systems, speakers, and even headphones. They have “a passion for sound”, and their products do produce an impressive audio quality.

Given that their products are of a professional quality, but are typically sold at lower costs, they’re certainly a company that is worth considering. They have great values, and are passionate about music.

Edifier R1280DB Review

Let’s jump straight into our review of the Edifier R1280DB Speakers. We’ve split our review up into different specification sections to allow you to find the information required easily.

Price

When looking at the price of the Edifier R1280DB Speakers, at first you may be a little skeptical. They’re a lot cheaper in comparison to many other types of bookshelf speakers on the market. 

However, when choosing speakers, the quality is not always reflected in the price, and this is certainly true for this product. While you may expect it to have a lower quality being so inexpensive, it doesn’t, and it’s good enough to rival the more expensive speakers.

With this in mind, if you’re looking for smaller speakers to use if you’re practicing DJing at home, the Edifier R1280DB is a fantastic choice to consider.

While many people will choose speakers based on loyalties to a specific brand, if you haven’t yet tried Edifier products, these are certainly worth branching out for.

Size

Another important aspect to consider is size. While you may have a significant amount of room to work with, you will need to ensure that the speakers fit.

As the Edifier R1280DB Speakers are bookshelf size, they’re not too large or cumbersome.

The exact measurements for these speakers is – 7.7 x 5.7 x 9.2 inches. In comparison to other types of speakers they’re slightly smaller.

This has many advantages, especially if you’re practicing in a smaller space, as you won’t have to worry about them being too large.

In addition to this, it will allow you to transport the speakers easily, and move them if needed without too much trouble.

As the Edifier R1280DB Speakers only weigh 12.43 lbs, they are not too heavy, which makes transporting and adjusting the speakers easier.

The only downside to the speakers being smaller is that they will not be as impressive or as powerful as larger speakers.

However, if you are not purchasing them for this purpose, they are a great option to consider as this won’t matter.

Design

The design of the Edifier R1280DB Speakers is great. They’re fairly simplistic, but have a sleek and modern feel to them. They’re available to purchase in two different colors – black and wood grain.

The color you choose will be based on personal preference. The wood grain will match up well with other household furniture, and the all black speakers are great for a more modern feel. 

The speakers are vinyl wrapped, and the design is long lasting. When looking at the materials used to create these speakers, they are durable and long lasting. The materials should protect the speakers well, and the outer MDF wood used is built to last.

Being fairly compact they will fit nicely on bookshelves, and will not take up too much space. The bass, treble, and volume buttons are all on the right hand side of the speakers.

They’re easily accessible, and being on the side of the speakers, they don’t affect the sleek look of the front, which allows the speakers to run from end to end.

All the other input and connections are at the back of the speakers and can be easily hidden when placed on shelves.

Sound Quality

When choosing speakers, the most important specification to take into consideration is the sound quality. After all, if the speakers don’t sound great, there’s little point purchasing them!

The sound quality of the Edifier R1280DB Speakers is great, especially when you take into consideration the low cost.

They feature a 4 inch bass, and a 13 mm silk dome tweeter. There’s also a flared bass reflex port that improves the overall sound of the bass.

With two Equalizer controls, you have more control over the sound, and how clear it depends on your preferences.

The built- in amplifier provides good sound, and while there are not the loudest or most powerful speakers that can be purchased, they still provide a fantastic sound.

These additional options are typically only found on more expensive speakers, so it is great that the Edifier R1280DB Speakers feature them. It sets them above similar competitors within a similar price range.

The frequency range is 55Hz – 20KHz. It is worth noting that if you are pushing these speakers to their sound limits, the sound can become slightly distorted, which is worth keeping in mind.

Inputs

The inputs of these speakers are fantastic. There are both optical and coaxial inputs, these are compatible with the majority of computers and TVs.

Given this, you should have no issues when connecting these to your DJ equipment and computer.

The Edifier R1280DB Speakers have two standard RCA connections, which is useful, but it’s the optical and the coaxial digital options that make these speakers stand out from other options on the market.

The connections are great because it enables you to use the speakers for more than one purpose. They’re versatile and DJing, they can then be used to watch films too.

Bluetooth

In addition to the connections mentioned in the last specification section, these speakers have Bluetooth connectivity options. The Bluetooth options are particularly useful, especially if you don’t want to worry about extra cables. 

The connection is fairly straightforward, however, it’s not perfect. If the speakers are too far away, there can be connection issues, and sometimes it is better to use the cables.

On the whole, the Bluetooth connection is a positive one when the speakers are within range. This allows you to switch between different connections with ease, without having to worry about changing the cable connections, or where you need to place the speakers.

Remote Control

In addition to the Bluetooth speakers, the Edifier R1280DB Speakers also feature a remote control.

This is particularly useful when DJing as you don’t have to worry about changing the settings physically, you can stay near the decks, and change them quickly with the remote control.

The remote control features options such as mute, volume up and down, play, pause, skype forward, and backward. It’s useful to have, and it connects to the speakers well. 

The only downside to the remote control is that you cannot adjust the treble or bass options. This needs to be adjusted manually. 

Ease of Use

Overall, these speakers are daily easy to use. They are easy to set up, and once they are in place, as they feature Bluetooth connections, there is no real need to move them.

However, being so lightweight and compact, if they do need to be moved, this can be done easily, and they are great to carry with you if you are moving your set-up.

The connections are great and clear, and having the three options allows you to connect the majority of devices to the speakers.

Given this, while your main priority may be to use them to practice DJing at home, you can use them with TV’s and consoles too.

The settings and tuning options are easy to access and change, and the Edifier R1280DB Speakers respond well to the slight difference in settings.

The remote control connects easily, and takes away the need to have to get up to change the majority of settings. 

There are no confusing specifications, and the speakers are straightforward to set up and use.

Warranty

When choosing speakers, it’s important to take into consideration the warranty provided. While you may not necessarily need to use the warranty, if something goes wrong with the speakers in the future, it’s useful to have.

The warranty for the Edifier R1280DB Speakers is two years. Given the lower price point of these speakers, this is particularly good. The warranty covers both parts and labor.

This warranty is only available when the Edifier R1280DB Speakers are purchased in the USA or Canada. If purchased in a different country, this warranty may vary.

Pros:

• Price – One of the biggest pros for the Edifier R1280DB Speakers is their price. They have such fantastic specifications when you take into consideration the low price point.

• Sound Quality – The sound quality of these speakers is fantastic, and it is great that you can change the bass and treble options, as many lower priced speakers do not allow this.

• Bluetooth – The Bluetooth connectivity is another pro for these speakers. It takes away the need for cables, and allows you to connect different devices quickly and easily

• Connectivity – Another huge bonus for the Edifier R1280DB Speakers is that it has three connectivity options. The optical and coaxial inputs allow you to use the speakers with many devices, including computers and laptops, which is essential for DJing

Cons:

• Remote Control – While the remote control features very useful options, it does not allow you to adjust the bass and treble. These need to be adjusted manually, which can be a little frustrating.

Summary

To conclude, the Edifier R1280DB Speakers are certainly worth considering. When looking at the low price point, they’re some of the best speakers that can be purchased in this range.

If you’re shopping on a budget, they feature everything you need. There’s no real need to splurge hundreds of dollars on speakers for DJing if you’re looking for smaller speakers.

The Edifier R1280DB Speakers should connect to the vast majority of computers, and you shouldn’t have to worry about connectivity issues. They’re easy to move and transport when needed.

The sound quality is fantastic, and it’s great that you can adjust the bass and treble options because typically only more expensive speakers will allow you to do this.

If you’re looking for a simple and easy option then the Edifier R1280DB Speakers are perfect for you. You don’t have to worry about cables, and they sound great.