“For a 2.1 speaker system under $100, we were impressed that the sound is as good as the overall look of the system.”
- Fantastic design; great sounding; solid construction; affordable
- Bass could be deeper; power cable prone to coming loose if kicked
Summary
With so many computer 2.1 speaker systems on the market today, it’s easy to be turned off from anything starting at under $100. But at the Consumer Electronics show earlier this year, the buzz was all about Edifiers new E3350 lifestyle speaker systems. People were assuming that with such rich sounds, and well built speakers, they would be in the $250 or higher price range. Coming in at just $99.99, the new E3350 speaker system combines award winning design with practical affordability.
Features and Design
The E3350 is a 2.1 speaker system including 2 satellite speakers and subwoofer. The satellites are magnetically shielded with 2-way 2.75-inch soft silk dome tweeters running at 4 Ohm and a ¾-inch PV dome tweeter, magnetically shielded at 4 Ohm. There are soft pads on the bottom of the speakers to prevent slipping, and rattling. The exotic shaped subwoofer has a 5-inch downward firing magnetically shielded driver running at 5 Ohms; inputs for the satellite speakers, and line-input for your media source (allowing you to connect your MP3 player using the headphone jack). Also located on the sub is a bass control to adjust to taste. There is a very attractive round metal volume control that has a nice smooth expensive feel. Also on the control wheel is a headphone jack and additional auxiliary input for MP3 player connection. The overall feel of the speaker system construction is among the best we have seen; from the brushed aluminum control wheel to the heaviness of the satellite speakers, it’s clear a lot of thought has gone into this system.
Use and Testing
Set-up was extremely easy and straightforward. There’s not much to installing a 2.1 speaker system; and Edifier made sure that right out of their earth friendly packaging, we could have our tunes up in minutes. The cables are sufficient enough for nearly any office desk set-up, and are thick enough to not cause worry of fraying or breaking.
Image Courtesy of Edifier
Music Testing
We covered everything from Johnny Cash to Pearl Jam and were pleased with the overall spectrum of audio the e3350’s delivered. The adjustable subwoofer was nice for the needs of deep bass, but since it was located in the sub, it can be difficult to find at times. So we just left it at about ¾ of the way up all the time. The satellites are rich and clear and provided more than sufficient volume and clarity at high decibels.
Conclusion
For a 2.1 speaker system under $100, we were impressed that the sound is as good as the overall look of the system. The folks at CES thought it was a nice system as well, awarding it their 2008 Innovation Design and Engineering Award Honorees in Computer Peripherals award. Not bad for a company most have not heard of.
Pros:
• Award winning design
• Great sound
• Solid construction
• Affordable
• Earth friendly packaging
Cons:
• Satellite cables are combined into one cable
• Lacks an iPod docking station (as expected in this price range)
• Power cable can come loose if bumped
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