“The e25 offer more value than any multimedia speaker we’ve heard in the last five years … an absolute win for Edifier.”
- Excellent build quality
- Outstanding bass
- Clear midrange
- Solid Bluetooth connection
- Slick design
- Outstanding value
- Treble is forward in the mix
- Exposed tweeter begs to be poked
Whatever you want to call them – desktop speakers, computer speakers, multimedia speakers – the market is in need of some fresh new looks, and the new e25 Luna Eclipse from Edifier provide just that. Armed with Bluetooth for wireless streaming, powerful amplification and some cleverly hidden passive radiators for bigger bass, the e25 appear to be as functional as they are beautiful. Unfortunately, many a desktop speaker has caught our eye only to disappoint our ear. Would the e25 be any different? We aimed to find out.
Out of the box
The e25 provide an incredible out-of-box experience, especially for a $200 product. We lifted the box’s lid to find the speakers in cloth sacks, nestled within velvety black cutouts and protected by dense foam from above. As we pried the speakers free, we were stuck by how heavy and solid they felt – nearly 8 lbs. each. Removing the cloth sacks exposed a glossy, almost Ferrari-red finish, though the speakers are also available in gloss black and gloss white.
Along with the speakers we found a small power supply brick, an IEC cable, a proprietary 6-pin connection cable to link the speakers, a 3.5mm audio cable, and a super-slim remote control. Much to our delight, both the power cable and the connecting cable are lengthy. The connection cable runs about 10 feet long, and it’s soft and pliable, too, allowing for plenty of separation and easy cable management.
Features and design
Looking at the e25, it is clear that a lot of attention was paid to every element of the speaker’s design and build quality. Of course, the speaker’s moon-like shape is eye-catching, but once you peer closer, you’ll notice the baffle up front has a silky, rubbery texture; protecting the tweeter from getting poked is a semi-circular plastic bar (you can still poke it if you work for it, but we advise against doing so) and toward the rear, a short column with a metallic finish not only completes the speakers’ structure, but adds a bit of class as well.
Each speaker features a ¾-inch silk dome tweeter and 3.5-inch midrange driver. In order to enhance bass output, the e25 employ the use of two passive radiators which can just be seen through the speakers’ slit toward the back. The passive radiators face each other from the top and bottom which, interestingly, places the two radiators 180 degrees out of phase with each other. The design works well, though, as we discovered in our listening tests.
The e25’s amp juices up each tweeter with 15 watts and each midrange driver with 22 watts for a total system power rating of 74 watts. The speakers do allow wireless audio streaming by way of Bluetooth (profile not disclosed) but there’s also an aux input available for connecting nearly any audio device. We can imagine the e25 working well not only as a desktop computer speaker, but also as a small system for TV audio as well.
The light and plastic-y remote included with the system doesn’t share the speakers’ build quality and is rather simple in that it only offers buttons for power and volume up and down. It’s hard to imagine needing to use it much, though, as the e25 offer touch-capacitive keys on the side of the right speaker and other functions can be handled using a connected Bluetooth device.
Audio performance
As we noted in our unboxing video, the e25 make quite an impression right off the bat. But, as is often the case with speakers, the more you listen, the more you notice the little things. In our case, extended listening revealed a treble-forward sound signature; but the good news is, it stops short of being offensively bright or aggressive.
To say these speakers punch above their weight in the bass department would be an accurate but incomplete description.
The first thing that grabbed us was the e25’s bass performance. To say these speakers punch above their weight in the bass department would be an accurate but incomplete description. Not only is the bass strong and surprisingly deep, but it is lightning fast and super-accurate. Thanks to sealed cabinetry and a smart passive radiator design, these speakers can start and stop on a dime, with midrange and bass in lock-step at all times. Showcasing the speakers’ quick and nimble response was the bass solo in Russell Gunn’s rendition of the Miles Davis tune, “Tutu” from his Plays Miles release. Here, the bass player plucks and slaps his way through two choruses, a segment that challenges any speaker to keep up. The e25 didn’t so much as break a sweat.
The e25’s midrange sounds open and clear. We sensed a fair amount of warmth around string instruments and deep male vocals. For instance, Keb Mo had a startling presence in the room while listening to the title track from his Slow Down release. But the sound wasn’t simply present and realistic, the e25’s nailed each and every pitch inflection with the kind of accuracy we expect from a high-end bookshelf speaker.
Treble is where the e25 stray furthest from a neutral sound signature. The speakers’ ¾-inch tweeters have been voiced such that they call attention to themselves. The effect is a very clean and articulate sound that we think most listeners will embrace because it doesn’t get in the way of anything, it’s just plainly obvious. Fortunately, the speakers never shriek at you, and sibilants are kept under control. The sound might best be described as having sparkle rather than bite.
Conclusion
We can’t believe these speakers sound this good, yet only cost $200. The e25 offer more value than any multimedia speaker we’ve heard in the last five years and are an absolute win for Edifier. Some critical listeners may take issue with the slightly forward treble, but we think the vast majority of folks will appreciate the e25 Luna Eclipse for their sleek and slick futuristic design, potent bass, open midrange and sparkling treble. Simply put: these speakers are a ton of fun.
Highs
- Excellent build quality
- Outstanding bass
- Clear midrange
- Solid Bluetooth connection
- Slick design
- Outstanding value
Lows
- Treble is forward in the mix
- Exposed tweeter begs to be poked
