Choosing acoustics is not an easy task. The entire sound sphere is based on subjectivity and shaky assessments, so you need to approach the choice comprehensively, taking into account, so to speak, all the components of the future picture. For example, a multi-component system with a huge subwoofer looks good in the store, but if there is no space in the room to accommodate it, then the purchase is meaningless. The same goes for ergonomics, ease of operation and some technical characteristics. Therefore, it is first worth talking about the basic points that you should consider while the money is still in your pocket.

Choosing multimedia acoustics

Main technical characteristics and features

System type

The first thing you need to decide is the type of system. Acoustics can be stereophonic (with two identical speakers - 2.0) or multi-component (with a subwoofer). In turn, multicomponent systems differ in the number of satellites. There can be two of them, then you get a regular stereo plus a subwoofer (2.1), or five at once, which is typical for home theaters (5.1). You can talk about the right choice for a very long time, but in general, the most universal option will be system 2.0. Stereo systems of normal size and power are good for listening to music, games and movies. In general, for everything. Triphonics (2.1) are for the most part a compromise: small satellite speakers are equipped with a subwoofer, since they fundamentally do not reproduce bass. Six-channel systems (5.1) are designed for organizing home theaters, namely for building the most accurate scene with clear positioning of sources. For this there are front speakers, rear speakers and a center channel.

frequency range

Frequency range is the main characteristic of any speaker system. It is he who indicates its initial property - the ability to reproduce sound. Naturally, the wider it is, the better for forming the final picture. The greatest difficulty for acoustics lies precisely in the lower limit, since the physical dimensions of the speaker must be comparable to the wavelength. To put it simply, it should be big. Based on subjective feelings, we can say that a system in which the size of the low-frequency head is 4–5 inches can produce more or less high-quality bass. In this case, the lower frequency limit will lie around the 50 Hz mark. With the top of the frequency coverage, everything is much simpler. Any speaker with a high-frequency speaker can easily play 18…20 kHz, which exceeds the capabilities of the human ear. Work in the ultrasonic range in the context of multimedia acoustics can not be considered. The problem lies elsewhere: it is rare that a manufacturer honestly indicates frequency limits, usually limiting itself to the standard 20–20,000 Hz. There is only one recommendation here: listen, trust reviews from trusted sources, or better yet, look at the frequency response graph.

Power

Power no less characterizes the capabilities of acoustics. The higher it is, the louder the sound will be. But there is a nuance. There are a lot of power measurement methods and standards, and as a result, speakers with 10 watts can sound louder than those with a hundred. Therefore, we recommend that you treat these figures with caution and strictly link them to physical parameters. For example, if we say that the heavier the acoustics, and the more speakers installed in it, the more powerful it is, then we definitely won’t be mistaken.

Acoustic design

This primarily concerns the woofer. In fact, there are many options, but only proven, proven solutions are widely used. The most common is a bass reflex, when the head installed in the body communicates with the external environment directly and through a special pipe. We can say that the bass reflex type is the golden mean between power and quality. For example, a closed box (the name speaks for itself - a box with a speaker without any holes) plays more pleasantly in places, but is objectively weaker in terms of volume with the same initial data. A bandpass resonator, when we do not see the head itself, and only the bass reflex is brought out, on the contrary, is designed to obtain maximum efficiency. But in the latter case, a problem arises: the sound quality decreases, the setup requirements increase, and the system itself is highly susceptible to the influence of the room.

Materials

It is traditionally believed that the best material for making acoustic cabinets is wood. It's right. In the expensive segment, there are even disputes about the types of wood. But in the class of multimedia acoustics there is no real wood, instead it is MDF - wood-fiber board. The material is thick and rigid. Everything is clear with thickness. The higher it is, the better. Hardness also varies greatly from crumbly (this already indicates the use of chipboard and is typical for the most budget models) to extremely hard options.. Of course, in a store you can only check it by subjective indicators (knock, for example, and compare it with weight), and We can only hope that self-respecting manufacturers use good material. Plastic is considered a cheaper solution, but there are companies that prefer this material. It provides more opportunities for designers to realize their fantasies. With the proper level of manufacturing, plastic systems are not inferior to those made from MDF, especially in small volumes.

Ergonomics

If you choose the wrong color or design, you will quickly get used to them, but inconvenient controls will remind you of yourself every day. The most friendly option is classic resistive twisters. They retain the selected position in any state, and are not afraid of a dead battery in the remote control. An excellent development of this idea can be considered remote wired regulators. Undoubtedly, buttons are in fashion today, but many manufacturers are leaning towards the old, time-tested options. It's a shame that very few of them can implement them correctly. The main problem is that in 95% of cases all settings return to factory settings when the power is turned off. So be careful when you want to move the acoustics to another room or take them to the dacha in the summer.

Digital inputs and Bluetooth

Any multimedia acoustics was initially equipped with one or more analog inputs. This is how it continues to this day, but models with digital inputs and Bluetooth have already begun to appear on the market. Digital is very convenient to use for connecting advanced sources - media players or game consoles. And the wireless interface works great in tandem with smartphones or tablets. In general, such options are undoubted advantages.

Radio and player

The presence of an FM radio and a built-in player are options that are not useful to everyone. It is clear that chips that provide such capabilities are very inexpensive, so manufacturers often use them, especially in budget decisions. But if you can still understand the radio - why not listen, then playing music locally from SD cards or flash drives in 2013 seems to us a little strange.

External amplifier

In most cases, it is a marketing ploy and does not provide any significant benefits. An exception can be considered systems used for home theater, where the external unit can be placed anywhere, increasing the ease of control.

Stereo systems - 2.0

Top Device TDS-505

Let's start a little unconventionally, since the Top Device company can hardly be called at least one of the leaders of the Russian market, and products under this brand are often thinly veiled copies that we saw many years ago.

Top Device TDS-505

If we talk about similarities, Top Device TDS-505 is very similar to F&D R223, although this brand is represented only in neighboring countries. However, this does not in any way detract from the merits of the 505 model. Yes, it is made a little archaically, but in the price range of “about 1500 rubles” we get excellent sound. Listeners note a flat midrange, not deep, but pleasant bass. In general, if you are choosing inexpensive acoustics for yourself or as a gift for an inexperienced listener, then this option is worth considering very carefully.

Konoos KNS-D600

The Konoos brand appeared on our market a couple of years ago, showing a rather aggressive policy. There are many interesting systems in the manufacturer’s model range, some of which we had the opportunity to test, and their main advantage is a very competitive price.

For example, almost the oldest model in the 2.0 line - KNS-D600 - costs only about 2,000 rubles. At the same time, the speakers are equipped with an almost full-fledged 4-inch woofer and an excellent dome tweeter with a fabric diffuser. The sound is quite detailed and pleasant. In general, it’s good that at least some of the newly formed companies have some kind of clear strategy for entering the market, and do not just order OEM batches in China with their logo.

By the way, Konoos has even more interesting models. For example, acoustic system KNS-D700 with external amplifier KNS-UM700. It sounds good, but there are assembly flaws, and the amplifier circuitry, which for some reason is completely discrete, is not perfect.

SVEN SPS-707

SVEN SPS-707 can be called one of the few successful models of the company for Lately. Most of the new products look frankly weak, especially against the backdrop of past developments, which we will return to later. Despite its modest size and pop appearance, the acoustics play quite decently, one might even say beautifully and loudly. Eat remote management.

It would seem, what else is needed? But this is one example when good system spoiled by ill-conceived push-button controls. All settings are reset when the power is turned off, and if you find you prefer a slightly tweaked tonal balance, each power-up will begin with a preset.

Edifier R1280T

Edifier R1280T is a very interesting acoustics. Edifier generally has one of the most serious 2.0 lines on this moment, while the budget sector has not been updated for a long time. This model perfectly refreshed the overall picture. It turned out to be small in size, but this did not affect the sound. It's loud, detailed and beautiful. Naturally, speakers of this size only lack the lowest bass.

By the way, the speakers have interesting feature, not uncommon for modern systems. Instead of a classic transformer power supply, a high-frequency pulse converter is used. According to subjective sensations, this does not affect the sound in any way. In general, if you need good compact speakers for home, we recommend it.

SVEN STREAM R

Initially, the STREAM line came out somewhat controversial. The speakers showed quite normal sound quality, however, taking into account the technologies being advertised (and bi-amp is used here) and the success of the Royal series, it turned out somehow too pale. Bi-amping did not bring any obvious improvements. The sound did not become more beautiful or louder, so the question immediately arose - why? It remains open to this day.

The STREAM R version is a slightly modified version with wireless control. SVEN often uses such a development strategy when, to update its model range, an existing model is equipped with a remote control. It remains to be noted that the acoustics are available in several sizes such as light or mega, so you can choose according to power and dimensions. And, of course, the price.

Creative GigaWorks T40 Series II

The Creative company has a rather non-trivial policy in terms of producing speaker systems, which turns out to be alien to most of our compatriots. And we can agree with this, since already for 3,000 rubles we want to see large speakers in MDF cases with large speakers. And here we are offered relatively small desktop speaker systems for almost 5 thousand.

CREATIVE GIGAWORKS T40 SERIES II

It is worth noting that the speakers are made of very high quality, and the excellent plastic is in no way inferior to the pseudo-wooden material. The sound is full and loud. However, alas, you won't hear real bass. This may only be a plus for residents of panel houses.

Edifier R2600

Edifier R2600 is a mid-budget speaker system aimed at picky users. It uses very impressive speakers by multimedia class standards and advanced digital amplifier with separate channels. All this allows you to get a very good sound High Quality with good bass and real mids. Such acoustics can be recommended to people who, for some reason, have not yet matured into full-fledged Hi-Fi, but already have a formed point of view.

Without exaggeration, we can say that the R2600 is one of the most best systems in your class. Moreover, all the main competitors were released much later, and there are very few truly new models of this level.

microlab SOLO 6Cnew

These speakers can probably be called one of the longest-lived on the market. Over time, they have undergone a lot of technical changes, and the next round of evolution added convenient adjustment knobs on one of the side panels. This was expected, since it was precisely for the unclear controls that many criticized the previous generation SOLO 6C.

microlab SOLO 6Cnew

Once upon a time, these acoustics were considered a measure of quality in their price range, but today the competitors are very strong. SVEN contrasts Stream and Royal 2, Edifier's R2600 model looks great. And I must say that it’s time for microlab engineers to think about the next update.

Edifier R2800

It’s nice to even just talk about systems like the Edifier R2800, let alone listen to them. Without a doubt, this is the flagship today. And the fate of flagships, unfortunately, can be very difficult. The system is advanced in terms of electronics, and is based on a three-way circuit. The result is a sound that is truly worthy of praise. However, you will have to pay a lot for these engineering surveys - more than 10 thousand rubles.

And here we can draw an analogy with expensive production cars. Many of them are excellent from a technical point of view, but in general they are very unprofitable. Edifier R2800 has every chance to repeat this story, but no one is stopping an individual from buying them and enjoying them.

Three-component acoustics - 2.1

Edifier E3350BT

Edifier E3350BT is an excellent example of how multimedia acoustics can combine the most incongruous qualities. Trifonica is inexpensive - it costs about 3,400 rubles, but it has a bright, memorable appearance, the sound component is not strangled, and in addition there are several pleasant bonuses: a convenient wired control panel and a Bluetooth wireless interface.

However, we still consider the main advantage of the E3350BT model to be the fact that, with such a serious emphasis on the exterior, the speakers play. The satellites have a full set of speakers with dome high-frequency radiators. And the subwoofer can deliver full bass. In general, we recommend it - practical, convenient and pleasing to the eye.

microlab FC50

microlab FC50 is another design experiment from a well-known company. Outwardly it actually turned out quite well. This pseudo-retro style will fit well into the design of many modern interiors. A nice bonus will be the wireless control panel in the form of a puck.

But in terms of acoustic characteristics, the new product can be given a very mediocre rating; the subwoofer let us down. It does not provide the desired volume and bass quality, for which, in fact, this element is part of 2.1 systems.

SVEN MS-3000

SVEN MS-3000 is another newest product. As you can see, the developers left without much attention to the appearance of the triphonic, which is characterized by the most classic features, but did a good job on the sound component.

The satellites have full-fledged mid-frequency speakers and fabric dome tweeters. The subwoofer has acoustic design in the form of a closed box, in a word, initially we see preconditions in the direction of sound quality, not volume. But in the end the sound is very balanced, and the maximum volume did not let us down. The system can be recommended for purchase in conjunction with a computer or even a TV.

SVEN SB-550

And since we’re talking about use with TVs, we can’t ignore sound bars. They appeared on the market relatively recently, since large panels (LCD and plasma) have become widespread, and, as a rule, they have no sound. The trouble is that branded soundbars are sometimes unreasonably expensive. And SVEN became one of the first multimedia companies who began to correct this situation.

All the convenience of a soundbar lies in the design of the system, while in essence it is a classic 2.1 acoustics. The satellites are made as detachable parts of a collapsible housing about a meter long. It can be placed at the bottom of the TV or hung directly on the panel. Separating the speakers at such a distance allows you to get a small area of ​​​​stereophonic effect. And the fact that the speakers are fully-fledged, again having dome HF heads with fabric diffusers, makes the sound nice.

The subwoofer generally communicates with the main part via a radio channel. No signal wires are needed to connect it, and you can place it near any power outlet in the room. It turns out to be a couple of thousand rubles more expensive than a conventional system of similar quality, but the convenience is worth it.

Edifier C2XD

Edifier C2XD - acoustics of a classic appearance with modern filling. The system has an interesting external amplifier with a function of automatic adjustment to the input signal level. Additionally, a full optical input is installed. For its operation, an expensive digital-to-analog converter Cirrus Logic CS4334 is used.

Music accompanies us almost everywhere: at home, on vacation, at work and on the road. Headphones are, of course, a good thing, but in a home environment they are not as useful as we would like. Optimal choice in this case - columns.

We will tell you how to choose the right one and which models you should pay attention to in this article. The most popular segment of devices will be considered - acoustics (Volume) 2.0.

Criterias of choice

Multi-channel home theaters with five or more speakers are classified as 5.1 systems. Here we are already fully constructing and immersing ourselves in the scene with clear positioning of sources (front, rear, center). The price of such pleasure is far from small, and such a system takes up a lot of space, so we will not consider it. In our case, multimedia acoustics 2.0 has more advantages.

frequency range

Regardless of type frequency range- this is the main characteristic of the speakers. It is this that determines its original property, that is, the ability to reproduce sound. The wider this range, the better the final musical picture will be formed. Acoustics 2.0 has always been characterized by the presence of certain problems with the lower limit, because the dimensions of the speakers must be clearly and correctly comparable to the wavelength. In other words, the columns must be large.

Any self-respecting brand, along with the standard equipment, attaches to its speaker systems a bench test of the speakers in the form of frequency response graphs, where you can easily trace the main capabilities of the device.

Power

Along with the frequency range, power also indicates the capabilities of the system. Acoustics 2.0 is no exception, and therefore the higher the power rating, the louder the sound will be. But there are some nuances to this point.

In total, there are about a dozen main methods for measuring power and about the same number of standards. It also happens that a 10-watt portable acoustics 2.0 can sound louder than a multimedia with a hundred watts. Therefore, it is better to treat this kind of power indicators with great distrust and, when choosing, link them to real physical characteristics.

Materials

Almost all music lovers consider wood to be the best material for speaker systems. And indeed it is. In the elite segment there are even constant battles on the topic of wood species. However, the best 2.0 computer speakers are made without the use of this expensive material. The best option in this case is considered to be fibreboard, that is, MDF. The material has sufficient thickness and, most importantly, balanced rigidity.

If everything is clear with thickness - the higher the better, then with rigidity things are not so clear. The parameter varies from crumbly to extremely hard. In the first case, inexpensive chipboard is used, which is present in budget models, and in other cases - high-quality and expensive material. Of course, you can only check such an indicator in a storefront by subjective sensations (tapping, volume-to-weight ratio, etc.), so you can only rely on the authority of the brand.

Plastic is considered a cheaper option for acoustics, but quite a few venerable companies prefer it. In this case, the possibilities of designers are unlimited, because plastic is the most pliable material for realizing any interior fantasies. With the right approach and the proper level of performance, 2.0 acoustics made of plastic are in no way inferior in quality to models made of MDF, especially for small speakers.

Ergonomics

You can get used to catchy colors or expressive design, but inconvenient controls and beacons will annoy you every day. The best option in this case is ordinary resistive twisters in a classic style. They are not afraid of a dead battery in the remote control, and they retain the selected position in any condition.

Remote wired controls are considered a more modern option, although many believe that buttons are the ideal control. Reputable brands, however, lean towards old, rare and proven options.

Digital inputs and wireless protocols

Any one is equipped with one or even several analog inputs. But in order to connect passive acoustics 2.0 to a computer, digital inputs and wireless protocols like bluetooth are increasingly being used. This is very convenient when it comes to game consoles or media players. As for smartphones and tablets, connecting the speaker system via Bluetooth is a definite plus.

The best speaker systems

List of the best speaker systems:

• Top Device TDS-505.
• Konoos KNS-D600.
• SVEN SPS-707.

Top Device TDS-505

This brand can hardly be called a leader in the domestic market, especially since the company’s products often appear on the shelves in the form of veiled copies, which were littered with all music stores several years ago.

The model is yours appearance and the characteristics are reminiscent of the F&D R223, widely known among music lovers. Although the latter is in enviable demand, the 505th model is in no way inferior in its technical data to its expensive and high-quality brother.

Judging by the reviews of the owners, the acoustics from Top Devices look a little archaic, but in this attractive price range we get excellent sound along with high-quality performance. Users note pleasant and shallow bass, as well as a smooth midrange. If you want to acquire an inexpensive and high-quality speaker system or decide to give a gift to an inexperienced music lover, then you can take a closer look at this option.

Konoos KNS-D600

The brand appeared on domestic shelves about three years ago with a rather aggressive policy. The lineup The company's portfolio is very extensive, and among all the variety you can find extremely interesting systems. One of the main advantages of the D600 model is, of course, the price.

Despite the budget price, the system is equipped with a full-fledged 4-inch speaker with low frequencies and a decent high-frequency emitter with a fabric diffuser. At the output we get a pretty good sound - detailed and pleasant.

Many owners in their reviews note the company’s competent policy on entering Russian market- the models fall into the budget segment, but the “filling” is distinguished by its quality and clear technical superiority over competing analogues.

SVEN SPS-707

The 707 model can be called one of the few successful products of the brand in recent years. Most of the company's new products look somewhat faded, and this is especially noticeable against the backdrop of past developments.

Despite its small dimensions and sometimes even pop appearance, the system turned out to be quite decent, and the output sound was beautiful, loud and of high quality. Also included is a convenient remote control remote control and replaceable nets.

On the one hand, everything seems to be fine, but on the other hand, the owners in their reviews note the ill-conceived push-button control. After turning off the power, all acoustic settings are reset, and if you, for example, decide that you prefer an enhanced tonal balance, then each subsequent turn on will begin with settings and corrections for yourself, and this is a significant disadvantage.

Nevertheless, the model is in enviable demand, and the point is not only in the low price, but also in the truly high-quality sound, which will be the envy of more expensive analogues.

A new multimedia speaker system in the price range of up to 200-250 dollars is always an event: this market is represented in Russia by a small number of companies, successful systems can be counted on one hand, and those who want to spend the above-mentioned amount in order to forget forever the cheap, “plastic” sound purchased by default science fiction", a lot.

Edifier R2700, thanks to its interesting acoustic design, declared characteristics and execution, promised to be an interesting event in any case. It is especially worth emphasizing the fact that we are not talking about some release in the future: the R2700 speakers can be freely purchased now if desired. Moreover, the Edifier company has long had a reputation as an experimenter and producer of unexpected, non-trivial solutions.

Let's start testing. But first, here’s a classic plate with the key characteristics declared by the manufacturer.

Edifier R2700 3-way active stereo system
output power	128 W
Claimed signal-to-noise ratio of the amplifier	About 85 dBA
Acoustic system version	Three speakers, three bands separately driven by an amplifier, tri-upping technology (separate amplifier for each band)
Claimed frequency range of the subwoofer	50-2,000 Hz
Stated frequency range of Twitter	2.8—20,000 Hz
Level of nonlinear distortion in the declared range of reproduced frequencies	<0,5%
Low frequency section	6.5" magnetically shielded speaker
Broadband section	4" magnetically shielded speaker
High frequency section	3/4" magnetically shielded silk dome tweeter
Housing material	Fiberboard (MDF)
Inputs	5-pin XLR speaker cable (integrated), two digital inputs (optical, coaxial), two analog inputs (RCA)
Features of execution	Electronic tone block with DSP processing, fully digital path, remote control included
Dimensions	Active speaker 218x393x298 mm, passive speaker 218x393x294 mm

Right away, even before examining the internal structure of the system and studying its sound, we note the following interesting things: the entire body is made of MDF board, a simply magnificent set of input interfaces, including digital ones, and, of course, 3-way acoustics, which in itself is unusual for this price range.

We won’t include the presence of a DSP tone block among the obviously positive “amenities” for now; we’ll talk about it after listening.

⇡ Design and execution

The kit that arrived at our editorial office has already been used, so we will not vouch for the compliance of the store’s equipment. Of course, the kit includes a remote control, possibly a set of “tulips”, but the digital interface was placed in a box in a separate retail package: although it is under the Edifier brand, we are not ready to vouch for its presence in the retail kit.

Right away - so as not to return later - a few words about the remote control. It runs on two traditional AAA batteries, is simple to use, but very ergonomic, all key functions are present.

Let's finally explore speaker design. Let's start with the passive one.

Three speakers: the arrangement is predictable, as is the correspondence of the diameters of the diffusers. Bass reflex on the front plane, the false panel is easily removable. The body is made of MDF board; you will appreciate the thickness a little later - in the following photographs. The structure is non-removable, individual fragments are covered with plastic polymer “like veneer”.

The mechanical performance is at a high level, the holes for the speakers are made with a minimum technological gap, they are securely held in the corresponding grooves; even with the screws unscrewed, additional efforts were required to remove them, especially with the Twitter. Unless the standard size of the screws is too small - obviously not for repeated disassembly of the system, it is better not to abuse this. The bass reflex is covered with a decorative mesh - this, I think, is a nice little thing for those who do not like to use false false panels.

We proceed to autopsy the patient. The first is Twitter.

Compact, high-quality sealed, magnetic shielding in place.

Wideband speaker. A high-quality, powerful magnet plus magnetic shielding, the soldering is a little careless, but the glue is from the heart. I especially ask you to pay attention to the “socket” in which the broadband speaker sits: a special barrel-shaped plastic insert slightly wider than the diameter of the diffuser, with a glued “bottom” made of plywood - such “isolation” of the mid-frequency speaker is clearly necessary to form a specific frequency response intended by the developers.

Let's move on to the subwoofer. Everything here is simple and predictable: magnetic shielding is available, a magnet adequate to the load, high-quality soldering.

For those especially interested in the acoustic circuit, we took another picture, clearly showing the dimensions of the midrange driver “socket”, the dimensions and shape of the bass reflex:

The back side of a passive speaker. It's simple - a classic 5-pin XLR connector, nothing more to say. In addition, you can pay attention to the quality of the film with which the MDS board is covered - it is at a high level.

Let's move on to the active column. To Edifier's credit, it should be noted that the engineers were not lazy and placed the speakers in the speakers with mirror symmetry. It's a small thing, and it hardly affects the sound, but it looks aesthetically pleasing.

Structurally, as you can see, the design of the acoustic part is the same: everything, including the decorative mesh on the bass reflex, mirrors the passive speaker. However, a tone block has already appeared on the side, and wires are visible from behind.

The tone block is the most controversial part of the Edifier R2700 speaker design. More precisely, its implementation is controversial. The zero levels of adjustment for low and high frequencies seemed to us to be chosen very, very arbitrarily. But more about this below, in the part with impressions of the sound.

The back side of the active speaker: digital and analog inputs, a non-removable cable for connecting a passive speaker, a non-removable power cable, a mechanical switch. This is a matter of taste, although the fact that with this design there are no extra connectors and the cables are guaranteed not to get lost may please many. For example, I am impressed.

We move on to the final phase - opening and studying the circuitry.

⇡ Circuit design

The first thing is power: this is what a power transformer looks like, an ordinary step-down classic transformer, without any tricks that are not needed here. Next, the power circuits are separated - the preamplifier and output stages are powered by different converters.

Let's move on to the PCB and the actual implementation of the amplifier.

Perhaps the most interesting and useful fact about the Edifier R2700 speakers: the entire amplification path - completely and without exception - is digital. That is, for analog inputs, of course, there is an analog-to-digital converter based on the PCM1808 hardware codec, but that’s all: then the signal is processed only “digitally”.

From the digital inputs, the signal goes directly to the AK4117 S/P-DIF receiver with a 12.888 reference crystal.

The final amplifiers are a separate story: the whole process also occurs “digitally” using PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) technology. That is, in fact, these are class D amplifiers, simply unthinkable in the tube era due to problems with nonlinear distortions, but in the last decade they have reached incredible heights in signal transmission quality due to progress in the creation of field-effect transistors with a previously impossible current-voltage characteristic.

Directly to amplify the signal, TAS5342A chips manufactured by Texas Instruments are used plus controller wiring on TAS5508C and 8L152C4 chips for different frequency channels.

Just a few words about the TI TAS5342A amplifier: this is a state-of-the-art Class D digital liner with a classic 12-V power supply, capable of operating both in single switching and in symmetrical mode, pumping up to 40 W/100 W, respectively.

In practice it looks something like this. To drive the tweeter and mid-frequency speaker, one TAS5342A channel is used, the woofer is driven by two TAS5342A connected by a bridge. Total: two speakers, eight amplifiers for both with corresponding controllers - that’s the math, with a good margin.

A separate topic is frequency filtering for different speakers. This is where the highlight of these speakers lies. The design of the Edifier R2700 systems uses fourth-order filters with a slope of 24 dB per octave, which, in fact, is not entirely typical for 200-dollar speakers. The presence of fourth-order filters is most often characteristic of much more expensive systems.

It was not possible to get to the markings of the tone control without destroying the structure, but judging by the characteristic clicks, these are multi-position resistor matrices, ideal for “digital”, leaving no chance for the appearance of “contact bounce” and the introduction of any other distortions during adjustment during playback. The tone controls have a midpoint and fixation points, and the volume control has a smooth move, without fixation.

There are no complaints about the installation, soldering and layout of the circuit elements; everything was thought out by the developers and carefully executed in practice.

⇡ Test results. conclusions

Before praising this system, which is undoubtedly successful in all respects, and talking about the peculiarities of its sound in various conditions, let me add a small fly in the ointment. The only and significant complaint is about the tone block, or more precisely about its high-frequency control.

Perhaps this is a purely subjective judgment, but in the neutral position of the treble control, the “tops” sound very, very conditional. In many cases, they are not enough - both at low and at maximum volume.

At the same time, a minimal change in the “plus” position of the knob gives an amazing effect, but too quickly, as a result, if you overdo it, especially at full volume, you can turn the knob to “fried sand” - excessive highs.

An ideal, golden mean exists, but it exists literally at ten to fifteen degrees of turn of the regulator. Below is a “blank barrel”, above is “sand”. We would, of course, thank the creators of the Edifier R2700 for such wide capabilities, but we would still like to note that the adjustment range comfortable The treble sound is quite narrow. It is the adjustments, not the sound. In general, you should have seen from the outside how I had to turn this regulator up for fifteen minutes on different compositions until I caught the ideal transmission of the upper spectrum.

What really struck me when listening to the Edifier R2700 system was the stunning sound of the vocal sections of Mozart's Requiem. These rising and falling tragic harmonious waves, which were originally invested in conveying emotions of enormous power - they sound, as surprising as it may be when talking about 200-dollar acoustics, and you will hear them! Mozart, by the way, all available at the time of listening, is perceived just fine. I was pleased with the sound of Così fan tutte, especially the incomparable rendering of the divine rivalry between tenor and mezzo-soprano: pure, transparent, lively. What is important, and at low volumes too.

If we talk about the most successful impressions, almost all the compositions sounded colorful with an emphasis on vocals, especially female ones. The song Down in the River to Pray, perfectly performed by the incomparable Alyson Krauss, left the impression of the singer’s real presence a few steps away. The powerful vocals of the Canadian goddess Joan Osborne sounded so good that I simply could not deny myself the pleasure of listening to her entire amazing album Little Wild One, and the songs Hallelujah In The City and Cathedrals - even twice. The vocals of the French woman Jil Caplan sounded amazing: it was supposed to sound, but something else, elusive, appeared in the air... And the music of Fleetwood Mac and Jetro Tull began to play with new colors: it would seem that this sounds even on plastic speakers -fantastic", and suddenly... very, very pleasant.

I was a little puzzled by the jazz. It was when Louis Armstrong in Nobody Knows The Trouble I "ve Seen and Go Down, Moses began his famous trumpet parts, it was at these moments that I wanted to turn the high control down again - a little too much. Just like in guitar cuts Craig Chaquiso: good, each string is physically felt in the air, but for comfortable listening it’s still too much, I had to turn the highs to neutral. You can also include the famous New Zealand harmonica master Brendan Power here: it sounds clean, amazingly fresh, but better with highs don't overdo it.

Then the selection of compositions began in the hope of making the speakers “grunt” with low bass, at full volume. The compositions Thundertruck from AC/DC, Whiskey In The Jar from Metallica, Lyapis Trubetskoy "Ramonki" - all to no avail. The sound is clear, the pattern of the bass and drum sections is clear, all the instruments and vocals are close at hand.

This is just a small part of what we listened to using the Edifier R2700; only the most striking examples are included here. The final verdict will be this.

Don't place these speakers on your computer desk, side by side, in front of your nose. Since you've already spent money on them, provide them with a good stereo spread - and they will surprise you more than once by reproducing the ideas that went into various compositions when they were created in the studio.

The Edifier R2700's full bass and midrange reproduction sounds amazing for a $200 system. Perhaps the only caveat: figure out the high-frequency settings of the tone block right away. It’s not that there aren’t enough of them - on the contrary, even lovers of the purest and loudest “tut-tat” will have to find a middle ground.

In a word, the speakers were a success. And they liked it.

With the advent of the first audio cards for personal computers, the need arose to reproduce the signal received from them. That is, small speakers were required that could be placed on the desktop (on both sides of the monitor), and that would be able to operate from the linear output of sound cards. This is how multimedia acoustics was born, which over the past 15 years has gone from primitive plastic speakers to quite serious Hi-Fi systems that fully meet modern requirements for sound reproduction quality.

Multimedia speaker systems can be a classic stereo pair or have a “satellite + subwoofer” configuration. What multimedia speakers have in common, in addition to size, is the presence of built-in amplifiers, as well as additional electronic circuits for sound processing. Currently, Hi-Fi speakers for computers/laptops are produced by many companies that have a good reputation in the high-end audio equipment market. Hi-Fi speakers for a computer are created according to the same principles as traditional speakers - they have damped cabinets made of fiberboard or special non-resonating polymers, reliable amplification circuits and sensitive speakers. Modern high-quality acoustics for PCs, as a rule, can also be used to reproduce sound from a TV. The functionality of multimedia acoustics is also constantly growing, they are equipped with wireless signal receivers, and special network multimedia speakers, such as or, can operate on a computer network (via Ethernet or Wi-Fi) and be used to build multiroom systems.

Multimedia acoustics

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Reviews about multimedia acoustics

These reviews were written real buyers multimedia acoustics in our store. We do not publish the names of clients for reasons of privacy of personal data. When purchasing a product from us, you also have the opportunity to add your review.

When the consultant recommended these particular speakers to me, I thought for a long time whether it was worth taking ones that were more expensive than the player itself. I took it and didn’t regret it. The sound is amazing! There are no eardrum-pounding low frequencies. I'm very pleased. Those who listened also appreciated the quality. Thanks for the right advice

Fedor F. Great

Excellent acoustics for a laptop. Very satisfied.

Good afternoon!!! I am simply delighted with this acoustics! Great sound. Immediately after registration, the manager contacted and offered to answer all questions! Delivery was carried out within the time stated when ordering! Everyone is happy! Thank you for your professional attitude!!!

Anton K. Great

Multimedia acoustics B&W MM-1 is not on sale

The acoustics are top notch!! For this size it’s just great!! All parts of instruments are distinguishable, without distortions) in general - JOY))

Andrey R. Great

Multimedia acoustics Harman Kardon Aura is not on sale

The product met expectations, thank you!

As an external sound card it's just great. W10 saw the device immediately and immediately designated it as the “default device”, no unnecessary gestures. Android also works with hardware without any problems. The speakers are small, but they sound great, without any size reductions. And they sound great even at minimum volume. Which is important for computer acoustics. There is no background noise. Bluetooth and NFC work flawlessly. By the way, the difference between Bluetooth (even with aptX) and a USB connection is clearly felt. I tested it on the same device (SONY Z3, via OTG cable), the same songs, in the same player. As for “arranging a mini disco,” I haven’t tried it, but that option is probably possible.

Yaroslav S. Great

Multimedia acoustics B&W MM-1 is not on sale

I thought they sounded good. But I didn’t think that they gave SUCH sound with such a form factor. Very satisfied.

Alexander B. Great

Multimedia acoustics Genelec 6000A Tube is not for sale

Very high quality system. The sound and appearance are excellent.

A good thing, thought out and calculated in detail. It sounds nice, a slight rise in the 90 Hz region (by ear). The highs are soft, and they are enough to hear. The power is enough for quiet, clear sound in a small room, and works well as a computer or player system. At maximum power the bass reflex “snorts”. The pause is quiet, without noise. The sound is very dependent on the surface on which it lies. I use it without a stand, the middle is so pleasantly raised by the reflection from the table. Disassembly showed: The output amplifier is made on the MAX9744 microcircuit, it is connected directly to the speakers (there are only 4 capacitors to ground from each output wire), the Pre-amplifier-frequency response corrector is made on four (!) T074 microcircuits (4-channel o/u.) - apparently the correction is serious. The remote control came with a discharged CR2032 battery; the instructions contain instructions for individually linking the remote control to the speaker (I recommend doing so). It is impossible to use a speaker without a remote control louder than 1 watt - otherwise distortion will begin when the input is increased. The device generally does not like loud input signal levels. The instructions are NOT in Russian. The 12 volt power supply included in the kit is highly efficient, but produces a noticeable squeak (I use my own, another one, with a voltage of 14 volts - this is the absolute limit of the supply voltage of the output microcircuit). The wooden box fit the tools perfectly!