It’s been a long time since I have tried a 2.1 ‘multimedia’ sound system. I used to associate these types of set up’s with computers, but saying the Edifier M3600D are just PC speakers, would be a grave misjudgement. The Edifier M3600D is a 2.1 speaker system, consisting of two satellite speakers and an 8″ powered subwoofer. It is THX certified, has a class D amplifier and enough inputs to suit most needs. Let’s open the box and see what its like…
The box includes the two satellite speakers, the 8″ subwoofer, associated cables and instructions (no remote). Each speaker is constructed from wood and covered in a wood effect wrapping. There is fabric mesh to the speakers, metal perforated mesh to the subwoofer. The colour scheme is black & silver, they seem well constructed and they look ok. Edifier does have other speakers on the market, that look a little more modern, which is the look I prefer. That being said, there defiantly is a market for the more classic looking speakers. The subwoofer is large and heavy, you will need a fair amount of space for it on your floor. The speakers, on the other hand, are quite small and can be gripped in one hand.
The subwoofer has a built-in amplifier, which powers the sub and speakers. This means the inputs & outputs are located on the back of the sub, and they include 2No. line in, cox and optical, as well as the power on/off, bass level and L/R speaker connections. On the right-hand speaker is the overall volume control. There is also a headphone port, in case it gets too loud and you need to plug in.
Set up was easy, it’s just a case of plugging the left and right speakers in. The right speaker, with the volume control, has a computer type cable, like a VGA cable, which was qwerky. The other speaker has a more traditional RCA type connector. Plug them both into the back of the subwoofer, plug your device in and start listening.
The audio performance is very good. Thanks to the speakers being THX certified, it means that the sound coming out the speakers is exactly as the audio engineer intended while recording and mixing it. Obviously, file quality plays a factor, but I’ve found Tidal offer some of the best quality, digital audio on the market. There is a nice blend of highs & mids, with oh so much thumping bass from that 8″ woofer. The bass is however adjustable, via the knob of the back of the amp, so you can tune the set up to suit. The quality remains at the higher volumes and can get very loud, easily filling a large room. Thanks to the optical audio support, you could even plug this into your TV or media device, to watch your movies with 2.1 audio.
What’s it lacking? Wireless connectivity! I would have loved to have seen Bluetooth feature on this system, as it’s just so easy & commonly used now.
Multiple applications for this 2.1 system, although I’d favour it for the PC workstation or living room set up. The system is available now for £159.99. For more information, visit the official Edifier website.
