Verdict
These Edifier speakers successfully merge elements of studio monitors with more lifestyle-leaning speakers. You could use them as a sound system for a laptop, PC or TV, or they’ll pair nicely with a record player. Sound quality is admirable, and the built in physical EQ controls even let you tweak them to suit the room, by ear. Solid all-rounders if you have the room for mid-size mini cabinets.
-
Fun and coherent sound -
Smart looks -
Good-value versatility
-
Bass port will need taming in many rooms -
Kinda annoying wireless remote -
No headphone output
Key Features
-
Wireless controller
A battery-powered wireless remote lets you control volume and more from across the room. -
Bluetooth 5.3
You can stream audio wirelessly, including over the quality LDAC codec. -
USB-C port
The speakers can be plugged directly into a PC or laptop over USB.
Introduction
The Edifier S880DB MkII are active speakers. They are a lot like studio monitors but Edifier calls them “multimedia” speakers, suggesting they’re for orindary folks like us, not sound engineers.
You could plug the Edifier S880DB MkII into your TV instead of using a soundbar. You could use them with a laptop or gaming PC. And they’ll do a cracking job in any of these situations.
They are similar to the version this site reviewed a few years ago, but they now have a USB-C input and a subwoofer output. The Edifier S880DB MkII still have fairly small woofer drivers, so do need a subwoofer to represent the deepest bass of action movies or electronic music. But for other content these speakers absolutely do not sound bass-light.
Design
- Dark brown and white finishes
- Mid-size enclosures
- Wireless remote
Extra attention to design is one factor that separates the Edifier S880DB MkII from the many active studio monitors available for similar money.
These speakers come in two finishes. They have a synthetic leather outer on the cerntal section, while the sides have an embossed printed wood grain effect finish. These side panels are contoured too, to further take us away from plain rectangular boxes.
You can have, as seen here, black with a “dark wood” effect, or white and a much lighter wood-style sides.
Unlike sets of home speakers I’ve reviewed recently like the Kanto Uki, the Edifier S880DB MkII are not absolutely tiny or particularly light. They weigh 6.27kg as a pair and stand 23.7cm tall.
I’ve used the combined weight here because these two speakers are not the same. One is home to the amplifier, the connections and so on. The other is effectively a passive unit whose power is supplied by the primary one.
You connect the two together using a 3m long cable. There’s enough scope to place the Edifier S880DB MkII’s speakers at either end of a massive TV.
The Edifier S880DB MkII include a wireless puck controller that lets you alter volume, the source and sound profile. It even has a vibrate motor inside to provide feedback, and a little green LED to show it’s operational. However, it also relies entirely on its touch sensitive top surface — no clicky buttons here, which makes it rather contentious.
As you run a finger around the remote’s circular perimeter to alter volume, you’ll likely find you quite regularly accidentally fire off one of the other commands like switching source.
Features
- Edifier app
- Bluetooth LDAC
There are plenty of options for connecting a source. The Edifier S880DB MkII’s main unit has two phono inputs, a coaxial, optical in, USB-C input (new for this second generation) and has Bluetooth.
Edifier loses a few convenience points though. There’s no headphone output, which could be handy for those planning on using these as laptop speakers.
Using the Edifier app you can tell the S880DB MkII to stream using 96kHz LDAC rather than 44.1kHz too, which I’ve mostly used for streaming from a phone. No connection issues so far. iPhone owners will be left using the basic SBC codec, which is less than ideal.
Control over the Edifier S880DB MkII’s volume when streaming from a phone is not as simple as pressing that phone’s volume buttons either. The amplifier volume and Bluetooth volume are kept separate here, so you’d need to head into the Edifier app, use the remote or the physical dial on the back of the Edifier S880DB MkII.
But, yes, the wealth of physical controls here means you can avoid the remote if you truly hate it. You can push the volume dial on the Edifier S880DB MkII’s back in to cycle between sources.
What else do these speakers lack? They don’t have a 3.5mm aux input, but you do get a 3.5mm to phono cable in the box as a consolation prize.
The primary speaker also has a little monochrome screen, where the Edifier logo is on the other box. It shows, for example, the volume, EQ setting and current mode when contextually appropriate. It’s handy, and pleasantly subtle.
Sound Quality
- Energetic and articulate sound
- Lack of real sub-bass isn’t always too evident
- Rear port can cause some minor boominess
The Edifier S880DB MkII are fun speakers that can sound relatively accurate with a little bit of effort.
They use 3.75-inch woofer drivers and 1.25-inch titanium tweeters kept safe behind a metal grille, because there are no full speaker covers on offer here. Bass from these relatively petite boxes is enhanced with a rear port. And that’s key to their power as well as what might be considered the sound’s lead problem.
The Edifier S880DB MkII sound punchy, energetic and lively. You need to position them correctly to get the best results, with central channel vocals tending to sound a little lost at times unless you use the inter-speaker cable to give the speaker drivers’ dispersal a bit more room to breathe.
Edifier’s long-throw woofers are designed to deliver unusual good low-frequency power for their size. And they do.
The Edifier S880DB MkII cannot really generate any truly deep sub-bass. Even Edifier’s own stats put the bass floor at 50Hz. However, you can absolutely hear the difference between the 50Hz cut-off here and the 65-70Hz of some smaller speakers.
Loads of rock, pop and classical music doesn’t sound like it’s obviously missing out on anything at all. Kick drums, even electronic ones, do not sound anaemic. They seem full, and it’s mostly only true low-bass effects that reveal the limitations here.
I’ve actually had more issue from the other end, what with the Edifier S880DB MkII’s style inviting comparisons to studio monitors. If you’re planning on using them anywhere near walls, or in an untreated room, you may find the low-end is a bit of a spotlight hog. The bass doesn’t have the fastest, tightest decay and what slightly boom or bloat it can bring to otherwise tasteful sound will often not be helped by the rear bass port.
Thankfully, Edifier supplies an easy fix. On the back of the main unit’s control panel — among all the connections — are powerful knobs that apply +/- 6dB modifications to the speakers’ treble and bass. The Edifier S880DB MkII sound their most neutral in my test room with bass set at -4 to -6dB. And Edifier has handled this well enough that the main worry is not music sounding weak and thin, but a slightly cooling of the mid-range and in vocal reproduction when making such major cuts.
But being able to effectively make room correction in “multimedia” speakers more powerful than that of plenty of studio monitors? It’s good stuff.
Should you buy it?
Buy if you want a more style-driven affordable active speaker
Classed as a multimedia speaker rather than a studio monitor, Edifier has put a bit more attention into the look and feel of the enclosure than is the norm.
Don’t buy for a cramped desk
Have a desk that fits a laptop and not a whole lot more? The Edifier S880DB MkII may be a little large for the job, and you can find more petite good-sounding units in this price class.
Final Thoughts
The Edifier S880DB MkII are speakers with a built-in amplifier, letting you plug them directly into a source.
They can do a great job sat on each side of a TV, or as elevated PC speakers. And they provide relatively studio monitor-like sound fidelity with a design more striking than such speakers too.
The S880DB MkII are fairly expensive by Edifier standards but represent solid value for what you get, particularly if you wait for a deal online.
How We Test
We test every active speaker we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find.
We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
- Tested with real world use
- Tested for several days
FAQs
These speakers do not include a subwoofer, but you can plug an active one in.
They support 24-bit encoding over USB, hitting the high-res bar.
Edifier Connect allows for firmware updates, where available, and EQ customisation.
Full Specs
| Edifier S880DB MkII Review | |
|---|---|
| UK RRP | £335.59 |
| Manufacturer | Edifier |
| IP rating | No |
| Size (Dimensions) | 145 x 207 x 237 MM |
| Weight | 6.27 KG |
| ASIN | B0FCFYSZSY |
| Release Date | 2025 |
| First Reviewed Date | 26/12/2025 |
| Audio Resolution | Up to 24-bit/192kHz |
| Driver (s) | 3.75-inch woofer, 1.25-inch tweeter |
| Ports | phono, USB-C, subwoofer, optical |
| Audio (Power output) | 88 W |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Colours | White, Dark brown |
| Frequency Range | 50 40000 – Hz |
| Speaker Type | Active Speaker |
Verdict
These Edifier speakers successfully merge elements of studio monitors with more lifestyle-leaning speakers. You could use them as a sound system for a laptop, PC or TV, or they’ll pair nicely with a record player. Sound quality is admirable, and the built in physical EQ controls even let you tweak them to suit the room, by ear. Solid all-rounders if you have the room for mid-size mini cabinets.
-
Fun and coherent sound -
Smart looks -
Good-value versatility
-
Bass port will need taming in many rooms -
Kinda annoying wireless remote -
No headphone output
Key Features
-
Wireless controller
A battery-powered wireless remote lets you control volume and more from across the room. -
Bluetooth 5.3
You can stream audio wirelessly, including over the quality LDAC codec. -
USB-C port
The speakers can be plugged directly into a PC or laptop over USB.
Introduction
The Edifier S880DB MkII are active speakers. They are a lot like studio monitors but Edifier calls them “multimedia” speakers, suggesting they’re for orindary folks like us, not sound engineers.
You could plug the Edifier S880DB MkII into your TV instead of using a soundbar. You could use them with a laptop or gaming PC. And they’ll do a cracking job in any of these situations.
They are similar to the version this site reviewed a few years ago, but they now have a USB-C input and a subwoofer output. The Edifier S880DB MkII still have fairly small woofer drivers, so do need a subwoofer to represent the deepest bass of action movies or electronic music. But for other content these speakers absolutely do not sound bass-light.
Design
- Dark brown and white finishes
- Mid-size enclosures
- Wireless remote
Extra attention to design is one factor that separates the Edifier S880DB MkII from the many active studio monitors available for similar money.
These speakers come in two finishes. They have a synthetic leather outer on the cerntal section, while the sides have an embossed printed wood grain effect finish. These side panels are contoured too, to further take us away from plain rectangular boxes.
You can have, as seen here, black with a “dark wood” effect, or white and a much lighter wood-style sides.
Unlike sets of home speakers I’ve reviewed recently like the Kanto Uki, the Edifier S880DB MkII are not absolutely tiny or particularly light. They weigh 6.27kg as a pair and stand 23.7cm tall.
I’ve used the combined weight here because these two speakers are not the same. One is home to the amplifier, the connections and so on. The other is effectively a passive unit whose power is supplied by the primary one.
You connect the two together using a 3m long cable. There’s enough scope to place the Edifier S880DB MkII’s speakers at either end of a massive TV.
The Edifier S880DB MkII include a wireless puck controller that lets you alter volume, the source and sound profile. It even has a vibrate motor inside to provide feedback, and a little green LED to show it’s operational. However, it also relies entirely on its touch sensitive top surface — no clicky buttons here, which makes it rather contentious.
As you run a finger around the remote’s circular perimeter to alter volume, you’ll likely find you quite regularly accidentally fire off one of the other commands like switching source.
Features
- Edifier app
- Bluetooth LDAC
There are plenty of options for connecting a source. The Edifier S880DB MkII’s main unit has two phono inputs, a coaxial, optical in, USB-C input (new for this second generation) and has Bluetooth.
Edifier loses a few convenience points though. There’s no headphone output, which could be handy for those planning on using these as laptop speakers.
Using the Edifier app you can tell the S880DB MkII to stream using 96kHz LDAC rather than 44.1kHz too, which I’ve mostly used for streaming from a phone. No connection issues so far. iPhone owners will be left using the basic SBC codec, which is less than ideal.
Control over the Edifier S880DB MkII’s volume when streaming from a phone is not as simple as pressing that phone’s volume buttons either. The amplifier volume and Bluetooth volume are kept separate here, so you’d need to head into the Edifier app, use the remote or the physical dial on the back of the Edifier S880DB MkII.
But, yes, the wealth of physical controls here means you can avoid the remote if you truly hate it. You can push the volume dial on the Edifier S880DB MkII’s back in to cycle between sources.
What else do these speakers lack? They don’t have a 3.5mm aux input, but you do get a 3.5mm to phono cable in the box as a consolation prize.
The primary speaker also has a little monochrome screen, where the Edifier logo is on the other box. It shows, for example, the volume, EQ setting and current mode when contextually appropriate. It’s handy, and pleasantly subtle.
Sound Quality
- Energetic and articulate sound
- Lack of real sub-bass isn’t always too evident
- Rear port can cause some minor boominess
The Edifier S880DB MkII are fun speakers that can sound relatively accurate with a little bit of effort.
They use 3.75-inch woofer drivers and 1.25-inch titanium tweeters kept safe behind a metal grille, because there are no full speaker covers on offer here. Bass from these relatively petite boxes is enhanced with a rear port. And that’s key to their power as well as what might be considered the sound’s lead problem.
The Edifier S880DB MkII sound punchy, energetic and lively. You need to position them correctly to get the best results, with central channel vocals tending to sound a little lost at times unless you use the inter-speaker cable to give the speaker drivers’ dispersal a bit more room to breathe.
Edifier’s long-throw woofers are designed to deliver unusual good low-frequency power for their size. And they do.
The Edifier S880DB MkII cannot really generate any truly deep sub-bass. Even Edifier’s own stats put the bass floor at 50Hz. However, you can absolutely hear the difference between the 50Hz cut-off here and the 65-70Hz of some smaller speakers.
Loads of rock, pop and classical music doesn’t sound like it’s obviously missing out on anything at all. Kick drums, even electronic ones, do not sound anaemic. They seem full, and it’s mostly only true low-bass effects that reveal the limitations here.
I’ve actually had more issue from the other end, what with the Edifier S880DB MkII’s style inviting comparisons to studio monitors. If you’re planning on using them anywhere near walls, or in an untreated room, you may find the low-end is a bit of a spotlight hog. The bass doesn’t have the fastest, tightest decay and what slightly boom or bloat it can bring to otherwise tasteful sound will often not be helped by the rear bass port.
Thankfully, Edifier supplies an easy fix. On the back of the main unit’s control panel — among all the connections — are powerful knobs that apply +/- 6dB modifications to the speakers’ treble and bass. The Edifier S880DB MkII sound their most neutral in my test room with bass set at -4 to -6dB. And Edifier has handled this well enough that the main worry is not music sounding weak and thin, but a slightly cooling of the mid-range and in vocal reproduction when making such major cuts.
But being able to effectively make room correction in “multimedia” speakers more powerful than that of plenty of studio monitors? It’s good stuff.
Should you buy it?
Buy if you want a more style-driven affordable active speaker
Classed as a multimedia speaker rather than a studio monitor, Edifier has put a bit more attention into the look and feel of the enclosure than is the norm.
Don’t buy for a cramped desk
Have a desk that fits a laptop and not a whole lot more? The Edifier S880DB MkII may be a little large for the job, and you can find more petite good-sounding units in this price class.
Final Thoughts
The Edifier S880DB MkII are speakers with a built-in amplifier, letting you plug them directly into a source.
They can do a great job sat on each side of a TV, or as elevated PC speakers. And they provide relatively studio monitor-like sound fidelity with a design more striking than such speakers too.
The S880DB MkII are fairly expensive by Edifier standards but represent solid value for what you get, particularly if you wait for a deal online.
How We Test
We test every active speaker we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find.
We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
- Tested with real world use
- Tested for several days
FAQs
These speakers do not include a subwoofer, but you can plug an active one in.
They support 24-bit encoding over USB, hitting the high-res bar.
Edifier Connect allows for firmware updates, where available, and EQ customisation.
Full Specs
| Edifier S880DB MkII Review | |
|---|---|
| UK RRP | £335.59 |
| Manufacturer | Edifier |
| IP rating | No |
| Size (Dimensions) | 145 x 207 x 237 MM |
| Weight | 6.27 KG |
| ASIN | B0FCFYSZSY |
| Release Date | 2025 |
| First Reviewed Date | 26/12/2025 |
| Audio Resolution | Up to 24-bit/192kHz |
| Driver (s) | 3.75-inch woofer, 1.25-inch tweeter |
| Ports | phono, USB-C, subwoofer, optical |
| Audio (Power output) | 88 W |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Colours | White, Dark brown |
| Frequency Range | 50 40000 – Hz |
| Speaker Type | Active Speaker |
