EdifierR1280Ts Powered Bookshelf Speakers - 2.0 Stereo Active Near Field Monitors - Studio Monitor Speaker - 42 Watts RMS with Subwoofer Line Out - Wooden Enclosure

*Edited to add information about the subwoofer output.**Upgraded rating from 4 to 5 Stars. Explanation at end.This appears to be a slightly updated version of the popular and widely reviewed R1280t speaker. There are hundreds of reviews, both professional and customer, of this speaker on Internet, so I won't rehash them.The primary differences: (1) the addition of a subwoofer connection, with associated circuitry to provide an electronic crossover* when a sub is connected, and (2) addition of a signal-processing feature to create a wider stereo image, and modification of the remote control to add a switch for that feature.I cannot categorically state that the "R1280ts" version sounds identical to the earlier version. The dimensions, driver complement, and design appear to be the same. Specifications also seem to be the same. All indications are that it’s the same acoustically as other “1280” models.Most of the reviews you'll see will conclude with some version of "for the money..." And that's the right way to look at these speakers. They are not the finest powered bookshelf speakers in the land. Not the loudest. Not the bassiest. Not the most extended highs, not the most neutral-sounding. But -- for the money -- they offer more than you might expect. They sound good if you don't turn them up too loud, if you sit reasonably close and don't try to fill the room with sound. They make great computer speakers that will let you hear music without giving up too much bass, or listen to podcasts or news with clarity.**My critique of the sound is that they have a very slightly boxy quality, a lack of the transparency that, to be fair, is usually the hallmark of much more expensive speakers. But at the same time aren't boomy, muffled, harsh, or any of the other flaws that plague most inexpensive speakers. For the money, I believe they offer great bang-for-the-buck.I plan to add a small powered subwoofer soon. If that changes anything about how these speakers sound beyond the obvious, I'll amend this review.*I did add a sub - a Monoprice SSW-8, a "slim" sub with the conventional connections and controls for a home theater sub. I connected the Edifier sub out to the sub's line inputs (requiring a 3.5mm-to-RCA adapter cable; you could use the one that comes with the speakers if you didn't use it already). This setup works well. Extending the bass another octave or more definitely enriches the sound without changing the character of the speakers. It's by no means a necessary or transformative upgrade, but it's worthwhile.*(cont'd) The Edifier sub-out is basically a headphone jack. It is full-range; there is no "crossover." It is affected by all of the controls -- bass, treble, volume -- and, surprisingly, also by the "spacializer." I don't recommend using the spacializer when using a subwoofer.(Using this jack for headphones does not, of course, cut off the speaker sound. There is also something slightly "off" about the full-range sound coming from this port; it seems to lack full separation, and seems somewhat shrill. But it works for the subwoofer just fine.)Because the Edifers lack any way to control the sub out, you will need a sub with volume and crossover-frequency controls, and you probably want to place the sub where those controls remain accessible. I'm using a crossover frequency of about 100Hz, and of course set the volume by ear.Certainly the addition of the sub output at no increase in price is a worthwhile upgrade. It does what it needs to do, and no more. It would have been good to include a low-pass filter, but it's not generally needed.**These speakers seem to benefit very much from extended break-in. After about 50 hours use, the "boxy" quality referred to in the main text has largely disappeared, leaving the sound more natural than it once was. The high end is still just adequate, but overall the sound is acceptably neutral and uncolored, especially for a speaker in this price range. It wouldn't be 5 stars compared to the best bookshelf speakers available, but it doesn't deserve a demerit when compared to its direct competitors.

UPDATE: Been using this for 6 months or so. I just keep them left on 24/7 and don't bother turning them off of flipping the power switch. Best money I have ever spent for a budget audio system for music, youtube, and streaming movies.I can see why this is the top speaker being sold for the price range. Outstanding clarity compared to most TV and computer sound systems that most of us use. The sound is nipping the heals of lower-end hi-fi systems. The spacialized audio processing works wonders in my TV room. I like having it on for both movies and music. It sort of opens up the sound a bit more, if that makes sense.I have the bass cranked up for music and then turn it down a bit to hear dialogue better for movies. The treble is turned up a tiny bit.The remote works well. It does need to be pointed precisely at the speaker to work, but I can easily use it from my couch. It has every control I wanted, especially the Power button, so I don't have to turn it on behind the speaker. I just leave it in standby "off" using the remote control and leave the main power switch on.The green light on the front of the main speaker is a tiny bit bright being next to the TV screen, but I can easily cover it with translucent tape to darken the light.If you want the couch to shake with bass during movies, I think a dedicated sub woofer would complement the Edifier speakers really well, especially sitting near the couch. Luckily they have a dedicated sub woofer port on them to simplify the whole setup for a basic home system.

I got these to run as a laptop system just for watching YT videos and the like. I watch a lotta music industry-related videos, and worship-related videos. The small speakers I had just weren't cutting it. These sound absolutely great - especially considering the price point. The footprint is easy to live with considering the big sound you get back. I like that the one speaker is passive and powered/controlled by the other speaker. Controls feel great, are responsive, and I love the remote, especially. My desk is large, I use a 55" TCL for main monitor, and a 32" TCL for outrigger monitor, and the speakers are at a place where I would really need to reach forward for them, so having the remote makes it so great to use and keep hands right next to my wireless keyboard and mouse. Don't hesitate to buy these. I was completely surprised by the sound and quality of these speakers.