It’s uncommon for me to review a pair of Bluetooth speakers, least of all a desktop system clearly designed with style as a primary consideration. Regular readers need not worry as such reviews won’t become the norm. Every now and then however I come across a product which I simply can’t resist. Whether it be an unusual feature, scrupulous attention to detail or surprising sound quality, such products simply have to be shared. Edifier’s Luna Eclipse E25 is one such product. Don’t they look cool?
I was offered these speakers following my review of Edifier’s R2000DB, an active ‘hi-fi’ speaker system perfect for use with a turntable. The Luna is oriented more towards desktop use, their sleek, curvy cabinets more at home either side of a big screen than on some isolating stands in your living room. Each cabinet packs a 3” (82 mm) bass driver, a 19MM silk dome tweeter and a pair of 3” passive radiators to augment the bass performance. The system outputs 35W per channel (15W treble, 20W bass), with class D amplification and DSP-based dynamic range control for reduced distortion at high volume levels.
Bluetooth is the primary mode of connectivity, though there is a 3.5MM aux jack if you prefer to go down the hardwired route. The Luna supports Bluetooth 4.0 but does not support the aptX codec. A slim three button remote control is provided, and it’s a far better unit than that supplied with the R2000DB, its round rubber controls offering a nice tactile click and a light though reassuring build which inspires confidence in its longevity.
The remote isn’t the only means to control the system, however. The side of the right-hand speaker hosts touch-sensitive controls for power, volume and track skipping. A quick swipe of a finger will skip tracks on a connected bluetooth device, while tapping and holding various buttons will alter the volume and switch the speakers in and out of standby. It’s a neat system and fun to play with even if it does take a little getting used to, particularly for a blind person unable to see the placement of the controls. Once I got the hang of it, using the system proved pretty intuitive.
The speakers come in three gloss finishes (depending on country) – black, white or red – the latter supplied for review. I’m told the red is more of an orange colour, the aesthetics of the sample dividing opinion between those who saw it. The fronts are finished in a textured rubber, with a protective ring covering the tweeter cone. Rubber bases keep the speakers from moving on a desk and offer a considerable degree of vibration isolation. Even when pushing the speakers pretty hard I couldn’t detect any excessive vibration being transmitted through the desktop. Build quality is excellent. Though plastic, the enclosures are extremely robust, surprisingly heavy and offer no discernible resonance when tapped.
The Luna eclipse are beautifully packaged, both wrapped in drawstring cloth bags to protect the glossy finish which will attract finger marks the second they are unwrapped. A microfibre cleaning cloth is supplied as are a range of cables and a power supply. A 2 m six-pin cable is provided to connect the 2 speakers, and you get a decent quality 3.5MM aux cable in the box too. Power is via an external power brick with a figure-eight EU cable provided. My sample shipped with a second cable suitable for UK outlets, which I assume would be the case if you were to purchase the product from any UK retailer including Edifier themselves. Finally, some documentation can be found in a little square box very reminiscent of that supplied with an Apple product.
Setting them up isn’t a difficult task. With the two speakers connected together and the power supply plugged in, the speakers are ready for use. They’re immediately discoverable in the Bluetooth settings of your device. When no Bluetooth connection is made the speakers will switch automatically to aux mode, the jack for which is located on the rear of the active (right) speaker. The Eclipse’ will remember any connected Bluetooth device and will automatically attempt pairing when they’re brought out of standby, an audible tone indicating successful pairing. A second tone sounds when a device is disconnected.
It’s worth noting that only one Bluetooth device can be paired at once. The Eclipse’ worked flawlessly with my iPhone 6. Once paired I had to disconnect the phone before the Eclipse’ would become discoverable on the Mac, to which they also paired flawlessly. When I re-enabled Bluetooth on the phone, it resumed pairing only when I’d disconnected the Mac and manually re-connected the phone. Some devices implement a system whereby they’ll automatically pair with any of a number of Bluetooth devices attempting to transmit audio data, and it would be cool to see that here. Nevertheless I experienced no dropouts or failed connection attempts during the review period regardless of the device being used.
I positioned the speakers as I would any other desktop model. Placed roughly 700MM apart (roughly the width of an average PC monitor) pointing straight ahead. These are near field speakers designed to be placed close to the listener and my positioning resulted in an equilateral triangle between the me and the speakers, which is ideal. Test music was fed from an iPhone and Mac via Bluetooth.
Immediately noticeable was the Luna’s bass response. It’s surprisingly powerful though well controlled. Stereo separation is good with a reasonable degree of three-dimensionality. The top end is extended with a slightly pronounced mid range, indicating a frequency response that isn’t entirely neutral. The Luna’s go loud too, and remain free of distortion even at high volumes. Background noise levels are appreciably low. While not the last word in detail or refinement, the detail they do reveal particularly in the top end allows you to pick out subtle nuances in tracks while not obviously displaying the audio artefacts present in low quality Bluetooth streams or lower bitrate audio codecs. They’re as suited to those editing video as they are to gamers or those listening to background music.
Edifier’s Luna Eclipse is tough to fault as a desktop speaker. While some may prefer the style and sound of a traditional ‘boxy’ speaker, there’s no doubting that these are an extremely capable option for those who prefer a little more style on their desktop. They’re well made, unusually styled and are sonically capable. Those looking for the best sound for the money will go elsewhere, but those looking for great sound in a small, stylish package should place these on the shortlist. Recommended.
