Edifier R1280T vs R1280DB : Quality Bookshelf Speaker

Edifier R1280T vs R1280DB are both quality bookshelf speakers. Bookshelf speakers are placed on a tabletop or a bookshelf corner or any elevated surface which is higher than the ground. Bookshelf speakers are portable and go with the aesthetic interior of your home. Both speakers are within your budget so if you don’t have any it’s still saving a fortune for you.

Edifier r1280t and edifier r1280db supposedly look kinda the same and their names are also kinda similar but their features are certainly not. Their appearance and performance are also very close to one another. But there is a certain difference for which these speakers are separate models and not one.

Edifier r1280t has rich build quality with all front ports. The frequency response of R1280T is 75Hz- 18kHz and adjustable bass, treble, and volume control feature. On the other hand, the frequency response of r1280db is rated 55Hz-20kHz and rotary volume control.

Edifier r1280t vs r1280db, both speakers are great indoor speakers that will go with your home sound system.  Both speakers are affordable and audiophile-grade. Let’s find out which one is the best among these two!

Comparison Chart: Edifier R1280T vs R1280DB

Features
Edifier R1280T
Edifier R1280DB
Frequency Response
75Hz -18kHz
55Hz-20kHz
RMS Rated Power
21W RMS
42W RMS
Enclosure Type
Bass-Reflex
Bass-Reflex 
Signal To Noise Ratio
85dB
85dB
Wired/Wireless
Wired
Wireless, Bluetooth Connection
Port
1 Front Firing Port (per speaker)
1 Front Firing Port (per speaker) 
Volume Control
Button
Rotary
AC input power
100-240 VAC
100-240VAC
Drivers
4.17” Woofer (per speaker) 0.51” Silk Tweeter (per speaker)
4.57” Woofer (per speaker) 0.51” Silk Dome Tweeter
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)
0.05%
N/A
Housing
Wooden Housing
N/A
Speaker Configuration
2-way
2-way
Placement
Table/Bookshelf
Table/Bookshelf
Color
Grey, wood, and white
Brown, Wood
Recommended Usage
Home
Universal
Wired Connectivity
Stereo RCA Input Spring Clip Pair Output and input
Optical TOSLINK Input Digital Coaxial Input Stereo RCA Input Spring RCA Input and Output
Remote
Yes
Yes
Dimension
5.75”x9.5”x7” (WxHxD) 146mmx234mmx196mm (WxHxD)
5.75”x9.5”x7” (WxHxD) 146mmx234mmx196mm (WxHxD)
Features
Edifier R1280T
Frequency Response
75Hz -18kHz
RMS Rated Power
21W RMS
Enclosure Type
Bass-Reflex
Signal To Noise Ratio
85dB
Wired/Wireless
Wired
Port
1 Front Firing Port (per speaker)
Volume Control
Button
AC input power
100-240 VAC
Drivers
4.17” Woofer (per speaker) 0.51” Silk Tweeter (per speaker)
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)
0.05%
Housing
Wooden Housing
Speaker Configuration
2-way
Placement
Table/Bookshelf
Color
Grey, wood, and white
Recommended Usage
Home
Wired Connectivity
Stereo RCA Input Spring Clip Pair Output and input
Remote
Yes
Dimension
5.75”x9.5”x7” (WxHxD) 146mmx234mmx196mm (WxHxD)
Features
Edifier R1280DB
Frequency Response
55Hz-20kHz
RMS Rated Power
42W RMS
Enclosure Type
Bass-Reflex 
Signal To Noise Ratio
85dB
Wired/Wireless
Wireless, Bluetooth Connection
Port
1 Front Firing Port (per speaker) 
Volume Control
Rotary
AC input power
100-240VAC
Drivers
4.57” Woofer (per speaker) 0.51” Silk Dome Tweeter
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)
N/A
Housing
N/A
Speaker Configuration
2-way
Placement
Table/Bookshelf
Color
Brown, Wood
Recommended Usage
Universal
Wired Connectivity
Optical TOSLINK Input Digital Coaxial Input Stereo RCA Input Spring RCA Input and Output
Remote
Yes
Dimension
5.75”x9.5”x7” (WxHxD) 146mmx234mmx196mm (WxHxD)

Now that we have got to know about the specifications, let’s discuss these two amazing speakers and compare their compatibility. The things we are going to be discussing are- Design, Sound Quality, Durability, Utility, and so on. You’ll also be getting some alternate recommendations. Let’s jump in and do some talking.

Edifier R1280T vs R1280DB:

Design:

The Edifier R1280T is a bookshelf speaker and it has an amazing bass reflex. The sound coming from this device is robust and lively. Edifier r1280t features wooden housing on both sides of the speaker. Each speaker has a matte top panel. The grills of the speakers are made of gray cloth material that is removable and at the bottom of each grille, there is a logo of Edifier. Edifier r1280t comes with a remote and some functions are controllable through the remote.

The remote that r1280t comes with has three functions- Volume up and down and mute. The back panel of the right speaker of the r1280t has stereo RCA input, power switch, and power cable. The RCA input is perfect for 3.5mm connections whereas RCA AUX is used to convert RCA to RCA connections. The right side of the right speaker has three panels that control treble(Top), bass (Middle), and Volume (Bottom). The MDF wood enclosure is made in such a way that it helps to curb down distortions of any sort. The volume knob also has an LED indicator at the bottom of it. Edifier r1280 comes in three colors gray, wood, and white.

Bluetooth connection

Edifier r1280db is the improved version of edifier r1280t with the facility of wireless Bluetooth connection. The performance of R1280DB is upgraded than its predecessor but they also share some similarities. It also has remote controlling features and a remote.

The design of the Edifier r1280db is very chic and good-looking. It has a removable plastic cover and Edifier logo placed at the bottom of the right speaker. It also comes with removable cloth grilles and if you remove the grills it exposes two speaker drivers and ported enclosure.

Speakers of edifier r1280db are a bit unique since the right speaker is active whereas the left speaker plays the passive role. There are three control buttons on the right speaker that controls volume, bass, and treble. In the rare panel of the speaker, there is a power switch and a non-removable power cable. It comes in two colors wood and brown.

Drivers:

Edifier r1280t features a 4inch bass driver and a measured, flared bass reflex port which helps the speaker to produce robust and rich bass that has depth. It is because its drivers are considered an audiophile-grade speaker and people who are using them are mesmerized by the audio they have been experiencing. Alongside a 4inch (106mm) woofer, it has a 13mm silk dome tweeter that gives you a top-class audio experience and has an extremely wide range of frequencies. The frequency response of the Edifier r1280t is rated 75Hz-18kHz.

You will find two drivers and a single bass port in Edifier r1280db if you remove the grilles. The difference between edifier r1280db and r1280t is that the driver of edifier r1280db is slightly bigger. The confined spaces in the edifier r1280db due to the front-firing bass port help you to not lose any bass performance and enjoy the full robust bass and the depth of it. R1280db comes with a 4-inch(116mm) woofer and 13mm silk dome tweeter. The frequency response of the edifier r1280db is 55Hz-20kHz which is pretty good.

Read: Which Speaker Should You Choose: Micca MB42X vs Polk Audio T15

Sound Quality:

About Edifier r1280t sound quality, it has a quite warm tune to its low-end frequency and crispy treble. The highs are very clear in the edifier r1280t and it produces a pretty decent sound for a living room.  Each speaker of r1280t is rated 21W RMS power which excels this device in high frequency.  The mids are also very well balanced and proportionate which is perfect for acoustic music.

The quality sound-created structure of these bookshelf speakers conveys an exact blasting midrange that tempts any spectator or user. It also has built-in tone control at the side of its active speaker which lets you customize the tone of your audio. You can adjust the bass and treble from -6dB to +6dB according to your preference. Also, the digital volume control in your speaker will automatically set the audio to your comfort level. The speakers are quite loud if you are using them in your living room and your experience with these pair of bad boys will be so good that it becomes worth trying.

Bigger woofers

Now coming to edifier r1280db’s sound quality, the slightly bigger woofers give a great advantage as it is capable of producing deeper bass than edifier r1280db. The adjustable EQ panel helps you adjust your bass and treble but the highs in r1280t are more clearer as per observation. The highs of edifier r1280db are not fatiguing even at high volume which is noticeable and they are very good for watching movies indoors or listening to music. All the notes are audible and have a very warm tone to their audio production which is user-friendly. The quality sound made design these shelf speakers pass on an accurate impacting midrange that entices any analyst.

Read: Buy powered Speaker that comes Under $100

Controls and Connections:

The controls in r1280t vs r1280db are that the controls of r1280db are much more improved than r1280t. The main difference between Edifier r1280db vs Edifier r1280t is in their connections. The connections that r1280db features are Bluetooth connection, 2 extra inputs optical and coaxial along with 2 RCA inputs. But on the other hand, Edifier r1280t has only 2 RCA connections. Edifier r1280db also facilitates you with wireless streaming through your smartphone, laptop, or tablet with Bluetooth. 

Read: Jabra Speaker 700 or Jabra Speak 750–Let’s bring a Cold Comparison!

Remote Control:

The remote control in Edifier r1280t is very simple. It only has 3 buttons for volume up, volume down and mute. And if you want to adjust your treble and bass then you have to do it manually from the controls of the left side of the active speaker. 

 The remote control feature in Edifier r1280db is much more advanced and has more options than edifier r1280t. Edifier r1280db has 12 buttons on its remote control whereas edifier r1280t has only 3 buttons. These 12 buttons switch up between volume control and various input like- volume up, volume down, mute, Cox(Coaxial), opt(Optical), Line 1, Line 2. There are also Bluetooth on/pairing/connect buttons to it and play/stop button, program forward and back to control the Bluetooth pairing purposes. You can connect several devices at once with Edifier r1280db.

Read: Why Should you Choose headphone or a Speaker?

Edifier R1280T vs R1280DB: What do these speakers come with?

The Edifier r1280db and r1280t come with several accessories. 

Edifier R1280t accessories- 

  • RCA to RCA Cable
  • Remote Control 
  • Speaker Interconnect Cable
  • RCA to AUX Cable
  • User Manual

Edifier R1280db Accessories-

  • RCA to RCA Cable
  • RCA to Aux Cable 
  • Optical Cable 
  • Remote
  • Speaker Interconnect Cable 
  • User Manual

Speaker Placement:

Edifier r1280t and Edifier r1280db both are bookshelf speakers. Bookshelf speakers are meant to be kept on elevated surfaces and as per the name, these speakers can be placed on the bookshelf or tabletop. Any place other than the floor is fine. So it’s better to place the speakers at your ear level and slightly bent so the sound directly flows to the listener. These speakers will provide deeper bass if placed at the corner or the front of a wall.

That being said, these speakers are ideal for a small to medium room setup. The sound will circulate more in a small room. Definitely not for a large room set up because these are not HI-tech speakers these are simple yet elegant bookshelf speakers. 

Let’s see the positives and negatives of Edifier r1280db vs r1280t: 

Edifier R1280T:

Pros:

  • Beautiful & Compact Design
  • Inbuilt Amp
  • Simple Remote Control (If you are a sucker for simplicity)
  • Mids are well-balanced, rich, and full
  • Affordable

Cons:

  • No Bluetooth Connection
  • Sound distortion when sound is turned higher 
  • Accessory cables are basic and need to be upgraded

Edifier R1280DB:

Pros:

  • Beautiful, aesthetic, and compact design
  • Multiple input options
  • Multiple functioned remote control
  • Wireless Bluetooth Connection
  • Full, rich, and deep sound
  • Affordable

Cons:

  • Not very deep bass
  • Accessory cables are basic and can be upgraded 
  • EQ setup doesn’t do much change

Alternate Options: Edifier R1280T vs R1280DB

So, we are going to provide you guys with some alternate speaker options that you could browse. So, here goes the recommendations, 

Kanto Yu6:

In a small room, Kanto Yu6 comes out so nicely. These bookshelf speakers are really great and also affordable so it’s a win-win situation already. 

Things you’ll love about Kanto Yu6:

  • Powerful and deep bass
  • Affordable
  • Integrated phono preamp for turntables
  • Amplifier Class-D Class
  • Multi-function remote control
  • Elegant and chic design
  • Has a number of variations you can choose between 7 colors

Things that need improvements:

  • Not PC friendly 
  • For having deeper bass experience have to pair it up with subwoofers
  • Remote doesn’t work until directly pointed at the sensor

Micca MB42X:

Micca MB42x is the improved version of Micca Mb42 and its performance is undoubtedly better than its predecessor. This speaker is very budget-friendly and has a compact design. 

Things you’ll love about Micca MB42X

  • Ideal for office, bedroom, or 2-channel stereo
  • Robust and Good Build quality
  • Budget-Friendly
  • Precise Imaging

Things that need improvements:

  • Bulkier than many other bookshelf speakers

Polk Audio T15:

Polk Audio’s T15 bookshelf speakers have been the foundation of the moderate section for quite a while. Their crude presentation is loaded full with expectations that simply should be subdued. These accompany a bunch of two extraordinary transducers and a great deal of underlying adaptability. All things considered, they are an incredible incentive for the cash you are paying. 

Things you’ll love about Polk Audio T15:

  • Easy installation and mount
  • Covers a large area
  • Wide soundstage and dispersion
  • Budget-Friendly
  • Class and versatile look
  • Great sound

Things that need improvements:

  • Passive speakers require an additional amp. 
  • No hardware for wall mounting
  • Not for professional use, only for usage in the home environment

Flaunce Ai40:

Flaunce Ai40 is surely an audiophile-grade bookshelf speaker. The sound it produces is very natural and clear and pleasant to the human ear. 

Things you’ll love about Flaunce Ai40:

  • Deep resonating bass
  • Topclass versatile connectivity
  • Has Remote Control
  • East to setup

No products found.

Things that need improvements:

  • Remote controls are delayed 
  • Higher volume impacts the bass depth

Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2:

The Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 is perhaps the best speaker at this cost, with incredible sound and amazing form quality.

Things you’ll love about Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2:

  • Affordable
  • Solid build quality
  • Attractive and classy finish
  • Musical and dynamic

Things that need improvements:

  • Bulky design
  • Not very versatile

These are some honorable mentions that might come into use. 

Final Thoughts:

Both bookshelf speakers are amazing and perfect for your home. It’ll just match with your interior. Our take on this would be, Edifier r1280db is the clear winner in this. The Edifier r1280t produces very clear mids and highs that are balanced. But Edifier r1280db is the improved version of Edifier r1280t with deeper bass. Edifier r1280db has more controls and connectivity. Although the Edifier r1280t is more budget-friendly it doesn’t have any Bluetooth pair-up option. But Edifier r1280db being budget-friendly also provides Bluetooth connection and so many control options just sways all the attention to itself. So if you are confused here is your answer!

FAQs of Edifier R1280T vs R1280DB

Are Edifier R1280T Bluetooth Speakers?

These are in no way, Bluetooth speakers. There is no Bluetooth Feature whatsoever.

Does Edifier R1280T need an amp? What amp do you suggest?

Edifier R1280T doesn’t need any additional amp since it has a built-in amp.

How are R1280DB speakers powered? Do they each need to be plugged into a 110v outlet?

Only the active speaker needs to be plugged into the outlet. The speaker is already powered and has a built-in amp so no need to add an external amp or receiver. Just plug into your source and you are good to go.

Can I add a tuner to Edifier r1280db?

These speakers are already tuned. Still, you can connect a tuner to it but it increases the risk of exceeding the default RMS power rating.