Comparing Edifier R1280T, Micca PB42X

[pk500]

Hi all:

I'm in the process of comparing powered 2.0 speakers to replace the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speaker setup that has been in my office since early 2015. The subwoofer of the Klipsch overpowers the satellites, even when turned low, and the sound from the satellites is too tinny.

My music runs as 320 kbps streams from Google Play Music from my Lenovo laptop to the speakers via the 3.5 mm headphone jack. Nothing crazy. The Lenovo laptop has the Realtek HD Audio card/DAC. Near-field listening, as my head is about 2 feet from the speakers.

I want an active setup because space on my desk is VERY limited, and I heard master speaker engineer Andrew Jones in a really interesting extended YouTube interview with Darko.Audio say he prefers active speakers from an engineering standpoint because he can tune the speaker to a consistent amplifier instead of guessing what kind of amp the customer may use with his passive speakers. I doubt speakers at this price range benefit from that kind of engineering, but the wisdom resonated with me. The interview:

After a ton of research at Reddit and other places online, my decision in the $100-110 price point has come down to the Edifier R1280T ($100 USD) and the Micca PB42X ($110 USD). They're both well reviewed and widely regarded. I got the Edifiers earlier this week and the Miccas earlier today.

First impressions and comparisons:

EDIFIER R1280T (About six hours of use)

1. The Edifiers have clear sound. There's good separation of instruments. The bass is underwhelming compared to the subwoofer of the 2.1 Klipsch system, as expected. I didn't mind losing the sub with the Edifiers or Micca's, as the Klipsch sub overwhelms the satellites, even when turned low. But the bass is definitely there with the Edifiers.

2. The mids and highs aren't quite as tinny and shrill on the Edifiers as the Klipsch's, but they just seem pretty flat, pretty vanilla compared to the excitable (sometimes too much) Klipsch. And I guess I underestimated how much little extra punch is provided by a sub. I only wish the Klipsch sub was tuned far better. It's muddy as f*ck and dominates the mix.

3. I tried to tune the sound of the Edifier's with the provided bass and treble knobs. Still pretty flat.

4. The Edifiers grew on me with extended listening. Impressive for $99 speakers. Definitely more balanced and with a wider, less tinny soundstage than the Klipsch, with far greater bass control.

MICCA PB42X (About two hours of use)

Early minutes with the Miccas, and I'm not going to fall prey to the mistake of snap judgment that I did with my initial impressions of the Edifiers. But first impressions:

1. Better power than I expected considering the Miccas have a less powerful amp.

2. Love the magnetic grills. Much easier than the Edifiers to remove while listening and reinstall when done to protect the speakers from dust, cats, etc.

3. The sound clarity and separation on these babies are EXCELLENT. Better at first listen than the Edifiers.

4. Treble is definitely more forward with the Miccas than the Edifiers. Unsure yet whether it's grating. More listening needed.

5. The Miccas have much better midrange. Vocals are more clear.

6. Where's the bass? These speakers have no thump. Sure, the Edifiers won't substitute for the low end of a 2.1 system like my Klipsch 2.1 ProMedia that will be replaced by those speakers or the Miccas, but the Edifiers definitely have more bass.
Again, early minutes. Want to listen to these through break-in for a good six to eight hours, like I did the Edifiers. No knee-jerk reactions. But initally, if the Miccas had individual bass and treble controls that would allow me to add more bass like the Edifiers, I think I would be in love. It almost seems like the Miccas are more of a monitor and the Edifiers color the music with more bass. Correct interpretation?

I know the great noaudiophile offers DSP corrections for these Micca that add bass and remove some of the edge from the treble. But sadly those aren't an option for me because my laptop is owned by my company, and no employees are given administrator privileges, to ensure cybersecurity. So I can't download Equalizer APO on this machine and use noaudiophile's fixes.

I'm not a huge basshead. I listen to classic rock, jazz and some progressive house/deep house EDM, probably the form of electronic music that relies on bass the least other than ambient. But I like some punch, and the Miccas don't have it -- yet. But the clarity ... oh, baby, it's nice and impressive.

More critical listening to come. More impressions to come. Feel free to chime in on either of these! I'm also considering the Presonus Eris E3.5. I know they're monitors, but I'm more of a neutral listener, anyways. I don't like bassy headphones, as I have used Audio-Technica M40x's in the past and now use Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H4's, both of which are pretty neutral.

Anyone have any comparisons of the Presonus Eris E3.5 to either the Micca PB42X or the Edifier R1280T?

Damn, the rabbit hole keeps getting deeper.

 

[pozz]

The subwoofer's sound mostly relates to where you sit and where it's placed. Same thing with the satellites. It's room + speakers that makes the whole of what you hear.

Even if you don't have wiggle room for playing with placement, try to elevate the speakers from your desk to ear level and see where that gets you.

Active monitors are excellent for casual listening in my experience.

 

[pk500]

The subwoofer's sound mostly relates to where you sit and where it's placed. Same thing with the satellites. It's room + speakers that makes the whole of what you hear.

Even if you don't have wiggle room for playing with placement, try to elevate the speakers from your desk to ear level and see where that gets you.

Active monitors are excellent for casual listening in my experience.

Thanks for tip on elevation. I use a standing desk, so the speakers already are almost near ear level on the shelf at the back of the desk. I use acoustic foam pads to angle them slightly upward so the sound is pointing right into my ears.

 

[pk500]

Well, after about six to eight hours each of critical listening with the Edifier R1280T and Micca PB42X, my audio jury has returned a verdict.

Honorable audiophiles, the jury has determined that the Micca PB42X will remain atop my desktop as my speaker of choice.

Both speakers are excellent for this budget range. But the clarity, especially in the mid-range, and separation of the Miccas win. The difference was noticeable from the second I first turned them on, and the sound only has improved further as the woofers have loosened and the bass gets a bit more thump.

The Miccas are a 9/10 for me, while the Edifiers are an 8.5/10. The Miccas would be close to perfect if they had the same power as the Edifiers (42 watts for Edifier compared to 30 for the Micca) and the bass and treble knobs of the Edifiers.

But the true banana plug speaker connectors of the Micca compared to the spring-activated pin connectors of the Edifier are a nice little plus for the Micca. I also love the uncluttered, magnetic grills of the Micca. Doesn't block any of the sound, and it's SO easy to remove the grills for listening and put them back on when done.

The Micca sound prevails for me. I prefer a balanced sound for my favorite genres -- rock, jazz, Americana/roots and progressive house/melodic deep house. I'm not a huge basshead.

You can't go wrong with either of these speakers. The Edifiers are for you if you want a $100 powered speaker set with solid bass at the expense of some mud in the mids. But if you want a powered speaker that has more balance and sounds more like a monitor with a few sprinkles of color, the Micca PB42X is the pick for $110.

 

[morespinach]

I'd get R2000DB from Edifier for similar price range especially during sale season. It beats both the R1280 (fairly underpowered) and Micca.