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Edifier ES60: two-minute review
Elegant and Supreme. According to Edifier, those are the two words that define its ‘ES’ line of speakers. So, as you can imagine, my hopes were pretty high for the Edifier ES60 – a Bluetooth speaker that promises “immersive” and “high-quality 360-degree sound”.
And in some ways, it met my expectations. Especially in regard to its ‘Elegant’ side. Yes, this is a very nice-looking speaker. Its retro-style design – which is clearly pretty Marshall-inspired – is a hit, with its golden details, faux-leather casing, and appealing speaker grille winning me over.
Sure it’s not the lightest speaker in its size-class, and its IP66 waterproof rating has been outdone by many of the best Bluetooth speakers, however it’s nonetheless extremely moveable and in a position to face up to a great splashing.
I wasn’t completely satisfied of the ES60’s supremacy, although, particularly within the audio division. This can be a solid-sounding speaker normally, with clear total audio output and punchy sufficient bass. Nevertheless, it lacks the nuance that many equally priced rivals supply. Vocals don’t sound superbly separated, and it isn’t as expressive or energetic as fashions just like the JBL Flip 7. The treble can be just a little overzealous, and sounds significantly harsh at greater volumes.
The ES60’s suite of options can be a little bit of a blended bag. I’m a fan of the customizable ambient lighting, USB-C audio passthrough compatibility, and inclusion of a built-in mic for hands-free calls. Nevertheless, the EQ choices are very fundamental, and there’s no customized choice, which I might’ve used to mood that treble a contact.
Additionally, you solely get 9 hours of battery life from this mannequin, which is underwhelming in comparison with a lot of the competitors on this value vary. For example, the aforementioned Flip 7 can dwell for so long as 16 hours, and the Marshall Emberton III can go for as much as 32 hours.
When you think about that the Edifier ES60 sometimes is available in at $199.99 / £119.99 / AU$199.99, it simply doesn’t really feel like nice worth for cash. Rivals outdo it in too many essential areas, together with audio efficiency, battery life, and waterproofing. It’s nonetheless a strong speaker total, with an particularly eye-catching design, however until it’s on sale, I can’t suggest it outright.
Edifier ES60 review: price and release date
- $199.99 / £119.99 / AU$199.99
- Launched in March 2025
The Edifier ES60 launched in March 2025 as part of Edifier’s ‘ES’ line, which also includes models like the palm-sized Edifier ES20 and bigger Edifier ES300. It sometimes sells for $199.99 / £119.99 / AU$199.99, however I’ve seen it going for lower than $150 over on Amazon US every now and then. You’ll be able to seize the ES60 in both Black or Ivory.
Edifier ES60 review: specs
|
Drivers |
1x 18W mid-bass driver; 2x 8W tweeters |
|
Dimensions |
7.5 x 3.6 x 3.9 inches / 190 x 92 x 98mm |
|
Weight |
2.3lbs / 1kg |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C |
|
Battery life |
9 hours |
|
Waterproofing |
IP66 |
Edifier ES60 review: features
- Attractive customizable lighting
- Limited EQ options
- Nine-hour battery life isn’t great
Under the hood the Edifier ES60 has a fairly standard configuration for a speaker of its size. It’s packed with a single 18W mid-bass driver, alongside two 8W tweeters. That means you’re getting a maximum power output of 34W – similar to that of the JBL Flip 7, but quite a bit more than its main rival, the Marshall Emberton III.
So, how good does it sound precisely? I’ll get onto that later – let’s check out its checklist of options for now.
You get quite a lot of the standard stuff right here, akin to multi-point connectivity, dual-speaker pairing, and companion app compatibility. Nevertheless, you do get a number of neat extras, together with a high-sensitivity microphone, which allows you to take hands-free calls. This even has built-in noise-cancelling know-how, which may carve your voice out from busy environment.
One other notable inclusion is EQ settings, accessible through the Edifier ConneX app. In honesty, these are fairly fundamental. You get the default music tuning, alongside a sport, film, and outside calibration. There are not any genre-specific options, and there’s no customized tuning accessible. That final half is an actual disgrace – if there’s a selected sound I’m aiming for, I at all times respect the choice to implement it.
One other adverse for me was the speaker’s battery life. It solely delivers 9 hours of listening, which simply isn’t that a lot for a speaker in its dimension class. By comparability, the JBL Flip 7 delivers as a lot as 16 hours, whereas the Marshall Emberton III supplies a colossal 32 hours.
It’s not all unhealthy information, although. Top-of-the-line issues in regards to the Edifier ES60 is its built-in LED lighting. This emits from the underside of the speaker, and may shine onto a floor to create a little bit of atmosphere. You’ll be able to customise the colour and impact of the lighting within the Edifier ConneX app, which is a pleasant contact. This may also be disabled solely if you wish to give attention to conserving battery life.
It’s also possible to entry wired audio through the speaker’s USB-C port, which opens up higher-resolution, extra secure listening. That’s an attractive inclusion, and one thing that quite a lot of Edifier’s rivals skip on.
Edifier ES60 review: sound quality
- Decent at mid volumes, with solid bass output
- But treble can sound a little overeager
- Not the best in terms of nuance and instrument separation
I absolutely adored the sound signature of the Edifier ES60’s smaller-sized sibling, the Edifier ES20, so I had pretty high hopes for this one. On top of that, Edifier itself claims that the ES60 plates up a “superior sound performance” with “deep, punchy bass”, so I was pretty excited to get into my listening test.
With I Just Wanna Stop by Gino Vannelli, the overall sound was fairly pleasant at mid-volumes, with clear vocals and well-balanced bass. However, I did sense that drums in the treble range were a tad overstated, which was only emphasized as I cranked up the loudness.
It was a similar sort of story in the more upbeat Keep the Fire Burning by Gwen McCrae – bass was tempered but clean, but those higher-pitched percussive elements were a little over-eager. Again, vocals were quite clear, but not beautifully separated. More generally, instrument separation isn’t incredible on the ES60 – it doesn’t feel as if every individual element can express itself fully.
After this, I tried something a little different, with the bass-heavy Fascinator by Max Dean. I was fairly impressed here, with the deep, pumping bass in the build-up sounding agile and decently regimented. Those highs were pretty aggressive again, and they could potentially get grating over long listening periods, but vocal chops in the midrange were balanced quite well, and didn’t sound obscured.
M-High’s 12 O.C Riddim was also handled pretty well. Bass gets very dark in this track, and although the ES60 couldn’t quite muster up the full-bodied low end might required to replicate that, it certainly produced a meaty effort. At higher volumes, though, bass does thin out quite a bit, and there’s very obvious compression – that treble goes from overzealous to shrill, and vocals lose tonal accuracy.
Another positive is that the ES60 sounds pretty good from every listening angle. I tried walking around our music testing space and office, and the speaker remained fairly consistent at all times.
But how does this model compare against the competition? Well, I tested the ES60 alongside the JBL Flip 7 – a speaker with a similar amount of power, and similar price (in the UK at least). And this comparison hammered home why the Flip 7 sits atop my guide to the best Bluetooth speakers.
The important thing distinction I picked up on was the Flip 7’s means to carve out vocals and produce them to the fore, creating a very emotive hear. In Ned Doheny’s I’ve Received Your Quantity, strumming guitars had been superbly weighted on the Flip 7 and sounded as in the event that they occupied their very own pocket, whereas soulful vocals got here via with readability and path. The ES60 delivered a extra one-note efficiency, which by no means sounded harsh or disagreeable – it simply lacked the nuance of JBL’s speaker.
In the meantime, Love At First Sight – Child Creme Vocal Dub by Kylie Minogue simply had a bit extra vitality and drive on the Flip 7, a speaker that in the end surpasses the ES60 by way of management, instrument separation, and expressiveness. So, despite the fact that Edifier’s speaker sounds strong total – particularly within the low finish – I simply don’t assume its audio efficiency can stack as much as some big-name rivals.
If the ES60 had a customized equalizer and even some extra presets to mess around with, it could properly have the ability to compete extra successfully, however as I discussed within the ‘Options’ part, the choices at your fingertips are very restricted.
It’s additionally value flagging that this mannequin solely helps probably the most fundamental SBC audio codec – there’s no fancy stuff like LDAC or aptX Adaptive on-board, and never even any love for AAC. Meaning you received’t get probably the most insightful, high-resolution hear round should you’re streaming over Bluetooth.
- Sound high quality rating: 3.5/5
Edifier ES60 review: design
- Appealing retro-style aesthetic
- Decent IP66 waterproof rating
- Pretty solid feel
The category in which the Edifier ES60 arguably excels the most is design. Sure, it’s clearly inspired quite a bit by Marshall’s Bluetooth speakers, in particular, the Emberton line, but Edifier has pulled off the retro style nicely here.
It’s got an attractive speaker grille, faux-leather casing, and golden details, which help it stand out from much of the crowd. You can also grab this model in either Black or Ivory, and both colorways complement the speaker’s luxury look beautifully.
On the top side, this model has a simple and effective array of buttons, which allow you to adjust lighting, playback, or power in an instant. You’ll also find a USB-C port on the reverse side of the speaker, which can be used to charge it up or access wired audio.
Earlier, I discussed the speaker’s LED lighting, which conjures up a little bit of ambience for immersive listening sessions, and is customizable in the Edifier ConneX app.
So, I’m a big fan of the layout and look of the Edifier ES60, but how does it fare in terms of practicality? Well, not too badly. First of all, it’s not the lightest of speakers, coming in at around 2.3lbs / 1kg. However, it’s just about small enough to carry around one-handed, and there’s a fabric strap included if you’re traveling a short distance.
The ES60 is also IP66-rated, meaning that it’s fully dustproof, and able to withstand powerful jets of water from multiple directions. That rating is decent overall, but a lot of the competition goes further, with the JBL Flip 7, for instance, holding an IP68 rating, making it able to survive a dunking under 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes.
Still, this is a solidly built model, and should survive the odd drop when you’re out and about. Combine that with its swell look, and the Edifier ES60 nets plenty of points in the design department.
Edifier ES60 review: value
- Fairly pricey, especially in the US
- Better value rivals out there
- Still, by no means a bad speaker
Though the ES60 exceeded in the last category, it falls a little flat in terms of value. It’s quite a pricey model, coming in at $199.99 / £119.99 / AU$199.99. That’s especially pricey for the US buyers out there, although I have seen it going for a bit less from time to time – it’s actually selling for around $149.99 on Amazon US.
Even so, that’s quite a bit to shell out on a speaker of this size, especially when you consider the imperfect audio quality and feature-set on offer. Don’t get me wrong, this is a nice-looking speaker, and it doesn’t sound bad by any means, but the competition is just too hot.
Take the JBL Flip 7, for example. It’s regularly available for less than the Edifier ES60, plus it sounds better, has superior waterproofing, and offers much more playtime. Even the Marshall Emberton III – which this speaker draws inspiration from – delivers great audio, stereo sound capabilities, and an even more luxurious look.
As a result, the Edifier ES60 isn’t the value marvel of its sibling, the Edifier ES20 – and until it gets a juicy sale, I won’t be able to recommend it outright.
Should I buy the Edifier ES60?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Features |
Neat built-in mic and lighting, but poor EQ options and battery life. |
3.5/5 |
|
Sound quality |
Decently clear with solid bass, but lacks nuance and treble gets overexcited. |
3.5/5 |
|
Design |
Appealing aesthetic, well-built, IP66 rating isn’t too bad. |
4.5/5 |
|
Value |
By no means a bad speaker, but it can’t keep up with the competition in this price category. |
2.5/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Edifier ES60 review: also consider
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Edifier ES60 |
Marshall Emberton III |
JBL Flip 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Price |
$199.99 / £119.99 / AU$199.99 |
$159 / £159 / AU$289 |
$149 / £129 / AU$179 |
|
Drivers |
1x 18W mid-bass driver; 2x 8W tweeters |
2x 10W full-range drivers, 2 passive radiators |
1x 45 x 80mm mid/bass ‘racetrack’ driver, 1x 16mm tweeter |
|
Dimensions |
7.5 x 3.6 x 3.9 inches / 190 x 92 x 98mm |
6.3 x 2.7 x 3 inches / 160 x 68 x 76.9mm |
2.8 x 7.2 x 2.8 inches / 70 x 183 x 72mm |
|
Weight |
2.3lbs / 1kg |
1.5lbs / 0.7kg |
1.2lbs / 0.6kg |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C |
Bluetooth 5.3 |
Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C |
|
Battery life |
9 hours |
32 hours |
16 hours |
|
Waterproofing |
IP66 |
IP67 |
IP68 |
How I tested the Edifier ES60
- Tested over the course of one week
- Mainly used in the music testing space at Future Labs
- Predominantly tested using Tidal
I spent hours upon hours testing out the Edifier ES60, listening to a ton of music and fiddling around with its various features. During my time testing it, I tried all of its light customization and EQ options, and made sure to try it in a variety of settings.
For the most part, though, I used the ES60 in the music testing room here at Future Labs. When listening to tunes, I went through the TechRadar testing playlist, which options tracks from a spread of genres. However I additionally sifted via a bunch of songs from my personal library – primarily through Tidal, however typically on Spotify as a substitute.
Extra typically, I’ve reviewed dozens of audio system, headphones, earbuds, soundbars, and extra right here at TechRadar, the place I’ve a specific give attention to audio-visual know-how. I’ve examined many of the ES60’s competitors, so I do know what it takes for a speaker to face out in a extremely convoluted market.
- First reviewed: January 2026
- Learn extra about how we test
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