Compare Edifier S880DB MKII vs Cambridge Audio L/R X

There is no RGB or flashy lighting, so buyers looking for a gaming-style visual show may find the design too restrained.

The gentle lighting beneath the cabinets adds an especially appealing floating effect.

HDMI ARC is missing, and that repeatedly comes up as a convenience loss for TV-centered setups. Optical is the main workaround.

HDMI eARC makes TV use convenient, including volume control from the television remote. Tested power and volume integration worked as expected.

The compact footprint and strong output make these especially good for desktops, offices, and small to medium rooms. Only very tight desk spaces may find them a bit larger than ideal.

Very small rooms favor the competing KEF in one direct comparison; the Cambridge’s strengths are more convincing where its larger scale has room to work.

The proprietary inter-speaker cable is repeatedly described as chunky or unwieldy. It works, but it is the least graceful part of an otherwise tidy compact setup.

Removing the inter-speaker cable makes repositioning easier and reduces an annoying wire across the room.

The remote's energy-saving behavior can delay the first command after it wakes, adding friction to otherwise simple adjustments.

Using the wired speaker link can shorten the secondary speaker’s wake-up time.

The box includes a generous set of useful cables, and multiple reviewers appreciated not having to immediately buy basic connection accessories.

The supplied cable and essentials make it easy to get started, and lifting straps ease unpacking. Missing matching stands at launch drew criticism.

The rechargeable touch puck is the most consistent usability complaint: gestures can misfire, volume changes can trigger other commands, and wake-up can lag. A few reviewers still liked the concept or found it workable when used slowly.

The remote is convenient to use and gets strong praise for its feel in one account. Another found its clipped housing came apart when dropped, though it snapped back together.

Even a scratched, dusty vintage record remained highly enjoyable, suggesting the speakers can stay musical without making every source flaw dominate the experience.

Older and noisier recordings can remain pleasantly listenable, but especially bright material may still become sibilant at high volume.

The pair is not especially tiny or lightweight, but it remains manageable enough to move between setups. Very cramped desks may still find the size more substantial than expected.

The cabinets are heavy enough to make ordinary bookshelf support a concern.

Vocals are often clear, lively, and forward, but placement and tuning matter. A few takes found central voices restrained, dry, or slightly muffled until the speakers were adjusted.

Voices are generally clear, full-bodied, and convincingly centered. A little extra consonant emphasis can accompany the forward presentation.

Metal protection over the tweeters is a practical strength, reducing the risk of damage from fingers or accidental contact without hiding the drivers.

Protection offers reassurance against damage, but can soften transients near maximum output. Exposed front woofers also deserve care around curious children or pets.

The default balance is generally neutral and easy to live with, and Monitor mode is a frequent favorite. Some presets push bass and treble too far, while room placement can also shift the balance.

Balance is sensitive to room settings and placement: some listeners find it convincingly even, while others hear bass excess, forward mids, or treble irregularities. Tuning often improves the result.

Built-in amplification is a major convenience: the system works without a separate amp, reducing both setup complexity and additional cost.

Built-in amplification makes the system self-contained and removes the task of choosing a matching amplifier.

Fine detail is a standout strength, with cymbals, guitars, vocals, and layered mixes coming through cleanly and distinctly. Near-field listening especially highlights the resolution.

Percussion and layered arrangements generally stay clear and distinct without sounding sterile. One measurement-led account notes a mild clarity compromise from the recessed lower treble.

They work well as compact TV or movie speakers, with strong dialogue and useful optical connectivity. They are less convincing as a complete soundbar replacement when HDMI ARC, very deep bass, or a wider cinematic spread matters.

The system works well as a powerful stereo TV and movie setup. Surround decoding, a dedicated LFE channel, and very deep cinematic rumble remain outside its standalone strengths.

Compact cabinets still get very loud, with enough output for small rooms and more than enough at a desk. Volume capability is a clear strength.

The speakers can play remarkably loudly for their size while staying composed. Available output is ample for normal room listening, though party-level extremes have limits.

For TV and movies, dialogue comes through crisp and easy to follow. The speakers can push speech forward convincingly even in a simple two-channel setup.

TV dialogue is notably intelligible, and Movie mode can further emphasize speech clarity.

Playback stays clean through normal listening levels. One test reported no distortion at all, while another heard only a hint of clipping near maximum volume.

High-volume playback is generally judged composed, including an encouraging absence of concentrated distortion peaks in measurement-led testing.

The long inter-speaker cable gives enough reach for wide placement, including either side of a large TV. It offers useful placement flexibility even though the cable itself is bulky.

Wireless linking gives welcome freedom to move the speakers without a connecting cable. A wired option offers faster wake-up and a fallback for difficult wireless conditions, while extended wireless testing found no dropouts.

Build, styling, connectivity, and sound combine into a highly capable compact system that earns enthusiastic recommendations. The touch remote is the clearest flaw keeping the overall experience from feeling as polished as the hardware.

The complete package draws strong recommendations for combining serious sound with everyday convenience. Even the preliminary and promotional accounts emphasize its unusually comprehensive design.

The speakers handle dynamic swings and punch surprisingly well for their size, including movies and energetic records. Classical material can expose some limits in large-scale dynamic range.

Dynamic scale and headroom are standout strengths on demanding music. Protection and limiting can soften impact when the system is pushed to its upper range.

Cabinets feel solid, weighty, and well finished, with construction quality that supports the premium impression. One sample had a small finish-adhesion flaw, but that was the exception.

Seamless cabinet assembly and the force-cancelling radiator arrangement earn praise for thoughtful construction.

Packaging is sturdy and protective, including well-packed or double-boxed treatment that inspires confidence before setup.

High-quality packaging and dedicated lifting straps make unpacking feel thoughtfully handled.

There is no internal phono stage, so a turntable needs its own phono preamp or an external one. That omission limits the otherwise broad all-in-one appeal.

The integrated moving-magnet phono input is valued for making vinyl playback a simple turntable-and-speakers setup. These comments praise convenience rather than establish a tested fidelity verdict.

Midrange is usually clean, natural, and informative, with vocals often pushed pleasantly forward. Some listeners wanted more thrust, openness, or expressiveness, so the tuning is not universally lush.

Vocals can sound warm and substantial, but dense guitars and acoustic recordings sometimes lose texture or clarity. Positioning helps, although some fullness remains.

Low-volume listening remains clear and satisfying, making the pair well suited to near-field desks and quiet background sessions.

Quiet listening usually retains detail and bass weight, helped by DynamEQ. One listening account found DynamEQ needed improvement and advised restrained adjustment.

The dedicated sub output is widely praised and makes it easy to add deeper low-end weight. The speakers have useful bass on their own, but a sub is the better route for true deep-bass effects.

Subwoofer integration offers useful level, phase, and bass-management controls. One test needed unusually high subwoofer gain to compensate for low output from the speakers.

Treble is usually clear, smooth, and detailed without becoming fatiguing. A few listeners wanted more air or heard some edge at the extremes, but harshness is not the dominant character.

Treble ranges from airy and natural to bright or hard at volume, depending on the room and material. App adjustments improve comfort, while one extended listening test found it consistently fatigue-free.

High-resolution playback over USB and digital inputs is treated as a real strength for buyers who want better-quality source files without adding another DAC.

Wide file compatibility is a practical strength. One comparison considers the inter-speaker resolution gap too small to drive a buying decision.

Gaming use benefits from punchy sound and very low perceived Bluetooth latency. The compact footprint also suits a gaming or creative desk.

Gaming audio is positively assessed alongside TV, movies, and music, without a separate latency test.

Stereo imaging is usually precise and spacious, especially near field, with instruments and vocals easy to place. The main limitation is that some TV material can feel less expansive than ideal.

A wide, open stage and convincing separation are frequent strengths, sometimes making the cabinets seem to disappear. Spatially deep acoustic recordings reveal less air and precision than the best alternatives.

Bass opinion depends heavily on room, placement, and expectations: many found it surprisingly deep, punchy, and controlled for the size, while others heard limited low-end extension or boom near walls. The sub output neatly addresses the deepest-bass gap.

Bass delivers unusual weight, punch, and control for compact speakers. Wall placement can make it overpowering, and the deepest movie rumble or loudest passages may still call for a subwoofer.

Overall sound quality is the product's strongest consensus point: clean, detailed, balanced, and surprisingly full for compact active speakers. Bass depth, upper-air, and vocal character draw some criticism, but the broad sonic verdict remains very positive.

The dominant impression is big, clear, energetic sound from compact cabinets. Most enthusiasm comes with caveats about tuning, midrange refinement, or the deepest loudest bass.

Connectivity is one of the clearest strengths, with USB-C, optical, coaxial, and RCA options covering desktops, TVs, streamers, and other sources. The speakers are unusually flexible for a compact active pair.

The extensive digital and analog connections are a major strength, allowing several household sources to share one system.

Bluetooth pairing is consistently simple and quick, with devices finding the speakers easily. Wireless setup is one of the least troublesome parts of daily use.

Bluetooth is usable, but Wi-Fi is favored when maximizing sound quality matters.

LDAC support is a major wireless-audio plus and is repeatedly praised. The tradeoff is no aptX family support, while iPhone users fall back to SBC.

SBC and AAC support feels basic for this class, with higher-quality Bluetooth codecs missed.

The app can be useful for EQ and source control, but several reviewers found its smart features limited or unnecessary. Native streaming integrations are also sparse.

Integrated streaming and extensive customization make the speakers unusually complete. Direct service access removes the need for a separate streamer or hub.

The physical volume, bass, and treble knobs feel precise and useful, and they provide a welcome escape from the touch remote. Their rear placement can make daily access awkward.

Basic playback and volume controls are accessible on the main cabinet. Track skipping and radio-station navigation remain shortcomings.

Sound tailoring is unusually flexible through rear tone controls, presets, and the ConneX app's custom EQ. Monitor is often preferred, while Classic or Dynamic can sound overcooked to some listeners.

EQ helps tame excess bass and lively highs, though the controls are relatively basic. Listeners wanting deeper adjustment may find the available tools limited.

Music performance is a core strength across rock, pop, jazz, electronic, and record playback. The pair is detailed, engaging, and versatile enough to move between casual listening and more focused near-field sessions.

Energetic beats, demanding rock, and a wide range of genres benefit from the speakers’ scale and control. Spacious jazz and classical recordings can expose subtler refinement limits.

Value is strong when discounted, where the sound, build, and connectivity can compete well above the price. At full MSRP, the cheaper MR5 and other alternatives make the value case less automatic.

The price is substantial, but integrated streaming, amplification, inputs, and finish quality help justify it. Value depends on whether those conveniences matter more than cheaper alternatives.

Setup is usually plug-and-play: connect the speakers, power them, choose a source, and start listening. One reviewer found the channel-identification instructions unclear, but the overall process is considered easy.

App-guided network setup is generally quick and intuitive, and integrated electronics simplify system assembly. Ethernet can make initial discovery faster than fully wireless setup.

The design earns near-universal praise for looking more like compact hi-fi than ordinary computer speakers. Curved details, wood accents, and a premium two-tone look help them fit comfortably in visible living spaces.

Clean lines, a floating base, colorful finishes, and walnut veneer make the speakers distinctive living-room objects. Enthusiasm for the look is broad, though taste and household preferences differ.

Native AirPlay is absent, which is a meaningful drawback for buyers who want Apple-centric network streaming.

Bass controls can reduce room-driven excess and help manage an added subwoofer. The adjustable high-pass filter is a welcome capability.

The presentation is praised for staying integrated and coherent, with bass, mids, and upper detail blending naturally rather than feeling disjointed.

Wide horizontal coverage helps several seats share good sound and stable imaging. Listening height matters more, with the larger model showing a narrower vertical window.

StreamMagic lacks native grouping of multiple Cambridge systems. Whole-home playback instead depends on platforms such as AirPlay, Google Cast, or Roon.

Touch-control responsiveness is a recurring weakness. Wake delays, late reactions, and accidental commands can turn simple adjustments into repeated attempts.

The two-box format saves space compared with separates, but these substantial speakers need clearance and supportive surfaces. Stands are often the more practical choice than desks or shallow shelves.

The USB-C audio input does not provide 5V power for peripherals, a missed convenience for desk setups where spare powered USB ports are valuable.

Room settings can quickly improve brightness, bass control, and listening comfort. They require manual input rather than microphone measurement, and physical placement still matters.

The small OLED display is consistently well liked because it clearly shows source, volume, or mode without becoming distracting. Auto-dimming and subtle presentation suit both desks and living rooms.

Reducing treble brightness through the app can improve comfort while preserving openness.

StreamMagic earns praise for its polished interface, straightforward setup, and useful acoustic controls. Its broad feature set can take some time to learn.

Bluetooth stability is excellent in the tested setups, with rock-solid pairing and no reported connection dropouts.

Automatic discovery of the second speaker makes initial pairing effortless.

Bluetooth latency was described as barely noticeable in computer use, making wireless playback feel responsive for timing-sensitive desktop use.

Signal-to-noise performance is praised as setting a new standard among compact active speakers.

The absence of a built-in display is a small usability drawback.

One movie-focused test found the stage too contained vertically and laterally, with less sense of sound spreading toward the room boundaries than desired.

Precise assembly, flawless edges, and uniform finishes suggest craftsmanship beyond the price class.

Edifier customer service responded quickly and thoroughly to a channel-setup question, resolving unclear documentation with a helpful explanation.

There is no headphone output, which reduces convenience for desktop users who want to switch quickly from speakers to private listening.

Optical input works well as the practical TV connection, delivering clear dialogue and solid bass without needing an AV receiver.

Native Spotify Connect is not supported, so Spotify users must rely on another playback path rather than direct service integration.