Short answer: the AIYIMA S600. It ranks #88 of 105 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.2/5, at $159.99. The Edifier R1280DB ranks #92, rated 3.1/5, at $139.99, $20 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
Why pick the AIYIMA S600: A budget powered pair with a 4” glass fiber woofer and a 1” silk dome tweeter in each speaker, 100W of amplification, a remote and a wide set of inputs: HDMI ARC, optical, USB, RCA and Bluetooth 5.3, plus a subwoofer output. The catch: The only measurements, from audiore.kr, are not valid below 500Hz, so it has no preference score; the rating is estimated from that data and similar budget powered speakers.
Why pick the Edifier R1280DB: Optical/coaxial inputs and Bluetooth add practical flexibility over the analog Edifier R1280T, while remote and tone controls simplify everyday listening. The catch: The compact format is better suited to nearfield listening than high-volume playback across a large room.
Buy the AIYIMA S600. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $20 with the Edifier R1280DB does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
About the ratings: the AIYIMA S600’s rating is estimated from measured siblings and predecessors rather than its own measurements, with a likely range of 2.8 to 3.6, so this verdict could change once it is measured.
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Specifications Side By Side
| AIYIMA S600 | Edifier R1280DB | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.99 per pair | $139.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #88 of 105 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers Estimated | #92 of 105 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Weight | 11.6 lbs (5.24 kg) | 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | Yes | Yes |
| Coaxial Input | No | Yes |
| USB Input | Yes | No |
| HDMI Input | Yes | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Inputs | HDMI ARC, optical, USB, RCA, Bluetooth | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes | - |
| Drivers | 4” glass fiber woofer, 1” silk dome tweeter | 4” (102mm) woofer |
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS (50W x 2) | 42w RMS Total |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz-20kHz (manufacturer specified) | 55 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 10.2”H x 6.7”W x 7.9”D (260 x 170 x 200 mm) | 9.2”H x 5.7”W x 7.7”D (233.7 x 144.8 x 195.6 mm) |
| DIY Kit | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 63Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - shares the R1280T driver and cabinet; read from that measurement |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 53.2Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Outputs | - | None |
| App | - | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| EQ | - | No |
Frequency Response Compared
Both speakers’ spinorama measurements, overlaid. A flatter line is more neutral: peaks sound forward or harsh, dips sound recessed. Each curve is shifted so its average from 300 Hz to 3 kHz sits at 0 dB, so loudness differences between the two are removed and only the shape is compared. The two were measured by different sources, so small differences, especially in the bass, can come from the measurement setup rather than the speakers.
Measurement data: AIYIMA S600 (measured by an independent reviewer) and Edifier R1280DB (measured by Audio Science Review), via spinorama.org.
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for AIYIMA S600:
- Edifier MR4 vs AIYIMA S600
- AIYIMA S600 vs Edifier R1700BT
- Edifier R1280DB vs Midiplus MI5 II
- Edifier R1280DB vs Edifier M60
- Edifier MR4 vs Edifier R1280DB
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
AIYIMA S600: $159.99 per pair Estimated AIYIMA eBay
Pros: A budget powered pair with a 4” glass fiber woofer and a 1” silk dome tweeter in each speaker, 100W of amplification, a remote and a wide set of inputs: HDMI ARC, optical, USB, RCA and Bluetooth 5.3, plus a subwoofer output.
Cons: The only measurements, from audiore.kr, are not valid below 500Hz, so it has no preference score; the rating is estimated from that data and similar budget powered speakers. It is sold mainly through AIYIMA’s own store.
Full AIYIMA S600 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS (50W x 2) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 10.2”H x 6.7”W x 7.9”D (260 x 170 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 4” glass fiber woofer, 1” silk dome tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz-20kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | Yes |
| Inputs | HDMI ARC, optical, USB, RCA, Bluetooth |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | Yes |
| Weight | 11.6 lbs (5.24 kg) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Edifier R1280DB: $139.99 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: Optical/coaxial inputs and Bluetooth add practical flexibility over the analog Edifier R1280T, while remote and tone controls simplify everyday listening. It is a convenient inexpensive stereo system rather than a separate amplifier-and-speaker setup. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The compact format is better suited to nearfield listening than high-volume playback across a large room. Basic tone controls offer less flexibility than parametric equalization.
Full Edifier R1280DB review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| AES Input | No |
| Amplifier Power | 42w RMS Total |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) - shares the R1280T driver and cabinet; read from that measurement |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Coaxial Input | Yes |
| Dimensions | 9.2”H x 5.7”W x 7.7”D (233.7 x 144.8 x 195.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 4” (102mm) woofer |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 55 Hz-20 kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 2x RCA Input, Digital Optical, Digital Coax |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| Outputs | None |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Related-model measurements: Edifier R1280T (not R1280DB)
- DSAUDIO.review: Edifier R1280DB vs Edifier R1700BT Sound Demo w/ Bass Test More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: Edifier R1280DBs vs Edifier R1700BTs Sound Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier MR4 vs Edifier R1280DBs sound.DEMO
- Related-model Spinorama: Edifier R1280T (not R1280DB)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Edifier R1280DB vs Edifier R1280T
- Edifier R1280DB vs Midiplus MI5 II
- Edifier R1280DB vs Edifier R1700BT
- Edifier R1280DB vs JBL One Series 104
- Edifier R1280DB vs Audioengine HD4
- Edifier R1280DB vs Fluid Audio FX50 V2
- Edifier R1280DB vs Kali Audio IN-UNF
- Edifier R1280DB vs Donner Dyna 3
- See all 71 comparisons