Testing:

Connections for the system are simple and straightforward. The positive speaker wire is marked with a red piece of shrink wrap, and the connections from the sound card to the amplifier are analog only by way of a 3.5mm jack to RCA type connector cable (supplied). It is nice that Edifier has made the connector on the amplifier a standard RCA type instead of a 3.5mm, as this allows more connectivity options to other equipment besides a computer that use an RCA connector such as a television set, satellite box, video game console or mini stereo system. With the supplied 3.5mm to RCA cable, the speaker system can also be connected to other devices such as portable MP3 and CD players.

With a total RMS power output of only 28w this is fine for most people, especially those living in apartments and dorm rooms. I ran a wide variety of music genre’s through the e2100 system that included the likes of Kenny G, Rush, Type O Negative, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Usher, Vengaboys, as well as the soundtrack from the movie Gladiator.

I immediately noticed the e2100’s wide sound stage on some tracks, and also some great imaging on Rush’s Red Barchetta track. It felt as if Geddy Lee was playing bass and singing right in front of me. I listened to R.H.C.P's Otherside and Suck My Kiss and found the bass guitar and vocals were clear and crisp. On Kenny G’s track The Moment, again the saxophone and wind chimes were clear and detailed, and even bested my Logitech z5500’s. Listening to the Vengaboys’ Superfly Slick Dick, I found the keyboard had a wide presence, decent mid-bass accuracy, but the bottom end punch was not there. On the Love You to Death track by Type O Negative, I found the piano was nicely reproduced, and the guitar tracks, had that definite grunge feel to them, and once again the vocals had a positive presence to them. On to the Gladiator soundtrack CD, to test the amplifiers ability to handle dynamic transients, as well as to test the speaker’s ability to play orchestrated instruments. For this test I was listening to the e2100’s at a volume level loud enough that I did not hear the phone that was right beside me ring. I noticed the e2100’s were up to the task. The instruments sounded more crisp and clearer than my z5500’s satellites, the amplifier had no troubles with a transient from low to high coming from the horns and floor drums, and for a small amplifier this one has some nice headroom to it.