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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, but it’s still highly portable and able to withstand a good splashing.
I wasn’t totally convinced of the ES60’s supremacy, though, especially in the audio department. This is a solid-sounding speaker in general, with clear overall audio output and punchy enough bass. However, it lacks the nuance that many similarly priced rivals offer. Vocals don’t sound beautifully separated, and it’s not as expressive or energetic as models like the JBL Flip 7. The treble is also a little overzealous, and sounds particularly harsh at higher volumes.
The ES60’s suite of features is also a bit of a mixed 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. However, the EQ options are very basic, and there’s no custom option, which I would’ve used to temper that treble a touch.
Also, you only get nine hours of battery life from this model, which is underwhelming compared to much of the competition in this price range. For instance, the aforementioned Flip 7 can live for as long as 16 hours, and the Marshall Emberton III can go for up to 32 hours.
When you consider that the Edifier ES60 typically comes in at $199.99 / £119.99 / AU$199.99, it just doesn’t feel like great value for money. Rivals outdo it in too many crucial areas, including audio performance, battery life, and waterproofing. It’s still a solid speaker overall, with an especially eye-catching design, but unless it’s on sale, I can’t recommend 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 larger Edifier ES300. It typically sells for $199.99 / £119.99 / AU$199.99, but I have seen it going for less than $150 over on Amazon US on occasion. You can grab the ES60 in either 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 exactly? I’ll get onto that later – let’s take a look at its list of features for now.
You get a lot of the usual stuff here, such as multi-point connectivity, dual-speaker pairing, and companion app compatibility. However, you do get a few neat extras, including a high-sensitivity microphone, which enables you to take hands-free calls. This even has integrated noise-cancelling technology, which can carve your voice out from busy surroundings.
Another notable inclusion is EQ settings, accessible via the Edifier ConneX app. In honesty, these are pretty basic. You get the default music tuning, alongside a game, movie, and outdoor calibration. There are no genre-specific alternatives, and there’s no custom tuning available. That last part is a real shame – if there’s a specific sound I’m aiming for, I always appreciate the option to implement it.
Another negative for me was the speaker’s battery life. It only delivers nine hours of listening, which just isn’t that much for a speaker in its size class. By comparison, the JBL Flip 7 delivers as much as 16 hours, while the Marshall Emberton III provides a colossal 32 hours.
It’s not all bad news, though. One of the best things about the Edifier ES60 is its integrated LED lighting. This emits from the underside of the speaker, and can shine onto a surface to create a bit of ambience. You can customize the color and effect of the lighting in the Edifier ConneX app, which is a nice touch. This can also be disabled entirely if you want to focus on conserving battery life.
You can also access wired audio via the speaker’s USB-C port, which opens up higher-resolution, more stable listening. That’s an enticing inclusion, and something that 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 key difference I picked up on was the Flip 7’s ability to carve out vocals and bring them to the fore, creating a truly emotive listen. In Ned Doheny’s I’ve Got Your Number, strumming guitars were beautifully weighted on the Flip 7 and sounded as if they occupied their own pocket, while soulful vocals came through with clarity and direction. The ES60 delivered a more one-note performance, which never sounded harsh or unpleasant – it just lacked the nuance of JBL’s speaker.
Meanwhile, Love At First Sight – Kid Creme Vocal Dub by Kylie Minogue just had a bit more energy and drive on the Flip 7, a speaker that ultimately surpasses the ES60 in terms of control, instrument separation, and expressiveness. So, even though Edifier’s speaker sounds solid overall – especially in the low end – I just don’t think its audio performance can stack up to some big-name rivals.
If the ES60 had a custom equalizer or even some more presets to play around with, it may well be able to compete more effectively, but as I mentioned in the ‘Features’ section, the options at your fingertips are very limited.
It’s also worth flagging that this model only supports the most basic SBC audio codec – there’s no fancy stuff like LDAC or aptX Adaptive on-board, and not even any love for AAC. That means you won’t get the most insightful, high-resolution listen around if you’re streaming over Bluetooth.
- Sound quality score: 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 features tracks from a range of genres. But I also sifted through a bunch of songs from my personal library – mainly via Tidal, but sometimes on Spotify instead.
More generally, I’ve reviewed dozens of speakers, headphones, earbuds, soundbars, and more here at TechRadar, where I have a particular focus on audio-visual technology. I’ve tested most of the ES60’s competition, so I know what it takes for a speaker to stand out in a highly convoluted market.
- First reviewed: January 2026
- Read more about how we test
Read the full article here
