Edifier D32 review: a retro-look wireless speaker that supplies detailed audio

Edifier
D32:
Two-minute
review

Looking
for
a
fresh
wireless
speaker,
which
combines
old-school
charm
with
hi-res
audio
capabilities?
Thought
so.
Well,
you’re
in
luck,
because
the
Edifier
D32
is
just
that
and
at
a
very
reasonable
price
too.

This
amp-like
tabletop
speaker
is
a
very
solid
entry
from
the
Chinese
audio
specialists
Edifier
and
delivers
clean,
balanced,
delicate
sound.
The
Edifier
D32
is
compatible
with
both
the
LDAC
and
ALAC
(when
using
AirPlay)
audio
codecs,
meaning
you’ll
get
access
to
hi-res
audio
regardless
of
whether
you’re
an
Android
or
iPhone
lover.
As
well
as
Bluetooth
5.3
or
the
5GHz
and
2.4GHz
dual-band
Wi-Fi
module,
there’s
also
AUX
and
USB-C
wired
options
if
you’d
prefer,
making
the
Edifier
D32
a
very
versatile
option.

Whether
you’re
a
rocker,
folk
fan
or
classical
connoisseur,
the
Edifier
D32
will
deliver
talented
sound
that’s
sure
to
impress
you
or
your
esteemed
guests.
It
handles
treble
frequencies
most
competently,
delivering
more
delicate
sounds
with
accuracy
and
precision.
Mid-range
sounds
are
also
well-weighted
with
imperfect,
yet
respectable
levels
of
detail
on
offer.
Even
bass
comes
through
with
a
degree
of
impact
and
depth,
making
for
a
good
all-round
listening
experience.
OK,
drum
and
bass
lovers
may
feel
that
sub-bass
is
a
bit
lacking;
audiophiles
may
even
sense
that
separation
doesn’t
match
up
to
some
of
the

best
wireless
speakers.
But
the
vast
majority
of
listeners
are
sure
to
like
what
they
hear.

Sound
is
customizable
too,
thanks
to
the
Edifier
ConneX
app.
This
free
companion
app
allows
you
to
adjust
the
EQ
via
a
number
of
presets
or
a
custom
option.
However,
that’s
pretty
much
it
as
far
as
in-app
features
go,
so
don’t
expect
anything
super
fancy
here.

Another
decent,
but
non-standout
factor
is
the
Edifier
D32’s
battery
life
of
11
hours.
Some
competitors,
like
the

JBL
Authentics
300,
for
instance,
can
only
manage
eight
in
fairness

although
a
lot
of
competitors,
like

Marshall’s
Stanmore,
can
give
you
15
hours
with
its
retro-style
multi-room
speaker.
This
should
still
be
enough
for
the
average
gathering,
of
course,
but
if
you
want
a
speaker
for
parties
or
similar
events,
there
are
a
lot
of
other
low-cost
options
that
offer
far
superior
playtimes.

Potentially
the
biggest
draw
of
the
Edifier
D32
is
its
design.
Sure,
the
JBL
Authentics
and
Marshall
Stanmore
products
have
done
similar
things,
but
this
is
considerably
cheaper
than
most
options
in
these
lines.
The
Edifier
D32
does
a
lot
right
aesthetically,
with
an
attractive,
textured
outer
casing
and
golden
speaker
grille.
However,
some
of
the
gold
detail
on
the
White
model
(which
I
tested)
makes
for
a
slightly
less-than
premium
appearance
due
to
its
plasticky
look.
If
you’re
looking
for
the
classiest
option
on
the
market,
this
is
likely
not
going
to
cut
it,
but
it
does
still
keep
that
old
school
vibe
alive

as
long
as
you
don’t
look
too
closely.

It’s
looking
pretty
positive
for
the
Edifier
D32
here.
For
what
it
sets
out
to
do,
it
succeeds
on
almost
every
metric.
It
may
not
be
a
perfect
10
looks-wise
or
particularly
feature-rich,
but
these
things
aren’t
going
to
be
a
number
one
priority
for
most.
After
all,
when
it
comes
to
audio
quality,
the
Edifier
D32
offers
plenty
of
bang
for
your
buck.
It’s
not
the
top
performing
speaker
on
the
market,
sure,
but
with
hi-res
output
using
your
home’s
Wi-Fi
network,,
talented
all-round
sound
and
EQ
customizability,
you’re
almost
certain
to
be
satisfied
with
what’s
on
offer.

So
if
you’re
the
nostalgic
type
and
want
adept
audio
at
a
not-so
daunting
price,
I
would
recommend
the
Edifier
D32.
For
lovers
of
big
bass,
party
vibes
and
the
great
outdoors,
though,
this
is
probably
not
for
you
and
I’d
recommend
checking
out
our
guide
to
the

best
party
speakers
instead.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Edifier
D32
review:
price
and
release
date

$199.99
/
£179.99
(about
AU$300)

Launched
on
March
2024

The
Edifier
D32
is
available
for
a
reasonable
price,
given
you
get
hi-res
audio,
a
decent
amount
of
bulk
and
several
good
connectivity
options,
including
Wi-Fi
and
Bluetooth
streaming.
It
has
a
list
price
of
$199.99
/
£179.99
(about
AU$300),
which
is
considerably
cheaper
than
a
lot
of
the
speakers
in
JBL’s
Authentics
line,
for
instance,
a
model
that
attracts
those
looking
for
a
similarly
retro
vibe. 

The
D32
also
launched
in
March
2024,
so
it
still
has
that
fresh
feeling
about
it.
Sure,
its
build
quality
isn’t
quite
as
high
as
alternatives
from
Marshall
or
JBL,
but
the
savings
you
recoup
even
things
out
nicely.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Edifier
D32
review:
Specs

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Weight

6.7lbs
/
3kg

Dimensions

9.8
x
6.4
x
7.1
inches
/
250
x
162
x
180.5mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth
5.3,
Wi-Fi
5GHz
and
2.4GHz
dual-band
(with
Apple
AirPlay),
USB-C,
AUX

Battery
life

11
hours

Speaker
drivers

2x
15W
tweeters,
1x
30W
mid-low
driver

Waterproofing

Not
waterproof

(Image
credit:
Future)

Edifier
D32:
Features

Apple
AirPlay2,
Bluetooth
5.3
and
wired
connectivity
options

Companion
app
compatibility

Average
battery
life

Features-wise,
the
Edifier
D32
does
a
lot
more
than
its
looks
suggest.
Firstly,
it’s
worth
noting
that
it
has
a
good
set
of
connectivity
options,
which
include:
Bluetooth
5.3,
5GHz
and
2.4GHz
dual-band
Wi-Fi
(and

Apple
AirPlay),
USB-C
and
AUX
for
wired
listening.
Specifically,
the
Edifier
D32
supports
Apple
AirPlay
2,
meaning
that
you
can
Wi-Fi
stream
music
using
iOS
devices,
Apple
TV,
and
computers
with
iTunes
installed.

When
harnessing
Bluetooth
connectivity
(except
when
streaming
using
LDAC),
you
get
access
to
multipoint
connectivity.
If
you’re
hosting
a
gathering
and
both
you
and
a
friend
want
to
queue
up
some
tracks,
it’s
best
to
stick
to
Bluetooth. 

If
you
download
the
Edifier
ConneX
app,
you
can
access
a
few
more
features,
but
things
are
admittedly
pretty
limited.
The
only

real
feature
available
is
what
Edifier
calls
‘Sound
Effects’,
which
is
just
an
EQ
calibration
tool.
You
can
select
from
one
of
five
options:
Classic;
Monitor;
Dynamic;
Vocal;
or
Customized.
Although
all
of
these
have
distinctive
sound
profiles,
I
only
really
found
myself
using
either
the
well-balanced
Classic
mode,
which
enabled
me
to
pick
out
more
sonic
details,
or
Dynamic,
whichdiminishes
highs
in
favor
of
more
booming
bass.

The
app
doesn’t
have
much
more
going
for
it
really.
You
can
check
battery
life
(although
it
annoyingly
only
shows
percentages
as
a
multiple
of
20),
toggle
multipoint,
turn
speaker
prompt
sounds
on
or
off
and
view
the
user
manual.
That’s
basically
it

and
I’m
not
really
complaining.
After
all,
there’s
not
a
whole
lot
more
I’d
expect
from
a
wireless
speaker
at
this
price
point.

When
it
comes
to
battery
life,
the
Edifier
D32
is
pretty
average.
Edifier
claims
that
this
speaker
has
a
playtime
of
11
hours,
which
I
found
to
be
relatively
accurate.
After
playing
music
at
30%
volume
for
eight
hours,
the
speaker
still
had
40%
of
its
charge
remaining,
but
of
course,
if
you
play
at
higher
volumes
using
hi-res
quality
it
will
die
far
sooner.
Although
the
Edifier
D32’s
playtime
can’t
rival
retro-looking
competitors
like
the
Marshall
Emberton
2,
with
its
30-hour
battery,
11
hours
will
almost
definitely
be
enough
for
playing
tunes
at
a
party
or
gathering.

It
would
be
nice
to
have
something
akin
to
a
battery
saver
mode,
like
JBL’s
Playtime
Boost,
or
a
setting
to
calibrate
the
speaker’s
sound
to
its
surroundings,
like
Marshall’s
Placement
Compensation.
But,
all
in
all,
the
Edifier
D32’s
feature-set
is
decent.

Features
score:
3.5/5

(Image
credit:
Future)

Edifier
D32:
Sound
quality

Well-balanced
hi-res
audio

Crisp
highs
and
clean
bass

Impressive
levels
of
detail
for
price

OK,
so
you’re
not
going
to
lose
your
mind
over
how
good
the
Edifier’s
D32
audio
sounds,
but
it’s
undeniably
strong
for
its
price.
Firstly,
it’s
worth
noting
that
I
mainly
used
the
D32’s
more
balanced
EQ
preset,
Classic,
when
listening
to
tracks,
although
I
did
dip
into
Dynamic
mode
for
more
bass-heavy
bangers.

Something
I
was
delighted
to
find,
straight
off
the
bat,
is
that
the
Edifier
D32
supports
the
LDAC
codec,
which
processes
audio
up
to
24-bit/96kHz.
This
is
wonderful
news
for
anyone
with
a
modern
Android
phone,
as
almost
all
of
these
support
the
codec.
The
D32
also
supports
Apple’s
ALAC
‘lossless’
audio
codec,
but
only
if
you’re
using
AirPlay
mode
– ie
over
Wi-Fi.
Even
some
of
2024’s
more
expensive
Bluetooth
speakers

like
the

JBL
Xtreme
4

don’t
support
any
lossless
codecs,
(because
remember,
Bluetooth
streaming
by
its
very
nature
incurs
loss)
so
this
is
a
big
win
for
a
speaker
costing
less
than
$200
/
£200
/
AU$300.

OK,
so
the
Edifier
is
compatible
with
some
levelled-up
Bluetooth
codecs
and
AirPlay
support
using
Wi-Fi,
but
how
does
it
actually
sound?
Well,
I
whipped
out
my
trusty

FiiO
M11S
and
opened
up

Tidal
to
give
it
a
whirl
and
was
pleasantly
surprised
by
the
quality
on
offer.
I
tuned
into

Black
Eye
by
Allie
X
and
the
Edifier
effectively
captured
the
dynamism
of
the
intro’s
bass
bouncing
up
to
the
mid-range,
resulting
in
a
controlled
yet
energetic
sound.
The
Edifier
can
achieve
respectable
bass
depth;
for
instance,
deep
synths
placed
throughout
the
song

635
South
by
FORQ
sounded
very
clear,
maintained
their
boom
and
didn’t
distort,
even
at
higher
volumes.

It’s
not
an
entirely
perfect
picture
when
it
comes
to
low-frequencies,
though.
If
you’re
looking
to
hear
imposing
bass,
you
might
want
to
look
elsewhere.
For
instance,
when
listening
to

Diva
Bonita
by
bbno$,
the
sub-bass
was
a
little
lacking
for
clout
and
impact
in
the
mix.
I
tried
the
(admittedly
more
expensive)
JBL
Xtreme
4
and
it
was
able
to
perform
better
in
this
department,
so
if
you’re
really
into
ultra
low-frequency
rubbles
and
feels,
weigh
up
other
options.

However,
it’s
not
about
bass
with
the
Edifier
D32.
With
its
retro
aesthetic,
it’s
clearly
not
trying
to
be
a
party
speaker
with
intense
low-end
capabilities,
even
though
it’s
still
very
much
competent
in
this
area.
And
the
positive
news
is
the
D32
sounds
very
good
overall,
with
both
rich
mids
and
elegant
highs.

I
listened
to

Rains
again
by
Solji
and
the
rain
sound
effects
in
the
intro
sounded
pretty
natural,
with
the
vocalist’s
delicate,
high-pitched
vocals
coming
through
in
a
crisp
manner
and
retaining
their
atmospheric
edge.
There
wasn’t
any
noticeable
warping
or
distortion
when
listening
to
this
track
and
even
when
flicking
through
the
TechRadar
testing
playlist,
I
constantly
felt
that
songs
relying
on
treble
performance
sounded
neat.

The
Edifier
D32
isn’t

always
the
best
with
more
subtle
details.
For
instance,
the
electric
guitar
throughout

Young
Blood
by
The
Naked
and
Famous
was
a
bit
more
muted
in
the
overall
mix
than
I
would’ve
liked.
When
returning
to

Black
Eye
by
Allie
X,
I
similarly
sensed
that
light
electronica
in
the
middle
of
the
track
was
a
bit
lacking

noticeable,
sure

but
just
not
as
clear-cut
as
it
could
be.
This
is
nitpicking
I
accept,
especially
given
the
price
you
pay,
but
it
is
my
job
to
do
so.

All
in
all,
the
Edifier
D32
may
not
be
the
boldest-sounding
speaker
on
the
market
and
it
may
not
possess
the
ability
to
paint
perfectly
accurate
sonic
pictures

but
that
doesn’t
prevent
it
from
being
a
great-sounding
wireless
speaker.
You’re
still
getting
super-clean,
on-beat,
hi-res
audio
certain
to
impress.
If
you’re
looking
for
a
more
party-ready
speaker
with
the
most
hard-hitting
bass,
this
isn’t
the
optimal
choice,
but
if
you
want
high-quality
audio
for
laid-back
listening,
the
Edifier
D32
is
a
strong
option.

Sound
quality
score:
4/5

(Image
credit:
Future)

Edifier
D32:
Design

Retro
aesthetic

Gold
details
a
bit
cheap-looking

Designed
for
tabletop
play
but
has
decent
portability

Whether
you’re
a
guitarist,
rock
fan,
or
just
one
of
those
people
that
claims
to
be
‘born
in
the
wrong
generation’,
the
Edifier
D32’s
design
is
likely
to
appeal
to
you.
That’s
because
it
has
a
retro,
amp-like
look
that
is
fitting
for
those
hoping
to
add
a
splash
of
vintage
flair
to
their
living
space.
I
tested
the
White
color
variant
and
found
that
the
bronze
speaker
grille
and
outer
casing
were
stylish
and
satisfying
on
the
eye.

However,
I’m
not
gonna
lie:
the
overall
look
of
the
Edifier
D32
is
slightly
ruined
by
the
golden
finish
on
the
protruding
button
controls,
feet
and
outer
rim.
The
plasticky,
gold
finish
looks
a
bit
cheap;
tacky
even.
This
prevents
it
from
exuding
the
classy
vibe
of
Marshall’s
Emberton
or
Stanmore
lines
for
instance,
and
it
damages
the
retro
look
Edifier
was
going
with
here.
This
speaker
is
by
no
means
bad
to
look
at,
but
the
inconsistent
quality
did
stop
me
from
falling
head
over
heels,
design-wise.

Although
I
wasn’t
a
massive
fan
of
the
look
of
the
buttons,
they’re
fairly
easy
to
use.
There
are
power,
Bluetooth,
play/pause
and
volume
controls,
all
of
which
are
super-straightforward
with
the
exception
of
one.
That
exception
is
the
power
button,
which
has
a
light
panel
that
can
flash
in
nine
different
ways,
including
different
colors
and
flashes.
You’ll
need
to
consult
the
user
manual
to
understand
what
each
of
these
means,
because
at
first,
I
found
myself
baffled
by
whether
the
speaker
was
on,
off,
or
somewhere
in
between.

Otherwise,
this
is
a
pretty
practical
device.
It’s
only
a
little
bit
heavy
at
6.7lbs
/
3kg
and
has
a
handle
on
the
back
of
the
speaker
for
easier
transportation.
Really,
though,
this
isn’t
the
best
option
if
portability
is
crucial
for
you.
But
for
a
tabletop
wireless
speaker,
I’d
argue
that
it’s
the
perfect
size

not
huge
and
overbearing,
but
not
too
small
to
deliver
quality,
room-filling
audio.

In
order
to
deliver
that
room-filling
audio,
the
D32
holds
two
15W
silk
dome
tweeters
as
well
as
what
Edifier
calls
a
“long-throw,
mid-low”
driver.
They’re
encased
in
an
MDF
cabinet,
designed
to
reduce
resonance
and
distortion.
This
setup
definitely
helps
to
deliver
a
strong
balance
of
loudness
and
clarity,
making
the
Edifier
D32
very
pleasant
to
listen
to.

Overall,
this
isn’t
the

most
elegant
retro-style
Wi-Fi
speaker
on
the
market,
but
it’s
considerably
cheaper
than
comparable
alternatives
from
JBL
and
Marshall.
It
may
be
the
case
that
you,
reader,
think
I’m
terribly
mistaken
about
the
gold
looking
tacky!
However,
one
thing
that
can’t
be
disputed
is
that
this
is
a
nicely
weighted
and
sized
tabletop
speaker
that
still
offers
adequate
portability

combine
that
with
the
strong
audio
quality
on
offer
and
you’re
onto
a
winner
with
the
Edifier
D32.

Design
score:
3.5/5

(Image
credit:
Future)

Edifier
D32:
Value

Much
cheaper
than
similar
competitors

Great
sound
quality
for
the
price

There
are
still
cheaper
alternatives
out
there

Let’s
be
clear:
if
you’re
looking
for
a
super
low-price
Bluetooth
speaker,
the
Edifier
D32
is
probably
not
your
best
option.
Sure,
it’s
inexpensive
compared
to
a
lot
of
its
rivals,
but
there
are
plenty
of
good
Bluetooth
speakers
out
there
closer
to
the
$100
/
£100
/
AU$200
mark.

However,
if
you’re
specifically
on
the
hunt
for
a
tabletop
speaker
with
an
old
school
vibe,
this
is
really
strong
in
the
value
department.
You
get
both
wired
and
wireless
(Wi-Fi
and
Bluetooth)
higher-resolution
audio,
strong
connectivity
options
and
companion
app
compatibility
all
for
$199.99
/
£179.99
(about
AU$300).
That’s
not
bad
at
all,
especially
considering
that
the
cheapest
in
JBL’s
Authentics
line,
the
JBL
Authentics
200
has
a
list
price
of
$349.99
/
£249.99
/
AU$499.95.

What
matters
the
most
with
a
wireless
speaker
is
sound

and
the
Edifier
D32
performs
very
nicely
in
this
category.
When
you
couple
that
with
the
appeal
of
its
design
and
consider
the
high
cost
of
competitors,
the
Edifier
D32
is
a
very
solid
value
pick.

Value
score:
4/5

(Image
credit:
Future)

Should
I
buy
the
Edifier
D32?

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Strong
connectivity
options
but
slightly
limited
app
and
battery
life.

3.5/5

Sound
quality

Hi-res
audio
with
capable
highs,
rich
mids
and
clear
bass.

4/5

Design

Retro
design
with
slightly
unrefined
details,
decent
portability
and
usability.

3.5/5

Value

Solid
price
point,
cheaper
than
many
competitors,
strong
overall
quality.

4/5

Buy
it
if…

Don’t
buy
it
if…

(Image
credit:
Future)

Edifier
D32:
Also
consider

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Header
Cell

Column
0

Edifier
D32

JBL
Authentics
300

Marshall
Emberton
2

Price

$199.99
(about
£160
/
AU$300)

$449.99
/
£379.99
/
AU$599.95

$149.99
/
£149.99
/
AU$289.99

Weight

6.7lbs
/
3kg

10.8lbs
/
4.9kg

1.5lbs
/
0.7kg

Dimensions

9.8
x
6.4
x
7.1
inches
/
250
x
162
x
180.5mm

13.5
x
7.7
x
7.1
inches
/
342
x
195.6
x
180.3mm

2.7
x
6.3
x
3
inches
/
68
x
160
x
76mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth
5.3,
Wi-Fi
(Apple
AirPlay),
USB-C,
AUX

Bluetooth
5.3,
Wi-Fi,
USB
(playback
US
only)
AUX

Bluetooth
5.1

Battery
life

11
hours

8
hours

30+
hours

Speaker
drivers

2x
15W
tweeters,
1x
30W
mid-low
driver

2
x
1
inch
tweeters,
1
x
5.25
inch
woofer

2
x
10W
full
range
drivers,
2
x
passive
radiators

Waterproofing

Not
waterproof

Not
stated

IP67

Edifier
D32
review:
How
I
tested

(Image
credit:
Future)

Tested
for
two
weeks

Used
in
the
office
and
music
testing
studio

Tested
using
Tidal
on
Fiio
M11S
and
Samsung
Galaxy
Z
Flip
4

I
spent
hours
listening
to
music
on
the
Edifier
D32,
testing
it
across
its
various
sound
modes
and
at
differing
volume
levels.
I
predominantly
used
the
speaker
in
our
music
testing
room
for
assessing
audio
quality
and
battery
testing.

I
used
Spotify
on
my

Samsung
Galaxy
Z
Flip
4
and
Tidal
on
the

Fiio
M11S
hi-res
music
player
to
stream
tracks
from
our
carefully
curated
TechRadar
reference
playlist.
This
included
songs
with
pumping
deep
bass,
delicate
vocals,
and
complex
mixes,
enabling
me
to
test
a
speaker’s
full
range
and
dynamism
across
different
frequencies.
I
also
used
the
JBL
Xtreme
4
as
a
point
of
comparison,
when
appropriate.

First
reviewed:
September
2024

Read
more
about

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we
test

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