If one thing has become clear to me recently after reviewing several Edifier headphones such as the STAX S3 and NeoBuds Pro 2, it’s that Edifier knows how to produce audio products that provide excellent sound quality, maybe not right out of the system. A box without a bit of fiddling with the settings, but excellent nonetheless.

The 2024 QR65 active screen speakers are no exception to the trend, and they come with a compact form factor and a host of modern features that can interest.

These tiny active screens are only slightly tall when open, yet come with multiple USB fast charging ports, two of which are Type-C PD spec, Bluetooth with LDAC support (more on that later), subwoofer output and RCA line input.

The QR65 also interfaces with the Edifier app to allow customization of the LED color, as well as control of other speaker functions.

technical details

total power (RMS)	70W total (treble 15W x 2, medium-low 20W x 2)
Driver units	Silk dome tweeter: 1.25″, aluminum alloy mid-low: 2.75″
frequency response	55Hz – 40kHz
USB charging	TurboGaN 65W max (common)
signal to noise ratio	≥ 85dB (A)
inputs	Bluetooth 5.3, USB-A, RCA
outputs	Subwoofer output (3.5mm to RCA cable)
Bluetooth CODEC support	SBC, LDAC (24-bit/96kHz)
dimensions	130mm x 213mm x 212mm
Weight	5.3 kg each
price	£329.99 / $369.99

Unboxing

These things are quite heavy for such compact desktop speakers, which is often a good sign because the last thing you want is tinny hollow audio from speakers that don’t have much power. Not so here. The QR65 feels very premium, the finish of this review unit is white, the other option available is black. Even without being plugged in, the floating effect of the two drivers through the reflective surround frame gives a cool first impression.

Although I immediately noticed they were dust magnets, it’s good that Edifier includes a good quality microfiber cloth in the box.

Also included are a pair of angled desk stands, essential for directing the sound directly at ear level. These are aluminum and carry their own weight and are supported by anti-slip rubber strips on both sides.

There is no power brick with the QR65, just a standard eight power cable, all the power amplifiers are built into the right speaker where the connections are. The left speaker is passive only, the only connection is the multi-cable that goes from right to left.

On the back of the right speaker, we have solid endpoints with no oscillations or material quality issues. Everything feels premium here. The USB charging ports support GaN technology for fast and efficient charging of up to 65 watts. These outputs are of course shared, and their distribution is as follows:

USB-C 1 (max 65W)	5V⎓ 3A, 9V⎓ 3A, 12V⎓ 3A, 15V⎓ 3A, 20V⎓ 3.25A
USB-C 2 (max 65W)	5V⎓ 3A, 9V⎓ 3A, 12V⎓ 3A, 15V⎓ 3A, 20V⎓ 3.25A
USB-A (max 60W)	5V⎓ 3A, 9V⎓ 3A, 12V⎓ 3A, 15V⎓ 3A, 20V⎓ 3A
USB-C 1 and USB-C 2	20W max. + 45W max
USB-C 1 and USB-A	15W max
USB-C 2 and USB-A	20W max. + 45W max
USB-C 1, USB-C 2 and USB-A	15W max. + 45W max

Apart from the USB-A to USB-A and 3.5mm to RCA cables, not much else is included in the box. There are no remote control features here, the idea being that the QR65 is a set of desktop speakers, so always close at hand, though an app Edifier can also control volume and inputs.

On the left side of the right speaker there is a screwed panel, I thought that maybe each QR65 was serial numbered for an extra special touch, unfortunately this is not the case. The board simply quotes the same line that is on the front of the angled stands, and requotes the Edifier A passion for sound.

There’s an app for that…

Here’s what I’ve learned since reviewing several Edifier connected audio products. The app mode is quite tedious and annoying. there is three Edifier Apps, Edifier ConneX, connect and Home. They all support different audio products… Why? Why are other brands able to manage all their products under one app while all three need to be installed if you have multiple Edifier products? This makes no sense and frustrates me as the type of user who likes to manage a well organized ecosystem of technology.

If it doesn’t, this is what the app looks like once you pair the QR65:

It’s cool that you can see the charge rates of anything connected to the USB ports, as well as customize a 6-band EQ instead of using the presets. It seems to apply your own EQ to all inputs which is quite nice. I found the default presets to be too restrained and as such, the high and low end boost offered the best almost V-shaped balance.

If you’re going to be using Bluetooth with the QR65, the app is a must, because by default, and just like other Edifier audio products, high-res audio isn’t enabled. Given that they are marketed as high resolution, I would expect them to default to this mode out of the box. The process for this is also quite tedious depending on which device connects.

First, LDAC mode should be enabled as shown above, then LDAC should also be enabled in the Bluetooth settings for the speakers on the connected phone, otherwise the phone will only output via SBC when playing media through the speakers.

If you’re connecting these via Bluetooth to a Windows PC, you’ll need to fiddle with the third-party A2DP driver that I’ve covered in great detail in my previous reviews, otherwise again, you’ll just be using lower-resolution Bluetooth audio out of the box.

Performence

Fortunately, the QR65’s performance is excellent and somewhat compensates for the app-based stupidity.

Whether projecting music over copper or airwaves, the sound characteristics of these compact speakers really do luxurious to their size. If someone blindfolded me and led me into a room with music playing through these, I would never have guessed that the sound I heard was coming from something so small.

The bass kicks low without becoming a distorted mess or being too boomy. It’s pretty hard to describe, although Edifier has a neat graphic showing how they designed the interior of the MDF cabinets to fit each driver so the air pressure from the highs, mids, and lows don’t interfere with each other:

Pair this with long-throw main drivers and you get excellent bass response, much bigger bass than the size would give a visual impression of. The design is similar to a transmission line (T line).

To give you an idea of ​​how many trips these drivers have, here’s an in-game demonstration GIF Dolby Cinema demo video on YouTube.

The sound is different in both tonality and signature compared to other bookshelf speakers I’ve heard or owned, but not in a bad way. Just like headphones with planar magnetic drivers versus traditional dynamic drivers, there is no right or wrong, just different tastes to experience, and some may prefer one over the other. The speaker driver configuration and cabinet interior also make a big difference, and Edifier seems to have nailed it with these.

Whether I was gaming, watching a movie or just chilling with ambient music while editing, the stereo imaging in the desktop’s near-field array was immersive. However, the QR65 doesn’t become truly invisible in the room like my KEF Q300 passive speakers, where the tweeter and waveguides are directly in the middle of the main driver in a coaxial configuration that eliminates timing issues with traditional component speaker configurations. Can receive dependent About where they are located in relation to the listener’s ears and how central they are to the speakers. The KEF speakers are much larger cabinets of course, but the price range between them (in relation to the release date) is very similar.

The KEFs are also powered by Topping MX3s, a compact stereo amplifier capable of 62W x2 RMS, much more power than the QR65’s total 70W (assuming the two systems’ speaker sensitivities are similar), and I’ll admit. It’s a pretty uneven comparison, but a reference point for detailing what I’m used to versus the sound of the QR65.

A bit of infinity

I’ll be honest, the first time I saw the QR65 was as a stock photo. My first thoughts were “there it is…”, I was expecting something gimmicky aimed at those who love all things RGB, but after research them some more, and reading what others have said about them, I felt some comfort, and now that I have them on my desk, that comfort has turned into appreciation.

The brightness of the lighting can be dimmed or turned off completely, the lighting mode can be changed throbbing, for fading, various other effects, or just a static infinity mirror effect. All of this can be done directly using the bottom dial on the right speaker, or using one of the three Edifier apps that work with the QR65.

I chose to leave the lighting on, but with a static effect and only two levels above the lowest brightness. Tasteful, and like the back display of a mechanical watch, an occasional casual glance was quite pleasant.

A neat feature I didn’t expect was that when connected to a computer via Bluetooth, adjusting the volume using the dial on the speaker will adjust the Windows volume as it is the main volume control. This applies if connected through the app and the volume is adjusted, you will see a change in the Windows volume level when you change the volume remotely from the app.

However, connect via USB and the volume level is Windows-independent, meaning you’ll need to keep the main Windows volume at 100% and adjust the QR65’s volume directly via the dial or app.

I also found that the default sound settings can result in bright high frequencies and introduce noise in human singing. Setting a custom EQ to try to moderate this helps, though doesn’t eliminate it. There’s only so much these tweeters can do at this size, I’m afraid, but still, while the QR65 isn’t aimed at audiophiles, sonic enjoyment is still possible.

Summary

Before this, I would never have considered speakers of this size. Past experience always showed me that anything so small couldn’t keep up with larger speakers, but Edifier showed otherwise with an imaginative cabinet design and tasteful design available in two colors, black and white.

On the application side, the QR65 is an excellent set of desktop speakers that will impress anyone who listens to them for even a moment. At £330 they’re not exactly cheap, but they offer enough features to add plenty of convenience to a typical workstation, as well as drench the room with good quality sound.

My only concern really is the amount of dust that collects around the shiny fascia and the need to constantly lather the microfiber cloth. I already have a tedious ritual of dusting my workstation every few days and this just adds another element to take care of.