We are big fans of Edifier audio equipment. Over the years we have had the privilege of trying out several of their home speaker systems, wireless earbuds, headphones and gaming headsets, and have always been very impressed with the sound quality, quality of build, and their affordable prices. But we have just been sent a speaker that has to be our favourite yet, the Edifier MF200 portable / tabletop Bluetooth speaker.
The Edifier MF200 portable / tabletop Bluetooth speaker is the ultimate travel companion for work or leisure – it’s a lightweight wireless soundbar!
Features:
- Up to 10 hours of playback from a single charge
- Multiple input types: Bluetooth, AUX, and USB-C
- Built-in Soundcard
- DSP Digital Circuit
- Class D Amplifier
- Bluetooth V5.0
- Easy operation by touch and press
- High-quality, crisp and mesmerising music from two 36mm drivers
- Power Output: 4W+4W (RMS)
- Space saving compact design
- 2200mAh high-capacity lithium battery
Edifier’s MF200 Bluetooth speaker measures (W)293mm x (H)45mm x (D)53mm and comes supplied with a carry pouch, USB C-to-C data/charging cable and instruction manual. It has a weight of approx. 0.5kg. Whilst it is lightweight, when you hold it in your hand it feels extremely solid and well-constructed.
Whilst this looks like a mini wedge-shaped soundbar, it really is just a portable speaker rather than a soundbar for your television (it doesn’t have a subwoofer or HDMI, RCA connections and no permanent power source – it requires charging using a USB-C cable) – although there is nothing stopping you using it with your television should you want to. If you want a soundbar with better quality sound and more input options to use with your television setup then we can recommend the Edifier S50DB Soundbar.
What this speaker does offer is nice aesthetics, portability and good sound for small rooms, enjoying the sunshine whilst listening to music sitting in the garden or even when having picnics in the park now that the weather is get better. It is small and lightweight enough to carry around and can be used with smartphones, laptops and tablet computers. It has a good battery life (up to 10 hours depending on volume level and your settings) and is an excellent added extra to improve the sound quality and volume levels on your portable devices such as phones, laptops and tablets.
The speaker is approx. 30cm long so is a good size and is light enough at 0.5kg to make it extremely portable and be used anywhere, a good size to easily fit in a backpack and it is even supplied with its own carry pouch to prevent it getting scratched whilst in your bag. It looks great in its grey and black aluminium alloy enclosure.
Using the speaker is very simple and it has different connectivity options – it can be used wirelessly via Bluetooth, it can be connected to a laptop (it has a built-in soundcard for better audio quality) using a USB C-to-C cable, and it has a 3.5mm jack for an Aux connection (there is no HMDI, RCA or optical connection). Connecting to a device is simple – the power button is also the mode select and battery level button. When the speaker is powered on (press and hold the button to power on/off) you can cycle through the modes by pressing the button – the LED light around the button will change colour to indicate the mode you are selecting: blue is Bluetooth, red is for USB connection (when connecting to a laptop or computer) and green is for Aux input. If you double press the power button it will tell you the approx. battery level (spoken through the speaker). When using the USB or Aux connections it is just a matter of plugging in using the required cable and off you go. If wanting to use via Bluetooth you will have to enable Bluetooth on your device, scan for new devices and select Edifier MF200 to connect (your device will then remember this unless you tell it to forget it). Easy.
Once you have connected your device to the speaker you can control it through your device. But you don’t want to always be picking up your phone or tablet to change volume, skip tracks or pause/play videos – so the MF200 has a touch panel on the front right-hand side of the speaker grill to easily turn the volume up and down or play/pause (no protruding buttons).
Whilst it looks great and is portable, wireless and easy to use, what about the sound? In small to medium sized rooms such as a bedroom or kitchen the sound is excellent, loud and clear with 8W of total power output from two 36mm drivers. Outside it is perfect for gardens and picnics, loud enough for people in the immediate vicinity to enjoy the sound and very clear. The bass is good most of the time, except at the highest volume level where it loses some of its quality.
Charging is simple. It is charged using the supplied USB C cable (you will need to use your own charging plug or plug it into your laptop etc.) and the LED is red whilst charging and goes off when fully charged. The battery life is impressive for a speaker of this size and weight with up to 10 hours of use on a single charge (it charges reasonably fast in a couple of hours).
Overall, we absolutely love this wedge-shaped speaker because of its size and portability – we can use it indoors (it has rubber strips on the base so that it stays put on a shelf or table), in the garden and even in the park and other outdoor settings. It is a good size, lightweight and has an excellent build quality – it feels substantial. As for the sound, its great for listening to music, watching Youtube and streaming services.
At the start of this review I described the Edifier MF200 wireless speaker as a mini portable soundbar. Whilst that is what it looks like, it is a soundbar/speaker for phones, laptops and tablets etc. not something to really be used on a television setup as there is no subwoofer so wouldn’t give you that same quality listening experience as a fully feature-packed soundbar. As a basic soundbar for the devices and portable wireless manner it is intended to be used with, it is excellent.
As a basic level wireless portable speaker, the Edifier MF200 is an excellent speaker with great sound, easy connectivity with perfect ease of use, great battery life, it looks good and has a superb quality build. It sounds great in most settings and is extremely portable. Its size and weight make it a perfect portable speaker for indoor use and just as great for outdoor enjoyment in the park, garden or at the beach (although it isn’t IPX rated, so it isn’t water/splash/dust proof).
A simple, elegant and great sounding portable speaker. And at around £70 is very affordable.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £69.99
For more information, visit www.edifier.com. Available to buy from www.tech4.co.uk.
