Edifier STAX SPIRIT S3 Review

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We’re huge fans of audio brand Edifier at Rapid Reviews UK, and we’ve been fortunate enough to have reviewed many of their products. You can read our previous reviews here.

Our latest review is the Edifier STAX SPIRIT S3. At £329.99, they are a premium pair of headphones. Read on to find out if they STAX up and justify the price tag.

Fast Facts

Design & Comfort

I like the design of the Edifier STAX SPIRIT S3. The ear cups feature the STAX logo in gold, and the brushed metal finish looks almost holographic. They have a sleek, modern appearance, featuring premium materials and a minimalist aesthetic.

The SPIRIT S3 are very comfortable to wear. You get two sets of ear cups; one is made out of real lambskin leather, and the other is made of a cooling mesh that cools down your ears. I thought it would be a bit of a gimmick, but both sets of ear cups are well-padded, and the headband is adjustable so that you can find a comfortable fit. The headphones also fold up for easy transport in the hard-shell case that comes with the STAX SPIRIT S3.

One slight downside of the Edifier STAX SPIRIT S3 is that they feel slightly plasticky. This doesn’t affect the sound quality, but it does take away from the premium design that they have gone for.

Simple Set-up

Setting up the Edifier STAX SPIRIT S3 was a breeze. The headphones come with clear and concise instructions, and all the necessary cables and accessories were included. Within minutes, I had set the headphones up, and I was listening to my favourite Taylor Swift song.

Whilst quite basic, the companion App has all the features you would expect to find. This includes switching between Classic, HiFi and STAX modes and the option to turn Game Mode on and off (more on that later.)

Features

One of the downsides of the SPIRIT S3 is that they don’t have active noise cancellation. This means they won’t be as effective at blocking out outside noise as other wireless headphones. For the cost of the headphones, you would expect ANC, especially when you consider that many other far cheaper headphones have this feature. However, the passive noise isolation is still pretty good. In my testing, I could still enjoy my music in loud environments, including with the washing machine going and when my kids were having particularly loud argument.

The STAX SPIRIT S3 can be paired with two different devices simultaneously via Bluetooth. This means you can switch between music, gaming or phone calls effortlessly.

Speaking of gaming, the Edifier STAX SPIRIT S3 has a game mode that reduces latency when playing your favourite mobile games on Android devices. You can activate Game Mode using the Edifier Connect App or widget. However, bear in mind that this only works when connected via Bluetooth.

When activated, I did notice that the audio was more in sync with the action on the screen, which is especially important for fast-paced games like Call of Duty Mobile. This has the added benefit of making you feel more immersed in your game.

Controls

You won’t be able to control the headphones using touch. Instead, all functions are controlled using the multi-function button found on the right side of the headphones. This contributes to the minimalist design of the STAX SPIRIT S3.

Connectivity

In terms of connectivity options, the Edifier STAX SPIRIT S3 offers versatility. It supports wired and wireless connections, allowing you to connect your devices via Bluetooth or the cables provided. I appreciated this flexibility, as it made it easy to connect the headphones to different audio sources, including my smartphone, laptop, and TV.

Quality Sound

The Edifier S3 are a pair of wireless headphones that use planar magnetic drivers. Planar magnetic drivers are known for their excellent clarity and detail, and the S3 are no exception.

They offer a wide soundstage and excellent imaging, making them great for listening to music or watching movies. For non-audiophiles and technophobes, soundstage means the sense of space and atmosphere in the music, while imaging means the precision and accuracy of the individual sound sources. For the everyday user, like myself, this means that when listening to music, you will be able to pick out different instruments and songs will feel like you’re in a live concert.

The S3s also have a built-in microphone for making calls. The microphone quality is good, but it’s not the best I’ve used. When I did a test call with my wife, she mentioned hearing some background noise, but thankfully it wasn’t too noticeable.

Overall, the sound quality of the Edifier S3 is excellent. It didn’t matter if I was listening to classical music or watching an action-packed movie. The headphones handled every sound with clarity. Furthermore, the three sound presets; Classic, Hi-Fi, and STAX mean that you can customise the sound to your liking.

Brilliant Battery

The Edifier STAX SPIRIT S3 has a battery life of up to 80 hours, one of the best I’ve seen in the many wireless headphones we’ve reviewed at Rapid Reviews. This means that I’ve been able to simply enjoy my music and forget about charging them for days at a time. Another huge positive is that they also support fast charging. This means you can expect around 11 hours of playback from a 10-minute charge.

That’s the Spirit!

If you’re looking for a pair of wireless headphones with excellent sound quality and long battery life, the Edifier STAX SPIRIT S3 is a great option. They don’t have active noise cancellation, but they do offer good passive noise isolation. If you’re not concerned about ANC, these headphones are a great choice.

Rapid Reviews Rating

4 out of 5

4

If you want to purchase your own pair of Edifier STAX SPIRIT S3 wireless headphones, you can do so at Amazon by using the link below.

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