Edifier Breathe

Edifier has really gone to town with the Breathe. While the manufacturer has a proven track record for making decent-quality mid-range audio products, the speaker we're testing today is edging its way into the territory of high-end heavyweights like the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin and the Bose SoundDock.

Hardware & Design: subtle and stylish

With the Breathe iPod dock, Edifier has ditched its traditional designs to make an original and subtly stylish product with a sleek style that rivals high-end models. Note also that it weighs 5 kg, which is quite unusual for an iPod dock.

The Breathe looks a bit like half an eggshell, with a clean and simple design that's no less stylish for its simplicity. It's made from high-quality materials that are easy on the eye and pleasant to the touch. The aluminium, the Lycra-type covering and the suede-feel plastic buttons all make a welcome change from the basic plastics seen elsewhere in the market.

The few controls that are actually on the speaker itself are grouped together just under under the iPod dock in a small and subtle diamond shape. However, we prefer the remote, as it's got more buttons and more options. In any case, an iPod dock isn't really designed to be kept at arm's reach.

It's a shame that there's no display system on the Breathe other than a single light. Although this isn't strictly necessary if you're using the iPad dock, it could make it easier to use the Breathe as a speaker alone.

Sound Quality: boosted bass

The Breathe's built-in subwoofer is actually a boomer with a bass reflex port. It does a good job of reproducing bass and lower-medium frequencies ... a bit too good perhaps, as the overall output is noticeably heavy in the lower end of the spectrum.

Further up in the spectrum, there's a distinct loss in level, to the extent that the bass can sometimes prove a touch invasive. Note that the Breathe is also quite directive, although this is to some extent compensated for by the circular speaker layout.

The output actually sounds perfectly fine when you're not up close to the Breathe and, above all, when you don't 'enclose' it in a bookshelf, for example. It definitely works best placed on top of a table or desk. On the whole, the audio quality is still really quite good, and is certainly better than most of the iPod docks currently on the market.

The Edifier Breathe is therefore a real and viable alternative to the top-of-the-range iPod docks for anyone looking for a super-stylish speaker that won't break the bank.