Gamers usually swear by some of the best gaming headphones on the market, but some might argue that nothing beats the immersion and sheer loudness of high-end bookshelf speakers paired with your gear. Edifier is one of the longstanding names in the industry, and it’s known for budget-oriented audio gear that still sounds as good as its pricier counterparts.
At $500, the new G5000 from its sub-brand Hecate is a big investment, but is advertised as an upgrade for people using the ever-popular G2000, which AP recommends as one of the best Chromebook speakers. So, I tested it in a range of scenarios to determine if it’s praiseworthy or if you’re better off buying dedicated studio monitors.
Edifier Hecate G5000
The Hecate G5000 are conventional rear-ported two-channel speakers with an understated design, Hi-Res certification, and support for nearly every audio input imaginable. If you’re okay with prominent “Gaming” branding and RGB LEDs, you’re getting a lot for the asking price.
- Built like a tank
- Clean, diffused RGB lighting with dedicated Off mode
- Several audio input sources supported
- Simple controls with labeled panel
- In-your-face Gaming branding
- Lacks remote controls and app sync for home theater use
- Lacks sound-reactive lighting mode
- Mediocre imaging and spatial depth
Pricing and availability
Feels steep unless you’re the target audience
The Hecate G5000 retails for $500 on Amazon and the Edifier website, occasionally dipping to $350 for a few days on the former. At that price, you can buy a complete 5.1-channel home theater system like Logitech’s 500W Z906 series, making the G5000 a hard sell. If you seek bookshelf speakers for desktop use, the reputable $600 KEF Q150 are fantastic too, often dipping to as low as $350 like the Hecate. However, the technical specifications greatly impact the sound output.
Specifications
- Bluetooth Connectivity?
- v5.0
What’s good about the Hecate G5000
Loud and punchy sound
Unboxing the G5000 can be a lower-back workout, but it radiates quality, and you can tell the speakers are built sturdily. However, it’s worth noting the painted aluminum side panels are added atop the MDF wood enclosure. A grille protects the tweeters, but the Hi-Res branding on the front throws off the symmetrical design.
The G5000’s black front fascia looks premium and is angled upwards, pointing right at your ears when used as computer speakers or when placed some distance away in a home theater setup. I also liked the volume switch atop the right-hand unit because its tactility resembles power window switches in cars. Next to it are two buttons: a button to switch inputs and another to control the RGB lighting and the sound mode. The speakers also remember your volume setting and RGB mode selection from the previous session every time you power them on.
Control panel
You’ll notice Edifier bundles in almost every supported input cable in the box, alongside the detachable power cord. Although these speakers have Qualcomm AptX and AptX HD support via Bluetooth, a wired connection can transmit lossless audio with minimal latency, which can be critical in games.
I/O on the back panel
Speaking of audio, the G5000 has fantastic stereo separation between the left and right channels, but its rear-ported design makes speaker placement critical for clean sound. I found Music mode the closest to a natural, uncolored sound, with a V-shaped signature delivering recessed mids and woody bass—typical of MDF speakers with such speaker-tweeter pairings.
The Hecate G5000 is also a great soundbar replacement because it gets really loud and immersive in Movie or Game mode, even though the latter muddies the low-end.
What’s bad about the Hecate G5000
Strong gamer aesthetic and detail-deprived sound isn’t for everyone
All the RGB light colors
There’s no denying Edifier is targeting gamers with the Hecate G5000, but it didn’t need to be obviously emblazoned on the speaker’s sides with RGB backlighting. The lights’ Off mode is a saving grace here because the sound these speakers deliver is certainly an upgrade from most sub-$200 PC speakers.
However, make no mistake, you aren’t getting anywhere near reference sound with this pair. While you can tell the direction of footsteps in battle royale titles, the sound stage lacks width, and poor imaging makes instruments spatially indistinguishable. I also noticed a slight left-biased channel imbalance and would steer clear of these speakers for anything critical, like video editing or music mixing.
They are suitable for living rooms and smaller home theaters as well
Even from a recreational home theater user’s standpoint, it’s hard to ignore the lack of a remote control and companion app for adjusting the sound profile. Most powered speakers offer a modicum of adjustment through onboard knobs for bass, mids, and treble, but even that’s absent here, leaving users at the mercy of software equalizers. While I appreciate the sound alerts for mode and input switching, the speakers power on and play the sound of a car revving for a few seconds, making me jump out of my skin the first few times.
Lastly, any upgrade plans entail a full replacement because the G5000 doesn’t have a subwoofer output and relies on a proprietary cable to connect both sides.
Should you buy it?
Yes, if you have the space and like the bass
In a landscape where most games support 5.1 surround sound, it’s hard to pull the trigger on $500 two-channel speakers, but the Hecate G5000 makes a strong case for itself with loud, distortion-free, and room-filling sound comparable to the older Edifier MS50A we reviewed.
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While the lighting on these speakers is down to personal preference, they are fantastic for your living room or theater (even without a dedicated subwoofer) if you can place them suitably on a sturdy and deep desk or media console. They are a clear upgrade from the dated G2000 PC speakers I mentioned at the outset.
That said, discerning listeners are certainly better off spending $500 on purpose-built near-field speakers like Edifier’s own R2000DB or other similarly priced models from Polk Audio. I believe the G5000 will appeal only to casual users who don’t dismiss speakers just because they have RGB lighting.
Edifier Hecate G5000
These are the best speakers if you want bass-heavy, loud sound without significant distortion. They make great living room speakers or PC speakers, but we would recommend other options if you want more fidelity in the sound or strongly dislike RGB lighting.
