Foreword / YouTube Video Review

I was loaned these to review by the manufacturer. I was not paid nor did I receive any other form of compensation for this review. If, after reading this review, you decide you’d like to buy this speaker - though, I don’t recommend them - then please consider using my affiliate link below. I earn a small commission from it at no additional cost to you:
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Manufacturer Specs:

• Professional balanced input ports compatible with 6.35mm and XLR connectors.
• Suitable for use with mixing consoles, electronic keyboards, and audio processors
• TPA31182 + AD21781 deliver powerful performance,40W*2 output paired with horn-loaded tweeters, ideal for classical music, pop music, movie watching, and gaming
• L-shaped bass reflex port,Bass extension down to 45Hz,Constructed with high-density fiberboard,15mm panel thickness effectively minimizes resonance,Delivering purer sound quality
• Bluetooth 5.0,Features a mature and stable Bluetooth V5.0 chipset,delivering faster wireless transmission speeds,enhanced interference resistance,and lower power consumption
• Solid cabinet, eliminating resonance: Each speaker cabinet is made of 15mm thick high-density MDF board, which is extremely stable and effectively eliminates cabinet resonance, ensuring pure sound quality.
• Innovative driver technology, rich in detail: Equipped with a 10cm honeycomb structure woofer, greatly enhancing diaphragm rigidity and effectively suppressing breakup vibrations, delivering a rapid and clean bass response; combined with a horn-type tweeter, extending high-frequency extension and reproducing sonic details.
• Precision acoustic design: Built-in L-shaped bass reflex port cleverly extends the acoustic path within the limited cabinet space, ensuring deeper and more powerful low-frequency extension.

As of this writing MSRP is $159.99 USD/pair via Amazon.

CTA-2034 (SPINORAMA) and Accompanying Data

All data collected using Klippel’s Near-Field Scanner. The Near-Field-Scanner 3D (NFS) offers a fully automated acoustic measurement of direct sound radiated from the source under test. The radiated sound is determined in any desired distance and angle in the 3D space outside the scanning surface. Directivity, sound power, SPL response and many more key figures are obtained for any kind of loudspeaker and audio system in near field applications (e.g. studio monitors, mobile devices) as well as far field applications (e.g. professional audio systems). Utilizing a minimum of measurement points, a comprehensive data set is generated containing the loudspeaker’s high resolution, free field sound radiation in the near and far field. For a detailed explanation of how the NFS works and the science behind it, please watch the below discussion with designer Christian Bellmann:

IMPORTANT SETUP INFO: This speaker was measured with the reference point at the tweeter. There is practically no difference in performance when listening with your ear centered at the tweeter or at the midpoint between the tweeter and the midwoofer below it. Speaker was broken in. This speaker has various DSP options. My testing was conducted with the treble and bass settings at “0”. For a more nominally flat response the treble should be set between -4 to -6dB.

Note: This is absoltely a desktop speaker and not intended for any listening in a farfield environment. Therefore, be cautious to not evaluate this speaker’s performance based on farfield conditions. Evaluate the speaker on the on-axis or slightly off-axis anechoic response rather than the estimated in-room response.

Measurements are provided in a format in accordance with the Standard Method of Measurement for In-Home Loudspeakers (ANSI/CTA-2034-A R-2020). For more information, please see this link.

CTA-2034 / SPINORAMA:

The On-axis Frequency Response (0°) is the universal starting point and in many situations it is a fair representation of the first sound to arrive at a listener’s ears.

The Listening Window is a spatial average of the nine amplitude responses in the ±10º vertical and ±30º horizontal angular range. This encompasses those listeners who sit within a typical home theater audience, as well as those who disregard the normal rules when listening alone.

The Early Reflections curve is an estimate of all single-bounce, first-reflections, in a typical listening room.

Sound Power represents all of the sounds arriving at the listening position after any number of reflections from any direction. It is the weighted rms average of all 70 measurements, with individual measurements weighted according to the portion of the spherical surface that they represent.

Sound Power Directivity Index (SPDI): In this standard the SPDI is defined as the difference between the listening window curve and the sound power curve.

Early Reflections Directivity Index (EPDI): is defined as the difference between the listening window curve and the early reflections curve. In small rooms, early reflections figure prominently in what is measured and heard in the room so this curve may provide insights into potential sound quality.

Early Reflections Breakout:

Floor bounce: average of 20º, 30º, 40º down

Ceiling bounce: average of 40º, 50º, 60º up

Front wall bounce: average of 0º, ± 10º, ± 20º, ± 30º horizontal

Side wall bounces: average of ± 40º, ± 50º, ± 60º, ± 70º, ± 80º horizontal

Rear wall bounces: average of 180º, ± 90º horizontal

Estimated In-Room Response:

In theory, with complete 360-degree anechoic data on a loudspeaker and sufficient acoustical and geometrical data on the listening room and its layout it would be possible to estimate with good precision what would be measured by an omnidirectional microphone located in the listening area of that room. By making some simplifying assumptions about the listening space, the data set described above permits a usefully accurate preview of how a given loudspeaker might perform in a typical domestic listening room. Obviously, there are no guarantees, because individual rooms can be acoustically aberrant. Sometimes rooms are excessively reflective (“live”) as happens in certain hot, humid climates, with certain styles of interior décor and in under-furnished rooms. Sometimes rooms are excessively “dead” as in other styles of décor and in some custom home theaters where acoustical treatment has been used excessively. This form of post processing is offered only as an estimate of what might happen in a domestic living space with carpet on the floor and a “normal” amount of seating, drapes and cabinetry.

For these limited circumstances it has been found that a usefully accurate Predicted In-Room (PIR) amplitude response, also known as a “room curve” is obtained by a weighted average consisting of 12 % listening window, 44 % early reflections and 44 % sound power. At very high frequencies errors can creep in because of excessive absorption, microphone directivity, and room geometry. These discrepancies are not considered to be of great importance.

Horizontal Contour Plot (normalized):

Vertical Contour Plot (normalized):

Additional Measurements

Response Linearity

Horizontal Frequency Response:

Vertical Frequency Response:

Step Response

Group Delay

Burst Decay

N/A. See summary section below.

Harmonic Distortion

Harmonic Distortion at 86dB @ 1m:

Harmonic Distortion at 96dB @ 1m:

Dynamic Range (Instantaneous Compression Test)

The below graphic indicates just how much SPL is lost (compression) or gained (enhancement; usually due to distortion) when the speaker is played at higher output volumes instantly via a 2.7 second logarithmic sine sweep referenced to 76dB at 1 meter. The signals are played consecutively without any additional stimulus applied. Then normalized against the 76dB result.

The tests are conducted in this fashion:

1. 76dB at 1 meter (baseline; black)
2. 86dB at 1 meter (red)
3. 96dB at 1 meter (blue)
4. 102dB at 1 meter (purple)

The purpose of this test is to illustrate how much (if at all) the output changes as a speaker’s components temperature increases (i.e., voice coils, crossover components) instantaneously.

Multitone Distortion

The following tests are conducted at (4) approximate equivalent output volumes: 70/79/87/96dB @ 1 meter. The (4) voltages listed in the legend result in these SPL values. This test signal is dense, similar to pink noise and excites the entire spectrums listed below at the same time. The test signal lasts 30 seconds. This is different than the sine wave test signal used to measure frequency response. The purpose of this distortion and compression test is to illustrate how much (if at all) the output changes as a speaker’s components temperature increases (i.e., voice coils, crossover components) over time.

Given the test signal is similar to pink noise and exciting the entire spectrum at the same time I also include compression results, which is captured at the same time distortion is captured. Sometimes these results differ from the compression results you see above (namely with powered designs incorporating DSP-based limiting).

Note: The KLIPPEL software shows compression in the positive scale.

The test was conducted in (3) manners:

1. Full bandwidth (20Hz to 20kHz)
2. 80Hz to 20kHz

The reason for the two measurements is to simulate running the speaker full range vs using a high-pass filter at 80Hz. However, note: the 2nd test low frequency limit at 80Hz is a “brick wall” and doesn’t quite emulate a standard filter of 12 or 24dB/octave. But… it’s close enough to illustrate the point.

1. Full bandwidth (20Hz to 20kHz)

2. 80Hz to 20kHz

N/A. See summary section below.

Parting / Random Thoughts

On their own - without treble or bass adjustments - the S4000 are extremely bright and fatiguing speakers. My recommendation is to simply set the treble knob between -4 to -6dB. Even still, the response above ~8kHz is elevated. In short, this speaker will need external EQ to achieve a more neutral/accurate response.

On top of the very lifted treble there is some strong comb filtering in the crossover region (exhibited by the peak/dip pattern above 1kHz. Is this audible? Well, if you’re listening intently or swapping back and forth between this and a more linear speaker then the answer is “yes”. Judging by the group delay’s shift from ~0ms to ~2ms at 1-2khz this seems to be a crossover issue in the DSP settings. And, honestly, that could be an easy fix. It looks like the DSP is used to delay the midrange. And then looking at the step response it’s hard to tell if this is validated or, instead, if there’s pre-ringing in the filter. This also causes significant issues with the impulse response which is used to provide my typical burst decay and therefore, that is yet another measurement that I cannot provide. It’s just odd behavior.

Maximum SPL is limited to approximately 86dB. Note that my multitone testing for 80Hz does not exist. Why? Because my multitone testing for the full bandwidth killed the speaker. This is also why I don’t have the. This is one reason why I listen to speakers before I test them. I’m judging max SPL in this case based on the harmonic distortion and instantaneous compression tests.

I recommend passing on this speaker. While they’re only $160/pair, for nearly the same price you can get the Edifier M60 (my review here). However, keep in mind the AIYIMA S4000 does have the benefit of a subwoofer output which the Edifier does not have.

I hope AIYIMA can address these either in a firmware update or a future model.

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