Aiyima S600

Stunning looking, active speakers for desktop applications

The Aiyima S600 represents an interesting entry into the active bookshelf speaker market, combining gorgeous Scandinavian-inspired aesthetics with a comprehensive feature set at the perfectly pragmatic price of €140/$150.

The S600 looks very premium with its two-color design, and I sort of love how it looks in my desktop setup, as you will see later.

The Aiyima S600 costs around €140/$150, this is extremely good value for feature rich active speakers.

The white front and wood sides look pretty amazing for this price and there are many connectivity options which I will get into during this review.

These are small speakers so don’t except miracles but with some adjustment to the tone controls, for a desktop setup especially (like the one I have them setup in this review), these speakers have good decent bass. So with these looks, the connectivity options these speakers are an excellent bargain and well worth the price. But it is not a perfect speaker (as you should not expect at this price point), so there are a few other aspects of the S600 that I will get to within this review.

But first, let’s look at the unboxing:

Unboxing

Here is a short youtube video of my unboxing experience:

The back shows specs and features:

The speakers are packed safely inside:

The speakers look good when you take them out:

The accessories come in a separate box:

The accessories box has many cables:

The complete package includes:

• Pair of S600 active speakers
• Speaker connection cable with decent length
• RCA to 3.5mm cable
• Optical cable
• USB cable (unfortunately USB-A, not USB-C)
• Remote control
• Comprehensive manual

Build Quality and Design

The S600 is extremely well built for the price. The design looks nice:

The wood sides look especially good with the white front:

One minor missing feature of these speaker is the lack of grilles on the front:

The 4-inch woofer speaker handles low and mid-sounds but as you will see in the measurement section later, the cross-over is not perfect and is probably the one aspect of the S600 that I would love Aiyima to update in a future revision:

The 1-inch tweeter handles high sounds, and there is a light hidden underneath the speaker:

Connectivity and Controls

The rear panel showcases the S600’s impressive connectivity options:

A closer look reveals the comprehensive input selection:

The bass port is appropriately sized for the cabinet volume:

Cable Quality and Connections

The speaker connection cable provides adequate length between speakers:

You get some decent length between the speakers with this cable

The RCA to 3.5mm cable is handy for connecting to a laptop:

The optical cable is also a welcome inclusion, I used this cable with my WiiM Mini for streaming duties:

The USB cable, while functional, uses the older USB-A connector which is a pity as I had to use an adapter with my more modern Macbook (which only has USB-C connectors):

Finally, the remote control provides comprehensive functionality and is sort of amazing to find in a speaker at this price:

The S600 includes everything needed for immediate setup:

• 1× S600 Speaker pair
• User manual
• Optical fiber cable
• USB cable
• RCA audio cable
• Master and auxiliary speaker cables
• Infrared remote control

Desktop Performance and Setup

The S600 truly shines in a desktop setup, and I love how it looks in my desk setup:

On a desk, the S600 has good bass. The desk helps re-enforce the bass, and I used the tone controls to also reduce the treble which I felt was a little too much.

Features and Connectivity

The S600’s comprehensive connectivity options are genuinely impressive:

• HDMI ARC: Perfect for TV integration, supports 24bit 48kHz
• Bluetooth 5.3: Modern wireless standard with good range and quality, supports 24bit 48kHz
• Optical: Digital connection for clean audio transmission, supports 24bit 48kHz
• RCA: Standard analog connection for most sources, supports 16bit 44.1kHz
• USB: Functions as a sound card for computer connection, supports 16bit 48kHz
• SUB Output: Enables 2.1 system expansion (Aiyima recommends the 800X active subwoofer)

3 Specialized Sound Modes

The S600 features three carefully tuned sound modes optimized for different content:

• Music Mode: Optimized for musical content with balanced frequency response
• Movies Mode: Enhanced for cinematic experience with emphasized dynamics
• Dialogue Mode: Focused on vocal clarity for TV shows and spoken content

LED Status Indicators

The RGB tri-color LED system provides clear visual indication of the current status and selected input. The LED colors change to indicate different sources and modes, making it easy to see the current configuration at a glance.

The memory function retains volume, source, and EQ settings (except USB mode), which is convenient for daily use. Control is flexible via infrared remote control or directly on the device using the rear panel controls.

Sound impressions

The S600 can sound very good on a desktop, but as I mentioned above, I feel it does need some adjustments to sound its best.

Bass

For small speakers, the bass is strong. The 4-inch speaker makes good low sounds without distortion at normal volume. The bass port and a desktop bounce (when placed on a desk) will help make the bass more pronunced in your nearfield setup.

For me the bass was too strong at first. You can use the bass control on the back to make it sound right for your room.

Midrange and Vocals

The middle sounds are handled by the woofer speaker. Voices sound clear and natural. The way the two speakers work together is okay for this price, but I feel the crossover is not set correctly and some EQ might be required for the best tonality.

High Sounds

The small tweeter by default is tuned a little detailed, but again the tone controls will help get you the right level. The tilted design helps aim the sound at your ears when you sit at a desk.

Specifications and Measurements

Technical Specifications

The S600 adopts two AC3128A amplifier chips, with each chip independently responsible for one sound channel. This dual-chip approach ensures proper channel separation and allows each speaker to receive dedicated amplification, contributing to the clean, powerful output that can handle large dynamic music or movie scenes while maintaining clarity and minimal distortion.

Measurements

So, a user called “Nuyes” over on AudioScienceReview wrote a pretty extensive measurement heavy review on the S600 I would encourage anyone looking at the S600 to check out this review.

Sadly, these measurements do indicate some issues with these speakers. So firstly, the frequency response shows unevenness in the midrange and an elevated treble:

So, I recommend lowerly the treble using the tone controls on the back and ideally maybe playing with some EQ boosting that 2K dip.

But the multi-tone measurements show a larger issue with these speakers. Basically, these tests simulate real music playing at 85 dbSPL at 1 Meter, and It shows that volume at that distance is too much for these speakers. So basically, while I found them fine on my desktop at normal listening level (I would typically listen at < 80 dbSPL) but expecting these speakers to play louder will lead to some audible distortion.

I did some basic in-room measurements myself, and I can confirm even after tweaking with the tone controls that the 2K region needs an EQ boost:

The tests show the speakers need a little bit of EQ (in the 2K region) and should not be played > 85 dbSPL but are fine for desktop usage.

Comparisons

vs. Argon Forte Mk4

Comparing the S600 to the significantly more expensive Argon Forte Mk4 provides perspective on both value and performance:

The size difference is immediately apparent:

The connectivity comparison shows both speakers offer comprehensive options:

While the Argon Forte Mk4 (costing approximately four times more) offers superior refinement, better crossover integration, and more sophisticated driver technology. The S600 won’t match the Argon’s precision and resolution, but it still shows excellent value for listeners who want a nice looking speaker to use in a desktop setup.

vs Micca MB42

The S600 is slightly bigger than my tiny Micca MB42:

The Micca MB42 also has similar issues when playing at high levels, this is the reality of smaller bookshelf speakers.

vs.FiiO SA1 Desktop Speakers

So compared with the very small FiiO SA1 Desktop Speakers, the S600 has a much better bass response:

But the more expensive FiiO SA1 speakers do include some extra features like PEQ for those who want to get the most from a tiny speaker and have less distortion, but they totally lack the bass response you get from the S600.

Rating Justification

The S600 earns a solid 4-star rating based on its excellent value proposition and attractive design. Sonically, it’s not at the level of other more expensive active speakers, but you do get a lovely-looking speaker, with lots of features at a very pragmatic price.

These are my 3 issues with the sound of the S600:

Crossover Integration: There’s a noticeable disconnect between the midrange and treble frequencies, suggesting a relatively simple crossover design. This manifests as a slight lack of coherence between the drivers, though it’s not severe enough to significantly impact enjoyment.

Noise Floor: Very evident from the multi-tone measurements is a large noise floor, However, from normal listening distances (more than a foot away) at normal listening levels, this noise is completely inaudible and shouldn’t concern most users.

EQ Dependency: The S600 benefits significantly from using both the bass and treble adjustments. But might also benefit for a little EQ in the 2K region, so the S600 requires some tuning to reach its full potential.

Who Should Consider the S600:

• Desktop users seeking attractive, well-performing active speakers
• Those requiring comprehensive connectivity options
• Listeners who appreciate Scandinavian design aesthetics
• Budget-conscious buyers who don’t mind some EQ adjustment
• Anyone needing HDMI ARC capability in compact speakers

Who Might Want to Look Elsewhere:

• Critical listeners seeking absolute sonic precision
• Those who prefer speakers that sound great without adjustment
• Users who require completely silent operation at all times
• Listeners planning to use them for large room applications without a subwoofer

Conclusion

The S600 looks good great, is full of connectivity features, and sound decent (after some tweaks) for its price of €140/$150.

For desktops, small offices, or a bedroom setup, the S600 is a nice choice. You don’t need to spend a lot to get decent speakers that look nice. With a little tweaking and if you set your expection for how loud these small speakers can go you will be very pleased with your purchase.