"Why start something tomorrow if it can make a difference today?" Me, 2006!
"Why start something tomorrow if it can make a difference today?" Me, 2006!
Member since:07.01.2006
Reviews:7
--What made me choose these?--
Quite simply it was the look and design of the entire system. I had recently bought a flat panel screen for my PC and the general speakers that came with my computer did not only sound awful, but were beige - not in-keeping with the general design of my room.
--Design--
As the look and design of this speaker system was my primary reason for splashing out on these, I thought I better start and explain this. I was able to see this system set up in store before I bought, and I would recommend that if you are thinking of purchasing these you try and see them in their full glory first. They truly are a work of art. You can tell that Altec Lansing have really spent time in designing these speakers. You can always tell the difference between products that have been set a budget and then designed within it and those products that were designed first and then
the company looked at the price, almost as an afterthought. These speakers were definitely in the design stage for a long time, and it shows. The build quality of them is exceptional. The stands for the two satellite speakers are made of cast alloy, adding a touch of class to the speakers. This also aids in the sound performance as the actual speakers are suspended from the stands, and the weight and quality of the stand ensures that there is not interference from the surface on which the speakers are stood. All parts of the system, the actual speakers, remote control with stand and subwoofer are all finished in a dark grey/blue colour, with all metal parts finished in matt silver. The remote control that comes with the system hooks onto and sits in a custom made stand, giving stability when in use.
--Setup--
The box that these speakers come in seems to be huge in relation to the speakers, but most of this is simply packaging. When you get everything out of the box, it almost looks scary. This was the first time I had spent a sum of money on computer speakers, and I didn't know where to begin. Luckily, I could see the instruction manual, which once opened made things a lot clearer. The whole system is colour coded, and if you have relatively new PC, the colours even match on there! There is a power cable attached to the rear of the subwoofer. It's obvious where this one plugs in, and this provides power to the subwoofer and satellite speakers. The whole system connects together via the subwoofer. Firstly, the cable from your computer goes into the rear of the subwoofer. Next to this are two other sockets, one each for the right and left speaker. The speakers are already connected to the wires which are then plugged into the subwoofer. Again, this is all colour-coded making the whole thing incredibly easy. Finally, there is now just one free socket on the rear of the subwoofer and this is for the remote control. That's it - done. I couldn't believe how something that looked so complicated could be so easy. All that was left to do now was switch everything on and start listening.
--Sound--
This system is a 2.1 Speaker System. For anyone not familiar with this phrase, it helps identify what the speaker system is made up of. In this case, there are two satellite speakers, providing most of the actual sound, and one subwoofer, providing the lower sounds - the bass! (Other models for example are 5.1 systems with 5 satellite speakers and 1 subwoofer.)
The system delivers absolutely superb sound quality. Sound reproduction is just excellent, and the speakers are able to provide a full spectrum of sound without loosing any of the substance of the sound. The clarity is very impressive, and I would say that this system actually adds something to music - gives it vibrancy when required, yet they know how the keep it subtle if needed.
Generally, I use these speakers to play a wide range of music whilst I'm working, and no matter what I'm listening too, it sounds great from these speakers and normal listening levels. A lot of speaker systems seems to loose their touch when you start to crank up the volume. This is not the case here. These speakers may be small, but they're defiantly top quality and do just fine if I'm throwing a party, or just want to play something really loud!
I also often watch movies through my computer. You have to remember that this is not a surround sound system, but the effects that this 2.1 system can deliver is pretty impressive. If I didn't have a full speaker system with my TV, I would have gone for the next model up, the 5100 which comes with 5 satellite speakers.
The subwoofer can take a little bit of tweaking. There is a small dial next to all of the connections on the rear which enables you to adjust the level of bass produced. You can generally find an acceptable level to cover all sounds, but depending on the occasion, I do often turn this up which adds real atmosphere to the sound. You can literally feel the bass if you play things fairly loud.
--Overall Impressions--
Overall, I am very impressed with this system. As I mentioned at the beginning, I was drawn to these speakers due to their stunning design. Their amazing sound once their switched on just makes them a must-buy!
The remote (which is on a wire) works really well, and again adds a little more class and professionalism to the speakers.
If design is important - you cant go wrong. If sound quality is important - you cant go wrong.
I would definitely recommend these to almost anyone, and once you've got the bass level sorted, sit back and listen to these amazing speakers.
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