Customer Reviews

Altec Lansing FX6021 2.1 Speaker System

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I've owned more computer speakers than I care to admit and now I've finally found the best. The sound is crisp and clear, stereo imaging is excellent.

Yes, the bass is a little quirky at times (sometimes too boomy and other times too thin), but on balance, they are the most enjoyable computer speakers I have ever owned.

When you spend so much time in front of the computer the extra money is well worth it when you factor in all the hours and all the years of great listening.

The form factor is perfect. I have a large monitor in a computer hutch and precious little space on either side and these speakers fit perfectly.

The little remote and the headphone jack option are also very cool.

I highly recommend these speakers.

Advice for previous reviewer:
If you get a rattling in the sub, the troubleshooting guidebook says one of the screws is probably loose on the back --- just tighten it up.

For everyone:
You can plug three different sound sources into this unit easily --- dvd/ps2 rca stereo input, computer single line input, and an auxillary input on the control pod for your tape player/mp3 player/ etc.

There is some static in the gaps of music (which I have come to expect from speakers at the volume I use them). Other than that, the sound is loud - crisp and undistorted even at ear shattering volumes.

Electronic/percussion/r&b/beat driven --- astounding.
Ambient -- gets me high.
Piano -- sounds right in front of you save for slight static in the gaps.
Rock/Pop/Jazz -- clear, all instruments are easily differentiated.
Spoken -- no distortion, some static.
Strings -- powerfully intense, some static in the gaps.

Note -- these speakers are very responsive to your software equalizer and to the control pod's bass/treble levels. What sounds good for one CD won't sound as good on the next. For someone like myself that listens to music from dawn til' dusk and back again, I love getting the feel for each instrument in a mix and trying to adjust the levels accordingly. For others, it might be a deterrence.

PS - REMOTE CONTROL!

...You will love these speakers! As soon as I plugged them in, the sound brought a smile to my face. When you spend more money on your equipment, you expect to get better results. This system keeps that promise. The six speakers in each unit produce a clear crisp sound. The mid range is clear without the muddy sound I hear in less precise speakers. Musical instruments sound separate and distinct, voices have a good presence that is not drowned out by the background tracks.

This system is plugged into my Sony television. It improves the audio on cable and satellite programs but it really shines when we play DVD movies. The enhanced sound tracks come alive and we get more of a movie theater experience. The control head on this speaker system has an input jack so you can plug in an iPod or MP3 player and listen to the player without unplugging the television (or computer) - very handy and thoughtful of Altec.

Compared to the JBL Creature II speakers or the Harman/Kardon Soundsticks, this set from Altec Lansing is superior. The speakers play louder, the placement is not so critical and the sound is more pleasant to listen to over time.

All right I admit it. I am an audiophile with an advanced case of high end snobbery. For years I carted my 6 feet tall Magneplanars around the country. Finally my wife said no more. She wan ted something smaller and since I was changing teaching jobs and moving 1500 miles my beloved Maggies and $100 per foot speaker cable were sold.

After much research these were found for 100 dollars. Greatest buy I've made in a long while. The sound out of the box is open and clean with a touch of midrange glare. Side to side imaging is stellar as is detail but image depth is just fair. Bass is not very extended but is clean. This is in comparison to a of $3000 planar speakers with $1600 dollars worth of cable. The Altec's were enjoyable in a way I used to listen to music when I was in college.

The cool thing about the 6021's was how good they can sound! I ran them through my upsampling 24 bit jitter reducing DAC on a good player with 2 meter audiphile interconnects and WOW!! These baby's sounded incredible! The detail, depth and clarity was back. Midrange glare was gone. Bass was now clean and powerful. They are my main speakers!!

THe lesson is if you can play with these they are nearly true audiphile quality in the mids and highs. Feed them good source material and you will be rewarded with some of the best sound you can get for under $500.

If anybody has any other tweaks for these let me know. Try putting the bases on 3 vibrapods and watch the image come open up. Buy these now and have fun.

For reference, I've owned a set of Labtec APX-6420 2.1 speakers for about 6-7 years now. With the purchase of a a new computer (Mac Pro + Cinema Display) I decided it was also time to upgrade my speakers. I spent a very long time mulling over different brands and models, listening to them in stores whenever possible. Of the major "PC speaker" makers, I recall sampling Altec Lansing, Logitech, Klipsch, Bose, Creative, and JBL. Aside from listening in stores (a poor environment) I also took into account personal experience with the brands (mostly the first three I listed) in regular "home" situations.

I initially wanted the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1's because of the fantastic reviews they've gotten on Amazon and elsewhere, but was turned off to them because of the apparently poor build quality (parts breaking very quickly), along with reports of buzzing, the power switch being on the back of the subwoofer, my impression of them in stores, and experience with a friend's ProMedia 4.1's (which neither I nor him really cared for, and which recently broke).

I tried as many Logitech speakers as I could in many different situations and decided I HATE ALL OF THEM (with the sole exception of the Z-5500's which I own and love)! The bass especially sucks on their speakers.

So... through all this I eventually came to the conclusion that Altec Langsing was the brand I wanted to go with. And if that was so, it had to be the FX6021's which I had been eyeing for years. The first time I heard them in a store I declared them my favorite of the selection at the time and the same is still true. These are probably the best sub-$200 2.1 PC speakers you can buy. Even at their MSRP of $250 they're probably worth it. These speakers a very nice!

The sound is very clear and sharp. Get ready to hear all the distortion in your low bitrate digital audio files. The speakers especially shine when listen to live recordings or anything that was produced by real instruments (i.e. not techno, though that sounds good too).

Subwoofer is NOT "boomy" or "buzzy" like others have reported. I never use the equalizer in iTunes and have the bass at about half. It's very deep, rich, and discrete. Doesn't shake the floor or cause my neighbors to complain--yes, I live in an apartment too and bass is a concern of mine. For those who complain about the bass: maybe you shouldn't have gotten 2.1 speakers? Maybe your units were defective? Or perhaps the subwoofer was placed in a very poor position? I know sound is highly subjective, but those reviews just don't sound right to me.

PROs:
* Tall, sleek, and sexy satellites provide a nice wall of sound and match the Cinema Display perfectly.
* Bass and treble have a *large* range of adjustability. 50% of either is plenty enough for me.
* Power button on control pod
* This is important: NO BUZZING. Not while they're on, not while they off. 100% silent.

CONs:
* Volume adjustment is digital and moves in "notches"; these notches aren't always small enough. I much prefer a regular analog knob.
* Remote is a bit useless
* While they look good and perform well, they feel a little cheap
* Get ready for lots of cables hanging from your desk and all over the floor (on the other hand, long cables are a PRO as well)

And finally, don't be fooled by specs. Yes, other speakers may have more watts of power and THX certification, but that really doesn't matter as much as it might seem. These are more than loud enough for any sane person (100% volume would probably wake up the neighborhood). I really didn't pay any attention to the specs, I bought them because they sound the best!

Back in 1995, I bought my first set of computer speakers. Not only do I still have them, but I'm listening to them right now. I paid $150 for 2 speakers and a subwoofer made by Altec Lansing. I thought I was nuts to pay that much for speakers, but I justified it after paying $4,200 for the computer! (PowerMac 8100 for those of you wondering.) Times sure have changed.

For years I thought I had the best computer speaker system ever made. - That was untill my iMac G4 arrived in 2002 with the Apple Pro speakers made by Harman Kardon and a matching iSub powered woofer. The two systems were in the same room, playing the same MP3's, and I was shocked that my old Altec Lansing's actually sounded muddy next to the transparent globe replacements. That taught me a valuable lesson: Most speakers sound good if they are the only ones in the room and you have nothing to compare them to.

So here it is, September 2005, and I'm looking for a set of premium 2.1 speakers for my new iMac G5. I started reading reviews like a mad man. You can read reviews till your cross-eyed, but because sound is subjective, you absolutely have to go to a local store and try them out. And since most speakers sound good when not testing them out side-by-side with others, it's mandatory you try several hooked up in a row to hear the true differences. Luckily, I found a row of "quality speakers" ($50-$400) sitting up at CompUSA. Much to my disappointment, the FX6021 speakers not only look cheap in person, they sound terrible for the price bracket they're in. I was skeptical that the 1" speakers (albeit there are 12 of them) would be able to produce a true mid-tone sound, and I was correct. I heard many reviewers admit the bass is not as good as other systems, and they are dead on with that complaint. I'm not a bass junkie either. In fact I prefer clean sound with rich mid tones and controlled, but not over-modulated bass. The bass on the FX6021 system is unacceptably weak. On a bright note, Altec Lansing did a excellent job matching the color to the Apple aluminum being used for the G5 towers and their wide-screen monitors. They match perfectly. At close inspection, you can tell they are plastic and cheap plastic at that. The control system is decent. It too feels a bit on the cheap side, but the one great thing Altec Lansing did is add an Aux jack and headphone jack. Perfect for plugging in you iPod or Sirius tuner into, and bypassing your computer altogether.

I'm not sure if my expectations were set too high, or if other reviewers did not compare them to the competition, but in a line of other speakers, the Altec Lansing FX6021's were only average. Similar sound can be had for 1/3rd the price.

So which speakers did I end up with? The Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX Certified package. Circa 1999, and still king of the hill. - By far.

As my previous speakers began to show some age, I spent some time at retail to see what is new and improved. As a Mac owner, a 5.1 setup is not particular advantageous (although they are impressive), so I focused my attention on 3 speaker systems (2 satellites and a sub) . I listened to a lot of brands and systems and generally came away unimpressed with two expections. The Altec Lansing FX6021 and a Klipsch setup. Both the Altec Lansing and the Klipsch were quite impressive. At the time, I gave a very slight edge to the Klipsch with cost being the primary factor. The Altec Lansing's were more expensive.

Then my girlfriend went online and found that the cost difference disappeared. Based on that, she purchased the Altec Lansing's as a gift for me. Now having spent a significiant amount of time with these speakers I can attest that these are fantastic speakers. The fact that they look so cool is just an added bonus!

The technology in the satellites is impressive. I have been absolutely amazed at the range they are capable of. As I listen to my music library I am presented with subtleties that I never new existed in a range of music genres from classical to country to rock to hip-hop. All genres sound fantastic. The much discussed bass response can be quirky at times, but I have found that spending a little time to adjust the settings for a particular genre or song results in improved response and more than adequate sound. I'm sure there are slightly better systems (Klipsch, for example) for bass response, but the Altec Lansing FX6021 is an outstanding system - an all-around winner. You will NOT be disappointed.

The price point is still relatively high for a 3 speaker system, especially at retail, but online the price becomes an incredible value. Go listen to these speakers, try them out and then come back and buy them here (Amazon). You will be impressed and your ears will love you for it!

I bought these for my new iMac G5 which has underpowered speakers. Its a perfect computer but really lacks good high fidelity speakers. This set of speakers sounds so good you will not belive its not a full rack audio set up. Really! They fill the room wioth pure and clean sound that has teh highest crispiest highs and the bassiest lows that thump the walls. I truly have never heard audio like this come from a computer.

Easy plug and play Mac set up. Take it out of the box plug it in and the speakers plug into the headphone port on the computer. Even has a very useful remote with the ability to change not only the volume, but the treble, bass and power from across the room!!!

This kind of sound doesnt come shea unfortunately. But these speakers arent for the average user. This audiophiles dream set up is for someone with discriminating audio taste and really for the higher end music lover. this set uses "In-Concert" technology which is Altec's proprietary sound filter system that clearly seperates teh music instruments for deep and layered music listening.

I honestly heard notes and instruments in tracks I hadnt noticed before. It brings teh music alive and is worth every penny.Hope you enjoy them as much as I have so far. They even give you batteries for teh remote! ( Its a small watch battery that is supposed to last six months as there is no lights or battery wasting gadets on the remote.)

I've owned these Altec's for over three years now, and I have yet to ever coming close to replacing them - as a matter of fact, when facing the decision of buying another set of speakers for a new computer, I went ahead and still purchased these babies!

SOUND QUALITY --- the sound quality is very crisp and excellent overall - I have used mine for video editing, and I'm very pleased with how clear the dialogue audio has come through, in addition to the special effects sound - unless you need a five speaker system (or comparable) then I'm confident that this is the most crisp sound you'll find in any speaker

VOLUME --- these suckers can get LOUD - just take my word for it

COMPATIBILITY --- This is the part I love most - there is no software to install and no special plugs - the speakers plug right in, and very easily, into the audio jack, just like a pair of headphones would --- thus, hooking in a computer, iPod, cd-player, etc, is easy as heck, making these speakers extremely universal for any sound equipment

CONTROLS --- the speaker system comes with a seperate remote, giving one access to adjust the volume, bass, and treble, all seperately from the computer's controls -- the knob to control the volume, and other functions, is easy to use and makes for quick adjustments

SIZE --- the speakers are extremely thin and the subwoofer is a very manageable size -- placing these speakers is easy

PRICE --- believe me - it's a bargain at under $200!!!

Overall, I give my full recommendation here -- you'll love these speakers!

Pros:
-Easy setup.
-These babies get LOUD!
-Beautiful sound with no distortion with higher volume, except with high treble (read cons).
-REMOTE CONTROL -- woowoo for movies on the PC! The remote control is super small, 8.5x3.3x0.6 cm, and is fully functional for the speakers (if you tend to lose things, it is an almost guaranteed thing to lose unless you keep it with the control base).
-Full treble and bass control both on the desktop and through the remote.
-Satellite speakers are wall mountable (they do take up a bit of space on the desktop).
-6 (yes, SIX!) speakers on EACH satellite. Can it get better than that for a 2.1 system?
-Bass isn't boomy but is very very effective in getting the lower frequencies across.
-Auxilary imput and headphone output on the desktop control. You can hook up a stereo to the speakers through the auxilary input, which is sweet =)

Cons:
-As the treble gets turned up, a notable background hiss develops (it gets louder the more the treble is turned up). However, if the treble stays at or below average (the preset level), the hiss is not evident at all. After using these speakers for a few weeks, I haven't personally found this to be any issue, but some may not like this.
-The satellite speakers take up a lot of desk space... if you are tight on desk space, plan to wall mount them.

NOTE: The subwoofer must be placed carefully -- I had a buzzing/vibration coming from the subwoofer, or so I thought. It turned out that the subwoofer was vibrating the things around it, so I moved some things around and now it sounds much clearer at higher volumes.

Basically, if you can afford these speakers and don't mind not having higher than average treble, get them. (IMO, the treble doesn't need to be turned up, and, in general, I have always been a fan of more treble.) The sound is so clear and the bass so nice. Also, shop around... note that there is a hefty shipping charge on amazon for these speakers. I eyed these speakers for 4 months and looked at a couple other top 2.1 speaker sets before I got the guts to make the purchase, and it has been more than worth it. If you get these, you won't find yourself eyeing other 2.1 systems with envy. Everyone else will be eyeing your system.