Altec Lansing GT5051 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System

by Altec Lansing

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 19.4 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0006688XY
• Item model number: GT5051
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 5, 2004

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Designed specifically for listeners who want to enjoy the rich, powerful effects of surround sound without running miles of speaker wire throughout the house, the Altec Lansing GT5051 5.1 speaker system offers an intriguing alternative. The system comes with a unique pair of "stacked" front and rear speakers--the rear speakers literally sit directly on top of the front speakers--thus providing the crystal-clear surround sound that makes movies, games, and music so enjoyable, but without requiring ingenious and space-consuming speaker installations. The system works by rotating the rear speakers at an optimal angle for sound reflection, so car crashes still sound as though they're coming from down the hall rather than directly in front of you. And thanks to Altec Lansing's patent-pending Side-Firing Dipole Surround technology, listeners won't lose any of the sonic nuances or full-bodied audio opulence for which surround sound systems are known. The GT5051 complements the stacked speakers with a center channel speaker that delivers crisp dialogue and a ported 5.25-inch subwoofer that brings low frequencies to life.

The GT5051 also includes a dual mode selector (with 6-channel and 2/4-channel modes), so listeners can enjoy both traditional surround and simulated surround (for stereo CDs and MP3s) through all six speakers. And thanks to the multiple input ports, users can connect to a computer, portable CD player, DVD player, TV, and video game console all at the same time. No more re-attaching cumbersome cables each time you want to switch on a new component. Additional features include a headphone jack for private listening and color-coded cables that make installation a breeze.

Whether you're watching the latest Hollywood epic, playing a spectacular vid, or listening to an old favorite on CD, the GT5051 5.1 surround system fills up the room with no-holds-barred sound while taking up far less space than the typical surround setup.

What's in the Box
Two "stacked" front and rear speakers, center speaker, subwoofer, color-coded audio cables, user's manual.

From the Manufacturer

The GT5051 is a genuine 5.1 surround sound system with a twist. The "rear" speakers sit on top of the "front" speakers, so there are no rear speaker wires to deal with. Altec Lansing’s patent-pending Side- Firing Surround technology enables vertical stacking because it provides the reflected surround sound that makes music or sound effects rich and immediate. The top speakers are situated at the optimal angle to deliver the clashes, the zooms, and all the sonic nuances—complete with sharp highs and clean midtones. Full-bodied sounds come from the bottom or "front" speakers. A center channel offers crystal-clear movie dialog, while a ported subwoofer completes the sound spectrum with low-frequency, full-throated bass you can feel. Whether you’re a gamer, movie aficionado, or music lover, you’ll appreciate the elegant simplicity and no-holds-barred sound quality of the Altec Lansing GT5051 speaker system.

Features

• Outstanding Performance – Bring your favorite games and movies to life in vivid surround sound.
• Surround Sound with Simplicity – Unique, patent-pending Side-Firing Dipole Surround technology delivers the crystal-clear dialogue and surround sound excitement of your favorite movies and games in just two vertical stacks, a center speaker, and a subwoofer.
• Dual-Mode Selector – Each listening mode is specially engineered to provide outstanding performance.
  1. Use the 6-Channel Surround Mode with a 6-channel sound card to thrill your senses with the vivid, panoramic experience of true surround sound.
  2. Use the 2/4 Channel Mode to enjoy immersive six-speaker sound from any source – CD players, MP3 players, or your standard 2 or 4-channel sound card.
• Exceptional Bass – Rattle the room with low frequency bass from the 5.25" ported woofer set in a low-resonance wooden cabinet.
• Multiple Input Options – Connect a computer, a portable audio device, and a DVD, TV or Gaming Console all at the same time.
• Also Features – A headphone jack for private listening, shielded satellites for use near video monitors, and color-coded cables for easy installation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Awesome stereo, but where's the surround, January 8, 2005

By 

Wildfire (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Altec Lansing GT5051 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System (Personal Computers)

Just hooked these up yesterday and thought I'd add my two bits to the growing input on them...

First off, these speakers absolutely rock when in stereo. I'm replacing an old Advent speakers/Yamaha subwoofer combo with this setup and the Altecs win hands down. Whether it's a CD, MP3 or game you're looking to play, the sound and power from these speakers are top notch. Just make sure you've set the little switch on the back of the sub to 2/4 speaker mode and you're set. I'm even considering hooking up my stereo to these speakers using the RCA inputs and shelving my Bose speakers.

Other pros include: solid construction, intuitive controls and a killer look.

Where this system starts to lack is in surround sound. Maybe it's my setup in the corner of a room with my built-in nVidia SoundStorm audio, but I got absolutely no feeling of surround sound in HL2. I'm also wondering if the SoundStorm is to blame for a slight crackly sound on some MP3s (or is it the MP3s themselves??). More experimentation to follow...

Another drawback is that the all-important 2/4 speaker <==> 6 speaker switch is located on the back of the sub instead of being positioned along with all the other controls. This could be a real pain if you frequently switch from listening to CDs to playing games on a regular basis.

Overall a very good value for what you get!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you want to complain its bass, see my review first, October 4, 2005

By 

L. Sun "Acubetter" (new york) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Altec Lansing GT5051 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System (Personal Computers)

I am very satisfied with this set, however I met the problem at first. when I get everything ready, I am disponited with its bass. because no matter how high the volume I turned, the bass from sub is still very tiny. Then I saw there is a bottom about sub in the control panel, I just press that bottom, and blue light was on, but the sub did not become better.
After I saw a reply in other forum, I finally save the problem:
"I guess that you do not turn up the sound of the bass. first you need push the sub bottom on the right of speaker, then the blue light next to sub bottom turns on. This blue light will turn on only 3 or 4 second. During this time, turn up the volume bottom. Only during this 3-4 second, the volume control can be used to turn on sub. In all other time, volume control is for whole system."

After I set as this instruction, I was shacked by its sub. If altec can mark this sitting more clearly, things will be easy for the person like me who just upgraded from 2.1 system, and am not familliar with 5.1 system.

After all, I am very satisfied its audio quality.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love it, I love it, I love it!!!!, December 23, 2004

By 

TJW "Tim Weichman" (Merlin, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Altec Lansing GT5051 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System (Personal Computers)

The short story: Wow... look no further. This system just came today and it's absolutely AMAZING! Phenomenal (and I mean PHENOMENAL) sound, brilliant design, superior workmanship, incredible value, awesome features, NASA-quality controls... I'm tellin' ya, you'll be stunned by this one. Just can't say enough about how pleased I am with this purchase. Bottom line: No need to continue your search. This one you can order with absolute confidence. Period!

Details: OK, first, so that you know whether or not to trust my recommendation, here's the scoop on me: My profession is mechanical engineering and I'm the kind of guy who researches all over the Internet before making a purchase like this. I want the very best in quality, price, workmanship, value, everything... and I don't want the hassle of making a bad choice, sending it back, looking for a replacement unit, etc., etc.

So, when I accidentally blew-up my old Altec Lansing sound system (for my A-Open computer), the search began for a replacement system. I checked the reviews, compared the specs, even went to two different computer stores to test sound quality. Frankly, none of the systems I found were all that hot. The workmanship was so-so (SoundBlaster systems especially), and the sound quality mediocre. Somewhat disappointed, I was at Circuit City and about to "settle" for a hum-drum Sound Blaster system, when my eye caught this system in a box on the shelf. It wasn't yet on display (and I never saw it on the Internet - because it was just recently released) so I didn't even know about it.

It's weird how this works, but when I saw the system, I knew instantly it was the one I wanted. I didn't even have to listen to it (a good thing because they didn't have one setup), I just went online, found it for around $115, and ordered it.

When I got it, man, talk about heaven! I wish you could feel one of these satellite speakers... hold it, check the fit and finish, feel its solid weight, they're amazing! The quality will absolutely blow you away. I actually feel grateful as I type this that there are companies like Altec who won't cut corners on quality. For those of you who don't know, Altec Lansing is considered one of the very best in this kind of audio componentry, and with this new purchase, they have my business for life. Normally I would never take the time to post a review like this, but I am soooo delighted with the purchase, I actually feel obligated to let other people know!

One thing that's easy to overlook in other systems, and then feel the pain of it later, is the extra features. Here I'm speaking of things like auxillary input connections and system controls. This unit has an extra 1/8" stereo input jack PLUS a set of standard RCA inputs (on the sub-woofer). Very hand because you can run output from, say, your stereo equipment or MP3 player directly into this system (and no need to have your computer turned on).

The right speaker has all the controls you need including separate controls for overall system volume, center channel volume, sub-woofer volume, and surround satellite speaker volume. It also has a headphone jack and a power button. I know what you're thinking, "A power button? That's not much of a feature!" Trust me, it definitely is a feature! Some systems don't even have a power button. This one's close at hand so that it's a cinch to turn off when the phone rings, but more importantly, if you've ever had a speaker system that had no power button and suffered from the annoying drone of that 60-cycle hum coming through your speakers, with this one you'll have nothing to worry. Click the power button and your room is totally silent. Nice!

So, how do they perform? Well, a moment ago I just popped in my Matrix Revolutions DVD and listened to that massive battle scene towards the end of the movie. Oh my God! The sound is stunning! When I saw this movie in the theaters, the action and sound were so intense that it was almost a bit scary. I know the comparison will seem impossible, but I tell you that I just had the same little tinge of fear go through me as I pumped up the volume and watched that scene again... just like in the theater!

As for the surround sound effect, check this out. I have the two combo satellite speakers and the center channel speaker setup on a shelf above my computer monitors. The satellites are about 2 feet apart and the center speaker right between them (how's that for a compact, breeze of a set-up! No running wires all over the place!). Now, in Matrix Revolutions there's a scene where a guy is typing quickly and loudly on a keyboard, and he's way off to the right side of the screen. When I watch that scene, I hear all the background sound filling the entire room, but I hear his typing coming distinctly from the right side of the room. That's pretty sweet!

As for other audio, like regular CD & MP3 playback, the sound is equally outstanding. There's a certain crispness or purity to the sound that is quite extraordinary... unlike any system I've heard before.

Could the system be improved? Well, it'd be tough, but there are a couple things that come to mind. First, it would be fantastic to get an auxillary input connection on one of the satellite speakers so that you don't have to kneel down or climb under your desk to work with those connections. Second, people who don't have the speakers within arm's reach probably will wish for a separate volume controller that could be set on their desk (instead of having the controls built into one of the speakers). Of course, these engineering compromises help bring the system down into its super-appealing price range. Me personally? I love the simple, elegant design the way it is. I think it's a thing of beauty.

OK, I realize this review was overly positive, so I just want to reassure you that I don't work for Altec, I don't know anyone who does work there, and I don't stand to make any money from posting this review. Just an incredibly satisfied customer who's pretty darn happy with his purchase.