Customer Reviews

Boston Acoustics Horizon MM220 Multimedia Speaker System (Midnight)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I needed a set of stereo speakers that would fit and look good in my bedroom. Sub-woofer was not an option because of space and wife acceptance factor considerations. The need was to upgrade the poor sounding system that came with my value 37" Vizio LCD TV.

I considered Audioengine 5's or 2's, but their size and price was not acceptable. My third runner up was M-Audio Studiophile AV40's but was a little too big still. My second runner up was the Creative T-40s. Then I found these (Boston Acoustics MM220) for an astonishing $38 (now $33)!

I went to the local Fry's store and saw the T40's. They are larger than the MM220s (probably because the T40's have the transformer inside). I liked both the T-40's and the MM220's, but my wife unfortunately did not think much of the T-40's. Furthermore, the T-40's online and in the store were 4X pricier then the MM220s (online).

THE TRANSFORMER: Contrary to what some reviewers say, I find the "brick" transformer highly desirable. It is a rule of thumb in audio amplifiers that the larger and heavier the transformer, the better the sound (specially class A/B ones). So the size and weight of the transformer was a good indication. Furthermore, the transformer is MUCH SMALLER than a decent sub-woofer. I had no problems hiding the transformer under my bedroom's furniture (commode). Obviously having the transformer outside the speaker, allows for a smaller design. And in fact, the MM220's occupy less square footage than the competition. Therefore I picked the MM220's.

SOUND: At $33-$38 (even at $99) you will find a hard time finding a better 2.0 stand alone system if you want the smallest form factor and decent sound. As a reference I have in my living room a Yamaha HTR-6160 (aka RX-V663) powering a 5.1 Mirage nanosat system. I have also auditioned Martin Logans, all sorts of Klipsch speakers, B&W systems, Polks, Infinity, Definitive, Energy, higher end Mirage (OMD-15s, OmniSats, Prestiges) ... you named it. These MM220 will not be superior to my 5.1 system nor any of the above mentioned systems. But for a small bedroom, the MM220 @ the price range, will give any of the above a run for their money. I also auditioned low end computer speakers from Logitec and Insignia (Best Buy), and they definitively sounded low end (really boxy and lacking mid-range, i.e. probably an upgrade to laptop speakers that cut off at 300 Hz, but most TV speakers would likely sound better)

As far as the MM220 is concerned, the sound is not fatiguing nor does it distort at high volumes. They obviously cannot be as loud as some the above systems, but they can be loud enough so my wife hears my music clearly all the way to the kitchen. The bass is good enough to cover well most of the audible range (including percussion and bass instruments clearly and distinctivley). Note that very similar products by Philips (MMS 321 and 322) claim a lower cut off at 50 Hz, which I believe this system can achieve. However, I doubt this and similar systems will give you powerful response bellow 60Hz (Audioengine 5 is an exception, but @ $325 and given their size, they are really not in the same class). What this means is that while audio will be great and clear, it will not necessarily shake your living room as any system with an active sub-woofer going bellow 40-50Hz would. Again, audible sound is decently covered though. Sound detail is good, and unlike monitors, these set is well suited for MP3s (not too revealing). They do reveal really poor quality recordings (as they say garbage in, garbage out).

WIRELESS INTERFERENCE: I have my wireless networked XBOX 360 next to these speaker and I have no problems picking up interference. I also have a wireless phone in the room. Again no problems.

I highly recommend this system for applications where real state, decent audio performance, budget, and WAF (wife acceptance factor) are important.

Bottom Line: For a few bucks you will notice an upgrade in regular TV (or computer) audio, and you will enjoy decent music playback (better than most iPod systems out there). If you paid $30 something bucks, consider that this is about what you will spend filling up your gas tank.

*****UPDATE Feb 26, 2010*****

This set may (may not) be discontinued and recently has gone up in price to ~$90. At ~$90, the system is still fairly good IMHO, but their awesomeness/price factor goes down compared to when they were $30 something bucks.

The nice things about this system is that you get a decent size speaker (not too big, not too small for an over the bedroom commode application), come with a decent amplifier already, are two way (tweeter + 2x small woofers + passive radiator) and most importantly: sound great. However, for $90 there are other options from reputable companies in this class of audio system:

1) The Creative GigaWorks T40 Series II 2.0 Multimedia Speaker System with BasXPort Technolgy PROS: good sound, CONS: still a little more expensive and larger in size.
2) JBL Duet Speaker System for Portable Music and PC - White (Pair) PROS: are cheaper, CONS: deficient in bass extension.
3) Altec Lansing FX3022 Expressionist BASS 2-Way Speaker for PC and MP3 (Black) PROS: have more bass extension (reportedly down to 40 Hz), CONS: high frequency response cuts off at 18kHz, and are not as accurate in the midrange as the MM220s (better for movies than music). However, I wouldn't worry too much about the 18kHz cutoff. If you are over 20 years old I would be surprised if you can hear past 18kHz anyway. I also like the presentation of the MM220s more, but for $50 vs $90, I would definitively give these ones a serious audition.
4) Klipsch Groove PM20 2.0 Speaker System (Black) PROS: well regarded quality speakers. CONS: larger size and price (getting close now though)

All of the above are 2.0 systems for space sensitive applications.

I ordered these Boston Acoustic Horizon MM220 ($99)and Creative T40's ($125) 2.0 speakers of similar size and cost.

The reason I didn't give them 5 stars was the huge brick transformer that is required to power and use them as well as the lack of control for bass/treble. They had a nice rich sound and the bass was good for what they are, however, they could use just a bit more. For movies they were excellent though as good as the creatives for my testing. That big brick transformer kept killing it. The Bostons also have the great rubber feet that are very flexible and absorb allot of the shaking. As when I had them cranked they were in full shaking mode but no loss of quality sound nor did they move at all from where they were positions on the glass table top.

I liked the fact that the Creative T40's had the bass and treble controls and no big brick transformer unit to power them. Each require separate power, however, the Creatives have a small footprint plug and no transformer like brick..

On the other hand the Creative speakers are about an 1 inch taller, wider and heavier. I felt they had a deeper sound from bass being it could be adjusted on a easy to reach front dial control.

One key thing to remember these are not 5.1 or 7.1 and you don't have a sub. This type of speaker is made for your computer desktop/laptop/ipod/gaming at a average level of good quality sound and volume. I have a 7.1 channel system for my HD TV and stereo for when I need or want intensity. I feel these small size speakers are really good for my purposes. I will use them when I travel, even though they are heavy. I will have quality sound for music and blue-ray on the laptop where ever I am.

I liked the Bostons sound better when watching the movies, with some music I felt they just needed more bass when I tested, the Creatives sound great with either music or movies. I would keep the Bostons if I needed another pair as they have a full rich sound but the brick and no control of bass/treble kind of helped me make my decision. If you want lighter smaller speakers and the speakers are not going to travel you may want the Bostons as they are $25-$30 cheaper in cost and look nice and provide good sound. I suggest finding a retailer to listen to them both or buy both and return the one you like least. Sound is very personal to everyone and each have different ears and what they like when they hear music or movies.

I am only using these types of speakers for a Sony Vaio laptop. I tested each set with music and movies to determine my choice. I would NOT recommend these personally but as I have said I suggest allot of testing in stores or via friends. Make sure to use the music, movies, games you enjoy to really take the speakers to the test for your pleasure.

I was seriously considering the Bose Companion speakers for about $90 - $100. The Companions are attractive speakers, however, they only have a single driver per enclosure. The M220's have 4 drivers per speaker and offer a truly wide range that includes substantial bass (especially considering there is no separate subwoofer). I have these set up with my 23" Samsung TV that has fairly unimpressive sound. These speakers provide simply awesome sound (given their limited size) for television applications. I simply connected them to my Samsung's headphone jack (included) and am able to adjust the volume right from the television remote.

Those of you considering these speakers, let me tell you that it is hard not to be impressed (again, given their limited size). I agree with another reviewer that stated the weight of the remote amplifier is not a negative... in general, heavier amps tend to contain better quality internal components. These amplified speakers provide clear and fairly powerful sound that is more than enough to fill any average size room.

In closing, these speakers are excellent in their own right... but given the very low price, I rated them with 5 stars. Price is a factor in speakers, and if these were priced at a thousand dollars, then I wouldn't give them 5 stars. At under forty bucks, I'd give them 6 stars if it was an option.

I'm no audiophile, but I wanted a decent set of reasonably priced speakers for my desktop - mainly for listening to music while I work, sometimes cranking it up when I feel the need. I used to have a set of Klipsch that sounded great, but went bad after a couple of years, producing static and going out occasionally (that's another story..). Immediately, I noticed the negative sound quality difference in these BA speakers - the sound just sounded muddy, with no clear lows and highs. Perhaps that's why they are now $30 instead of $100? Anyway, I'm returning them and got a set of Creative Gigaworks for around $80 which are MUCH better than these and well worth the price difference. If I were looking for mid-range desktop speakers for a good price, I would steer clear of these - I highly recommend the Creatives though.

I paid 29 bucks plus shipping for these speakers. The sound quality is quite good actually, being 2.0 speakers you do miss the lower frequencies however that's one of the tradeoffs of a 2.0 system. My college room is 8*10 and they perform the job of filling my room with good music admirably. They are great for movies as well as music. They might not have the low lying thump of subwoofers but they do have decent bass thanks to special bass radiators.
Onto the buzzing noise problem my speakers seem to have gotten better with time. The first few days I'd hear the intermittent buzzing, however after about a week of constant use I find that the buzzing noise has completely disappeared! This is not a guarantee that the buzzing noise will go away in all speakers but it did on mine.
All in all I really like the form factor, sound quality and the price! of these bA babies. They're definitely a keeper!!

Very impressive sound from these little speakers. Great bass for their size. Everything seems perfectly balanced. I have a wireless router about a foot from them and I am receiving absolutely no interference. The best part of these is the "giant brick transformer" that everyone is crying about. Does everyone not understand that this is the amplifier! Most computer speakers incorporate the amp into one of the speakers which adds to the size and weight of the speakers and takes up room inside the speaker that could be better used for improved bass. Boston was smart for leaving it out. Doing so allowed them to jump it up to 80 total watts, which is way better than any speaker I have found in this price range. The separate amp also stays cooler which is important. I would have paid twice the price for these wonderful speakers.

Am I the only one that gets irritated when people rate products lower because they don't do more than they are supposed to? If you want something that produces amazing sound quality and bass, by BOSE or even Boston's that are meant to be true at home computer speakers. I bought these recognizing that they are just an upgrade to laptop speakers. There is enough bass to make me happy and the sound quality is great for what they are meant to do. If you are looking for something to blow you away, don't buy these. But, the people at work like them as much as I do when we have some free time to sit down and watch a movie. And, they are small enough I can store them in my locker at work without having to haul them with me back and forth. BOSE is my favorite, but for the price I think these Boston's were a great purchase.

I bought these about 6 months ago for about 45 dollars and my review is based on that price, I think they are a little expensive now and don't think they have enough watts to warrant spending that much on them. That being said they have a nice clear distortion free sound even when turned up all the way. My only complaint is that they tip over easy, I have scratched them up pretty good by knocking them off my shelf at home.

I had some Klipsch 2.0 powered computer speakers hooked up to my Airport Express in my master bedroom for streaming iTunes. They sound great but the volume knob failed where it would drop out at some settings, so I wanted to replace them and the BA units seemed to fit the bill -- good reviews and a good price. But I did side-by-side comparisons and the Klipschs blew away the BA units. I actually took the Klipsch units apart and sort of fixed the volume-setting problem, then returned the BA units.

The BA units sounded just OK - basically like slightly upgraded TV speakers. No low end, marginal mid range. Can't recommend them. Amazon and the end (Audio Advisor I think) were great about refunding w/ no restocking fee. Look at the Klipsch 2.0 units -- probably more $$ but like most things in life, you get what you pay for.

- Reb Guthrie

I have two PC speaker sets that are notable. So far nothing I have heard beats the sound magnitude and quality of my Aura Aspect 20/40 2.1 set. An absolute crying shame they can be no longer found. My Auras date back to 1993 or 1994. I wish Aura would get a clue and start making their Aspect series again.

But this review is about the Boston MM 220's.
I did not expect miracles. So far that remains in the domain of Aura Aspects- and in those cases it's not miraculous, it's simply that they have high power, high quality 3" drivers, excellent heavy wood casings, acoustically relevant porting, 1" tweeters, and power to take advantage of it all. Auras capture it ALL.

The Boston Acoustics MM 220-- smart.
Cabinets have a sound dampening rubber coat, which lends itself well for laying the units on their sides. No vibration vertical or horizontal. The cloth covers a grill so the active and passive drivers are protected.
The amplifier circuitry being enclosed in the well ventilated remote enclosure that also houses the AC to DC step down transformer is a big plus. Smart. I have just completed hearing disc 2 of Rush's Chronicles. Is there or is there not a preponderance of bass? hi hi. No, to my ear, you can clearly hear every instrument including Getty Lee's bass guitar work, without distortion- at any listening level. Worth noting- at maximum amplitude, there is no distortion. Remembering that-- there is no subwoofer, one must remain within the limits of the laws of physics, the bass response is clean and present. Admittedly, the highs are not as bright as my Aspect 20's but those have 1" tweeters. Are the MM 220s perfect in absolute terms, no-- highs could be brighter with sharper edges. But back to bass, BA has done wonders in this area, the bass response coming from such a tiny space on these PC speakers is remarkable. Neal Peart's work can be well appreciated with these MM 220's. In another genre, John Modlin sounds magical on these, too. Like I'm in a lounge chair in the same studio live.

The Aura Aspect 20/40 combo will remain in the family room. The MM 220's will be on my personal machine in my basement shack. I don't care for hearing loss or damage, and I have finally discovered the joy of RUSH at lower listening volumes thanks to these MM 220's.

The MM-220's at loud levels sound grrrrreat too, but like I said I'll now be able to appreciate every nuance of my favorite band, with every sound and every note clearly present. The MM 220's produce high fidelity sound at any listening level. I've never encountered PC speakers that did not suffer distortion at maximum volume before these. So special thanks to Boston Acoustics, E.Expo, and Amazon for the new pleasant experience! Good job matching the amp to the speakers, Boston.

If you buy these, always remember these are 2.0 speakers. If you do, and if you're intended purpose is clean, robust, well defined sound while sitting at your desk at amplitudes that won't cause hearing damage, the MM 220's are brilliant and an excellent choice. Nice, refined implementation. If you want to rock the house with them, a reality check is in order- these are 2.0 PC speakers!

I'm going to order another for the TV. So I'll be stopping by Radio Shack on the way home for a 3.5mm female to RCA male Y adapter.

But- for 30 bux plus shipping, from Electronics Expo, Boston Acoustic MM 220's broke the needle on the Awesomeness scale. They arrived within 3 days via standard UPS, more kudos for Electronics Expo.