Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Entry-Level Surround Sound, December 12, 2002
As an audiophile with a limited budget, I took the step from a decent used pair of stereo speakers to this 4.1 set because of the price. I will say this: I'm quite satisfied with the performance for the price. This isn't to say that it's the best or is flawless, but it is great for what it should be.First, the frequency response. As with any Inspire set of speakers, they have a decent response range, though mid-tones get a little muffled in certain settings. Especially those that clip (>75dB) in mid-tones pre-amplified, you will hear lovely crackling sounds and various distortion that you don't get in higher-end speakers. Of course there are not many things in practical use that are so loud in that tone range, so this is rarely encountered. Lower frequencies are quite muted on satellites, as the sub should compensate for the bass. This is great for such applications such as gaming, but doesn't give the best feedback for pure musical listening. Guess this is why a dedicated sound system is best suited for such purposes. As aforementioned, these speakers are excellent for gaming. Surround sound enhances your perceptions by allowing you to be "in" the action instead of spectating, as you hear sounds coming from all around (assuming you set the speakers up in the correct positions). One common pitfall is the audio connection. These use two analog 3.5mm stereo jacks (the common headphone kind), which plugs into any surround compatible soundcard. Using them with the Creative Labs Audigy/Live! series of soundcards works perfectly with the bundled "Surround Mixer" application and choosing the "4 speakers" layout; however, if you plug it into a single stereo source instead of 4-channels, you will only hear out of the side (front/rear) that you plug the source into. Be sure to make sure your soundcard supports 4-channel 2-output (front/rear) connectors, or you won't be able to use them! Many on-board 6-channel/5.1 sound chipsets utitlize the optical/digital SPDIF connectors - this is NOT for you! Get speakers with digital input for those systems, or you won't be able to use these. Overall, these are decent speakers and provide a decent sound experience. Highly recommended to those on a limited budget looking for good surround.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Value, April 17, 2002
For low cost, these speakers do a good job. Very crisp, clear sound. Unlike other inexpensive speakers, hiss is adequately controlled, and only barely audible at full volume. The subwoofer is a little weak, but turning it up to max produces enough bass. More than enough power and volume unless for almost any home pc application. Highly recommended.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Run don't walk to get a set of these!, August 20, 2002
I bought these speakers locally and (oops) actually spent a little more for them. They are worth every penny though, crisp and clear highs and midrange, strong bass from the sub woofer.Don't worry if you don't have a sound card with 4 speaker out just by a "Y-Adapter" from any decent local electronics firm to enjoy music from all 4 speakers. CD's, MP3's and especially DVD's sound unbeleivably impressive on these speakers. I use it on my laptop when I am home and moved the stereo out of my office, these actually sound better. Only one complaint, the bass response adjustment is on the back of the sub-woofer, hard to get to if you want to adjust it often and it is on the floor under your desk, but you can pretty much set it and forget it unless you are a bass freak and want to tune it depending on what you are listening to. My next purchase will be the Extigy external sound card so I can experience true surround sound from this set of speakers.
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