The High Powered Solution to Computer Audio
Written: Feb 10 '02 (Updated Feb 10 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: High Power, strong bass, crisp trebles, 80W of power.
Cons: Volume control, expensive and several more.
The Bottom Line: If you're considering a high powered 2.1 speaker system, the ACS48 may not be your choice as the Soundworks Digital is much better.
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| lavoisier's Full Review: Altec Lansing ACS 48 2 Speakers |
For many of us, having a computer system for entertainment purposes is really the way to go. With MP3 audio and DVD video as an already emerging form of entertainment for your computer, many speakers out there on the market are just not designed for heavy multimedia use. But with the Altec Lansing ACS48, it really changes everything. But it doesn¡¦t mean the speaker system package is the best on the market today.
Contents
The package includes a subwoofer and 2 magnetically shielded satellites along with an easy to follow manual for installation and use. Plus they have the support numbers and warranty on the final pages of the manual. However the subwoofer isn¡¦t magnetically shielded and therefore the subwoofer¡¦s placement is really a little more restricted than it should be though, but not many will find this rather a big deal however. But some might find the subwoofer rather bulky though; then again most people wouldn¡¦t find it a big deal. But with the magnetically shielded speakers, you can safely place the speakers close to the display without any damage and it can even protect your computer hardware like your hard drive for example from erasures due to the magnetic causes.
Experience
The great thing about the speaker system is how easy it was to set up and install the speakers, it only took me about 5 minutes to complete the installation, about 1 to 2 minutes more for a less experienced installer. By all means any level of expertise can install the speaker system. What¡¦s even better is how the speakers sound when it¡¦s used for MP3 audio and DVD video. They have the effects of a desktop theatre system without really paying a premium and sacrificing space on your desktop. The bass being produced from the subwoofer, is very strong and even in computer games it really blows out the after effects like explosions and gun fires. The trebles are also very clear and crisp for a speaker in this price range and it makes any rhythm very coherent rather than constantly losing track. It certainly is true when I used these speakers to view my DVD collection, especially Air Force One and thought I could really watch several movies out of these speakers. All of course is due to the 80W power rating of the speakers (40W from the Subwoofer, 20W from each satellite), which really aids in the development of the exhilarating audio. But to achieve such exhilaration, you must place the subwoofer on the floor for the best bass production.
However to adjust the bass, you have to get down on the floor and move the subwoofer just to adjust the bass of the speakers. This can be annoying for different users, because they all have different tastes for their audio needs. It would have been better if everything was on a remote control, especially the volume control.
But the speakers isn¡¦t just confined to computer audio, you can even use it for your home stereo, your portable CD player, MP3 player, yes even the video player. Therefore making the package a very versatile package.
Even with all the goodies, the Speaker System has many faults
Despite the goodness out of the speaker system, there are many drawbacks found on the speaker system itself. One of which in particular is that the volume control is on the top of the active satellite and it¡¦s really a pain to just reach to the controls without bending your neck and/or back. Another thing is despite the high power rating, these speakers are still analog, unlike the SoundWorks Digital from Cambridge Soundworks. Then there¡¦s the absence of the remote control, if that is present in the speaker system, it would of made the bass and volume adjustments much easier than it is right now. As a result that there is no remote control, you can¡¦t really hang these speakers on the wall with nails just to save some space. At $100 for an analog speaker system, it¡¦s rather expensive and the SoundWorks Digital by Cambridge Soundworks only costs you about $70 and it¡¦s a much better deal considering it¡¦s digital, has greater flexibility and many more. As a result, I can¡¦t really completely recommend these speakers as the design is rather on the plain side, the controllers are really hard to reach, you can¡¦t hang these on the wall and a high price.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
lavoisier
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Member: Hugh Jazz
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Reviews written: 180
Trusted by: 26 members
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