Cambridge SoundWorks GCS 300 PC Speakers: Decent stereo speakers for PC
Written: Jun 10 '06 (Updated Jun 10 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Decent sound, inexpensive
Cons: Not much bass, not very loud
The Bottom Line: The bottom line listens to an AM radio with mono speaker.
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| Gr8ful's Full Review: Gateway Cambridge SoundWorks GCS 300 PC Multimedia... |
These speakers originally came with a Gateway system that a friend of mine bought a few years ago and are the same model as the Creative Cambridge SoundWorks SBS36 PC speakers. She got a new 2.1 system with a subwoofer and gave these to me for fixing her computer some time ago. The speakers are small but carry plenty of volume for a small office and sound fairly well for the size and type of speakers they are. I was quite surprised that they actually have decent mid-range and a hint of bass with no sub at all.
The Cambridge SoundWorks GCS 300 Speakers
The speakers are available in two colors, the ones I have are black but they also come in beige. The cable from the speaker that connects to the PC is six feet long and the cable between the two speakers is also six feet. The power switch and volume control are on the speaker that connects directly to the PC. They do not require batteries but they do have an AC power adapter to power the built-in amplifier. The speakers crank out a whooping (err… yeah) 4W stereo (2W per channel), but amazingly they sound really good considering their size and limitations. Just don’t expect a lot of bass and high volume.
Specifications
* Amplifier Gain: 12dB @ 1KHz volume max.
* Controls: On/off/master volume on right speaker
* Headphone Jack: located on side of right speaker
* Driver size: 3"
* Sensitivity: (self-powered systemnot applicable)
* Frequency Response: 90-20,000Hz
* Supported Sound Modes: 2-channel stereo
* Output Power: 92 dB SPL at .5m listening position
* Power (each satellite): 2 watts
* Input Impedance:10K ohms
* Weight: 1.5Kg per speaker set including adapter
* Speaker Dimensions: H x W x D 6 x 4 x 4 " (153 x 101 x 114mm)
* Operating Systems: Not OS dependant (will work with any operating system)
* Power Supply: 9V 400mA AC wall adapter
* Power Connector: 5.5mm coax, 6 ft. cable length
* Cables: 6 ft. audio input (captive), 6 ft. inter-speaker connection cable (captive)
* Warranty & Support: Based on system warranty for Gateway Essential PC's, Gateway Select PC's, & Gateway Performance PCs (1 year in most cases, the Creative SBS36 version has a 1 year warranty)
Installation
Installing the speakers takes about 30 seconds. You plug in the power adapter and plug in the audio cable from the right speaker into the speaker out on the computer. That’s all there is to it.
Personal Use
I have used the speakers for a few months on my server which does not get much use directly. I have played a few games and listened to some music and found the speakers to be quite adequate for a small office or workstation where audio does not have to carry very far or be very loud. The sound quality is good, not audiophile quality but decent enough to listen to MP3s at work or while you work on something else.
The high end is nice and clean, and very bright. I have to keep the treble turned down a little while listening to music. The mid-range is strong which surprised me because most speakers of this type and size do not have much beef to their sound, but these little speakers do ok. Bass is detectable but not prevalent. If you like a lot of bass, you want to look at something else or get a separate sub for your system.
I wouldn’t put these on my home computer for media use personally, but they will do nicely for an office environment. They sound much clearer than the small Altec Lansing ASC33 PC Speakers on my mother’s computer, but are not quite as loud and do not have the bass response (if you can call a spitting sound “response”, its more like bass distorion) that her sub gives.
Conclusion
These speakers are intended for a small area and not for filling a room with sound. They do that job admirably but leave a bit desired for bass. If you need a small decent pair of speakers for your office, these will do nicely. If you are looking for a good set of stereo multimedia speakers, spend a little more and get something with a sub or surround speakers with a sub like the Creative Inspire P7800 7.1 Surround Speakers.
Thanks for reading,
Gr8ful :-)
Recommended:
Yes
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