Labtec Pulse 424 - Guaranteed to get your pulse going...
Written: Nov 30 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: convenient headphone jack on the right satellite; dedicated subwoofer volume control
Cons: master volume control knob on the right satellite is a bit flimsy
The Bottom Line: Anyone looking for the best bang for the buck should consider the Labtec Pulse 424 (now formerly Logitech Z Series)!
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| reviewermania's Full Review: Labtec Pulse 424 |
Why the delay???
I have had these speakers for over five years now, and they're still working like a charm. So, why am I writing a review NOW when these speakers aren't even on the market anymore? Well, it's just to show my appreciation towards Labtec for developing an awesome (not to mention affordable) speaker set which, in some cases, rivals those higher priced speaker sets.
Lightweight does NOT mean cheap...
Upon opening the box, I first noticed the pair of satellites, neatly packaged and tied together. They were unexpectedly designed very nicely, and can be described as "cute" looking. At first glance, my first instinct was that these satellites appeared to be very light... and as soon as I picked them up, I was right. But that's not to say that these were cheaply built... I'll get to that in a bit. Next came the subwoofer, which at first glance gave me the total opposite feeling about the satellites. This thing was built pretty sturdy and you can actually get quite a good workout, if you so choose. Labtec made a really smart move of making the subwoofer out of wood material. Simply put, subwoofers made out of plastic just CANNOT compete with subwoofers made out of wood. The frequency response between the two is very different. I had an old no-name brand speaker set, with a plastic subwoofer. Even at the maximum volume setting, the bass was very weak, not to mention horribly sounding. Anyhow, back to the review! The subwoofer features a dedicated volume control on the back, and a passive radiator mounted in front of a four-inch driver on the front of the unit. I have no idea what the passive radiator does, or how it works, but what I DO know is that when paired with the four-inch driver, this baby can do some pretty earth shaking violence! Both the subwoofer and the satellites were designed with a cool black color, making it match to any decor. And on a final note, you remember how I was saying that lightweight does not mean cheap? Well, it's true. My left satellite speaker has been, unfortunately, subjected to numerous shocks and drops over the years. And the aftermath? What aftermath? The left satellite speaker continues to sound just as good as the right... sometimes even better (nah, just kidding!) All in all, like the saying goes, "Never judge a book by its cover..."
Ready... Set... GO!
Setup was a breeze, thanks to Labtec's smart decision of employing color-coded cabling. Also, there are only three cables you need to plug in: power, right satellite to subwoofer, and right satellite to audio source. The connection between the left and right satellite is hard-wired, meaning that you're stuck with the limitations of that cable distance. But that shouldn't be too much of a problem, as the cable length is ample enough for a basic speaker set up. A press of the power button on the right satellite turned the set on, as well as the unexpectedly bright green power LED. There's also a headphone jack on the right satellite, right next to the master volume control. A smart design element... good job Labtec!
So... what does it sound like?
What do you think? Actually, to tell you the truth, I was overwhelmed. Initially, I had forgot to adjust the subwoofer volume (it was turned to the min setting @ the factory)... but the thing was, the subwoofer was still responding! EVEN AT THE MIN VOLUME SETTING! I played various kinds of music, ranging from dance to hip hop. I found that at a quarter setting for the subwoofer volume, the subwoofer unit responds quite well, and even at this setting has the power to shake my room! The satellites sound fairly good, although the high and medium range frequencies could be better. In conclusion, this speaker set sounds GREAT!
Conclusion
The Labtec Pulse 424 was (and still is) a great sounding speaker set. The cool black design of both the satellite and the subwoofer, as well as the advanced passive radiator technology employed in the subwoofer design all add up to a superb audio experience. My only complaint is that the speaker set appears to be very sensitive to electrical fluctuations. A flick of a light switch, or the powering on or off of certain devices plugged into the same electrical circuit, will cause the speaker set to emit a loud POP sound. It can get annoying, and it doesn't appear to be a defect, as someone else who wrote a review for the Labtec Pulse 424 voiced the same complaint.
GREAT... I want one... but...
Yeah, apparently, Labtec isn't manufacturing these speakers anymore... *SOB*. But, you can still find a speaker set with the exact same subwoofer technology... just look to Logitech's Z series. The only difference is the design of the satellites and the change from green LED to blue LED for the power light. I haven't heard the Logitech's Z series, but I would imagine that they'd score about the same as the Labtec's Pulse 424.
Recommended:
Yes
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reviewermania
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