ADA-Boy!
Written: Apr 29 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Monster sound quality, USB interface
Cons: Needs more cable for satellite separation
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| scottmay99's Full Review: Altec Lansing ADA 70 2 Speakers |
So there I was. Just purchased my first computer and needed some form of sound system. So I went down to CompUSA knowing nothing about computer audio and armed only with the knowledge that my system had a good sound card and 4 USB ports. That was enough! This particular retailer had a pretty good selection of speakers and better yet, almost all of them were on display and wired for demos. I was fortunate in that I chose to visit on a very busy weekend and the floor sales force was too tied up to help me. No problem as this left me free to touch, feel, listen and tweak everything on the shelf.
I spent the next hour sampling every speaker combination in all the available formats. (Movie, music, etc.) Though the ADA70 powercube unit was not the most expensive setup, even from Altec Lansing, I found it to be the most pleasing to the ear. This for the following reasons.
1. Subwoofer
The subwoofer emitted rich bass tones that were surprisingly clear
in comparison to the display units from some of the other manufacturers.
(i.e. Labtec, JBL) The low end was there but it didn't vibrate to the point of displacing everything from the shelves.
2. Satellite Units
The satellites are mid sized, not too bulky but have a nice weight to them. Feels like there's a decent magnet in there. Very solid. They are shielded so as not to interfere with your monitor functions and they just sounded better than anything else. No static, no nothing.. Just pure, clean digital sound.
3. Other Goodies
The USB interface was appealing as I had an open port and set up would be nonexistent. (Just bought a hub, now I seven available USB ports)
The manual controls mounted on the right satellite are well designed though I rarely touch them. One volume knob and three push buttons for selecting balance, bass and treble adjustment functions.
Altec's website also has Audio Management Software available for download but I haven't found the need to investigate. The interface with the Windows audio controllers is more than sufficient.
Lastly, it's just a really nice looking combo. Non obtrusive on your desktop.
This rig sounds even better in the privacy of your home without all the commotion of the retail outlet. Rich, full and volume isn't a problem either if you're so inclined. The only thing I've come across that was out of the ordinary was the power off function on the satellite. On occasion the need arises for me to kill the speakers. Like when I'm using Dialpad and my headset and boom are in use. No need for the rest of the household to hear the conversation. I tried hitting the power button while I was using the headset and it actually functioned as a mute button.
Thus muting my headset and mic at the same time. I thought this might be a set up issue but the good people at Altec Tech support hadn't come across this one before and suspected that something might have been wired incorrectly in the speaker itself. They offered to replace it at no cost whatsoever to me. At this point I was so in love with these speakers that I couldn't give them up even for the week or so it would take to replace them. I came up with a little work around. I found an extension cord with a push button foot switch in the middle of it. I think it was designed for Xmas tree lights. I mounted it upside down under the lip of my desk and ran the speaker power from there rather than the surge protector everything else is wired to. This works great. I can kill the speakers and still use my headset and mic. The only other thing that comes to mind is that Altec could have been a little more generous with the speaker cables. My power source is directly beneath my desk and the satellites only reach to about 8 inches on either side of my monitor. A little more separation for the right and left channels would be nice. Might get a fuller effect.
Installation can be a bit tricky for a novice (That would be me) but if you stick to the instructions you'll be up and running in about 30 minutes.
Enough rambling.. All things considered the ADA70 performs as well as if not better than some more expensive systems. Well enough to the point that my 3 foot tall stereo speakers now serve as stands for other peripherals.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
scottmay99
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Member: Scott May
Location: Lake Forest, CA
Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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