Too harsh and tinny for my taste
Written: Mar 05 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Inexpensive, Clear solid bass for a 4" woofer, small size.
Cons: Sound very harsh and tinny - lacks the warmth of a traditional woofer
The Bottom Line: The MH-500 provides good bang for the buck, but the surprising lack of clarity in the vocal range left me disappointed. Bass is much better than you would expect.
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| nquinn's Full Review: Level 9 Sound Designs MH-500 2 Speakers |
When I purchased the MH-500's, I was expecting crystal
clear highs and weak bass. I found the exact opposite.
Setting up the MH500's was a piece of cake. Plug in the
left and right speakers, run the minijack plug to the
computer and sub, and power up.
The handheld remote is convenient for volume control,
but lacks a bass setting. This is, unfortunately,
located on the back of the sub. No headphone jack
plug exists on the satellites.
Let me first explain - I only purchased these speakers
because I had some gift certificates to use at Amazon.
After some research, and working with the available inventory, I decided on these speakers. ($70 or so)
I expected the electrostat 'tweeters' and 2.5" cones
to provide excellent clarity. I wasn't expecting much
out of the 4" subwoofer. Really, a 4" subwoofer? Give
me a break - anything under 8", unless it's in a bazooka
tube shouldn't be considered a sub.
SOUND QUALITY:
This is all that really matters!
Upon my very first listen, I was disappointed. The mid and
upper range was extremely harsh, giving a "shushing" distortion sound to everything. Above all, voices were the most distorted. I sampled the speakers with pop, jazz,
rap, classical, and modern rock. Pop and rap sounded
the best on this system, because it does manage to give a
nice 'bite' to the sound. Rock and jazz left much to be
desired.
The bass from the 4" sub was more than sufficient for
a computer system. I have my bass set at about the half-way
mark, and even this can be boomy at times. One thing I must compliment though, is the use of the crossover. The sub blended beautifully with the satellites.
Do not be fooled - these speakers are not as directional
as some others have mentioned. Yes, there is a sweet spot,
but it is mostly for the highs coming from the electrostat. The 2.5" drivers in the satellites help to diminish the directionality problem.
For the money, I would rate this system as above average.
There aren't many choices in the sub-$100 range that provide
a solid 3-piece system. If you can get it for around $50, I would consider it a good bargain. Take a look at the Labtec Pulse 424 setup if you are in this price range and
prefer the traditional cone woofer setup. Also includes an 8" sub :)
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
nquinn
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Member: Neil Quinn
Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 2 members
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