Sonic Impact! A review of powered speakers for high-quality computer audio

No matter how great your sound card is, it's only going to sound as good as your speakers. Think about investing in a set of high fidelity speakers, preferably with a separate subwoofer.

Listen here!Altec Lansing ACS48

As we wrote in our previous feature on Speakers for Multimedia, many users find that a simple AUX IN connection to their home stereo provides a more than adequate sound system. However, for those craving more, there are a plethora of multimedia PC sound systems on the market.

In that article, we noted the the S2 Multimedia HPM-4060 system from Diamond Audio Technology, distributed by Midiman. This self-powered system includes a large subwoofer and two very heavy satellite speakers and when working in concert, this system, though it is rated at "only" 60 watts RMS, sounds like it is driving a lot more power than that. A nice touch is a module containing controls for volume/bass/treble/loudness and 3D spatialization that is shaped to fit in a PC's standard 5.25" drive bay, allowing you to install it there, if you wish. A variable input on the back of the subwoofer allows the daisy-chaining of additional powered equipment, and the mic input has a level control. Two sets of stereo inputs are provided. The unit is so quiet, we couldn't tell it was on, even with the volume cranked. The HPM-4060 offers excellent sound for under C$300. Contact Diamond Audio at 888-222-9439.

We also tested big-box powered speaker systems such as the US$199 Canadian-built Monsoon MM-1000 series speakers from Sonigistix, the US$249 MicroWorks by Henry Kloss subwoofer+satellite speaker system from Cambridge SoundWorks, and the US$99 LCS-2632 from Labtec, currently the #1 selling computer speakers in America. This latter unit is part of Labtec's so-called Audio F/X series and includes 3D spatialization circuitry to enhance a stereo sound signal.

We tested all these speakers with FutureMark's 3DMark 99 MAX, its demo mode as much a thrasher of audio systems as it is a benchmark for graphics subsystems. Of these three "big subwoofer" systems, the Monsoon delivered by far the biggest bass. Its two "planar magnetic" satellite speakers were the most unusual (at least to those unfamiliar with the company's background in automotive audio systems), too, being more or less flat, each 8-by-4" speaker standing at a slight angle on a built-in base. The Monsoon system is entirely black and includes a roughly 10" square cube containing a 5" subwoofer, with built-in volume, bass and bass boost controls. It also includes a wired remote volume and mute control -- a nice touch. Unlike the Henry Kloss speakers, the volume control affects both A and B audio inputs. No mic input or headphone output is provided. Overall, we liked the audio of the Monsoon speakers the best, although the speakers did not handle excessive volume well. A sharp, digital clipping noise and an excessive degree of distortion was clearly audible when the speakers were pushed too hard. Nevertheless, we recommend them, as it is unlikely that most of us would want to use these high-quality units, or indeed any PC speakers, at such extreme volumes, anyway.

The second-best sounding speakers tested were the MicroWorks speakers by Henry Kloss (from Cambridge SoundWorks). These small (3" cube) satellite speakers and their accompanying 8x8x14" subwoofer are styled in "PC beige" and sounded almost as good as the Monsoon units at moderate audio levels, and sounded better at high volumes. Amplifier noise was a little more audible at extreme volumes, however, the amp/speakers did not exhibit clipping when pushed, but merely degenerated the audio signal with a more typical type of "dirty" analog distortion. At more eardrum-friendly levels, they sounded a little less crisp than the Monsoon units, but still excellent. A bass control on the back of the subwoofer controls the relative volume of the big cabinet's output. Our main complaint with these units is the fact that the wired remote volume control only affects one of the two audio inputs. No mic input or headphone output is provided.As might be expected, the audio output of the US$99 LabTec LCS-2632 was nowhere near as impressive as that of the pricier units reviewed here, but its highly functional design may sway you in its direction anyway. The Labtec unit not only has an audio input jack on the back of the 8x4x14" subwoofer, (all the units tested here use standard minijacks) but handily includes mic and headphone inputs on front and a microphone signal output jack on the back. It also was the only unit tested here that features Spatializer 3-D circuitry, designed to enhance a stereo signal, providing extra "depth," particularly to CD audio and high-quality game soundscapes. It fared less well in our 3DMark99 "subwoofer thrasher" tests, frapping out at relatively low volumes with a PHHHHTTTTT sort of attempt at the ultra-low notes that usher in the demo sequence. As noted above, only one line-level audio input and/or the lack of a remote volume control may be a drawback for some. However, we liked the included "Clear Desk" mounting brackets that allow the satellite speakers to be hung from the sides of a monitor, clearing, as the name suggests, a little clutter from the desk area.

A growing number of audio cards, such as the Diamond MonsterSound MX300, Sound Blaster Live! and Terratec EWS 64XL support more than two speakers. As well, a number of DVD upgrade kits support multi-speaker configurations. Thus, a multi-speaker setup is ideal for the best audio experience on these systems. As noted in TCP's March 1998 feature on DVD, a set-top DVD player can give you amazing sound using the newest and highest quality sound standard-Dolby Digital. Dolby Digital, also known as AC-3, is a 5.1 sound system and the one that is used in theatres, some direct broadcast dish systems and the impending HDTV. The term 5.1 means there are five channels (front right, centre, and left; rear right and left) and a bass channel (sub-woofer). DVD players and some DVD-ROM drives, can take this signal, connect to six speakers and wow you.

Creative Labs' SB Live supports up to 8 speakers (we tested it with the Cambridge SoundWorks Four-point Surround System) and provides digital signal processing that apply convincing reverb and echo effects to make sounds more immersive than is possible with only two speakers. In fact, Creative Labs purchased Cambridge SoundWorks and now actively promotes that company's high-quality speakers as the ideal combo for SB Live-based setups. The company believes that a system with more than two speakers (up to five plus a subwoofer in the case of Dolby Digital 5.1, the standard for DVD) will soon become the norm. Note, however, that some users have reported that the subwoofer on the Four-point Surround System may not work properly with some other brands of sound cards, including some versions of the Diamond MonsterSound MX300. And the Four-Point units aren't the only ones affected.

"So far," wrote comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard.tech contributor David Gasior, "from posts on Usenet, there are confirmed reports of the problem only with the Cambridge Four Point Speakers, two pairs of the Bose Acoustimass Multimedia speakers, two pairs of Cambridge SoundWorks, and using a pair of Cambridge SoundWorks and Cambridge MicroWorks together.... I can confirm that it does not occur with Advent AV390PL systems, or Altec Lansing ACS-48 systems.  So, no, it's not with all identical speakers...."

The MX300 manual says its outputs mix four channel output automatically to two or four channels. This suggests the reason for the issue. Users also note that bass cancellation in quad arrays, and a certain amount of noise are commonly cited complaints with these units.

Diamond has since released a patch (downloadable from www.diamondmm.com) to fix this problem. Other users note a problem that has bothered us, too: an alleged "power saving bug" that causes the first sound(s) to be inaudible when Four-Point Surround speaker systems wake up from power saving mode. This "power saving sleep mode" on the Four-point speakers on our test system caused some sounds (particularly brief ones such as system beeps) to be muted - a potential annoyance.

USB speakers, such as the Digital Sound System 80 units from Microsoft, are difficult to recommend. The fidelity, at least as observed in our tests, is noticeably lower than that of standard "analog" connections and, after all, non-USB speakers aren't all that hard to hook up.

Just about every system comes with a set of speakers, but most low-cost units sound a lot like the plastic they are made of. Here are some units we've reviewed favorably in past issues:

Low Cost:

• Labtec LCS-1400 ($129)
• Koss PCM-225 ($125)

High Quality:

Harmon JBL manufactures audiophile-quality stereo speakers, with a floor-mounted sub-woofer-to do justice to 16-bit, CD-quality sound. Some high-quality portable computers, such as the Presario 1900 series from Compaq, include internal Harmon JBL speakers, too. Altec Lansing Altec Lansing has several three-piece systems that come complete with sub woofer. In Dec. 95, we called one of their now-discontinued models "one of the best speaker systems we have seen bundled with a system." Today, the US$149  ACS48 PowerCube, with its wood cabinet woofer, is the company's award-winning system. Koss HD/100. TCP wrote, "The Koss Corp. has a long history in the manufacture of hi-fi speakers and their offerings in the computer market just took a turn for the better. They have introduced the Hard Drivers line of magnetically shielded speakers for the home. My test pair was the HD/100, a clean looking design with a 4" driver and a 1.5" tweeter that produces a neutral sound. The nice part about the HD/100's is the fact that all controls are on the front of the right speaker along with the microphone and headphone jack. Those last two eliminate having to reach behind the computer every time you need to plug things in. The annoying thing is that the on/off switch is behind the speaker, necessitating groping to turning it on and off. There is a boost switch for the bass and treble but the difference is not very audible. An input selector is handy for all those who possess external CD-ROM's. Delivering a full 5 watts per channel, these beauties pack quite a punch (I've never had them past the first quarter on the dial). Those F-16's sure sound like F-16's now. Now I have to deal with complaints that the den sounds like an aircraft carrier. Silly people-that's what it is supposed to sound like."