The little 4.1 speakers that could...
Written: Mar 03 '02
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Small package, great value, excellent clarity
Cons: No fade control
The Bottom Line: Have you ever heard: "you get what you pay for"? In this case, you're getting a whole lot more.
|
|
|
| luckythong's Full Review: Creative Technology Inspire 4400 4 Speakers |
If you're reading this review, I know what kind of boat you're in: you're in the market for new speakers, can't spend more than $70 on them, and am wondering whether a 4.1 system is worth the extra $20 or so, compared to a 2.1 system. You see, just last week, I was in the same boat you were in. But now, I am more knowledgeable and can tell you the following:
1. If you can afford spending another $15-20, the jump up to 4.1 surround sound is something you will definately not regret.
2. The Creative Labs Inspire 4400 4.1 speaker system is a quality product.
3. Don't forget who's ears will be using these speakers: don't let other people tell you what THEY like hearing, including mine and others' reviews.
And now... on to the review.
Installation
Installation was straight-forward and took a matter of minutes. Included in the box are four small satellite speakers, a pretty compact subwoofer, a volume control, a power source, and the necessary wires to hook everything up.
First, connect the satellites to the back of the subwoofer (4 jacks clearly labelled: front left/right and rear left/right), connect the subwoofer to your computer's sound card outputs using the two audio cables provided (one colored green, the other one black, which corresponds to the colored holes on the back of the subwoofer where they belong). Finally, plug the volume control into the subwoofer and you're good to go.
Ease of Use
Turning the speakers on and off is achieved by turning the volume dial all the way counter-clockwise on the volume control. Controlling the bass level is just as easy: turn a knob on the back of subwoofer. Unfortunately, I have my subwoofer placed underneath my computer desk, so every time I need to change the bass level, I have to delve beneath my desk and reach for the knob (certainly an inconvience, but I don't need to change bass levels too much anyway). A fade control wouldve been useful (to control volume between front and rear satellites), but again... remember how much you paid for these speakers.
So tell me, what do they sound like?
With a power rating of 17 watts RMS, the subwoofer was adequate (as in, doesn't shake my roof, but more than enough power for what I'm using it for) for the mp3s, game explosions, and whatever other nonsense I listen to. The satellites are 6 watts RMS each, and while it seems like a small number, keep in mind that the Altec Lansing AVS500s (which retail for the same price), have satellites rated at about 3.5 watts RMS, little more than half the power. And I am not lying when I tell you that I haven't dared turn the volume dial more than halfway; these little guys can be VERY loud.
Clarity at high volume is good. No distortion. Compared to other speakers around the same price I demoed, the sound coming out of these speakers is more lively (read: not dull). Bass is essentially the same as any other set, but the trebles sound better than anything in this price range.
But I don't recommend you relying solely on my opinion to decide what speakers to buy. My suggestion: go to any CompUSA, or computer hardware store and try out the speaker demos they have set up. Turn the volume up as loud as the situation permits and listen to the music very carefully. Listen for flaws and distinct characteristics of each set. If you can change the songs that are played, do so, and hear what different genres of music sound like through each set.
Although the instructions show it, I have yet to hook up a video game console or mp3 player (diamond rio, nomad, etc...) to the speaker system. But let it be known that it is possible.
Overall, I am very pleased with this product. The sound, build quality and looks are way ahead of the price these little things are selling for. You can find them online for as low as $49, but don't let that fool you into thinking these are anything but quality speakers.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
luckythong
|
|
Member: Elliot Thong
Location: Jersey City, NJ USA
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 1 member
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.