A Great Set of Low-Cost Speakers
Written: Feb 27 '02 (Updated Feb 27 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good clarity, Punchy bass. Can achieve unexpected loudness, good design
Cons: Not really slim satellites, weak satallites
The Bottom Line: If you're not looking to spend a lot of money, but you want great sounding speakers, these are the ones to get!
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| pika2pika's Full Review: Creative Technology SoundWorks Slim500 2 Speakers |
Introduction
There are 3 categories I can put computer speakers in. First are the cheapy speakers that you get for $20 dollars or less. You won't get much bass or clarity from them, but you get some sounds. Next are middle-of-the-road speakers. They cost around 30-80 dollars. They have decent sound, and usually a 3 piece setup with 2 satellites and one subwoofers. They offer great improvement over the cheapy speakers, but they are not high quality. Speakers that cost over $100 are premium speakers. Those that reign on top have thunderous sound, and exceptional clarity. They are often 4.1 or 5.1 setup, and they accept digital inputs. The Creative Labs SoundWorks 2-Satellite Speaker SLIM500 belongs in the middle-of-the-category. Not crappy, not excellent, but the low price makes it great.
Specifications
3-piece speakers, shielded
Wired volume control with power switch
Two satellite speakers with detachable stands
Power Specifications
Satellite Speakers: 6 watts RMS X 2
Subwoofer: 17 watts RMS
Power supply adapter
User Manual
First Impressions
When I first got the package from Outpost.com, I didn't expect the speakers set to be so huge. Most of the mass was in the subwoofer, that's where the bass driver and the amplifier reside. It comes with an external power brick as a transformer. The satellite speakers were small, but not that slim. The flat surface gave the impression of it being slim, though. I attached the C-stand to the satellites because I have them on my desk, but they can be hanged on the wall, also. Everything connects to the subwoofer: the two satellite speakers, wired volume control, AC adapter, source cable for sound in, and a bass level knob. The subwoofer looks beefy, but small enough to fit on top of my desk next to my 19" monitor, where it looked smaller.
Sounds
First thing I did to the speakers after I connected everything was to set the proper bass level. I played a couple of MP3s on my computer and found the proper setting for them. I found that it's not necessary to crank the bass level to the max since it does a pretty good job amplifying the bass. The bass is very punchy and clear, but not too deep. The treble is crisp and clear, but i hoped for a bit more power from them. The subwoofer can easily drown the satellite if it's not set up properly. Overall, the volume can get pretty loud. I can hear the different instruments from an orchestra clearly, and it has very good stereo separation. The static (hiss) factor is average, if it's cranked up. I get a bit of static from the satellites at high volume, but disappears at low volume.
Usage
The subwoofer is forward firing, near the bottom. If you put it directly in your face, like what I've done, you'll really feel the bass pounding in your face. I played Counter-Strike and Day of Defeat (both excellent MODs for Half-Life) with it and it's up to par, with the clear clear shots of the guns and the deep explosions and moody ambience. Since it's only a 3-piece set, it cannot do true surround sounds. The only adjustment really on the speakers after it's set up is the volume control. The knob feels very solid (not cheap) and it clicks off, with a green LED power indicator. Knob controls the volume quite linearly, just the way I like it.
Conclusion
This set of speakers exceeded my expectations. I wasn't expecting the pounding bass and the good loudness abilities of these speakers. For 30 bucks, it's an excellent deal. If you're planning on getting just a crappy set of speakers ($20 or less), spend $10 more and get these nice set of speakers. They are great for either music listening or games. Unless you're planning on getting top of the line speakers, these speakers are hard to beat at this price.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
pika2pika
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Location: Los Angeles, California
Reviews written: 6
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Male, Chinese, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
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