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Speaker test 2.1

Every game samurai knows that there is no point in playing without full immersion in the virtual world. What do you need for such a dive? At least, a monitor the size of a wardrobe (well, or a little less), so that the digital world encompasses the gamer completely, from all sides. Of course, the appropriate seat does not hurt - a horse saddle or a racing seat. With this, however, it is more difficult. It's quite a problem with the smells of magical forests and spaceships. But what modern games certainly cannot be blamed for is the lack of sound - today's sound effects create an extremely realistic environment.

But is it possible to plunge headlong into the thickets of the Warcraft Amber Forest or feel all the horror and darkness of the abandoned space stations of Dead Space, if the rustle of foliage and the groaning of monsters sound from small (or even monitor) speakers? No self-respecting gamer will waste his time on such trifles! Good games - good acoustics! To begin with, it is worth explaining why exactly 2.1 is two high-frequency speakers (satellites) and one low-frequency subwoofer. Why is this separation necessary? A single speaker, no matter how large and powerful, will handle the simultaneous transmission of low and high frequencies much worse than, for example, two speakers, each of which will have a different range, will do it. To make the bass really deep, and the treble really clear and thin, the corresponding frequencies are spread to different speakers.

Multi-way (multi-speaker) 2.0 systems are too bulky for computer desks. 5.1 systems, although they create surround clean sound, are even more difficult to place them at home. Intermediate solution - stereos 2.1. Clean highs, deep bass, low price - the best choice for a home computer.

We did not approach the testing process in an amateurish way. To quickly and accurately test the acoustics for volume and frequency accuracy, we used the Alan Parsons audio test, which contains just under a hundred different samples and compositions. With the help of these files, it was possible to quickly understand which system sounds juicy and voluminous, and which is not much better than the “native music” from Lada. Also, the test allowed us to determine the true frequency range of the speakers.

In addition to a kind of sound "synthetics", each audio system was tested in real conditions - music of different genres (metal and punk rock, hip-hop and trance, jazz and easy listening vocals). Finally, 13 times in a row during the entire testing period, we revisited the same fragment of the film "Bunker" and played different-sized "shooters".

CREATIVE INSPIRE S2

It is thanks to the sound that the Creative brand has become legendary; it is to him that we owe and the once absolutely popular Sound Blaster sound cards. But in addition to them, the company's portfolio includes players, headphones, and acoustic systems. Speakers Creative Inspire S2 belongs to the cohort of compact, laptop acoustics (that's what it says on the box). It is difficult to say whether it is possible to consider a compact audio system from a pair of satellites, albeit small ones, and a subwoofer, albeit small, but by no means portable. The system has a total of 29 W of power, which is very little for 2.1 acoustics. Perhaps this is the most office option - so that the user does not have the opportunity and the temptation to turn the volume of their favorite Slipknot to the maximum and please colleagues in the neighboring rooms and even floors.

Nevertheless, the Inspire S2 will look great at home too - the subwoofer will not take up much space under the table, and the satellites are just kids who do not clutter up the space. The right one is tightly connected to the subwoofer with a thick cable. This is because the satellite has a volume control wheel and two mini-jacks - a headphone output and an additional audio input. Well, on the subwoofer itself, of the regulators, there is only a bass "twist".At 65 hertz, the Inspire S2 still hums somehow. At frequencies below the subwoofer, it is not audible at all, which means that explosions in games will not be very impressive. The satellites cope with the transfer of the tops even better than one might think of such kids - the acoustics are clearly trying to justify their cost. And on the whole she does it - the system is a little lacking in volume, with detail on overloaded compositions (heavy metal) is not very good, but otherwise the Inspire S2 sounds very, very good for such a small size.

DEFENDER AVANTE M30

Acoustics Defender with their appearance often gives the impression of something very cool and expensive. It is understandable - Avante M30, despite its very low price for 2.1 acoustics, be healthy finished! The wooden subwoofer (by the way, slightly larger in size than that of the Creative Inspire S2) is covered in front with a lacquered panel, and the subwoofer is painted orange. The satellites also have orange speakers. Moreover, as soon as the system is turned on with the switch on the rear panel, the volume control on the subwoofer starts to glow with a bright blue light.

Speaking of satellites, they are two-way, with a mid-range speaker and a high-frequency tweeter (this is such a small speaker, not a blog network). There are no controls or indicators on the tiny speakers. There are, perhaps, protective fabric pads that can be removed if you are not worried about the safety of the speakers, but are more worried about the appearance of the acoustics.

The connectors and regulators in the Avante M30 are generally minimal. At your service are two knobs - volume and bass. The latter, by the way, tempts to unscrew it almost to the end - even in the middle position, the subwoofer bass is rather weak. But on the other hand, at the maximum, he is able to pump the entire apartment, so much so that the glasses in the sideboards will ring. As for the additional connectors - they are not here at all, neither the AUX-input nor the headphone output.

In terms of sound, the Defender Avante M30 corresponds to products for a much higher price than what is asked for it. Particularly pleasing are the two-way satellites, which add a lot of detail to the music. The volume of this system is much better than that of the Creative system - again, thanks to the satellites. Best of all, it sounds jazz - clean and rich enough to enjoy lossless recordings. As for games, we advise gamers with Avante M30 to turn the bass regulator to the fullest during virtual battles - so the shots from the tanks will be at least somehow similar to the real ones.

EDIFIER S330

In our experience, Edifier makes exceptionally high quality and good sounding speakers. Therefore, it was especially pleasant and interesting to take on the S330 model. This is the first speaker in our test with a large subwoofer and rather large satellites. Fortunately, not the last. The exterior of the acoustics traces Edifier's corporate style, namely black lacquer, which covers the wooden satellites and the subwoofer. If the latter is unremarkable, then it is quite possible to hold your eyes on the satellites - firstly, they are covered with a removable decorative fabric panel through which the speakers are clearly visible. And, secondly, these very speakers are also very attractive, especially the tweeter of an unusual shape - with a metal cone in the middle. The satellites do not carry any controls and are connected to the subwoofer with special audio cables that do not have traditional connectors.

Also, an extremely useful bonus characteristic of expensive Edifier acoustics is connected to the subwoofer - an external unit with a volume control and audio jacks. Even if the "sub" is on the floor, the cable length will be quite enough for this control to be placed on the table. After turning on the system, the regulator starts to glow blue - about the same as in the Defender Avante M30. In addition to the volume knob, the unit has a headphone output and an additional audio input. You get used to the remote control very quickly and you start adjusting the volume on it, forgetting about any software sliders.

The sound of Edifier is the very case when you can smile quite enough without commenting on anything. On the pages of the magazine, our smile cannot be conveyed, so let's say that the sound of the system is simply excellent, one of the best in the test - both for two-way satellites, which perfectly convey the detail of compositions, and for a subwoofer, which thumps wow! Edifier S330 is equally good in music (all, except, perhaps, heavy metal), and in films and in games.

GENIUS SW-HF 2.1 1205

Usually Genius products are not very expensive, therefore, no matter how high-quality the implementation is, this circumstance will certainly affect the sound of the acoustics. However, the Genius SW-HF2.1 1205 model is not the cheapest in the test - the same Defender Avante M30 is on sale cheaper, on average, by 80 UAH. This kit, judging by its small size, is designed for a completely tabletop arrangement, including a subwoofer. Not only because of the very modest dimensions of the latter, but also because all the controls (volume and bass) are located exactly on the "sub". The woofer of the subwoofer is hidden inside a wooden case, which has only a bass reflex channel. There are no additional regulators and connectors on the "sub", just as there are none on the single-band satellites. The first desire after turning on the music on this audio system was to turn out the bass to the fullest. Simply because even at 75% of the maximum, the subwoofer does not sound its best. Fortunately, not snoring even at maximum - although it starts to buzz from 70 Hz, it does not break into groaning from overly saturated compositions with a continuous low-frequency line. But that's the bass. And if we talk about the sound in general, then the picture is not very encouraging. The system sounds flat - there is practically no volume, even in compositions and samples specially recorded for creating volume on two-way systems. Simple electronic music also sounds tolerable. Unpretentious jazz too. But if you include a complex instrumental composition, where there are thin tops, and female vocals, and serious drums - that's all, the system turns into a "piece of wood". In games, the situation is slightly better, with one exception - the explosions sounding from the Genius SW-HF2.1 1205 can only impress a sleeping desman.

HARMAN / KARDON SOUNDSTICKS II

The Harman / Kardon brand is cool. This is more than cool. Simply because Harman / Kardon is an old company founded by two audiophile enthusiasts that still stands alone in the market to this day. All because of her portfolio, which only contains hi-fi equipment. Moreover, a distinctive feature of the company's audio products is design. Unusual, non-standard, one might even say Apple-style - the acoustics that came to us for the test are most organically combined by the personal computers of this company. The SoundSticks II is a minor remake of the original 2000 model. The original loudspeaker has received many awards, and the designers from Apple helped Harman / Kardon to create it.

It is difficult to describe the design of the system in words. To put it simply, we have before us a pair of four-way satellites and a powerful subwoofer. Everything is packed not in wood, but in plastic, transparent polycarbonate. Looking ahead, we will say that the use of plastic did not affect the sound, there is not even a rattle typical for plastic.

On the right satellite there is a touch-sensitive volume control. Pressing two buttons at once activates the Mute function.

A subwoofer with a bass reflex protruding upward (thanks to which the bass is perfectly hollow out from under the table), has only a few unusual connectors and a rotating bass control, also known as a switch. The question is which is cooler - the sound or the design of the system? Thanks to high-quality four-way satellites, the acoustics demonstrate simply amazing detail, volume, atmosphere - both electronic music and recording of live jazz concerts sound gorgeous. The subwoofer is so powerful that it's rarely worth cranking more than half the bass.

JETBALANCE JB-454

The Jetbalance company is one of the few foreign brands intended for the Russian market, which "drives" very, very worthy products to the people.The brand's portfolio contains only speakers, the quality of the top models of which is very, very high for their price. Now, in general, an inexpensive JB454 2.1 speaker system came to our test. Moreover, despite the considerable dimensions of the subwoofer, the JB-454 seemed to us to be an entirely desktop system. There are two reasons for this. The first is that the cables from the satellites to the subwoofer are too short. The second is the control of both bass and volume is also located on the subwoofer. If you need to adjust the level of low frequencies (and this will often have to be done), you will have to crawl under the table. To prevent these two factors from becoming problematic, look for a place for a subwoofer on the table, since it looks very nice: the large woofer is covered with a grill with the company logo, and the bass reflex is located on the opposite wall (so do not put the sub with its back to the wall). But in general, the layout of the Jetbalance JB-454 is not very successful.

The satellites have only one speaker each, without tweeters - because of this, the sound quality of instrumental music and modern jazz has suffered. Despite the solid wood enclosures, the acoustics sound somewhat plastic, which was confirmed by several listeners. Lovers of heavy rock music and instrumental with vocals are especially disappointed. Although uncomplicated, not overloaded with samples in the manner of Prodigy, electronic music sounds pretty good. If we talk about games, then, despite the impressive size of the subwoofer, the explosions are not very impressive. Moreover, something plastic inside begins to strum indecently, and this is very annoying both in games and in music.

LOGITECH SPEAKER SYSTEM Z523

We expected great results from a Logitech product. All the periphery of the company is distinguished by high quality workmanship and attractive appearance. Speaker System Z523 acoustics are no exception. The front panels of the satellites shine like they are covered with piano lacquer. Nonet, it's just plastic, like in all other parts of the case. Wooden subwoofer only. But, surprisingly, the plastic did not affect the sound of the acoustics in any way.

The satellites are generally very nice and functional. On the right are the bass and volume controls, as well as a headphone and line-in jack. In addition, there is an additional AUX-input on the subwoofer itself, but it is no longer a mini-jack, but a pair of tulips. In turn, the satellite is connected to the "sub" with a thick cable with a COM connector. The subwoofer has no adjustments. A few words about the design. The subwoofer is directed not to the side, like the rest of the "sub", but down. Accordingly, on the side, under the grille, just behind a damped hole, in the manner of a bass reflex. Thanks to this, the bass of the acoustics is simply colossal! Very deep and juicy, without rattling. Explosions are especially pleasant - with a long after-sound and a heartfelt buzz piercing through and through. As for the music, the Z523 sounds very good, although a little dull, if we talk about the tops - this is due to the lack of tweeters in the satellites. But metal and electronic music, sounding through these acoustics, are truly enjoyable. I would especially like to note the volume that the system creates - the instruments are very well spaced, you can feel where a musical instrument is "standing".

MICROLAB X16

Microlab speakers are frequent guests in domestic homes. The fact is that Microlab is developing an extremely popular line of two-speaker systems of the Solo series - very high-quality and inexpensive acoustics, which may well compete with the products of foreign brands with a higher cost. Since the Solo are themselves both satellites and subwoofers (that is, 2.0), they did not get into the test. Instead, we were visited by the Microlab X16 set. The X16 has inherited powerful bass from its brothers. However, this is the merit of the subwoofer.

It is on it that all the controls are located - the volume control, the button for turning on and adjusting the bass and treble, as well as the buttons for selecting the sound source and Standby. Moreover, the sub has a display.Of little use, it shows the current audio input and volume level. It also shows the selected levels of bass and treble. By the way, they can be adjusted not only with the buttons on the subwoofer, but also with the supplied control panel. The first remote control in the entire test, by the way, allows you to adjust all possible acoustics settings. An inexpensive and useful add-on that eliminates the need to climb under the table at each adjustment. In fact, there is nothing to say about the satellites, except that they are two-way - in addition to the usual speaker, there is a high-frequency tweeter. The sound of Microlab X16 is one of the best in the test. The bass is especially deep - a rather large subwoofer shakes the whole room so that everything that is not screwed to the floor begins to rattle. Explosions pierce through and through, powerfully hammering on the ears - in games, pleasure is guaranteed. Electronic music with such bass is also delightful. But with the tops there is a small, but still a problem. Apparently, the tweeters are working hard, because in the music with persistent highs one can hear an overabundance of the highest frequencies. A trained ear can hear it well.

SONY SRS-DF30

Considering that the Japanese at Sony make a huge range of speakers, from cheap 100-ruble tweeters to tens of thousands of dollars in audio systems, one would expect excellent results from the Sony SRS-DF30. Or at least the signature handwriting of pedantic Asians - from design to design. But not everything is so beautiful in the world of samurai and hentai. Let's start with the exterior.

The design of the SRS-DF30 is extremely simple and at the same time a little unusual. Simple - before us are the usual wooden "boxes" with the simplest metal grille and Sony nameplates. No varnish: polycarbonate and other designer games. Unusual - the satellites (which are only a little smaller than the subwoofer) stand on small pedestals and look not forward, but slightly upward. In addition, a whole control unit with a screen is located on the left satellite. The thing is that the SRS-DF30 is not only computer acoustics, but also an autonomous radio receiver - an AM / FM tuner is built into the speakers. The screen shows the volume, the selected audio input and the frequency of the radio station. In addition, with its help, you can travel through the laconic menu of a couple of items: equalizer and sleep mode. But there are no bass and treble controls in the SRS-DF30 - neither in the menu, nor with separate buttons. Settings are available only by changing the equalizer (you can choose from three fixed presets). The sound of acoustics is a very difficult question. All news sites, let Sony personally, are trumpeting about Hi-Fi quality and the purest sound. In general, it is doubtful that Sony speakers for 4 thousand can sound good - these guys “sound” starts from eight thousand. And so it turned out - the biggest problem with the SRS-DF30 is volume. It simply does not exist, we clearly felt how the entire sound picture was focused in two satellite points. The sound itself should be called extremely inexpressive, shallow, uninteresting. And the tiny subwoofer was not at all able to cope with its task, which is why the shots in games and explosions in films sounded somehow completely "cardboard". Unfortunately, the SRS-DF30 system sounds little better than a good radio receiver, which, in fact, it is.

SONY SRS-D5

We immediately reacted with caution to the second contestant with the Sony logo on the satellite - firstly, there were fresh memories of radio subacoustics, and secondly, the Internet did not know about the existence of the SRS-D5 model. The acoustics does not differ in non-standard functions - it does not, for example, have a radio receiver, as in its test brother. Perhaps it is for the best, nothing will increase the price. With its appearance, the SRS-D5 definitely outdid its fellow with a radio receiver. Although they have some features in common, for example, a slight tilt of the speakers and controls on the left satellite. This time in front of us is not a screen with a bunch of buttons, but only a couple of knobs - volume and bass. From another audio system, the SRS-D5 inherited the power button - it is also on the satellite.The satellites look large, but the subwoofer is still small - with a speaker and a phase inverter on the front panel. The "sub" is so small that it can be placed on the table, although there will be no benefit from it - there is still nothing to adjust on it. The SRS-D5 sounds definitely better than the SRS-DF30, as you can hear it with the naked ear. However, the "diseases" are the same - a very poor volume and a lack of bottoms. It is categorically in vain that Sony, for the sake of compactness and design, decided to reduce the subwoofer - for it, a small enclosure is like death. As a result, the bottom end of this audio system is categorically lacking - the Bass control always has to be twisted to the maximum. And if in music it saves the day, then in games and base films the weight is equally small. Especially in the moments of shots and explosions. You can also complain about the volume - for some reason, with the Sony SRS-D5, it seems that the speakers do not transmit volume at all at close distances. To really feel the instruments in space, you need to move away from the audio system at least a couple of meters.

SPEEDLINK FORZA

The SPEEDLINK brand on the Ukrainian market is represented by a bunch of various uncomplicated peripherals. Mostly inexpensive. At first glance, her satellites are unusual, on metal legs-stands, in fact, made of plastic. So far in the entire test, there has been only one "plastic" speaker that sounded amazing - the Harman / Kardon. Whether this is also true for SPEEDLINK Forza remains to be seen. In contrast to the unsuccessful material of the case of the satellites, it is worth noting that they are two-way - a pair of speakers in each "box". There are a couple of speakers, but there are no controls on the case of the small speakers - all the connectors and "twists" are huddled on the subwoofer. And on the back panel! We must say right away that you don't have to climb under the table every time (and the subwoofer is clearly floor-standing) to change the volume level - the set comes with a wired remote control with a "knob" that can adjust the sound, as well as connect headphones and a microphone to it. However, the remote control is made anyhow - cheap and askew, the sensations from its use are not at all the same as they were during the Edifier S330 test. Let's move on to the subwoofer. Firstly, it is large, one of the largest in the test. Secondly, it is still wooden. And, thirdly, all the controls, of which there are three (bass, treble, volume) are located on the rear panel, where it is, oh, how inconvenient to reach. It is worth immediately finding the optimal bass and treble settings in order to save yourself from traveling under a dusty table. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to find the right balance of high and low frequencies, no matter how we turned the knobs; there was too much bass, which made the subwoofer crackle at times, or too many treble, which rattled in the head. For different genres of music it was necessary to set different settings. In games, it is better to twist both knobs to the maximum - so that the "booze" is more atmospheric.

SPEEDLINK GRAVITY

After the Forza audio system (by the way, the top one in the manufacturer's line), we with caution and some prejudice took up the Gravity model. Fortunately, the fears were not confirmed ... It was impossible to disassemble through the fine-grained lattice of the satellites, one or two speakers are installed in the speakers, it was impossible. Therefore, nothing special can be said about the satellites - the speakers are not visible, there are no controls either. All our attention went to the subwoofer. Its unusual body resembles a compact computer, but certainly not a low-frequency unit - only the hole in the bass reflex indicates that this is an element of the acoustic system. When the system is turned on, the "sub" grille begins to be nicely highlighted in blue. Unlike Forza, the Gravity system has a control box on the right side. In which case, it will be easy to reach. Moreover, the set also includes a remote wired remote control. True, he is very small and unpretentious, he will not hold on to the table - he will surely fall under the table. When we started listening to music on SPEEDLINK Gravity, the unpleasant impression left by the test of the past acoustics of this brand - Forza - disappeared all at once.It was possible to adjust the desired levels of bass and treble immediately. Immediately pleased with the volume and atmosphere of the sound - live jazz played as if there was a jazz band in front of you, and you feel where each musician is. And the electronic music perfectly “hammered” on the ears. I was very impressed by the explosions - the shot from the Abrams felt as if you were really at a tank shooting range, where combat vehicles were firing at targets just ten meters away.

CONCLUSIONS

Surprisingly, after this testing, our understanding of many brands has changed dramatically. For example, we were convinced that Sony, most likely, costs much more than 500-2000 hryvnia for good sound. We were pleasantly surprised by SPEEDUNK Gravity - both with their sound and functionality. Creative's speakers, which took part in this test, should not be taken seriously at all - they are good, but it is better to take a bigger and more bass system home. The long-established SVEN, Edifier, Defender and Microlab have shown themselves in the test only from the best side - it is their products that we recommend for purchase in the first place.

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