SPEAKER SYSTEMS
Logitech Z-5500 5.1 Speaker System
What you get here is a THX-certified 5.1 system with fairly powerful amplification 505 watts in total. The center speaker checks in at 69 watts, the four satellites are 62 watts/channel, and the subwoofer delivers a floor-shaking 188 watts. The system includes both Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound decoding, as well as Dolby Pro Logic II technology to simulate surround sound from a stereo input. (You can also listen in pure stereo, of course, just in case you're finicky about such things.) The Z-5500 lets you connect up to four audio sources simultaneously; the unit includes digital optical, digital coaxial, six-channel direct, and stereo-mini connectors. That means you can use it not only with your PC, but also with any video game system, DVD player, CD player, and satellite receiver. And the speakers won't look out of place in your living room; leave the cloth grills on for a pro-audio look, or take them off to show off the aluminum speaker drivers. All that said, the absolutely coolest thing about the Z-5500 system is the Digital SurroundTouch Control Center, an outboard controller with its own LCD display. You can use the controller to select which input to listen to, the desired digital surround sound effect, volume level, and other settings (surround delay, center channel width, and so on). It also features an auxiliary jack you can use to connect a portable music player. And in case that's too overwhelming, you get a simplified wireless remote control, too great for operating the system in a home theater environment. Great sound, great connections, great control any wonder why this is my new Leo's Pick system?
Creative GigaWorks 7.1 Speaker SystemIf five speakers (plus a sub) aren't enough, go whole hog with the THX-certified GigaWorks 7.1 system from Creative. You get six two-way satellite speakers (front, surround, and rear lefts and rights), a center channel speaker, and a powerful subwoofer that combine to create a truly enveloping sound field. Naturally, the Inspire system features a full complement of digital and analog inputs, and handles all the popular 7.1-channel surround-sound formats.
Klipsch ProMedia Ultra 5.1 Speaker SystemThis system demonstrates just what a traditional audio manufacturer can do in the PC speaker arena. Klipsch is well-known for its high-end home speakers, and the ProMedia Ultra 5.1 system delivers that same award-winning sound to any PC-based sound source. The center and satellite speakers feature a horn tweeter and a 3'' midrange; the subwoofer has dual 8'' side-firing drivers. All this is driven by a 500-watt BASH amplifier, making this one of the most powerful speaker systems available today.
Creative I-Trigue 2.1 Speaker SystemIf you don't use your PC to listen to movies or play surround sound games, you don't need all those speakers; instead, you want a quality 2.1 system optimized for music listening. The best music-oriented system, IMHO, is Creative's I-Trigue L3500. The left and right speakers each feature two Titanium drivers and a lateral firing transducer, and they sound extremely neutral and open. The deep bass is provided by the separate subwoofer, and the result is a full-range system ideal for listening to your favorite digital music files.
Harman Kardon Soundsticks IIThey may not offer audiophile-quality sound, but Harman Kardon's Soundsticks II might be the coolest-looking PC speakers made today. Look closely at that picture; that's right, these are transparent speakers and they sound as good as they look. The left and right speakers each feature four 1'' drivers and the bass is delivered by the separate 6'' subwoofer, although you probably want to rethink the typical under-the-desk placement. The darned thing is too cool-looking to hide away in a corner!
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EAN: 2147483647
Pages: 126