GOTY 2009: Desktop Speakers

Continuing our refreshing course of action this week on Tech2, we have been listing out winners as gadgets of the year in each and every category. The spotlight now is on desktop speakers, the vibrant pulsating marketplace that it is. As usual we have one winner, one runner up and finally a value buy.

Winner: Altec Lansing Expressionist Ultra
MOP: Rs. 8000

A clear winner this, Altec Lansing as a brand deserves credit for this Expressionist series of theirs, it's constantly been reinvented and churns out some great speakers for PC. The system conforms to the 2.1 status, thus including 2 satellites, and a subwoofer of leviathan proportions. It's one of the biggest subs we have come across in the PC audio category.This driver is 6.5 inches, and is covered by a heavy black brace that is screwed on tightly.
The satellites too have a similar arrangement for its driver, also they contain a tweeter on the top, thus making them a 2 way configuration with 3” woofers and 1” tweeter. The included control pod’s base is round and conical in its rise, with buttons on the top, and EP (3.5 mm) connectors on the side for headphone and aux in. The max power output is 200 watts, and the max SPL is 106 dB. The rated frequency response is 40Hz- 20KHz.

The Expressionist as usual went through the regular battery of tests and the first thing I noticed was the bass, presumably due to the size of the sub. I was afraid it might overpower the rest of the frequency response in terms of sound, which it did in just a small quantity. What we have is a heavy and low bass response, but quite tight at that. I was very impressed by the tight bass sound, kickdrums and snares that had punch that makes your face clench like an audiophile moron. Also, the highs and mids were very “present” and quite forward sounding, but not too out of control. The highs had this clarity which was impressive, as it never once flopped into the realm of brittle treble.

Good:  Great looks, very slick design, very tight sounding bass.
Bad: Small iffys like low mids could have been smoother.
Rating: 4/5

Runner up: Creative Gigaworks T3
MRP Rs. 16,699

This neat little stereo speaker set really defines the word subtle beauty. The finish of the various subwoofer surfaces, the control pod etc. is really very good looking. Everything is black all over throughout the set’s aesthetics, topped off with a tinge of metallic silver accents here and there.There are 3 drivers facing 3 sides (front, left and right panel) so the idea is to permeate low frequencies all around, which is theoretically and acoustically a smart idea. The back panel has the control pod and left/right speaker connections plus volume knob for bass volume. The rated frequency response for the speakers is 30Hz - 20kHz.

The signal to noise ratio is > 90dB. The sats have 2-inch full-range ‘audiophile grade’ drivers, while the subwoofer also has some proprietary feature called Creative SLAM (Symmetrically Loaded Acoustic Module) technology. This basically is three drivers in a portless, enclosed casing, with the 3 drivers firing in 3 separate axes, powered by one master driver which is the front firing one. The bass is kickass. No doubt about it, it is healthy and quite tight in timing also. Highs and mids are second best to put it in perspective as they were nice, but not as impressive as the bass. Since these speakers are 2.1 multimedia speakers I can give it the benefit of doubt for being a bit forward sounding. It was never harsh though, that’s good. Overall volume is very loud, and things like distortion and other misbehavior due to bad speaker design were simply absent. It's just a bit expensive so doesn't win the title, but comes a close second.

Good: Nice looks, good bass response, clean sound at very high levels also.
Bad: Expensive
Rating: 4/5

Value: Tech-com SD4201R
MRP Rs. 3,199

One of the most reasonable models out there is a 5.1 set. This humble brand is actually gaining popularity in the super budget category, the aesthetics are cute with a black and white driver, the dustcap and surround being black, that too glossy. Each speaker comes with attached RCA plugs that go into the sub, that also is quite a looker. The façade has an LED screen, and flat rectangular silver push buttons to control what’s on the screen. The reflex port is on the side, and it comes with a remote.

The specs are not so honest at stating the obtainable low end, which was audible at around 43 Hz upwards, but it was not too loose or boomy. For the price, there sure was a nice level of tightness in the bass, I was afraid we would be subject to wobbly lows, but that’s not the case with Tech-com. Moving on to a full frequency response test, as expected we have a striking mid and high mid frequency bump, which makes voices and dialogue sound clearer and crisp, but it’s not for music lovers. The sound is not too natural and even, and it’s quite forward sounding. But another good point is the control at high levels. There isn't not too much audible distortion.

Good: Decent bass response, very reasonable
Bad: Mids and highs are a little spiky and edgy respectively
Rating: 3.5/5