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#1
26-07-2008, 06:46 PM
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Altec Lansing FX5051 5.1 Surround Sound Speakers - Product Review
 Over the last couple of weeks I have been trying out Altec Lancing's FX5051 high-end PC speaker system with speakers and a subwoofer. Despite being at the top end of Altec Lansing's PC series the FX5051 is still relatively affordable for a serious computer sound system. There is a lot of competition in the audio market though and some very good systems to choose from, so let's see how the FX5051 stacks up.Firstly, it is a 5.1 surround sound powered audio system. In case you aren't familiar with the terminology, that means four satellite speakers, a centre channel, and a subwoofer. And the system does not require an amplifier to drive the sub or speakers as it is powered.  Interestingly the system actually has two subwoofers. It has two 6.5" subs mounted in the cabinet facing one another. This isobaric design is used because it allows for the maximum amount of bass in the smallest amount of space. While not quite the same as a 10" sub, it sounds good without drowning out the other speakers. There is a switch on the back that switches between two settings ( 2/4 and 6) which denotes the number of channels the system is using at a time. Six channel audio is intended for computer use with a USB connection (does not require the user to have a 5.1 channel sound card which is a big plus). The 2/4 mode is for when you are using the system with your iPod, CD player, television, or any other product. It also comes with a wireless remote control, a control pod for quick adjustments, an iPod/MP3 player jack, and a headphone jack. The control pod is used for making quick adjustments (such as volume -master, centre, and rear which can be configured separately - or bass).  The speakers are relatively small and easy to tuck away (though they are far from an eyesore). The speakers do not use replaceable speaker cable so you will be stuck using the included lengths. This means you only have so much to work with and cannot add your own cable if you want to place them further away. Setting the kit up is a breeze. The whole process should take less than ten minutes.  The heart of the product is the subwoofer cabinet. As with other computer speaker systems, this is where the amplifier and subwoofer are placed and it has the panel to which the speakers are connected. There are a few cables run to the computer (one to the USB and then the speaker jacks). Also on this panel are the auxiliary inputs, which can be used for device such as iPods or CD players, the switch which determine 2/4 or 6 channel mode, and the DIN input for the control pod. The cabinet looks pretty cool, and is pretty small considering it has two 6.5"cones in there. Given its size the FX5051 is surprisingly powerful. The official specs look like this:
Well, most of the above means nothing to me. However, when testing the system I found that it can get very loud and the subwoofer has enough oomph for a good-sized room. The size means you cannot expect it to produce the ultra deep bass or rumbling vibration of systems which have 10" subwoofers, but considering the user's likely proximity to the system, it should be more than enough to anger the wife. The sound quality of the FX5051 is good to very good, depending on the media. I found it better for gaming (tested with Crysis) than audio play back, but it is still very good. However, that may also be due to the source quality. I also tried it briefly with the TV, but it became clear very quickly that this was not it's intended purpose. Wrapping up, Altec Lansing's FX5051 is a pretty decent speaker system. It sounds good, looks good and is pretty compact. I believe that for most people it will really come down to price. If you can afford the $449RRP price tag then you are unlikely to be disappointed. Unlike a lot of gaming-focused speaker systems, the FX5051's bass in not overpowering to the point of drowning out the other speakers. The only problem I had with the system is the constant low level hissing that is emitted by the speakers. This gets fairly annoying if there is no other sound coming from the speakers and mainly forced me to turn them off when not using them. However, I was pretty happy to have the FX5051 at my place for the last couple of weeks. It is nice. Last edited by sock merchant; 26-07-2008 at 11:49 PM. 
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#3
26-07-2008, 07:11 PM
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haha
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#5
26-07-2008, 09:32 PM
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#11
28-07-2008, 05:40 PM
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Quote:
seeing as its a speaker system. not a TV
__________________
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#12
28-07-2008, 05:45 PM
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Huh? The VGA cable for xbox 360 only supports Optical Cable (and Stereo).
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#15
28-07-2008, 06:02 PM
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damn you bordar! commenting on stuff you know nothing about
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