Altec Lansing ADA305 PowerCube Computer Speakers (3-Speaker)
See it at Amazon.com for $199.99Average Customer Rating
(5.0 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
Most Helpful First | Newest First (5 out of 5)Somewhat tricky to use with audio cards
As others have pointed out, these speakers are very high on the WOW scale. The quality of their sound is unequalled by all but the very highest end systems. They will transform game playing into a truly immersive experience. Watching DVDs will produce better sound for you individually than in most seats at the theatre.
But in a way, these speakers are TOO good. They don't require an audio card because they connect via USB, and therefore come with their own audio management software. This, Altec claims, is a positive boon. There's no need, they say, to buy a separate audio card if you own their speakers. Unfortunately, this selling point, while truthful, belies market realities. Almost every computer sold today already comes with an audio card of some kind. So, if, as would seem natural, you install these speakers by plugging into the USB ports you'll create an odd and frustrating anomoly in Windows. Windows will believe you have two audio controllers: the Altec Lansing speakers and your audio card. This can be frustrating if playing games, because, despite the quality of these speakers, you probably do want the sound to go through the advanced drivers on your audio card. But Windows will typically give preference to whatever device was added most recently. So if you were used to having the sound pumped through your audio card before you got the speakers, the act of plugging in the USB cables alone will automatically cut your audio card out of the loop. The upshot: goodbye Aureal--or whatever your preferred audio accelerator was.
So how can you get these speakers to work with your Soundblaster Live or other audio card? Easy. Unplug the USB connection. Better still, never connect them that way in the first place. It's a simple fix, but it makes no intuitive sense and is only barely mentioned in the manual. Altec Lansing went to such trouble to market the USB connectivity of the product; it's more than a little ironic that most users don't really WANT to connect it that way.
Also, do take heed of the very OS-specific nature of the product. It will ONLY run on a Windows 98 machine. Not 3.1, not 95, probably not 2000 (though you should contact Altec Lansing for confirmation on that), ONLY 98. Don't even bother thinking that you can somehow create a workaround. If you don't have Windows 98, don't complain when you have to send them back.
All this aside, though, this is a serious audio system for your computer. At the price, you won't find anything better.
(5 out of 5)This speaker system will blow your mind, even as an audiophi
Don't misunderstand me, these speakers at this price range is what I am talking about, but let me say, that this is the only show in town. I bought the predecessor to these the Altec ADA880. Same configuration, but with 80 watts rms, instead of the now 120 that comes with the R. Now let me tell you about the speakers. You get an 8" sub that reminds you of a velodyne. If you are looking for an even better sub, you can spend 500 for a velodyne sub, but this Altec with the 8" sub reminds you of that kind of sound. The bass goes so deep, you won't believe it. It is far better than most peoples home stereo, and that is remarkable in the computer format. It comes with 4 speakers plus the sub. The two front speakers are two way with a mid and tweeter, and the rear speakers are a single cone. The highs are crisp. If you are into the high efficiency sound, this is the winning ticket.
Mate this up with a computer with a good sound card. I have an inexpensive DVD player installed in my computer, and I added the Real Magic Hollywood Plus DVD Decoder card. What a match. It has the digital output that plugs right into the Altec system. So you get true 5.1 Dolby surround, that is auto detected in the Altec system. The Real Magic card also has the S-Video output, so you can switch it to TV output, and get better resolution than, and listen to this, any DVD player on the market today, at any price. So a 50 dollar DVD player, mated to a 50 dollar Real Magic Hollywood Plus DVD Decoder card, and mating that to the Altec ADA880R, and you have a DVD experience that is unmatched in the industry. I know the doubters will not believe what I just said. Check it out at RealMagic.com site. I was listening to Jurassic Park, and I felt like the crickets were all around me. When the subwoofer kicks in, people get quiet. Unbelievable levels at this price point.
Now let's talk about the cons: The distortion rating on this unit is about 1%. True super hi fi specs have distortion ratings that begin at .05%. Does it sound distorted, no, but to a true audiophile, it is not the same as a 5 grand system. If you hear the ADA 880R you would say, what am I talking about, I don't hear any distortion, so I am talking about the tweaking edge, not the body.
I have a lot of very expensive gear, like a Velodyne 15" sub, with a separate 400 watt RMS amp, 1800 retail. It shakes the house, I also have the Velodyne Concert Theater series 12" sub rated at 400 watts max, and 140 watts RMS, 500 retail. That is an amazing sub for the money, and zero distortion all the way down to 20 cycles. (Most subs don't even give you 20 cycles, let alone distortion free) Even with all of that, when I took the ADA 880 out of the box, plugged it in, and turned off the surround, and played it in straight stereo, I ordered 5 more of them, (they were greatly discounting them with the release of the ADA880-R) so that I would have sound in all of the rooms with a computer in them. That is how much it blew my mind.
It comes with a remote control, that not only controls volume, but also controls, treble, bass, stereo, surround, center, mute, and on off.
I stopped by the local radio shack, and bought a three way audio input box for 20 bucks, and then hooked the TV, VCR, and computer up to it. Just like having a full blown multi input receiver.
Before buying a home stereo system, listen to the Altec. Make sure you turn the surround off, set it to straight stereo (a feature that most home receivers don't even have) turn the treble and the bass up, put in a high quality CD original recording, and stand back. You probably think I'm a newbie, excited about his latest toy. When you hear this system, you will become one too. Nothing else in this price range, will even come close, and I would say that most systems in the 1000 dollar price range, would have a hard time keeping up. I listened to $275 dollar stand alone subs, and they did not hold a candle to this Altec, and it comes with amplifier, preamp, and 4 speakers, and remote, all included.
Check it out yourself. It will blow your mind, even your audiophile friend will be impressed.
(5 out of 5)kick ass speakers of the millenium
I recently ordered a brand new dell, and I ordered this speakers to come with my new system. As an avid MP3 collector, I was waiting for speakers that would sound like my stereo. These do all that and better! You just set the powerful subwoofer in the ground and keep it out of the way, and you set up the surround sound speakers right next to your monitor. They take up very little space, and they are oh so easy to hook up! Please, do yourself a favor, and if you are buying a new computer, GET these speakers. You won't be disappointed - I guarantee it.
(5 out of 5)Excellent speakers
I have also been amazed by the speakers. The bass from the subwoofer is also incredible, but I have had to turn it way down because you can feel it throughout the entire house. The sound is crisp and clear, and amplified very well.
.... The USB connection makes it possible to control the speakers with a very cool software package on the computer.
The subwoofer has two stero minijack inputs and a USB input. The subwoofer then outputs to the satellite speakers. If you try to connect just the USB, you get NO sound. Maybe there is some way to direct the sound in your computer through the USB port, but I don't see how. Whether or not you control the speakers with the software or with the physical controls on the speakers, you still have to plug the sound card into the speakers.
I don't think this is a negative and the sound is still great. But don't buy these speakers if you think you will connect them only through USB or if you do not have a sound card.
(5 out of 5)You won't find anything better!
I recently bought a computer and I customized it so it came with the ADA-305 speakers with the subwoofer. They're perfect! They sound excellent when watching DVDs and playing games and they're even better if you have a 3D sound card. I highly recommend this product!