Home > Consumer Reviews > Altec Lansing ATP4 Computer Speakers (5-Piece, Black)

This system has everything you need and sounds absolutely breathtaking. The subwoofer's sound, which is extremely rich and deep, not the "boom boom boom" sound you hear from cheaper systems, is perfectly integrated with the sound from the satellites. They look great on any desk (they hover about an inch above the surface of the desk with their little stands, so they really look futuristic) and I have to tell you, they sound AMAZING. The subwoofer actually sounds like a real instrument, not a "thump box". The sound positioning is really great, too... turn the satellites to face towards you, put the sub on the floor, and you'll have better sounding music than you thought possible in a 3-piece set.. for under 100 bucks. The people at the store I bought this from were really trying to discourage me from getting these, wanting me to buy the Harmon/Kardon Soundsticks instead (I have a Mac), because these Altecs are probably the best-kept secret in computer audio. Anyone who tries them out is amazed by them and wouldn't think of buying a more expensive set, and that's exactly what the stores don't want you to know :)

Upon purchasing this system, I was a little skeptical of what it would sound like. I had never seen speakers with such a design and down-firing midranges. However, these speakers produce a great sound for the price. The bass is deep and clear, and the trebel, a bit tinny at times, is not overpowered by the lower ranges. The unique three way design of the satellite speakers provides great quality, and exceptional bass response for 3" speakers. Great deal, you will not be disappointed.

hunting for speakers for 2 months now, i landed upon these beauties. Needless to say, they sound great, but you can get a 5 piece surround sound set for cheaper, if you have a sound card that supports 5 piece speaker systems. But you will be hard pressed to find a better 3 piece speaker system for those of you with stereo sound cards. the control on the right sattalite speaker consists of volume/power knob, treble, and bass. It has a downfiring speaker design which i have never seen before but is surely not a bad thing, sounds are crisp, bass is low, and the highs are clear. The best 3 piece system you can get.

When I read reviews about this system, I was a bit cautious because people weren't giving good reviews on the mids for this system. Well, I say this system rocks. I live in a college dorm and I would say there's only one other system that sounds better than what I've got, and he paid over...for his. The bass is truly awesome for what you pay. And the rest of the sound spectrum is there, too. I love these things. In fact, I'm going to buy another set of them for my surround. That will be sweet. Anyway, everyone that has heard these speakers have been either amazed or impressed. Heck, after buying these, my roommate and another guy down the hall bought them too. That says something.

Good Luck with your shopping

For around [price] street price, these are remarkably good speakers. That would be true even at double the price.

The best feature of the ATP3s is a balanced sound with reasonable lows and clear, distinct highs. For instance, listening to John Coltrane' s "Spiritual" (Live at the Village Vanguard) the cymbal strikes are clear, the sax and clarinet solos are smooth, and the acoustic bass line is unmuddied. The whole effect is brighter and cleaner than from most mid-priced computer speakers, which mostly seem designed to reproduce thudding explosions and Tyrannosaurus stampedes.

The next best feature is the convenient volume, bass, and treble controls on the right satellite. A knob is so much handier than a menu.

Finally, the slim, black satellites are a nice combination of interesting-looking and inconspicuous.

For very high volumes, the ATP3's are not the choice. They wouldn't be loud enough to drive a dance party, for instance. And at high volumes the speakers sound somewhat strained. But for personal music listening, especially if your library includes jazz and classical, these are the best mid-priced speakers I found.