Home > Consumer Reviews > Labtec Pulse 420 2.1 Computer Speaker System, Black (3 Speakers)

Never mind everything that I said below. They died after 1yr. They weren't such a good value after all.

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I had some 11W (each) Labtec computer speakers that cost a fortune ($130 dollars) in 1997. When the power supply died on them a couple of weeks ago, I discovered that there was nothing comparable on the market anymore. The old speakers were not just more powerful than today's computer speakers, but they had a half-dozen extra functions easily accessible from the front panel. Additionally, experiments with the demos at [local stores] had convinced me that most computer speakers that cost less than $200 were in the same class: garbage.

So it was with some dread that I ordered these cheap speakers, even though they come highly recommended. Still, I needed something and I figured that I could upgrade later when I had more discretionary cash.

The tiny 5W satellite speaker are actually quite responsive and at times the fidelity approaches that of the 50W JBLs on my home stereo. They are more than sufficient at the volumes that I usually kick out at, but THEY DO sometimes CRACKLE ON BASS when I crank them up.

The 15W subwoofer is powerful. It was hard to find the right position for it. This problem was compounded by the fact that the subwoofer is NOT SHIELDED and therefore can't sit behind your monitor on a desk. Without a balance control for the subwoofer, you are better off with it under a desk anyway.

I miss having the level of control that my old Labtec speakers provided, but the quality of sound out of these things makes up for a lot. They are better than the comparably-priced Creative Labs speakers and easily match the $100 dollar Harmans in sound quality (although the Harman/JBL Creatures have the benefit of shielded subwoofers).

I will move to better speakers later. I want something with at least 5.1 and digital i/o -- when I have the cash. In the meantime, the Pulse speakers are better than one can reasonably expect for the price.

In brief: These things won't match $250 THX certified speakers, but they do give you value for your money. They aren't good enough to crank up for a house party, but they will fill a small apartment or bedroom pretty well.

Yeah, this little speaker set doesn't look like much, but they are truly amazing! Typically you can find these little gems online ... The sub puts out the perfect amount of bass and the satellites are crisp and clean. My friends were all very amazed that such small speakers (at such a cheap price) could produce such rich, wonderful sound. I don't think there is a another speaker set out there (in this class) that beats the Labtec Pulse in terms of sound and value for your dollar. If you are looking for an upgrade to the speakers that came with your computer, but you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars, this is your solution. You'll wonder how you lived without them for so long!

There's a lot of cheap 2.1 speakers today that can hit the lowest frequency except this speaker system.

Try to play the song Lying From You by Linkin Park. You should hear the bass frequency from 6 to 7 seconds but it's not coming out with this subwoofer.

I've had these speakers for two years now, and I can say that without a doubt, these are the best computer speakers (for the money), that I have ever bought. They still sound just as awesome as the day I bought them. This is amazing considering how many times I have dropped them and shipped them around the country!