Altec Lansing MX5021 90-Watt Powered RMS 3-Piece Speaker Set
See it at Amazon.com for $179.99Average Customer Rating
(4.5 out of 5)
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(4 out of 5)MyMac.com Product Review
As the resident speaker reviewer here at MyMac.com, I have the opportunity to listen to a bevy of different speakers, but that has far from made me a jaded reviewer. In fact, I absolutely love opening the box FedEx or UPS drops off to find a new pair of speakers ready to be tested.
This time around, it is the MX5021 speaker system from Altec Lansing. This is the third pair of Altec Lansing speakers I have reviewed, the first being the 2100 series back in February 2003, and the other the VS4121 from October of last year. In a direct comparison of all three, for total sound quality, I would have to rate the MX5021 the best sounding.
The MX5021 consist of a 6.5" subwoofer featuring 50 Watts at 4 ohms with 10% THD. The two satellite speakers consist of a 1" horn-loaded tweeter and two 3" full-range drivers, which provide 25 Watts per channel at 5.8 ohms and 10% THD.
The subwoofer is large, but not overly so. The satellite speakers, however, are larger than most desktop speakers, and I found that they simply took up too much space on the desktop. To alleviate the size, they ship with wall-hanging brackets, which I used to mount the speakers on the wall on either side of my monitor.
Sound quality varies. At times, I really liked the sound, and thought them rich and expansive. Then, on my next listening, the sound quality was a little muddy in the mid-tones. What's going on? Turns out, the sound quality actually changes according to the music I am listening to. Harder, base heavy rock such as the tune "Jackson, Mississippi" from Kid Rock sounded muddy in the base, and a wee bit shrilly in the highs. The song, encoded at 256 kbps MP3, sounds much better on the Altec Lansing VS4121s. On the other hand, Silence (The Michael Woods Remix) by Delerium Featuring Sarah McLachlan sounded much better. In fact, that song sounded better on the MX5021's than on any other computer speaker system I have.
The only conclusion I can realistically draw is that these speakers seem to have either a split personality, or they simply don't like some songs at all.
Sound quality was also greatly affected by speaker placement. Sound imaging (Where the music sounds like it is coming from, rather than where the speakers actually are) was greater the further apart I hung the speakers. Imaging was great overall, as the MX5021's sound much more like a large speaker, and less like a simple satellite. From two rooms away, one would never guess the size of these speakers, assuming that the sound would be coming from a good home audio speaker system costing three times as much.
One drawback for some would be that these speakers are not USB, but plug in with a mini-jack audio plug. I personally do not like the USB speakers, and much prefer the mini-jack option instead.
The MX5021's ship with the above listed three speakers, as well as all the cables you will need. Also included are the satellite wall brackets, an infrared remote control (Volume control, base and treble control, and on/off switch), and a desktop control pad that has a nice turning knob, and has all the functions of the remote. (It is also the infrared remote control pick-up.)
Specifications:
Front speakers: 20 watts per channel at 6 ohms; 18,000 Hz 2 channels loaded
Subwoofer: 50 watts at 4 ohms; 150 Hz single channel loaded
System response: 30 Hz; 22 kHz (-10 dB)
Signal-to-noise ratio: Less than 80 dB
Satellite dimensions: 5.2 x 10.2 x 2.5 inches (W x H x D)
Subwoofer dimensions: 8.7 x 15.7 x 12.2 inches (W x H x D)
THX Certified
Shielded Satellites-For use near video monitors.
Auxiliary Input Jack-Connect two different audio sources - your CD player and MP3 Jukebox
The MX5021 speaker system is marketed at the serious audiophile.
There is more to testing a speaker system than listening to music, such as playing a DVD and listening to how well the speakers perform under both quite and loud moments during a movie. In this regard, the MX5021 sounded and performed superbly. Much better, in fact, than any other speaker system I have tested over the past three years.
The one draw back I have found (other than the not liking some songs thing) is that the power output is not quite up to par. They simply do not have enough power to suit my every desire. Or, more simply, they don't go loud enough before distortion kicks in. When the wife and kids are away, I like to kick up the volume and jam! These speakers, while very fine in most situations, simply put, do not rock loud enough.
My overall impression, however, is that the MX5021 are a very nice speaker system. The shortcomings I mention above probably won't be an issue with ninety-five percent of you, but my ear and experience with speaker systems are very trained at this point.
I very much enjoyed my time with the MX5021 speakers, and would highly recommend to anyone wanting to move away from simple computer speakers and move up to a more professional audiophile sound.
MyMac.com Rating: 4.5 out of 5
http://www.mymac.com/showarticle.php?id=1717
(5 out of 5)Best audiophile speakers for the price
From what I have listened to in the computer audio market, there are two kinds of speakers. Those that focus on power with a sacrifice in fidelity (gaming type systems) and those that focus on fidelity while losing power (music type systems). These are a shining example of the latter. They have a wonderfully transparent sound to them, very articulate and airy. These are the most detailed computer speakers I have ever heard. They are better than the vaunted Klipsh Promedia Ultra's IMO. This set also has one of the punchiest subs on the PC market. Of course, it doesn't hold a candle to a true home stereo sub, it is still sharper and tighter than even the Klipsch subs. However, it is not capable of the klipsch's output. The system itself is very elegant and has a wonderful piano finish that is very upscale looking. Bottom line, for $150 street value, these are a steal. If you are an audiophile who values clarity, balance and nuance over output, it is very hard to do better than these.
(5 out of 5)Solid three piece speaker system!
I recently purchased a Philips MX5600D 5-Speaker 5-Disc DVD/CD Home Theater with 600 Watts Total Power that was underpowered so I used this 90 Watt speaker system to supplement it and now this 8 speaker system sounds nearly as good as my $5,000 home theatre system (at low volumes). The weak Philips speakers are O.K. as surround speakers.
I am using this setup for my home office where I mainly use it to listen to commercial free satellite music stations from DirectTV and occasionally use it to listen to computer output, DVDs, CDs, and regular radio. My secondary home office uses the Harman Kardon Soundsticks 2 system which has the disadvantage of being too bright sounding and only has connectors for a 3.5mm Mini Stereo Plug while the Altec Lansing system also includes connectors for dual RCA sockets which I needed to connect it to my Philips system. Note that the Harman Kardon Soundsticks 2 have the advantage of looking really cool and are nice sounding for their lower price.
Another reviewer mentioned a hissing problem with this Altec Lansing system. My system has zero hissing and I am a person who can hear the high pitched noises coming from monitors and ceiling lights. Either that reviewer had defective speakers or his system was sending white noise to his speakers.
In conclusion, this 3-speaker set really does sound like it is THX-certified and I heartily recommend it!
(5 out of 5)Dude, get these!
Ok, I never thought I would write this about computer speakers.. If you dont have a woop (...) set of computer speakers, then buy these.. if you have to wonder if you do.. then you dont. If you have these Altecs you will understand that... Now down to the details, amazon.com got these to me ASAP and for free.. thanks amazon. Next, let me tell you that my first pair came from circuit city but i paid about fifty clams more:( but i have now purchased 5 yes 5 more pair from amazon. I gave them to a few emplyees as a gift. and another pair for my home computer. Dont sit too close to these and crank them as hard as they will go. They can play clean and undistorted to a higher level than your ears can bear. I first opened them, disappointed to see MADE IN CHINA after about 3 minutes of listening I have changed my opinion of MADE IN CHINA. Stop reading this and buy a pair. (...) gosh my ears are ringing..
(5 out of 5)Days of research yielded an INCREDIBLE winner!
I just dropped about $2k on an iMac G5 20" 2GHZ with 2G of RAM, which I plan on having a LONG time, so I wanted some top flight speakers as well. I had a PowerMac G4 Cube with Harman Kardon Sound Sticks 1, and they were fantastic, so I decided to get the Sound Sticks 2 for my iMac without looking anywhere else. I don't know how to describe them -- it sounds like the satellite speakers are competing with the subwoofer.
The satellites are clear, but too... twangy, too... much. It's hard to describe. And the subwoofer is totally muddy, just thumps and that's it. It's too clear versus too muddy, they conflict eachother, not compliment eachother. I spent two days adjusting the equalizer in iTunes, and the power dial on the sub, and still couldn't get a sound I like. So I went to CompUSA to listen in person to some other speakers.
The JBL Creature 2's sounded nice, but when I got them home they weren't the same. The subwoofer was much better though. I could distingusih a bow across a bass as opposed to the Sound Sticks 2 thump, but the satellites were a little lacking. I didn't want to spend too much, $150 was my ceiling, so I looked elsewhere, and I'm glad I did.
The Altec Lansing MX5021 is what I ended up with. The Klipsch speakers sounded good, as did the Bose, but Bose can have limp subwoofers, and I wanted the speakers to match my iMac. The A/L 5021 white was perfect. It's a little more than I wanted to spend, but they are THX certified speakers, with a wired and wireless remote that controls volume, treble, and bass, the latter two missing from the Sound Sticks 2. And they sound fantasic!
Setup was pretty easy, but be warned, these speakers are large. The satellites are at least three times the width of the Sound Sticks, and the subwoofer is almost up to my knees. You would think a sub that large would be overpowering, but it's not. As a matter of fact, I was surprised that the size of the sub didn't blow my chair back. It's not weak, I just thought it would be louder. But the sound out of the sub is great, and it compliments the satellites. And speaking of them, wow. Crystal clear sound, excellent midrange, not too tinny tweeters (say that five times fast). Now for the real test.
I chose Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for music, and Jurassic Park for movies. Harry Potter sounded too clear, too twangy on the Sound Sticks 2, but on the A/L 5021 I swear I could hear the keys being depressed as the piano/keyboard was being played. Crystal clear, perfect sound, and the sub played the instrument bass, not just thumped like the Sound Sticks 2. And Jurassic Park sounded good with the Sound Sticks 2, but with the 5021 I thought I was there. Every little crack of twigs in the jungle, and every footstpep of a T-Rex, not just a muddy thump. That was the big difference for me -- being there. The A/L 5021 put me in the studio when the orchestra played Harry Potter, and in the jungle of Jurassic Park. Now for the bad news.
There isn't any. The A/L 5021 are a bit pricey, but not much more than the HK Sound Sticks 2 or comparable 2.1 systems. For my money, in the $150-$180 range, the A/L 5021 were the best soultion for me. Why? They sound fantastic. They are white and match my iMac beautifully. They have a remote with bass, treble, and volume. They are THX certified (dunno if that matters really, but not all the speakers in this price range are), they look nice -- not too plasticy or spacey future looking.
So there you have it. I'm no audiophile, but I know what I like and what I can spend. I spent the last week scouring over Amazon, Outpost, Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, and even Apple's website. The Altec Lansing MX5021 (white) sound fantastic, look fantastic, and have great features. That's not to say the other speakers are bad, and maybe I got a broken sub with my Sound Sticks 2, but overall you really can't beat the 5021 for an iMac G5.