Home > Consumer Reviews > Creative Inspire T3100 2.1 Speakers

I'm accustomed to computer speakers that produce sound as dull as dishwater, so the first time that I listened to the Inspire T3100 speaker system was an unexpected wakeup call. The sound is VERY lively, and the treble, in particular, is both strong and smooth -- guitar notes come alive (Clapton, Doobie Brothers), saxophone wails (Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" is especially nice), and I notice little details and backbeats in the music that I'd never picked out before.

I was concerned that the subwoofer on an inexpensive system like this might be too "boomy," but not at all -- the sound was very natural. There's a knob on the back to adjust subwoofer output, but I set it in the middle and felt no need to fiddle with it. If you like really big, thumping base, other system probably would provide more.

Volume is easily sufficient to fill a typical small office or spare bedroom. The subwoofer is a bit smaller than a shoebox standing on end. The satellite speakers have bases large enough so they won't tip over too easily. The right speaker has a power/volume rotary switch on one side that feels smooth and substantial, with a blue LED power light in the front and a headphone jack on the other side. The transformer is inside the sub, so there's no annoying power "brick." The components have a substantial look and feel, not flimsy.

My only comment regarding sound quality is that in music with a lot of base and treble, the vocals don't always burst forth with the same enthusiasm. This is more true of male vocalists -- the higher-pitched ladies (early Dionne Warwick, for example) come through just fine. But this can be easily fixed using the equalizer controls in ITunes -- the "enhance vocals" preset actually works very well. There are no tone controls on the speakers, but the electronic equalizer is probably a more effective and accurate device.

My reference speakers for these were a 10-year-old pair of Altec Lansing ACS40, which were not bad speakers at the time (and, of course, can still be found on E-Bay!). The Altecs still produce a smooth, pleasant sound -- but VERY dull and muted compared to the Creative system.

Frankly, I bought this new system not expecting much. Another set of old speakers had given up the ghost, and I wanted to get something that would be slightly better than the usual $10 replacement pair. But these are a LOT better than I expected (and I'm the kind of person who is more likely to be disappointed than impressed by the stuff I buy). So I can recommend these without reservation.

Oops, here comes "Take Five" again on the shuffle play -- gotta go. There's some drum work in the middle that's coming through really nicely - lively with just the right amount of reverb. Definitely not to be wasted on bad speakers.

Still breaking these in but impressed with the sound. Much higher quality sound than cheap 2.0 desktop speakers. Sub is smallish and fits easily under a desk without much of an imprint. Satellites are even smaller, but not delicate and have a good weight that keeps them standing straight even if accidentally nudged. For the price, these are a steal!

Easy Set up. Excellent sound quality. No distortion when playing really loud music. Tried various types of music like rock, techno, classic - plays all just great. Bottom line: really worth the money - and not that they are expensive to begin with.

I just got these to replace my Labtec 2424's, which, sadly, I can't get anymore. The Inspire's are a good solid sounding speaker for the money, but the on/off knob has developed a crackle when you turn it on and sometimes it takes a second for the full range of sound to come trough. I'm probably going to return them and get another set. Hopefully, that'll fix the problem. Overall though, based on sound quality for the price, these are good. Just don't crank them up too loud unless you turn down the bass or the sub. It get's a little squirrly when pushed too hard.

I finally decided to replace an older set of Labtec speakers but was not looking to spend a lot of money. I wanted a simple set of desktop speakers to play music while I work on the computer or provide sound for my elementary school kids when they play their learning games. I don't have any expertise on sound quality but would definitely be basing my decision on how pleasing the sound was to me. Having a strong base is a preference.

I visited several of the major electronic retailers and office supply stores. I found the Altec Lansing BXR1121 set for $29.99 included a subwoofer. Seemed like a good price and I've always known the Altec Lansing name to be considered good quality so I gave them a try.

Before opening the box I looked at some reviews online and found most of them to be favorable. With everything installed I tried various music genre. Initially I was satisfied because they were noticeable better then the Labtecs but as I continued testing the speakers range, and volume control I lost that satisfaction. At the highest volume level the sound noticeably distorted and I didn't feel the sound was as crisp as I wanted so I kept shopping.

A week later I found the Creative Inspire T3100 2.1 set on sale for $19.99 with rebates (reg. $49.99). Before going to the store I again looked at reviews online and found very similar comments. They have twice the amount of RMS power (29 watts) and peak power (60 watts) then the Altec Lansing's so for $10 less I figured I couldn't go wrong. I immediately noticed a difference and it was much more to my liking. The sound was fuller, richer and the base was deeper and resonated more. The 1" tweeters and 2" midrange speakers on the satelite speakers probably help. The "Dynamic Bass" and "Rich Sound" descriptions found on the box are more then accurate. Their smaller footprint was also attractive.

I'm sure there may be better 2.1 systems out there in the $20-$50 range but I wasn't going to spend any more time looking. If you can find these on sale for 19.99 they are a steal.