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In the Forums... |
Posted: April 5, 2000 Written by: David "Spunk" Grampa Estimated retail price: $2,399.99 + S&H Cambridge DeskTop Theater 5.1 DTT2500 Speakers I'll probably be criticized for months in choosing the Cambridge DTT2500 package over Klipsch's ProMedia THX Speakers. Since my defense will most likely not make a difference, I'll be brief: With a 340-watt RMS advantage over the DTT2500's, I am insane for not choosing the ProMedia v.2's, eh? By default, Alienware supplies the Aurora with the five speaker setup from Klipsch. Unarguably, these are some of the loudest computer speakers on the market. However, not necessarily the most practical... Playing your computer sound at 400-watts is not only unhealthy, but also unlikely. Maybe one time out of ten times you'll actually be able to get away with it too. Let's face it: parents, family, neighbors, and roommates don't appreciate a solid Sonic Mayhem tune while playing Quake 3: Arena. Due to Klipsch's lack of extra features, it seems wise to go with the DTT2500 speaker setup. So what do the Cambridge Speakers have to offer over Klipsch's ProMedia THX? Very much actually. Just to list a few: dolby digital decoding, included tripod stands, digital inputs, wall-mounting accessories, and a separate amplifier with sound controls. All this compared to Klipsch's bare bones speaker setup. Here are the specifications on the Cambridge SoundWorks DTT2500 speakers: Features
Sound Quality and Features The DTT2500 sound quality is simply superb. The satellites' Mids and Highs come in crisp and clear while the lows perform solid and deep without the vibrative rattle produced by other subwoofers. Amazingly, the satellites seem to perform a lot louder than 7-watts without any noticeable distortion. In fact, pitted against a 100+ watt stereo system (playing CD tracks on each), the Cambridge DTT2500 reigned victorious in loudness and sound quality. This was quite an accomplishment for the DTT2500 speakers, especially considering the total RMS was significantly greater on the stereo system! All in all, the DTT2500 speakers performed extremely well in comparison to the specifications. And as if that's not all, we have not even mentioned the features. Most notably, dolby digital decoding via S/PDIF in. Teamed with DVD and other multimedia, you may actually use it! Which, if you remember, the Aurora comes with a DVD drive... Next, you'll notice the setup extras: a wall-mounting kit, two tripod stands, and extra long cables that ensure quick and easy setup of your speakers. Finally, the amplifier and sound controls allow you to independently tweak each channel's volume (Master, Center, Rear, and Surround), select an active input, and one of five preset sound modes (Normal, Music, Movie, FourPoint, and Stereo). Also, Cambridge includes speaker test and mute capabilities. The only thing missing is a headphone jack, which most of us will be able to live with. Aureal's Vortex II sound card and Cambridge's DeskTop Theater 5.1 speakers makes for a killer combination in multimedia/sound performance. And if you would rather go a different root, sound card and speakers are entirely customizable. Sound Performance: 8.5/10  
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