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H ar d w a r e
, Diamond Audio S2 HPM-4100 Series
Speakers Continued frrnn page 21 The z6tz model, with its tz watt, 13.3 cm (S.zs in.) mini-subwoofer and two 4 watt satellites, proved to be warm and "clean" sounding three-piece system. It delivered the highsand laws of both games and CD music well, although I found the mids a little faint. When used, t he 3D spatializer feature compensated for it, s preading the sound widthw ise. The s u b woofer is s m ail enough to k e ep on your desktop, plus the controls are right there: power, mute, treble, bass, 3D Spatializer, and two jacksfora microphone and headphones. The free mounting bracket is a nice touch that allows users to hang the satellites on the sides of your monitor. The 3zto modeldoes not come equipped with an external subwoofer and has fewer features, but can also pump out zo watts of power. It d elivers a n i ce, well-rounded sound, with 3D sound support for music CDs and, to alesser extent, games. The 26tz model, on the other hand, had a nice bottom-end kick for the thunder in Twinsen's Odyssey, but the rich, pipe-organ soundtrack to Ultra Pinball: Creep Night was just as nice from the 3210.
We are now jumping from the affordable up to the more expensive lineup of speaker systems available. If you consider yourself a serious a u diophile and want the best music and gaming sound possible, then the Diamond Audio i Sz 4too series is the ultimate c o mputer speaker sys t e m. Period. This three-piece jet-black set ships with a rumbling So watt subwoofer, and 25 watts for each of the two-way satellites — t.3 cm (.5 in.) dome tweeters and tt.4 cm (4.5 in.) mid-bass drivers. A very handy control box resides beautifully on top of your monitor to handle volume, bass, treble, instant mute, loudness,and 3DSP (Diamond Audio'sproprietary 3D surround sound technology). Optional are these neat little black rubber satellite holders for your desktop. The bottom-end really drives home with an "in-your-face" punch, while the highs and mids are crisp and tight. The subwoofer unit allows for all kinds of inputs, so this is definitely the system to consider for keyboard musicians looking to record directly onto their PC or Mac. The only drawback (besides the price) is a distinct hiss when the 3DSP stereo expander
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Site seeing: Koss, http: //vvww.koss.corn Altec Lansing, http: //www.altecmm.corn Labtec, http: //www. Iabtec.corn
Diamond Audio,
http: //www.diamondaudio.corn Cambridgesoundyyorks, http//www.hifi.corn
Canadian Contenders Although not part of the roundup, the following value-priced Canadian speaker systems may appealto consumers whose budget is a little tight. Let's face it, the Diamond Audio Sz 4toos were like angels singing
(okay, very loud angels singing) but the price tag may scare off buyers. hharkham, Ontario's SonLab — a division of Pro-Sonic Electronics — has designed a complete line of magnetically shielded, amplified speaker units starting from as Iow as $29.95, to as high as their top product, dubbed the CS-SW2 system, at a ve r y r e asonable $129.95.
In fact, the white CS-SW2 three-piece sys. tern delivers quite a bit of power and clarity from such a small unit. Traditional speaker wire connects the two 7.6 cm (3 in.), 3 watt satellites to the zo watt subwoofer, and satellite stands are included at no extra charge. A handsome and good-sounding alternative to the higher price units. n'est ce pas? Visit SonLab on the Web at http: //arex.corn/soniab .—Mark Saltzman
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low-end systems. The high-end units were more difficult to judge, but, blowfor-blow, the Diamond Audio Sz 4too system emerged as the winner. +
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The twowinners have been divided by the cost to the consumer — you can' t compare a Porsche gtt to a Chevrolet Cavalier, though each may be the best buy "in it s c l ass." The Labtec 26iz three-piece set won best value for the
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The last of the speaker systems under inspection is a lso o n t h e p r icey end ($479.99), but delivers stunning, accurate sound. After Creative Labs invested in Cambridge SoundWorks by Henry Kloss (now owning zo percent of the company), Cambridge began pushing more into the home-computer market with a new line of m ultimedia speakers. After only a f e w m onths, the company has enjoyed a healthy handful of awards from prominent publications. Their top line, the Microworks, is a 67 watt powerhouse: 43 for the 26.5 cm (6.5 in.) vertical subwoofer and xz watts for each of the tiny but punchy satellites. A small remote unit can rest by your mouse pad, allowing consumers to adjust the volume of the system, but must carefully balance the level of subwoofer output at the rear of the ground unit. When positioned properly, the entire Microworks package simply rocks with hardhitting lows and precise highs. The mids, however, are hard to find, but this seems to be more of a problem for music than game sound-effects and rock soundtracks. When compared to its competition, another small drawback is th e l ack o f a 3 D s t e reo expander/Spatializer, mute button, or separate tone controls for b ass and t reble (beside the subwoofer output knob). As excellent as the Microworks sound, Henry Kloss' next endeavour should recognize these handy features.
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Cambridge Microworks
Editor's Choice
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is on. This extra noise is noticeable, so I suggest keeping the button on the "off" position unless you are just about to launch a game or crank up your favourite CD, You certainly get what you pay for, so at $699 retail, you are getting top-notch gear.
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