Shootouts

Aural Showdown - 2.1 Multimedia Speakers Shootout

By Kenny Yeo - 14 Mar 2009

Movies Testing

Movies Testing

Movies Testing Results
Speaker Model / Test Discs Altec Lansing MX 5021 Creative Gigaworks T3 Bose Companion 5 Edifier S730 Klipsch ProMedia GMX A-2.1 Logitech Z-Cinema Razer Mako
Lord of the Rings 4 4.5 5 4.0 4.5 5 4.5
Swordfish 3.5 5 5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5
Overall 4 4.5 5 4.5 4.5 5 4.5

The weak low frequencies of the Altec Lansing MX5021 did not help it at all when we ran Lord of the Rings and Swordfish. Although dialogue was clear, the movie lacked that special cinematic feel. That sense of excitement and drama was somehow missing. This was most obvious in Swordfish, where the explosion scene was not as satisfying as we thought it would be.

The performance of the Bose Companion 5 was superb thanks to its wide soundstage, which really makes you feel like you are in a cinema. Overall, what stood out were the clarity of the dialogue and the sense of depth of the sound. In Lord of the Rings, we could easily make out the arrows swishing pass us, and were deeply impressed with the clanging of swords.

The Creative Gigaworks T3 lost some of its brilliance coming to movies. The brightness of its satellites, so apparent on music tracks, couldn't lend themselves to movies. The impressive bass on the Gigaworks T3 did help it sound good especially when there were clashing of swords and explosions, but overall, it didn't sound as dramatic as the more full-bodied sounding systems such as the Logitech Z-Cinema and Razer Mako.

The grainy sounds of the Edifier S730, surprise, surprise, actually made it very suitable for movies. The opening sequence of Swordfish, for example, where John Travolta expounds on the modern day dilemma of American cinema, was a joy as the graininess of the sound helped enhance the quality of the dialogue. It sounded more 'cinema-like'. Positioning and stereo effects of the S730 was also another bright point as we could distinctly hear the ball bearings and glass shards from the explosion in the opening sequence of Swordfish swish past us.

The Klipsch ProMedia GMX A-2.1 was one of the top performers here, as its excellent reproduction of mids and highs meant that dialogue was crystal clear, whereas its booming bass ensured thunderous rumbles from explosions. We thoroughly enjoyed watching the testing sequences with the ProMedia GMX A-2.1.

The Logitech Z-Cinema lives up to its name as it performs very well when we played movies. Dialogue was clear and crisp, as were the sword fight scenes. The clashing of swords resulted in resounding clangs, and the sound of mace and clubs striking flesh was meaty and juicy. In Swordfish, the opening dialogue sounded a little veiled, but the explosion has lots of oomph.

The Razer Mako with its big sound was yet another top performer in our movies segment. Its awesome bass made the orc drums sound absolutely wonderful. It also made the growls of the rampaging cave troll even more menacing. On Swordfish, its massive bass lends itself spectacularly to the explosion scene at the end of the opening sequence. Our labs shook as if we were struck by an earthquake.

Join HWZ's Telegram channel here and catch all the latest tech news!
Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.