Reviewed: January 5, 2003
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Manufacturer
Altec Lansing
Type: Speakers
System: PC/Home Audio
Rating: 9.0
Features
MSRP: $99.95
During my yearly trek to the E3 show in LA I visit hundreds of booths and see thousands of new and upcoming products. While software makes up a majority of the items I get to see, there are the occasional hardware manufactures displaying the latest in technology. Altec Lansing was one of the hardware vendors I had the privilege of visiting last year, and not only did they offer one of the nicest and most inviting booths at the show, they also had an amazing collection of new speakers for both home audio and PC.
The Model 2100 along with it's 6-speaker cousin, the 5100 easily attracted some of the largest crowds at this booth. The futuristic styling and sexy curved lines of this 3-speaker system turned the heads of anyone who passed by. But due to the overwhelming ambient noise on the show floor it was virtually impossible to find out if these speakers sounded half as amazing as they looked. Once I was able to install these speakers on my review PC was I able to confirm that these are some of the best speakers you can currently buy.
For the past eight years I have been using the Altec Lansing ACS500. Back in 1994, these were the highest quality speakers you could buy and even included a Dolby Pro-Logic decoder built into the speakers. These speakers have followed me for the past eight years, being hooked up to over a dozen different systems each and every time I upgraded my computer.
The first thing you need to know about the 2100 system is that it is targeted toward the music lover who enjoys listening to CD and MP3 music on their PC. While you can certainly play games and get a stunning sound experience with these speakers, true game aficionados will most likely want to spring for the extra cash and get a true surround sound speaker system.
The speakers are deceivingly smaller than you would expect for the power and quality that they deliver. The main speakers are not much taller than the Diet Coke can sitting next to the one on my left, and their width and height are just a bit smaller than your typical TV remote. Each speaker features dual 1” neodymium micro drivers and is mounted to a silver alloy stand with felt bottom for a total dimension of 2.25”(W) x 2.5”(D) x 7.3”(H).
The entire ensemble features a smart design using a stylish charcoal and simulated brushed aluminum finish that will compliment any desktop without monopolizing valuable surface space. The charcoal subwoofer with silver curved base conceals itself nicely under any desk.
From the time of opening this box of carefully packed, individually wrapped speakers to listening to my first audio CD, about 5 minutes had lapsed. Installation is really that easy thanks to the color-coding of the cables and the speaker jacks, plus the extremely “friendly”, but virtually unnecessary, Quick Connect Card. An 8-year old could hook these speakers up. Altec Lansing even provides an adapter so you can hook these speakers up to a video game system or any device using standard red/white RCA-type plugs.
Since it would be impossible to fit controls on the actual speaker, the 2100 comes with a matching wired remote. This remote is molded in the same color as the speakers and is an identical match in size and shape. When resting in the silver alloy cradle it looks like another speaker. The remote includes a power button and controls for the master volume. There is a separate subwoofer volume control located on the back of the subwoofer.
For traditional stereo speakers the 2100 sounds crystal clear and produces some of the best digital music and sound you can hear on your PC. I tested these speakers with everything I had in my audio arsenal. I played CD's, MP3's, and even some DVD's and they all sounded amazing. The subwoofer generates some serious bass, moving enough air under my desk that I could feel it through my pant leg.
From the moment you pull that top piece of packing foam out of the box you can tell these are the coolest speakers on the planet. The Model 2100 speakers look great and sound incredible. Priced at $99, these are perfect speakers for the music lover or even the gamer who doesn't care about 3D surround sound.