Reviewed: June 24, 2003
Reviewed by: John Carswell
Manufacturer
Creative Labs
Type: Speakers
System: PC/Home Audio
Rating: 9.0
Features
MSRP: $99.95
I’ve always been a fan of Creative Labs. From the first time I listened to Wing Commander being pumped through a Sound Blaster, to sneaking around in Thief’s castles while the footsteps of approaching guards sounded through 4.1 PCWorks speakers, I’ve rarely been disappointed by Creative’s hardware. In the hardware business, there are few with such a solid record of perfectly balancing quality and price. Of course, we’ve come along way since the first days of 4.1 speakers and Creative Labs has now released their first line of 6.1 speakers.
The Creative 6.1 speakers come in two flavors: the high-end, audiophile-friendly MegaWorks THX 6.1 (650) and the Inspire 6.1 (6600), a lower priced model aimed at gamers and budget-minded multimedia aficionados. This review will be covering the latter, the Inspire 6.1 speakers. For those who have not been paying attention to the audio end of the tech world, the “6” stands for the number of speakers that surround you while the “1” represents the subwoofer.
Still in its infancy, 6.1 speakers are the new kids on the block with most self-respecting gamers still using 4.1 or 5.1 setups. This is all about to change as new audio cards such as the Audigy 2 find their ways into gamers’ homes and as more DVDs feature Dolby Digital EX. For gamers with a 5.1 setup, upgrading will likely only make sense if they insist on having the latest-and-greatest. However, people still holding on to their 4.1 setups or have somehow never moved beyond 2.1 speakers, it’s time to start looking towards greener pastures.
Cracking open the Inspire box, you’ll find six satellite speakers, a hefty 22 watt subwoofer, a wired remote control and various cables and documentation. Astatically, the Inspire 6.1 speakers look great. The satellites and subwoofer are a matte black, each with a small, metal box boasting the Creative name. A bit taller than previous Creative speakers, the satellites manage to look sleek and powerful without becoming a distraction or too imposing. The subwoofer is expectedly large and eschews any odd shapes and for a more space-friendly, box mold. The tethered volume control/head phone jack continues the black motif but sports a more aerodynamic design and includes a small green On/Off LED.
Installation of the Inspire 6.1 speakers was a breeze. The subwoofer acts of the hub with the satellite speakers plugging into it. After slapping three of the six included stands on my front speakers, I simply hung the rear speakers on the wall behind me and plugged everything in. The cords that travel from the speakers to the subwoofer are quite long and I had no trouble getting the rear speaker wires to move down my wall, under my carpet, around my desk and then into the subwoofer. Thankfully, when all was said and done, the cords had not turned into taunt trip wires and had plenty of slack leftover. The tethered volume “remote” control is small enough to place anywhere and comes with a Velcro strip so that it can be stuck conveniently to the side of a monitor or under your desk.
Looking beyond the basics, the Inspire 6.1 speakers feature a few “extras” that are worth mentioning. First the wired remote control is extremely handy. Aside from giving you the ability to control your PC’s volume, it also acts as a convenient headphone jack. Additionally, it lets you to independently control the subwoofer’s volume for when the neighbors start to complain. Although an excellent piece of hardware, it is a shame that Creative left out the Front/Rear balancing found on previous models. Secondly, if you’re using an older model card that only supports 5.1 playback, a switch on the back of the subwoofer lets you “upmix” the sound so that you still benefit from the rear center speaker.
The construction of the Inspire 6600’s seems very solid. The center speaker above my monitor took a number of spills, sending the hapless speaker tumbling through the air only to smack up against my TV and then fall to the ground. Despite the repeated and nerve-wracking abuse, the speaker has shone no signs of damage whatsoever. My only concern is the volume cord as should it break, the speakers will cease to function until a replacement is special-ordered and installed.
Should something go wrong, Creative has worked hard to create a very respectable support network. Emailing tech support on Sunday, I received a response mid-Monday and the polite and succinct Creative representative responded to my follow-up email in a matter of hours. Creative has also built an extensive, online knowledge base that adds manuals and detailed guides to the usual FAQ’s.
Of course, judging a set of speakers all comes down to getting your ear’s seal of approval and here is where Creative Lab’s Inspire 6.1 speakers really shine. While I wouldn’t consider myself an audiophile, I more than appreciate the importance of a good surround sound setup when gaming. Once you’ve heard a plane flyby or the footsteps of some FPS nasty running up behind you, there is really no going back. What’s more, as stealth games become more popular, gamers need greater situational awareness and a good speaker setup provides exactly that.
If this is the sort of immersion and realism you want, then the Inspire 6.1 speakers are an excellent choice. The 120 Watts that spread across the system are more than powerful enough to engulf you in rich, pulse-pounding sound. The subwoofer pumps out bass with enough ferocity to vibrate any nearby feat and “flesh out” the higher frequencies. The satellites kick out middle range sounds that are full and distinct while higher frequency sounds chirp away appropriately. I did notice some break-up when playing the highest of frequencies but this never occurred in an in-game environment or during MP3/CD playback.
Loading up a few games, the difference between the 6600’s and my old Creative FPS2000’s (both coupled with an Audigy 2) was immediately apparent. Rather than the thin spread of sound I got from my 4.1 speakers, the 6600’s surrounded me in a wall of sound that managed to breathe life into every foot step, creaking board and gunshot while improving my ability to correctly distinguish the source of a sound. A few quick runs through Solider of Fortune 2 and PlanetSide showed just what a large difference a speaker upgrade can make. Not only were sounds more crisp and full, having each sound coming from exactly the correct position greatly added to atmosphere and of each game.
Outside of gaming, if you’re using a good sound card and advanced multimedia software, playing your MP3s and DVDs with Inspire 6.1 speakers can be exhilarating. While pumping your standard MP3 through the 6600’s will not yield amazing results, you will notice a richer sound that fully encompasses you. The real difference comes into play when you start up DVD. I tried Gladiator (which supports Dolby Digital EX) and Twister, a personal favorite. Hearing Gladiator in 6.1 was astounding: from the low rumbles of galloping horses to the multi-pitched clanging of weapons, I couldn’t help but be sucked into the action as the noises of war exploded around me. Twister benefited hugely from the powerful subwoofer: tornados carved there way through the ground with a menacing growl the shook my walls while the hissing whispers of caught up debris whipped around me.
Considering all that the Inspire 6.1 speakers offer at such a low price, they become an intelligent and guilt-free purchase. Delivering excellent MP3 and DVD playback for while letting you take advantage of some of the latest PC audio technology, you'll be able to sit back and know that you’ve moved closer to the bleeding edge without be gouged by the price. Most importantly however, it will dramatically improve your gaming experience and in the end, that’s what it’s all about.