From
my viewpoint, the speakers you hook up to your computer are of great
importance. Why invest in a great sound card, such as the SB Live!, if
you have crappy speakers attached to it. They just don’t give it
justice! With the LOW cost of speakers these days, there is no excuse
to having the standard two piece speaker system. With the cost of a
three piece set, with a sub-woofer, you HAVE to get one.

Now, you’ll find that there are tons of different sets to choose
from. Labtec has long been a major player in the PC audio scene. I
recently went to a local computer show and picked up the LCS-2414
speaker set. This is a low-cost PC audio system, but they sound quite
good.

Before I go into this brief review, let me first say that any
speaker review is quite objective. There are no benchmarks or
performance stats for speakers. It is purely up to your ear to decide.
When buying speakers, don’t let price be the deciding factor. Always
trust your own ears, regardless of what the reviews say.

Now, onto the review…

The Facts

Here are the specs:

• Frequency response: 40Hz-20kHz
• Power output: 25 watts RMS: Subwoofer - 15 Watts; Satellites -
  10 watts, (5W + 5W)

• Speaker impedance: 4 ohms
• 4" Max-X^™ high-excursion subwoofer, and two
  2" shielded Max-X^™ satellite speakers

• AC adapter: UL/CUL or CSA approved
• Cord length: 9′ to each satellite speaker

The Good

The LCS-2414 is a superb low-cost speaker system. Now, you might
get the impression that when I say "low-cost" that I mean
they are "just good for the price". Well, this is true, but
truly, the sound quality is excellent. The high pitch tones and treble
is quite clear the the bass is full and clear. On high volume, the
sound really doesn’t crack much as the cheaper speakers often do.

Another thing I like is the size. Since the sub-woofer features a
wooden enclosure which is bottom-ported, it is designed to go on the
floor or some other inconspicuous area. The two satellites are quite
small and take very little room on the desk. They are both angled
upward to better direct the sound at the listener. The right satellite
is the center of the system, featuring the volume dial which is quite
easy to manipulate.

The Bad

The wiring setup for this speaker system is unnecessarily
complicated, leading to a huge mass of wires, which most of us don’t
need as we already have too many. Fortunately, Labtec has color-coded
the plugs so that a moron could get plug the right wire into the right
hole.

The sub-woofer is not magnetically shielded so you have to be
careful putting it close the your computer or the monitor. The
satellites, though, are shielded.

These are no audio adjustments on this speaker system. The bass is
not adjustable, other than through your computer. Some systems have a
volume knob on the sub…this one doesn’t.

The AC adapter is HUGE.

My Take

This is a good speaker system. Due to its size, you can’t expect to
throw a block party with these things and the bass will not shake the
room in any respect. But, for the size and price, the sound quality is
excellent. For sitting in front of your computer, the sound is great.
The sound put forth by the satellites is directional, so really they
are best for sitting at your desk. There is very little hiss and
little sound distortion.