Not just mice anymore

Audio performance has become an increasingly important feature as the PC makes the transition from geeky toy to a full-fledged home entertainment system. The rise in popularity of MP3s, DVD drives, and 3D sound effects in games has driven a surge in the PC audio market, and we are starting to see systems that rival even dedicated home theater systems. 

The core of any PC audio system is the sound card, of course, but the often-overlooked component is the speakers. Many gamers shell out upwards of $200 for a high-end sound card, only to pair it with low-end 3-piece speaker package. Sort of like running a GeForce3 on a monochrome monitor, don’t you think? Companies like Klipsch offer high-end speaker systems like their Pro Media v2-400, with an equally high-end price of $250, putting the system out of reach for most gamers. Logitech’s Soundman Xtrusio DSR-100 speaker system is aimed at the user that wants a 4-point high-end speaker system, but can’t afford to miss this month’s car payment to buy speakers.  Which means the rest of us.

The Xtrusio’s $180 price tag is not so painful on the wallet, while still serving up a total of 100W RMS (12W per satellites, 52W subwoofer). The DSR-100 system looks the part, too, forgoing the standard square-box-under-the-desk subwoofer, in favor of a black extruded aluminum tube that sits on end to conserve space. All of the speaker connections and major controls are nestled into a recess on the back of the subwoofer enclosure, although a wired remote is included to bring volume, front/rear fader, power button, and a headphone jack to the desktop. The satellite speakers use plastic enclosures, and follow the curved theme of the subwoofer.