We don’t bring products into the Lab just to beat them up, so we almost didn’t bite when Genius pitched these speakers. We also try not to prejudge products, but we didn’t have high expectations for this 2.1-channel speaker system: It looks cheesier than a wedge of Vermont cheddar and sells online for less than 50 bucks. We were fully prepared for a craptastic audio experience. Wow, were we ever off base.
Logitech’s Z-5500 5.1-channel speaker system was legendary for its beefy amp and beastly subwoofer, its plethora of optical and digital input options, and its ability to decode popular surround-sound codecs. The 5.1-channel Z906 speaker system taking its place at the top of Logitech’s audio lineup is every bit its equal.
Corsair blew our minds with its first speaker-building effort: The 2.1-channel SP2500 rocked hard. Now the company is back with a scaled-down system, the SP2200. This 2.1-channel set offers smaller and fewer drivers driven by a less-powerful amp. It also lacks the fancy tethered control module, but it’s $150 cheaper than its sibling. Can Corsair wow us again?When all you need is stereo
With all the focus on surround-sound home-theater systems these days, good ol’ fashioned stereo is all too often forgotten. Boston Acoustics aims to refocus your attention with the compact, affordable, and innovative SoundWare XS 2.1.
