As a media maniac, sound has become a very important aspect of my life when it comes to using my computer to play games, watch videos, or just listen to music. Since receiving a new PC, I had been stuck with generic Dell Speakers. One day, I just decided I needed something with a little more power. A little more oomph, so to speak. I decided to “Test Drive” two new speaker sets, one, Cyber Acoustics 2.1 Speaker System, reasonably priced at $20 and the other, Logitech X-240 Speakers, a little more expensive at $40. With these two speakers systems, do you get what you pay for? Lets weigh in on the pros and cons to find out.
Cyber Acoustics 2.1 Flat-Panel Speaker System
The main selling point of the system is the price. At a mere $20 at most retailers, it is very tempting to get the 2 speaker, one sub-woofer, Cyber Acoustic speaker system. The speakers are very small, along with the sub-woofer. Setting the system up is a breeze. You simply plug it into an outlet, and plug it into your computer, simple as that. But how do they perform?
Immediately, I realized I had made the wrong choice. The vocals were bland and sounded like they were being sung in a wooden room, the key sign when you know you bought cheap speakers. The sub-woofer was lack-luster. There was almost no power coming from it at all. Worse than that, the only control you had over the system was the volume dial. There was no separate leveler for the sub-woofer, something that is sorely needed. The actual music and sound effects coming out of the Cyber Acoustics system were drowned out, and not sharp at all. To add to the insult, there is no headphone jack on the speakers, which is unacceptable. Really disappointing as I had read many good reviews about this system online.
With that being said, I cannot recommend the Cyber Acoustic 2.1 Flat Panel Speaker system to anyone. It sounds bad, and in this case, you really get what you paid for. It is a cheap system for a cheap price.
Logitech X-240 Speakers
The Logitech set is your standard 2.1 speaker system with one change; it has an MP3 stow-away cradle which allows you to play the music on your MP3 player straight through the speakers. This is a very, very nice feature for someone as myself because it means I don’t have to keep all of my music on the computer itself, and I can choose the song I want much easier. It is a very nice feature for Logitech to put on mid level speakers.
The sound on the X-240s is much, much sharper than that of the Cyber Acoustics. The vocals are at the perfect level, and each instrument or beat is distinguishable from another. The sub-woofer is bigger, more powerful, and controllable. It has its own separate dial for adding more bass, or taking it away whenever you please. For playing games or watching movies, it is perfect. Speech comes in very nicely and explosions sound great. I think the speakers could still be a little sharper than they are now, but that is just a pet peeve of mine, and shouldn’t deter anyone from getting the Logitech X-240 Speakers. At an average of $40, its the system is a steal.
Final Verdict
The Cyber Acoustic system is tempting for the price, but you definitely do not get the bang for the buck. The Logitech X-240 Speakers are a nice set for those who want an affordable, small, 2.1 speaker system, and I highly recommend them over the Cyber Acoustic brand.
