The Altec Lansing VS4121BLK Computer Speakers Review

Buying speakers for your computer isn't all that complicated. There are quite a lot of good computer speakers in the market. Some are really cheap like those generic 2-piece speaker sets but some are set up like a home theater sound system for your computer which costs quite lot of money. I recently shopped around and looked for an upgrade for my old speakers. But before I set out to buy one, I researched a bit on the internet and looked for an appropriate speaker for my computer. I don't really need those elaborate sound systems since I just play music, video games and occasionally some movies. I'm not really into chest-pounding and house-rocking bass. I also do not prefer crystal clear satellites that are so clear you'll understand the words of a song from the next corner down the street. I have my computer in a medium-sized room and I do not need ultra high-powered speakers.

So, I did a little research and I found the Altec Lansing VS4121BLK speakers. Performance and feature-wise, it looks good on paper and ideal for me and my computer so I set out to buy one. Off the box and the specifications sheet, the VS4121 boasts a total of 31 watts RMS. The front speakers are 6 watts each and the subwoofer has a power of 19 watts. Each satellite has 2 small tweeters and a 3-inch mid-range speaker that is firing downwards. Then, we have the 6.5-inch long-throw woofer.

Physically, it has a simple design. The subwoofer has a basic rectangular shape and as for the two satellites, the tweeters are at the front and the mid-range speaker is facing downwards. This is one of the features that the VS4121 boasts. The down-firing mid-range which evenly distributes the sound through the surface it's standing on. By the way, the original color of the VS4121 is silver. The VS4121BLK is especially made to commemorate Altec's Lansing's 70 years.

The woofer box is quite big, for me anyway, since it did not fit where my old speaker's woofer was. The interface is convenient since all controls are found on one of the satellites. It includes the power, volume, bass and treble. It also has a jack in that same satellite for a headphone or earphone which is really comfortably placed at the bottom right. You don't have to go behind your computer and replace the audio plug if you want to listen quietly using an earphone.

Let's talk about the performance of the speakers. When it comes to music, I'm awed by the clarity of the satellites. Compared to my previous speakers from Creative and another one from Altec, the voices are much clearer and more understandable. It doesn't break even at very high frequencies. The bass is solid and does not crack. It has a really powerful kick and at mid-volume as it is able to pound my chest. I actually tried to play at 3/4 volume and my ears can't take it. Just be mindful of your neighbors when playing.

The same goes for PC games. Sound effects have a good output with this speaker especially car and gun sounds. Just like playing music, video game voices are really clear. And before I forget, watching movies is a charm. You really can sit back and enjoy watching your favorite DVD and high-definition video files. The speaker actually does what it boasts since even at a distance, you can actually notice that the sounds are distributed evenly throughout the room. Well, it is probably because of its placement in our hallway but nonetheless it's really a pleasure to listen to.

But what I observed is that the satellites, with its numerous speakers, can overpower the bass a bit in the sense that if you play loudly, there's an uneven balance between the treble and bass. The bass can't complement the voices and high frequency sounds. If you bring down the treble, it may not sound good anymore. Well, it may actually depend on what you're playing but still it's good.

Since I'm on a budget, I looked around different shops and asked for their prices and I got a really good deal from this computer shop. Their price for the VS4121 is 3,100 pesos or roughly $70.50. The most expensive VS4121 I found was 3,800 pesos which is around $86.40. It also came with a 1-year warranty. Not bad. $15 is more than enough for me to last a week at work.

Altec Lansing has quite a name in the computer sound systems market and so far, the speakers that I've tested and heard from some of my family and friends were really good. Even the cheapest ones sound really appealing. If you want a really good computer speaker in your room for easy music listening, video games and movies, I would really recommend the Altec Lansing VS4121BLK. I have no regrets at all in buying it.

Source:
VS4121 Spec Sheet
http://www.alteclansing.com/ae/us/computer-speakers/vs4121blk/invt/vs4121blk/#tabanchor