Comment Pan the Benwin Speakers (Score 2) 86
I bought a pair of these from PcMall. They aren't worth $100.. perhaps $40 (which is what I paid for my ACS-40's, which sound just as good).
Well, to be more accurate, the panels sound fine.. clear, untroubled highs with a large sweet spot. Tight high end response. For a vibrating quarter stuck to a piece of silvery styrofoam, they sound pretty decent. However, in the case of the Benewin models, they are mated with a small combo sub-midrange speaker, that has all the controls on it. Which means you can't put it on the floor like a conventional sub. You wouldn't want to -- it produces nothing close to sub-like wavelengths.. mostly muddy midrange, which is very bright. Apparently Benewin thought the mids were not being represented well, or perhaps they bought the world's cheapest crossover, but the sub, IMHO, bites.
The panels would sound good if they were a bit bigger, (to handle more of the midrange), with more power and a decent floor-sitting sub.
As for the technology of the flat panels, it's COOL.. you can make a speaker out of a ceiling tile, a picture, mouse pad, wrist rest or whatever.. but the price you pay for versatility is a clean smooth ramp from high end to mid.
Keep an eye out for several other manufacturers coming out with NXT's technology -- I believe the URL for them is http://www.nxtsound.com (may be slashdotted right now).
Well, to be more accurate, the panels sound fine.. clear, untroubled highs with a large sweet spot. Tight high end response. For a vibrating quarter stuck to a piece of silvery styrofoam, they sound pretty decent. However, in the case of the Benewin models, they are mated with a small combo sub-midrange speaker, that has all the controls on it. Which means you can't put it on the floor like a conventional sub. You wouldn't want to -- it produces nothing close to sub-like wavelengths.. mostly muddy midrange, which is very bright. Apparently Benewin thought the mids were not being represented well, or perhaps they bought the world's cheapest crossover, but the sub, IMHO, bites.
The panels would sound good if they were a bit bigger, (to handle more of the midrange), with more power and a decent floor-sitting sub.
As for the technology of the flat panels, it's COOL.. you can make a speaker out of a ceiling tile, a picture, mouse pad, wrist rest or whatever.. but the price you pay for versatility is a clean smooth ramp from high end to mid.
Keep an eye out for several other manufacturers coming out with NXT's technology -- I believe the URL for them is http://www.nxtsound.com (may be slashdotted right now).
