MonsterGame Surround Sound
By: wolves10
Monster has created a well rounded speaker system for the Xbox. Inside the box came 5 identical speakers and a subwoofer with a 6.5” driver. The speakers themselves are exactly the same with an exception of the centre channel that comes with different mounting hardware, so it can site horizontally on top of your TV, while all the others sit vertically. The cables that connect all the satellite speakers to the subwoofers have color coded plugs; therefore you can’t go wrong during the connection stage. When connecting the subwoofer to the audio from your Xbox, you are required to use a small connector that allows you to connect two male plugs together. The male connector coming from the subwoofer connects to the small adapter, which in turn connects to the analog audio coming from your Xbox. What this means is, there is actually no real Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS sound. Although monster says “5.1 System for Total surround Sound”, and “…realistic 3-D gaming”, there is actually no digital data being transferred from your Xbox to the system. They can rightfully say that it is a 5.1 system, because it is literally 5 speakers, and a subwoofer.
Despite this obvious weakness, the speaker system does accurately reproduce sound that does indeed seem to surround you during game-play. The subwoofer can push some pretty low and powerful sound, which will keep the average gamer happy during those explosions you might encounter.
System Specifications
Total Power Output: 130 Watts (65 Watts RMS)
Audio Amplifier: Integrated
Satellite Speakers:
Tweeter: 1/2" dome tweeter
Mid Range Driver: 3" magnetically shielded
Front Satellite (L&R) 10 Watts x 2
Rear Satellite (L&R) 10 Watts x 2
Center Satellite 10 Watts
Subwoofer Speaker:
6.5" long throw
Subwoofer 80 Watts
Wood Subwoofer Cabinet
Frequency Response: 40Hz to 20kHz
Speaker Cables
The speaker cables themselves are a pretty decent gauge, considering the speaker size and type. They are 16-Gauge THX certified cables that have gold plated RCA connectors on one end, and the speaker on the other. Each of the RCA cables are color coded, and are plugged into the rear of the subwoofer, which is also where the audio from your Xbox connects. The cable lengths for the front channel speakers are each 10’, and the cables on the rears are both 25’.
The Remote
The remote is nothing that you would hope to expect, it only consisting of fourteen buttons, and also relatively small. This is, however a plus because in most cases you wouldn’t even expect a wireless remote for a system like this. With the remote, you can control the master volume, centre channel volume, as well as the subwoofer volume. You can also turn the unit into standby mode, as well as change the balance of the front, back right and left audio. Although the remote does include the option to change the balance, the usability isn’t all that great. The remote itself is about 5” long, by about 1˝” wide.
Setup
The setup of the speakers is very simple, using the color coded cables, and placing the labeled speakers (on the back) in the correct locations. The setup difficulty does however increase if you choose to mount the speakers on your walls, using the included mounting hardware. The plastic brackets that are included are actually pretty stylish, and although I have not mounted them on my walls, I’m sure they would appear very stylish on any wall type. The 25’ long speaker cables on the rear channels allow plenty of breathing room when choosing a location for the speakers.
The Sound
The sound that is produced from the subwoofer does indeed appear to reach 40hz, however when the volume level has been increased to a high level, it beings to sound “Flappy”. The sound from the satellites is pretty clear and crisp, except at high volumes, the sound seems to be a little bit muffled, and the distortion level rises. I don’t know about you, but for me, when I’m listening at high volume levels, having the audio sound very crisp, is very important. This being said, the system does actually display some pretty good sound at medium volume levels, but when you get into the extremes, there is definitely some un-desired distortion.
Design
The speakers have a nice green mesh that covers the 3” magnetically shielded driver. The ˝” tweeter is visible at the top of the speaker; however it has a little bit of a plastic grille that protects it. The speaker has a small port at the bottom that releases air pressure build-up when the drivers are at high volumes. The speakers themselves are very symmetrical, with the exception of the centre channel, because it, in most cases is turned on its side, and the top and bottom of the speaker aren’t exactly alike. If you choose not to wall mount, then the speakers have a small stand, than is used to ensure that the speaker stands upright, and keep them at a bit of an angle. The centre channel speaker has its own stand that lets it sit correctly, when placed in a horizontal position.
Conclusion
This speaker system is definitely ideal for an average gamer, however if you are expecting to hear that enemy creeping up behind you in ghost recon, these speakers are not for you. Remember there is no Digital surround sound in any way, it is simply just left and right audio being spread amongst 5 satellite speakers and 1 subwoofer. Although you will not be experiencing true Dolby Digital sound, you can expect to be surrounded by sound. The bass will accurately reproduce low frequencies, however only to some extent. Once it gets to a certain point, the subwoofer will begin to sound “flappy”. Overall, I give the system a 6.5/10 because of the lack of Dolby Digital 5.1, and the hard to control balance on the remote.
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