Altec Lansing 251
By: Ben
Altec Lansing’s 251 gaming theatre is a cheap alternative to those expensive home theatre systems, but it might not be the surround sound you want.
Design: These speakers are very well designed. The sleek and compact design allows for these speakers to fit into almost any gaming setup. Four of the speakers are completely identical, and the fifth one has all the volume controls (volume, rear volume, and center volume). The subwoofer has a bass level control, and has a switch for 6 channel (full surround) to 2/4 channel (simulated surround). This is the perfect setup for someone with limited space, and who doesn’t have(or able to afford) a receiver.
Technical: -60 Watts Total Continuous Power RMS (2x6.5 W/Front; 2x7.2 W/Rear; 7.6 W/Center; 25 W/Sub)
-90 Watts Total Peak Power
-Deep-Bass, Compact Subwoofer
-6-Speaker Surround
-Performance Drivers
-Built-In Controls
-Headphone Jack
-Distinctive, All-Decor Styling
-Total Connectivity
-Dual Mode Selector
-Color-Coded Cables
-Shielded Satellites
The main downside I found with the speakers is you cannot get true 5.1, only dual-stereo (same sound on the front and back speakers). This should be good enough for the average gamer, but some of the hardcore gamers want the ultra experience. This does not mean that you cannot get true surround sound, you just cannot on Xbox, but if you hook these up to your PC, you will have glorious true surround sound.
The sound is very crisp and full, but often sounds a little too strong on the treble. The other thing that could have made these speakers better is a remote control. It’s a pain to have to walk up to the speakers every time you want to turn the volume up.
Setup: These speakers are very easy to set up. All of the plugs are colour coded, and all the speaker wires are already connected. All of the speakers are wall mountable, but for those of you who do not want to do that, you can use the angled speaker stands and have then sit on tables beside of behind your couch.
To hook these speakers up to your Xbox, you have to use the 1/8”>Stereo L+R plug. You will also have to make sure the switch on the back of the subwoofer is set to 2/4 channel, so you get audio from all the speakers.
Overall: These speakers are perfect for people with limited space or money, but if you are an audiophile, look elsewhere.
Score: 8/10
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