Unusually Altec have opted for a dual driver front
firing subwoofer design. In theory the 4 inch long throw drivers
aren't going to be much use at delivering low lows as they wouldn't
shift enough air but by using twin drivers and a tuned, ported
wooden enclosure the bass performance is actually very impressive.
Using twin drivers can actually give a 3dB boost in performance
provided they are less than one wavelength apart and are handling
the same signal.
The enclosure is wood though it has a plastic
surface finish that gives the illusion it's made from plastic.
The construction was very solid and the looks speak for themselves.
Power regulation is handled internally by the sub meaning no
wall wart or power brick to contend with.
As you can see from the rear the port is actually
quite large. It's also flared which reduces some of the raw
huff you can get with ports that lack flared ends. For such
a big diameter port it's also unusually short which will probably
impact performance to some degree. All the relevant connectors
and (unfortunately) the bass level control are also situated
here too. Standard phono connectors are used which means slightly
less flexibility should you want to extend the cables but it
does mean you always get the speaker polarity wired correctly.
I really was disappointed to see the rotary bass
level control placed on the sub. One of the great features of
the ATP range was the bass and treble controls on the satellites
so why Altec have reverted to placing it here is a mystery.
Bass level isn't a "set and forget" feature in my
book, and although most of us have some form of bass level control
through our sound cards not everyone will have, and even those
who do may soon get tired of constantly having to open the mixer
controls to tweak bass levels.
After that negative comes a positive, the line
in port! This is a feature that's very welcome and allows you
to connect just about any unamplified sound source to the system
including TVs and TV cards, CD, DVD, MP3 and MiniDisc players.
Kudos also goes to Altec for the inclusion of an AAC1 lead allowing
you to hook up your games console.
Installation :
Wiring up the system is simplicity itself and
for the newbie a clear quick installation guide is provided
which should have you up and running in no more than 10 minutes.
The satellites come with ample cable for almost any situation
so once you've decided where you want to position things you're
up and running. The colour coded connectors are of questionable
value as they all look a bit similar, particularly when your
on hands and knees in the dim light under the desk but it beats
no clues at all.
The usual procedure is to keep the satellites
at least a metre (3 foot) apart for the best stereo separation
and sound stage effects. The sub will usually be placed against
a wall or for increased bass effect in a corner. Bass frequencies
aren't absorbed by fixtures and fitting in the room the same
way higher frequencies are so placing the unit in a corner (corner
loading) allows two walls to reflect the sound waves into the
listening space rather than just one, this focuses the bass
and improves its effectiveness. Bass frequencies are not directional
so you can happily tuck the sub under a desk out of the way.
If the bass is a little overpowering you can tone it down by
moving it away from the wall or corner.
