Submerge yourself in sound with this flexible speaker system
Martin Wong
Rating: Very Good/Acceptable (3.5 of 5 mice)
High-fidelity multimedia speakers for your Mac don't have to wreck your budget: One of the latest additions to the growing number of affordable speakers, the TC-1500SP Book Amp stereo-amplifier system, will set you back only about $100. And you have few compromises to make for that price. This sound system offers impressive sound quality, great functionality, and a unique remote-control unit.
The TC-1500SP Book Amp system consists of a central amplifier and a pair of satellite speakers. One of its top advantages is its placement flexibility. You have to place the small amplifier near your computer, but you can place the speakers anywhere, as far away as the 4.5-foot-long cables allow. Best of all, you can use the infrared remote control to mute the speakers or to turn the volume up or down.
You'll find most of the main audio functions -- including controls for volume, bass, treble, balance, and microphone gain -- on the front of the 12-watt amplifier. A button also lets you switch between mono and stereo sound. On the front, you'll also find a quarter-inch microphone and headphone jacks and sound level controls you can use to prevent sound distortion. On the back of the amplifier are RCA inputs for one or two stereo sources.
The speakers have 5-inch woofers and 1-inch tweeters directed to the side. This makes the speakers especially useful for presentations, when sound should aim at the audience.
We tested the sound system in an echo-free chamber to see how consistently it could reproduce sound within the varying frequencies of the human hearing range. We found that the speakers produce strong midtones and reproduce high-range sound modestly well, but without the optional $99 subwoofer, the bass tended to be somewhat thin. Even so, the system's sound quality is on a par with that of similar speakers (see "Fast Drives, Loud Speakers," September '95, page 86).
The Bottom Line
The TC-1500SP Book Amp delivers plenty of volume and versatility for the price, and the remote control is a useful addition, especially in an office. Like most multimedia sound systems in its price range, the TC-1500SP Book Amp gives you good midrange sound, but for strong bass, you'll probably have to spend a bit more for the system's optional subwoofer.
Multimedia Labs TC-1500SP Book Amp, $129 (list). Company: Multimedia Labs, Reisterstown, MD; 800-484-5159 or 410-429-4300. Reader Service: Circle #421.
REVIEWS / speakers
A handy remote control and side-firing speakers make the Multimedia Labs TC-1500SP Book Amp sound system well suited for multimedia presentations to small groups.
