ATX-5820 Manufactuerd by Labtec Retail Price $160 Frequency Response: 25Hz - 20kHz Satellite Power: 13W+13W Subwoofer Power: 44W

Labtec has always had a good reputation for 2-piece speaker systems. With the recent introduction of the ATX-5820 system, they are set to acquire a similar reputation for their 3-piece systems as well. First of all, this model is virtually identical to their APX-4620 model. The only major difference is the inclusion of virtual Dolby Surround mode in the later model. The subwoofer is a squat, black, cubical 44W RMS unit, flanked by the two white satellites, which are designed to be mounted on either side of your monitor using double-sided tape and brackets. All controls are located on one satellite: these consist of volume control, bass and treble controls, 3D specialization control and balance control, as well as headphone and microphone jacks. 

Installation is fairly easy with color-coded wiring and a fairly detailed manual. No software this time, either, since this isn’t a USB system. As you know, the satellites can be mounted on either side of your monitor, but we kept them about four feet apart instead by general aesthetic consensus. Meanwhile, how did it sound?

Well, as the testing went on, we began to realize that these speakers were indeed very very good for their estimated street price of $160. All the music CDs sounded excellent, and movie dialogue was as crisp and clear as any movie fanatic could demand. Stereo imaging was very good, with well-balanced mid-range frequencies and no distortion at higher volumes. These speakers are quite ideal for a music listener with a decent budget, and as for the gamer, these speakers produce the best room-filling 3D sensation from both EAX and A3D, much better than that bulky and aging MicroWorks system. (See how fickle reviewers are?) 
 

What’s more, especially at higher volumes, A3D 2.0 on Half-Life sounded extremely good. As for the virtual Dolby Surround mode- well, it’s better than most virtual surround sound environments out there, but still nowhere near the real thing. Though these speakers lack something of the depth and power of the Bose Acoustimass system, at $160 you get every cent that you pay for with this system.  Without a doubt, we can recommend this system for a gamer, especially one who has just spent all his money on a brand-new graphics card or processor.