Environmental Audio in Speakers

Creative Labs recently released their Sound Blaster Live!, by far the best sound board they have ever made. It happens that Creative also owns Cambridge SoundWorks, and the SB Live! is available complete with a five speaker system.

Cambridge Soundworks is known for quality, but who would have thought that they could have released a speaker system for $99 and still maintained that reputation untarnished?

The PCWorks FourPoint Surround system consists of 4 satellites no larger than 3" square and a powered subwoofer. Power is provided to the 2 inch drivers in the satellites at 3.5 watts via what Cambridge calls a "Bi-Amplified" system. Bi-Amplification creates high volume from small power. Retailing for around $99, this system is a fantastic bargain and a solid addition for gamers on a budget.

The subwoofer uses a 5 ¾ inch driver in a vented cabinet, creating solid bass. The woofer is rated at only 10 watts RMS, running with less power than some satellite speakers out there. The beauty of the system is that you can crank volume near max without distortion.

The rear channel speakers come with 4 m, while the other two are fitted with 3 m cables. This makes it possible to set up the system in almost any location. Mounting brackets and screws are provided so that you can attach the rear speakers to your walls if you prefer. Cambridge also included two speaker stands with the system, but they are too light and they are only two feet high.

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Playing EAX enhanced games and even using the Environmental Audio effects during normal audio playback makes for a completely new experience with the FourPointSurround&trade speakers. I loaded up Longbow II to give it a try, and then went back into the WW2 Fighters beta. The SB Live! with this setup DOES bring new life to the "immersion" cliche. LBII doesn't actually support the EAW extensions but is still a great experience with surround sound.

At first I thought it was odd that the satellites are provided power via standard speaker wire, but this allows you to place your satellites virtually anywhere you like by simply adding more wire. Volume is controlled with a floating remote; a nice feature that allows you to keep these controls handy.

The only clear technical limitation of this system comes in the high end of the spectrum. Compared to the Kenwood 701 system or the Microsoft system (almost twice the price), highs are unimpressive, more noticeable with music CDs than in gaming. And moving too far away from the speakers seems to degrade the stereo imaging qualities.

In summary, this is a quality system for the budget conscious. If price is no object you will naturally look elsewhere.