Maybe you recently bought a new PC with the ubiquitous two speakers supplied or some games that promise all sorts of special sound effects, which cannot be had on your current system. Enter Creative with a 5.1 surround system that’s as excellent as it is affordable. Often overlooked by end users is a good speaker system and, with today’s systems arriving with DVD and music players, to get decent audio reproduction you need good speakers.
Creative’s Inspire 5.1 5100 is an entry level system that gives the listener Dolby 5.1 surround sound when connected to Creative’s current crop of sound cards, the mainstay of most PC systems sold today.
The 5.1 5100 is neatly packaged with a user manual/quick start guide that ensures a snag free set-up. The subwoofer is a solid cube-like unit that comes with five satellite speakers; power supply and wired volume control are finished in matt black. The two front end and one centre satellite speakers are delivered with 6ft/3m cables and the two rear satellites, 13ft/4m. This amount of cabling should satisfy most end users and as there is a lot of cabling, tidy it away under carpets or tie it down.
Positioning of the speakers is important and really depends on what you are doing. Each speaker is wall mountable; speaker stands are an optional extra. The manual gives some basic set-ups but as environments vary, experimentation may be required. One thing for sure, whether it is movies or a game, going from a two-speaker to a 5.1 system is a no-return process. The effect is amazing. DVD’s really come alive as the sound is all around you and if shoot-em up games are your forte, prepare to duck and look over your shoulder every now and then. To describe the difference between stereo and 5.1 surround as immersive/dramatic is an understatement.
Technically the Subwoofer pumps out 12 Watts and the 5 specially contoured satellites, 6 Watts each. Bear in mind that the subwoofer does a lot more work when playing back DVD movies so when switching between movies and music you may want to adjust the volume on the subwoofer. Usually the subwoofer is placed on the floor and should be easily accessible. Ideally the front speakers should all be at the same height and roughly at head level. The rear speakers should be positioned slightly higher to create the surround sound environment. It is well worth the effort to position the system for optimum results and once in place, whether for music, movies or games the result is rewarding.
Creative’s Inspire 5.1 5100 is an entry-level sound system that won’t break the bank and should meet the needs of all but hardcore audiophiles. It sports a frequency response range of 44Hz to 20Khz that ensures decent output from any audio content. This system can really pump it out and setting the volume control to level three may have the neighbours knocking on your door. However it is quality not sheer volume that concerns us. Creative’s Inspire 5.1 5100 delivers but then again as the pioneers of sound for the PC, what else would you expect?
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