ALTEC LANSING MX5021


QUESTION: Is it worth getting better speaker connect wire than the pairs
that were shipped with the unit? For example, Monster Cable that is
shielded.


SPEAKER CONNECTIONS: http://www.atruereview.com/alteclansing/14.jpg

FULL REVIEW: http://www.atruereview.com/alteclansing/index.php





SPECS:

a.. Sound Pressure Level (SPL): 103dB
b.. Total continuous power: 100 Watts RMS
c.. System response: 30 Hz – 22 kHz (-10dB)
d.. Signal to noise ratio @ 1hHz input: 80dB
SATELLITE SPEAKERS:

a.. Drivers (per satellite): one 1" horn-loaded tweeter and two 3"
full-range drivers
a.. Power: 25 Watts per channel @ 5.8 ohms @ 10% THD @ 150 – 18000 Hz 2
channels loaded
a.. Dimensions: 5.2" (132mm) (W) x 2.5" (63mm) (D) x 10.2" (260mm) (H)

Pat wrote:

ALTEC LANSING MX5021

QUESTION: Is it worth getting better speaker connect wire than the pairs
that were shipped with the unit? For example, Monster Cable that is
shielded.

Shielded speaker wire is ( almost always ) irrelevant.

SPEAKER CONNECTIONS: http://www.atruereview.com/alteclansing/14.jpg

FULL REVIEW: http://www.atruereview.com/alteclansing/index.php


Hmmm - a computer speaker made in China ! Thought as much. The Altec Lansing
brand is not what is was.

Don't waste your money on what is an irrelevant frippery for even most really
good speakers never mind crap like this.

Branded 'Upgrade cables' are for the most part a great way to separate ppl
from their money mainly.


Graham

"Pooh Bear" wrote in message
...
Pat wrote:

ALTEC LANSING MX5021

QUESTION: Is it worth getting better speaker connect wire than the
pairs
that were shipped with the unit? For example, Monster Cable that is
shielded.

Shielded speaker wire is ( almost always ) irrelevant.

SPEAKER CONNECTIONS: http://www.atruereview.com/alteclansing/14.jpg

FULL REVIEW: http://www.atruereview.com/alteclansing/index.php


Hmmm - a computer speaker made in China ! Thought as much. The Altec
Lansing
brand is not what is was.

Don't waste your money on what is an irrelevant frippery for even most
really
good speakers never mind crap like this.

Branded 'Upgrade cables' are for the most part a great way to separate ppl
from their money mainly.


Graham


Actually I have a set of AL speakers connected to my computer. They are not
as bad as you might think. In fact they are quite accurate within the power
range and FR. My 3 way set cost all of $30 and I got them just for desktop
use but I am impressed everytime I listen to them. But mine have cables
permanately attached with molded plugs

Carl

On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 21:10:49 GMT, "Pat" wrote:

ALTEC LANSING MX5021


QUESTION: Is it worth getting better speaker connect wire than the pairs
that were shipped with the unit? For example, Monster Cable that is
shielded.

Not really, unless you're considering long cable runs. Which, as
presumably you will be listening while seated at your computer, you
won't :-)

Certainly you don't need shielded cable. A heavier cable might make
a TINY difference. Use what you would buy as a mains power
extension, no need for overpriced "audiophile" rubbish.

"Pat" wrote ...
ALTEC LANSING MX5021
QUESTION: Is it worth getting better speaker connect
wire than the pairs that were shipped with the unit? For
example, Monster Cable that is shielded.

No.

"Name-brand" (aka. "boutique" or "snake-oil") speaker cables
are a marketing gimick and are designed for maximum sales price.

Shielded cables are not only irrelevant to speaker levels, but in
some cases even harmful as they present additional capacitive
load to the amplifier. This causes some amplifiers to become
unstable and even damaged.

a.. Drivers (per satellite): one 1" horn-loaded tweeter

The dimensions of the enclosure prevent the "horn" from
being effective at most audible freqencies.

and two 3" full-range drivers

A "3 inch driver" is not "full-range" by any conventional
definition. Maybe a high mid-range at best.

a.. Power: 25 Watts per channel @ 5.8 ohms @ 10% THD

Most modest-priced conventional audio equipment has distortion
figures 100 to 1000 times less than that. You have to wonder why
anyone would even publish such damning numbers.

@ 150 - 18000 Hz 2 channels loaded
a.. Dimensions: 5.2" (132mm) (W) x 2.5" (63mm) (D) x
10.2" (260mm) (H)

These are plastic toy speakers. Nothing wrong with that if
it is all you need or can afford or can fit next to your computer
monitor. I have a few pair of them in places (on computers,
etc), but they are not even close to being accurate in any
sense of the concept.

Trying to "dude up" such speaker systems with fancy cable is
pointless and evokes the term "polishing a turd".

If you are using them to play MP3s or sound effects from your
computer game, they are likely just fine. But don't try to do
any critical listening (or mixing, etc.) with them.

The name "Altec Lansing" was purchased by a far-east trading
company for marketing purposes. It has no relationship to the
former respected US audio products company.

Hi Richard,

These are PC speakers.




"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...
"Pat" wrote ...
ALTEC LANSING MX5021
QUESTION: Is it worth getting better speaker connect
wire than the pairs that were shipped with the unit? For
example, Monster Cable that is shielded.

No.

"Name-brand" (aka. "boutique" or "snake-oil") speaker cables
are a marketing gimick and are designed for maximum sales price.

Shielded cables are not only irrelevant to speaker levels, but in
some cases even harmful as they present additional capacitive
load to the amplifier. This causes some amplifiers to become
unstable and even damaged.

a.. Drivers (per satellite): one 1" horn-loaded tweeter

The dimensions of the enclosure prevent the "horn" from
being effective at most audible freqencies.

and two 3" full-range drivers

A "3 inch driver" is not "full-range" by any conventional
definition. Maybe a high mid-range at best.

a.. Power: 25 Watts per channel @ 5.8 ohms @ 10% THD

Most modest-priced conventional audio equipment has distortion
figures 100 to 1000 times less than that. You have to wonder why
anyone would even publish such damning numbers.

@ 150 - 18000 Hz 2 channels loaded
a.. Dimensions: 5.2" (132mm) (W) x 2.5" (63mm) (D) x
10.2" (260mm) (H)

These are plastic toy speakers. Nothing wrong with that if
it is all you need or can afford or can fit next to your computer
monitor. I have a few pair of them in places (on computers,
etc), but they are not even close to being accurate in any
sense of the concept.

Trying to "dude up" such speaker systems with fancy cable is
pointless and evokes the term "polishing a turd".

If you are using them to play MP3s or sound effects from your
computer game, they are likely just fine. But don't try to do
any critical listening (or mixing, etc.) with them.

The name "Altec Lansing" was purchased by a far-east trading
company for marketing purposes. It has no relationship to the
former respected US audio products company.

"Pat" wrote ...
Hi Richard,
These are PC speakers.

Yes they are. And all the more reason that wiring them with
boutique cable is futile and wasteful.

We seem to have come to accept that "PC speakers" are supposed
to be plastic, high-distortion, narrow bandwidth little toys.
Oh well. Some of us still remember what good speakers are.
And some of us actually hook up "real" speakers to our PCs. It
really works! Try it! You might be amazed! :-)

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...
We seem to have come to accept that "PC speakers" are supposed
to be plastic, high-distortion, narrow bandwidth little toys.
Oh well. Some of us still remember what good speakers are.
And some of us actually hook up "real" speakers to our PCs. It
really works! Try it! You might be amazed! :-)


Hi Richard,

I will not deny that I could use better PC speakers. I have several thousand
dollars in Stereo equipment in my living room and I use that for listening
to music. I just wanted something better than your basic el cheapo PC
speakers so I narrowed things down to these $150 Altec Lansings and the $150
Klipsch 2.1. The Altec sounded damn good for the money. There is a slight
hiss with these speakers using my crappy Soundblaster Live card. Many people
have reported similar hiss concerns. The two fixes that were quoted to
resolve the hiss a

(1) Better sound card
(2) Better speaker wire

I haven't done new speaker wire yet, but I have purchased M-Audio's
Audiophile 2496 PCI sound card, but its not installed right now. I haven't
read a single bad review of it online, including newsgroups and forums. That
should put outs a cleaner signal. Also, I'm sure a finer pair of speakers
would be in more sensitive to crappy PC noise. There Creative Labs cards can
generate audible hiss and distortion, both in and out.

Thanks for your help.

On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 22:53:06 GMT, "Pat" wrote:

speakers so I narrowed things down to these $150 Altec Lansings and the $150
Klipsch 2.1. The Altec sounded damn good for the money. There is a slight
hiss with these speakers using my crappy Soundblaster Live card. Many people
have reported similar hiss concerns. The two fixes that were quoted to
resolve the hiss a

(1) Better sound card
(2) Better speaker wire

"Speaker wire" would normally be understood as the wire carrying a
speaker-level signal to a passive speaker. Are you talking about a
wire carrying a line-level signal to an amplifier (maybe within a
speaker box)?

A Soundblaster Live isn't THAT crappy. If you're getting serious hiss
it may be because levels are mismatched.

"Pat" wrote ...
There is a slight hiss with these speakers using my crappy
Soundblaster Live card. Many people have reported similar
hiss concerns. The two fixes that were quoted to resolve the
hiss a

(1) Better sound card

Absolutely.

(2) Better speaker wire

Unbelievable. There is no technical basis for this theory.
I dare you to actually try it in a double-blind test and see
if you hear any differernce whatsoever. There is absolutely
nothing that speaker cable can do for "hiss".

"Pat" wrote ...
I will not deny that I could use better PC speakers. I have
several thousand dollars in Stereo equipment in my living
room and I use that for listening to music.

Then it amazes me that you can even stand to listen to anything
marketed as a "computer speaker".

I just wanted something better than your basic el cheapo PC
speakers so I narrowed things down to these $150 Altec Lansings
and the $150 Klipsch 2.1. The Altec sounded damn good for the
money.

How about a pair of "real" powered near-field monitors? At
least they ATTEMPT to have some sort of audio integrity.

I have yet to hear anything labeled "computer speaker" that
sounded much better than a cheap plastic radio. (Or a Bose
"wave radio" with an artificial hump to make you think it has
a real low end.)

"Laurence Payne" wrote in message
...
"Speaker wire" would normally be understood as the wire carrying a
speaker-level signal to a passive speaker. Are you talking about a
wire carrying a line-level signal to an amplifier (maybe within a
speaker box)?


(1) The Audio Card puts out a line level output using a cable with mini
connectors. For example, what you would find for a connector on the Audigy 2
or SB Line. It provides line level input to your speaker. You can buy cheap
ones (e.g. Radio Shack) or go Monster Cable.

(2) The speaker wire is what the name implies. Wire from the amp to
speakers. For example, I could buy a spool of Monster Cable speaker XP wire
and terminate it with their mini pin plugs that press into the satellite
speakers.

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...

(2) Better speaker wire

Unbelievable. There is no technical basis for this theory.
I dare you to actually try it in a double-blind test and see
if you hear any differernce whatsoever. There is absolutely
nothing that speaker cable can do for "hiss".


How about lamp cord? g

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...

How about a pair of "real" powered near-field monitors? At
least they ATTEMPT to have some sort of audio integrity.

I have yet to hear anything labeled "computer speaker" that
sounded much better than a cheap plastic radio. (Or a Bose
"wave radio" with an artificial hump to make you think it has
a real low end.)


Richard,

I guess it comes down to money and where you want to spend it.

I would these for critical listening in my living room, but not to hear:
YOU'VE GOT MAIL on my PC.

http://www.wilsonaudio.com/products/...ppy/index.html

"Pat" wrote in message
news:qhE5d.3506$r%4.1137@trndny05...

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...

(2) Better speaker wire

Unbelievable. There is no technical basis for this theory.
I dare you to actually try it in a double-blind test and see
if you hear any differernce whatsoever. There is absolutely
nothing that speaker cable can do for "hiss".


How about lamp cord? g

There is nothing that "ANY* kind of wire can do for "hiss"

OTOH, lamp cord is commonly used for speaker cabling.

But for a "1-inch horn and two 3-inch midrange speakers",
the miniature lamp/zip cord that came with it is likely
sufficient to cary the very modest power without detectable
loss.

"Pat" wrote in message
news:FkE5d.6665$XC.1502@trndny08...

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...

How about a pair of "real" powered near-field monitors? At
least they ATTEMPT to have some sort of audio integrity.

I have yet to hear anything labeled "computer speaker" that
sounded much better than a cheap plastic radio. (Or a Bose
"wave radio" with an artificial hump to make you think it has
a real low end.)


Richard,

I guess it comes down to money and where you want to spend it.

Agreed. But i still think you can put a pair of "real" speakers
on a computer for what those ~$150 plastic toys cost.

I agree with the spirit of your message. However, if you have powered
computer speakers with particularly high gain, and speaker wires
routed very close to data cables, there could be some pickup with
badly shielded stuff.


"Richard Crowley" wrote in message ...


Unbelievable. There is no technical basis for this theory.
I dare you to actually try it in a double-blind test and see
if you hear any differernce whatsoever. There is absolutely
nothing that speaker cable can do for "hiss".

Pat wrote:

Hi Richard,

I will not deny that I could use better PC speakers. I have several thousand
dollars in Stereo equipment in my living room and I use that for listening
to music. I just wanted something better than your basic el cheapo PC
speakers so I narrowed things down to these $150 Altec Lansings and the $150
Klipsch 2.1. The Altec sounded damn good for the money. There is a slight
hiss with these speakers using my crappy Soundblaster Live card. Many people
have reported similar hiss concerns. The two fixes that were quoted to
resolve the hiss a

(1) Better sound card
(2) Better speaker wire

Speaker wire doesn't affect 'hiss'. The hiss is generated by active circuitry (
just as possibly an indifferent amplifier in the plastic boxes as the sound card
).

Cables don't hiss. Anyone suggesting that cables will improve hiss to you is a
plain idiot with zero knowledge of the facts..

Graham

Richard Crowley wrote:

"Pat" wrote in message
news:FkE5d.6665$XC.1502@trndny08...

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...

How about a pair of "real" powered near-field monitors? At
least they ATTEMPT to have some sort of audio integrity.

I have yet to hear anything labeled "computer speaker" that
sounded much better than a cheap plastic radio. (Or a Bose
"wave radio" with an artificial hump to make you think it has
a real low end.)


Richard,

I guess it comes down to money and where you want to spend it.

Agreed. But i still think you can put a pair of "real" speakers
on a computer for what those ~$150 plastic toys cost.

If you bought 'end of line stock' from richersounds.co.uk here, you
would likely get something pretty fantastic in comparison.


Graham

"Earl R. Satz" wrote ...
I agree with the spirit of your message. However, if you have powered
computer speakers with particularly high gain, and speaker wires
routed very close to data cables, there could be some pickup with
badly shielded stuff.

We already established (at least for the purposes of this discussion)
that "speaker cable" refers to the low-impedance, unshielded wiring
between the output of the power amplifier and the speaker drivers.

I have not heard of any "speaker level" signal that was susceptible
to picking up any kind of external interference. Some have reported
picking up radio/TV broadcast signals when they live very close to
the transmitting antenna(s). But even this is frequently RFI leaking
into the line-level wiring, and not the speaker cables.

"Pooh Bear" wrote in message
...

Cables don't hiss. Anyone suggesting that cables will improve hiss to you
is a
plain idiot with zero knowledge of the facts..


What are the facts? That cables can not affect sound, hiss or otherwise.

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...

Richard,

I guess it comes down to money and where you want to spend it.

Agreed. But i still think you can put a pair of "real" speakers
on a computer for what those ~$150 plastic toys cost.


Just fine for job!

Pat wrote:

"Pooh Bear" wrote in message
...

Cables don't hiss. Anyone suggesting that cables will improve hiss to you
is a
plain idiot with zero knowledge of the facts..

What are the facts? That cables can not affect sound, hiss or otherwise.

I said they don't hiss. Inappropriate use of certain cable types can influence
the sound in some situations ( various possibilities according to application
).

*Hiss* is noise introduced by amplification stages for the most part ( where it
wasn't originally there on the recording ). Since cable doesn't have gain it
doesn't hiss. That's the simple explanation. If you need the full one - a
degree course in electronics is advised.


Graham

Perhaps, Richard, you have not established all you think you have.
The original poster cites, "computer speakers," and may well be
referring to powered speakers? I'm not sure that anyone here, in
their rush to debunk things well worth debunking, has taken the
original poster's true situation into consideration. Of course, I
could be wrong. I could even be,

E. R. Satz


"Richard Crowley" wrote in message ...

We already established (at least for the purposes of this discussion)
that "speaker cable" refers to the low-impedance, unshielded wiring
between the output of the power amplifier and the speaker drivers.

I have not heard of any "speaker level" signal that was susceptible
to picking up any kind of external interference. Some have reported
picking up radio/TV broadcast signals when they live very close to
the transmitting antenna(s). But even this is frequently RFI leaking
into the line-level wiring, and not the speaker cables.

"Earl R. Satz" wrote ...
Perhaps, Richard, you have not established all you think you have.
The original poster cites, "computer speakers," and may well be
referring to powered speakers? I'm not sure that anyone here, in
their rush to debunk things well worth debunking, has taken the
original poster's true situation into consideration. Of course, I
could be wrong. I could even be,

Go back and read the entire thread. It speaks for itself. We are
*not* talking about the shielded line-level wiring (where everyone
agrees that interference is a threat). We are talking about the
low-impedance, high-level, unshileded speaker wiring. We
already established that care must be taken with line level wiring.
But I have never seen credible evidence of speaker-level interference.

"Pat" wrote ...
What are the facts? That cables can not affect sound, hiss or otherwise.

Hiss is a product of active circuitry (tubes, transistors). Passive wiring
cannot cause hiss (or reduce it). Anyone who claims otherwise is more
insterested in tricking you into giving them money.

On Mon, 27 Sep 2004 01:54:05 +0100, Pooh Bear
wrote:

Pat wrote:

Hi Richard,

I will not deny that I could use better PC speakers. I have several thousand
dollars in Stereo equipment in my living room and I use that for listening
to music. I just wanted something better than your basic el cheapo PC
speakers so I narrowed things down to these $150 Altec Lansings and the $150
Klipsch 2.1. The Altec sounded damn good for the money. There is a slight
hiss with these speakers using my crappy Soundblaster Live card. Many people
have reported similar hiss concerns. The two fixes that were quoted to
resolve the hiss a

(1) Better sound card
(2) Better speaker wire

Speaker wire doesn't affect 'hiss'. The hiss is generated by active circuitry (
just as possibly an indifferent amplifier in the plastic boxes as the sound card
).

Cables don't hiss. Anyone suggesting that cables will improve hiss to you is a
plain idiot with zero knowledge of the facts..

Cables *could* improve (decrease) hiss with enough capacitance! :-)

But, yes, they OP does not have a clue in this department and will
soon be parted with the rest of his money.

Per.

I did go back and read the thread. It seems to me that "Pat" is
posting about Altec powered computer speakers, which connect to the
sound card at line level. Please show me if I missed something.

Also, just FYI, Altec is fully US owned. Altec OWNS a large factory
outside of Hong Kong, where PCB's and some of their drivers are made,
and final assembly is done. All engineering development remains in
Milford, PA. There was a refinancing transaction with the Company
earlier this year, but no substantive change in ownership.

E. R. Satz.

***There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those that understand
binary, and those that don't.***


"Richard Crowley" wrote in message ...


Go back and read the entire thread. It speaks for itself. We are
*not* talking about the shielded line-level wiring (where everyone
agrees that interference is a threat). We are talking about the
low-impedance, high-level, unshileded speaker wiring. We
already established that care must be taken with line level wiring.
But I have never seen credible evidence of speaker-level interference.