"Bill Riel" wrote in message
t...
In article ,
says...
Just installed a set of Altec Lansing VS4221:
http://www.alteclansing.com/product_...asp?pID=VS4221

These are great for desk space, but have the usual problem of minature
satellites: hollow miidrange.
From what I've read, this is an endemic defect. The Logitechs,
considered by
some the best in this category, receive similar complaints.
Does anyone know of anything that does better, while using little desk
space?

I'm afraid that I don't have an answer for you - I think that all
computer speakers are going to suffer in the midrange. However, the
computer speakers that I liked the best were some planars made by
Monsoon Audio (sadly now out of business).

They were a couple of small planars and a subwoofer - they had a pretty
narrow sweet spot, but were wonderfully transparent. The only way to get
those now would be used though.

Now that I think of it, probably the best way to get good midrange would
be to just go with some powered monitors rather than 'computer'
speakers.

You're right, of course. The killer here is desk space. It is complete
filled by four 21" Wega flat screen monitors. There simply is no place for
conventional speakers. unless I place them 18" above ear level, at an
impinging angle of 30 degrees. This I consider unacceptable.

To illustrate the compromise of which you speak, I have now received an
Altec Lansing 4221 set,
http://www.alteclansing.com/product_...asp?pID=VS4221. These speakers
have a hinge joint that can be adusted to make them flat agains the
monitors. The conical dome containing the midrange fits just underneath the
monitors. How do they sound? Remarkable, considering the compactness of the
form factor, or not very good at all. For a second computer I have just
ordered the MX5021,
http://www.alteclansing.com/product_...asp?pID=MX5021 set, which is a
more conventional approach, but has THX certification.

I will post a comparison to the group.