Hercules XPS 2.1 50 review

Gallery

Verdict:

Review Date: 19 Dec 2008

Price when reviewed: £31

Supplier: http://www.pcwb.com

Reviewed By: Alan Lu

Our Rating 3 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

Hercules' XPS 2.1 50 speakers look better than most of the budget 2.1 speaker sets we've seen.

We like the glossy black satellites, and especially the orange light surrounding the volume knob on the right satellite. The headphone and line-in sockets are also located on the right satellite, although the bass control is located on the subwoofer - which is inconvenient if you like to make frequent adjustments.

They're loud enough to annoy the neighbours and there's plenty of bass, although it's rather unfocused. We were disappointed with the muddy sounding mid-range, which can obscure finer details, such as backing instruments and vocals. The treble is a little too bright for our tastes and could be tiring to listen to over long periods.

These speakers don't sound really bad, but better sets are available for around the same price. Logitech's X-230 speakers have a much richer, more balanced and clearer sound, and more precise bass. They're a better buy and are available from www.dell.co.uk for just £30 including VAT.

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