Teufel Concept B 200 USB review

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Verdict:

Teufel’s Concept B 200 speakers have excellent sound quality, but the price is steep.

Review Date: 17 Feb 2010

Price when reviewed: £178

Supplier: http://www.teufel.eu

Reviewed By: Alan Lu

Our Rating 3 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

Teufel’s Concept B 200 speakers are taller and deeper than any of the other 2.0 speakers we’ve seen, but they’re still compact so they won’t take up much space on your desk. Unusually, the amplifier isn’t built into the speakers themselves but is contained in a separate box, the Control Station CB 200 CS. It’s around the size of an external hard disk or hardback book - Teufel suggests stashing it underneath your monitor.

Both speakers connect to the Control Station which is then connected to your computer using either USB or a standard 3.5mm stereo cable. There are also phono inputs so you could connect other devices, such as a games console. When connected via USB, the Control Station can also be used as a two port USB hub for your computer. We noticed little difference in sound quality when the speakers were connected using USB instead of a 3.5mm cable, but it could be useful replacement for a faulty, aging or poor quality integrated sound chip. Front mounted knobs allow the bass, treble and volume to be easily adjusted.

We were pleasantly surprised by the rich and detailed midrange sounds produced by the Concept B 200 speakers, which made listening to jazz, blues and electronic music particularly pleasurable. High frequencies can sound a little harsh, although this is only really noticeable at very loud, deafening volumes and can be compensated for, to some extent, by using the treble knob on the Control Station. The bass was surprisingly deep for a 2.0 set so most bass-heavy tracks sound pleasing, although it can’t match the more precise, thumping bass of a good quality 2.1 set.

Teufel’s Concept B 200 speakers sound great, which we suspect is probably due, at least in part, to its separate, external amplifier. However, it’s difficult to recommend a 2.0 set of speakers that cost nearly £180 - almost as much as Teufel’s own 5.1 surround sound speakers. As good as they are the Concept B 200 is a very hard purchase to justify.

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