Teufel Concept E 200 review

Teufel's Concept E 200 comes with small, mug-sized satellites but the heavy subwoofer is huge - it's similar in size to most tower PCs. Novices will appreciate the comprehensive, illustrated manual which aids set up. Each of the satellites is interchangeable as there's no dedicated centre speaker.

Unlike most PC surround sound sets, the satellites connect to the subwoofer using speaker wire instead of phono or 3.5mm stereo cables. Speaker wire is more commonly used by home cinema surround sound kits. It's simple to connect to the spring clips on the speakers and subwoofer. Annoyingly no cable is provided in the box, although speaker cable is cheaply available from Maplin, most electronics stores and Teufel itself with prices dependent on the length required.

The subwoofer has phono audio inputs, so you'll need a phono-to-3.5mm audio adaptor to connect most computers. Again, one isn't included but is available for £3 from Maplin.co.uk. The volume, bass and treble controls are located on the front of the subwoofer and are conveniently illuminated making them easier to find and adjust under a desk or in a darkened living room.

We were greatly impressed with the sound quality of the Concept E 200 when playing movies. The full, rumbling, room-shaking bass make explosions and other dramatic audio effects sound deep and vibrant. Less dramatic sound effects and conversations sound well-balanced so that fine, subtle details and intonations that lesser speakers fail to reproduce clearly are readily apparent here. The surround sound effect is very convincing in most films with fireworks and other projectiles whizzing past our ears in time with the on-screen action, while orchestras sounded like they were almost there in the room with us.

Music also sounded equally pleasing. All genres benefited from the Concept E 200's clear, warm, rich and detailed sound. Vocals and instruments were well-balanced with no distortion or harshness.

Teufel's Concept E 200 surround sound speakers sound noticeably better than other, cheaper 5.1 sets, but they're almost as expensive as some home cinema surround sets and don't have the dedicated on-board audio decoding those speakers have. Nevertheless, if you have the budget and the room these speakers are a great buy.