Focal XS Satellite Speakers with Dock for iPod and MP3 Players Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The first set was for the music room computer. We needed great sound for listening to our performance recordings and playing with accompaniment software. Wow, fits the bill perfectly. We also connected an Airport Express with Airtunes to add music to that section of the house. There is nothing like wireless and powered speakers for getting an one hundred and fifty year old house rocking.
I was so impressed with the sound from the Focal XS that I replaced the Harman Kardon speakers on the computer in my office. It sounds like I am listening to my music for the very first time. Many speaker manufactures publish specifications; very few deliver them with clarity and presence, like Focal XS.
I would highly recommend the Focal XS to any one looking for great sound on their computer or connect it to an Airport Express and put music in any room of your house.

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Focal XS is a dynamic and powerful multimedia speaker system for your iPod, computer, and more. Three amplifiers are integrated inside the subwoofer--70W RMS for the bass, and 2 x 30W RMS for the speakers. Place the satellites on your desk, and set up the subwoofer beneath. Dial in the bass level to adapt to the room acoustics and proportions, and forget about it. Enjoy glorious sound, iPod charging, and plenty of style in jet black and anodized aluminum.

Listen to Your Computer Audio Connect Focal XS to your Mac or PC through the USB mode. Switch on XS. Listen to your favorite music from iTunes with the realism of a professional monitoring sound: definition, tonal richness, specialization, and power. And all this with extreme simplicity--no set-up, thanks to Focal's USB digital-to-analog converter.
Listen to and Charge Your iPod Choose the adapter corresponding to your iPod and put it on dock. No cable necessary; your iPod will now recharge, and you can control it with the remote control. Switch on the synchro mode at the back of the dock; your iPod automatically opens in iTunes, and the synchronization begins. Very simple.
Quality Monitoring The XS provides a great monitoring system for multimedia applications, great for "professional amateurs," sound and video lovers who work with audio software (Garage Band, Logic Studio, etc.), or solutions for video editing (iMovie, Final Cut, etc.). Definition, specialization, and low latency mean solid sound for your applications.
The Focal XS Story Two years ago, Gerard Chretien, managing director at Focal, brought a pair of Solo6 Be Professional Studio Monitors at home ($2,500/pair). He connected them to his Mac in his office and quickly realized that there was nothing on the market that could rival this listening experience. He quickly set Focal's R&D on a seemingly impossible mission: to design a 2.1 system that would sound as close as possible to the Solo6 Be … and cost no more than $600. On January 8, 2008, the final prototype was finally unveiled to the press, and the XS made its first loud footstep.
2-way Satellite Design with 2.5-Inch Mid-Range Driver Most computer systems use a single driver to reproduce both mid-range and high frequencies. The result is unrealistic-sounding vocals and loss of detail and clarity in the higher frequencies. XS remedies that by including both--a paper cone driver for the mids as well as a mylar tweeter for the sizzle.
VSC Visual Sound Coincidence Concept By elevating the satellite off the surface it sits on, early sound reflections are greatly diminished. The result is a massive improvement in clarity. Instead of bouncing back off the desk, the sound is directly going to the listener's ears.
High-End Digital-to-Analog Converter through USB Connection Most modern audio signals are stored in digital form (e.g., MP3s and CDs) andm in order to be heard through speakers, they must be converted into an analog signal. The Focal XS bypasses the computer's soundcard completely and applies its own high-end conversion with a Burr-Brown digital-to-analog converter. This brings out every little musical detail buried in the digital code.
Auxiliary Input Focal XS has an additional analog input (1/8-inch minijack at the back of the right satellite) to connect additional sources like your TV, game console, CD player, Apple TV, etc. In fact, many people use Focal XS as the main sound system in their living room.
Two-Year Warranty Focal XS is covered by a 2-year parts and labor warranty--peace of mind to accompany your great sound.
What's in the Box Focal XS Subwoofer, Focal XS Satellite Speakers, 6-foot power cable, 5-foot USB cable, 6-foot 1/8-inch mini-jack cable, magnetic remote control, user manual, iPod dock adapters

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Bose® Computer MusicMonitor® -- Silver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Notes: I don't work for Bose, and I "paid for" these speakers with AMEX credit card points.
To compare these speakers to 3-piece computer speakers makes no more sense than comparing a computer subwoofer to a high-end audio subwoofer. The only similarity is that they produce sound, with varying levels of fidelity.
I'm comparing the Bose MusicMonitor to the few very small desktop speakers that provide a decent sound. Not necessarily an accurate sound; I've heard systems in the $250,000 range that provide excellent sound -- but it is still not accurate sound. If you're expecting the full sonic equivalent of a 3-piece system, you won't find it in the MusicMonitor. You also won't find the thumpy, tubby overpowering "bass" those cheap subwoofers produce. And in home theaters, all but the very best subwoofers are often paired with infrasonic transducers which, when screwed to the bottom of the floor, can take the output frequency down to 5 Hz or so (and tickle your feet and your butt in the process).
Granted, there's not much low bass so beloved of video explosions and certain types of music. But neither is there the strident blaring that often comes from small speakers whose speakers are driven well past the point of linearity. What the MusicMonitors provide is a well-balanced sonic field I would rate similar to some professional near-field monitors. Being small speakers, they do best in near-field positions - not more than a foot or two from your ears. Still, there's enough clear volume that you can walk around a room and the music won't seem too weak. My impression is that the bass tends to rise slower (maxes out) than the rest of the audio range as volume increases. But at lower volumes there's plenty there to give a good feel of solidity to lower notes. You will not get an extreme dynamic range, but then that's not what they're designed for either.
Some studies in the '50's showed that many people didn't notice the loss of extreme bass as long as their higher harmonics were reasonably loud. I'm sure that's at least a part of what gives these little boxes a sense of weight to music. The mid-and higher ranges all seemed well executed, with none of the stridency I associate with small-diameter speakers forced to do more than their design allowed for.
I was frankly surprised at how much I enjoyed the MusicMonitor's sound. I expected something a little better than the competition; what I heard was an order of magnitude better. They sound very good at my normal listening level and if I turn the volume up for a song that deserves it, I'm not disappointed by that presentation, either.
A fair review would pit the MusicMonitor against a 2-piece speaker the same size. But as far as I can tell, there isn't one. So I'll give the speaker 5 stars based on what it does with what it has. I don't think there's a better very small speaker out there. There are bigger and cheaper ones, but they're not really the same class of speaker I'm reviewing.
The Bose MusicMonitor is an excellent close-field speaker system that produces a broad, relativley flat sound with a wide variety of music. The speakers are unobtrusive, nicely finished, and would look good on any desk. An optional carry case lets you bring them along on a trip to listen to mp3 music in your room.
So, possibly aside from the price, these are definitely 5-star speakers. They play music and audio, in a small package, with no obvious audible distortions or other significant problems. Sure, tradeoffs were made, as they always are in design and manufacturing. But Bose has clearly hit a home run with this little jewel.
If you have reservations about buying and trying one, Bose and Amazon normally have very good return policies, but be sure to check before ordering. If you're looking for something small, look to the MusicMonitor first. You'll quickly see how size, weight, number of components and sound make them an easy first audition choice. You may decide that there's no reason to go on and audit your second choice.

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The Bose® Computer MusicMonitor was developed for the growing number of people who use their computers for personal entertainment--and want accurate, detailed sound from an elegant yet unobtrusive system.
Until now, high quality desktop sound with deep, realistic low tones has come only from large speakers or a three-piece system with a bass module. Our new MusicMonitor is an alternative for serious listeners who prefer a two-piece solution offering performance, simplicity--and more desktop space.
Bose technologies make the differenceThis unexpected sound quality is made possible by combining the latest in switching amplifier technology with new, proprietary acoustic design, highly efficient neodymium speakers and Bose digital signal processing.
Together, these technologies allow the MusicMonitor to deliver accurate, full-range sound surprising for its size---ess than 5" high and only 2½" wide.
Desktop eleganceThe MusicMonitor is also pleasing to the eye, with a sturdy brushed aluminum casing. Its understated elegance fits nicely almost anywhere in your home.
Try the Bose Computer MusicMonitor for streaming audio and downloads from your laptop or PC, or movies from a portable DVD player. We think you'll find its performance hard to believe from a system this small.
What's in the box--Two MusicMonitor speakers with attached speaker cable--power cord--power pack--remote control--audio input cable--demonstration CD
Computer MusicMonitor also available in black.

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Bose® Computer MusicMonitor® -- Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I wanted a pair of computer speakers that are small, look nice, sound great and don't have a bass unit. These speakers fit the bill. The sound is amazing given the size of the speakers. I was using a JBL with a big base unit that I didn't have a good spot for and hated looking at. The Bose speakers actually sound better. They will fill a good sized room with very nice sound. I rated them 4 stars instead of 5 because I think $400 is a lot of money, but I have found nothing that sounds better for the size. And I tried out many. Highly recommended.

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The Bose Computer MusicMonitor was developed for the growing number of people who use their computers for personal entertainment--and want accurate, detailed sound from an elegant yet unobtrusive system.
Until now, high quality desktop sound with deep, realistic low tones has come only from large speakers or a three-piece system with a bass module. Our new MusicMonitor is an alternative for serious listeners who prefer a two-piece solution offering performance, simplicity--and more desktop space.
Bose technologies make the differenceThis unexpected sound quality is made possible by combining the latest in switching amplifier technology with new, proprietary acoustic design, highly efficient neodymium speakers and Bose digital signal processing.
Together, these technologies allow the MusicMonitor to deliver accurate, full-range sound surprising for its size--less than 5" high and only 2½" wide.
Desktop eleganceThe MusicMonitor is also pleasing to the eye, with a sturdy brushed aluminum casing. Its understated elegance fits nicely almost anywhere in your home.
Try the Bose Computer MusicMonitor for streaming audio and downloads from your laptop or PC, or movies from a portable DVD player. We think you'll find its performance hard to believe from a system this small.
What's in the box--Two MusicMonitor speakers with attached speaker cable--power cord--power pack--remote control--audio input cable--demonstration CD

Click here for more information about Bose® Computer MusicMonitor® -- Black

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