Altec Lansing MX5021 Speaker System

Impressions and Conclusions

The speakers themselves sound amazing but there is a caveat to be aware of so you can fully enjoy these speakers. The high frequency sounds are emphasized more than ‘normal’. This means that vocals and special effects carry a very clear and vivid sound image, but on the other hand if there is too much high-frequency sound occurring at the same time, the audio can get overly bright and even irritating to the ears. The key to fixing this would be to tweak the mids up slightly and the highs down. Be careful not to over adjust or you will start losing some of the definition the MX5021 does so well.

Aside from this, the speakers sound amazing. With the incredible highs and the deep bass, it is well suited for a wide variety of music, movies, and games. The satellites give you real crisp vocals, dialog, and special effects, while the subwoofer gives the extra kick needed for explosions and a strong bass line. THX certification means you can crank up your favorite tunes to very high levels without any noticeable distortion which is great for filling large spaces with sound.

There are no surround speakers with the MX5021. Try as you may, even this great sounding 2.1 speaker set can’t create a true surround environment and positional information our ears can pick up. So if true surround audio is important to you, I suggest picking up another 2 satellites to act as your surround, or look at a different package.

The Altec Lansing MX5021 is a very well designed product that combines form and function. The speakers come packed with a remote control, and handy auxiliary and headphone jacks on the controller. Best of all THX certification for a nice full sound at all volume levels. All of this is wrapped up in great looking black satellite speakers and one hefty subwoofer that you will be happy to show off at the office and at home.

The MX5021 fits the need for those of you who are looking for something that sounds as good as it looks. It’s not a boring-looking piece of equipment – it’s sleek and elegant. Since you can use the MX5021 as home theater speakers as well, you can stretch your investment by having it perform double duty by the computer and in the living room. There are some of you who will dismiss the MX5021 because it is only 2 speakers (plus a subwoofer), then it’s clear this product isn’t meant for you. The MX5021 is geared towards for those who are looking for something to fit their environment without the clutter of extra speakers and wires, and have something that sounds amazing. The MX5021 delivers clarity and pushes some deep bass when it needs to. So if you’re in the market for a better pair of speakers, then the MX5021 is worth considering because it has a lot going for it.

Pros:

• Very clear sound production with crisp highs.
• Deep bass that sounds more like a 200W than a 50W subwoofer at times.
• Easy-access controller module with headphone and auxiliary jacks.
• Infrared remote control.
• Elegant glossy black satellite speakers.
• THX certification for tight audio at high volume levels.
• Only 2 speakers – Great for those who don’t need more than that.

Cons:

• Highs can be too bright and sound a bit artificial at times. Can be tweaked through the treble control or an equalizer.
• Mids are sometimes not empasized enough. Adjust this through an equalizer.
• Only 2 speakers – A minus for those of you looking for a surround sound package. You will either want to buy a second 2.1 set or look at a different product.

Much thanks to Altec Lansing for sending up their speakers for us to review. Thanks to lidistick for the assistance.

Find some great deals on the MX5021!