| | |  | Computer Accessories | Home » » Altec Lansing BXR1221 2.1 Speaker System (Black) | | | | | | | Description: | | The three-piece BXR1221 system features great bass and styling that's at home anywhere. It lets you enhance your listening enjoyment and get the full spectrum of sound. | | | Features: | |
• Compact 3-piece speaker system for laptops and desktops
• Separate subwoofer adds impact and depth
• Audio Alignment technology for balance and accuracy
• Built-in power and volume controls
• Each satellite speaker measures 2.8 x 3.7 x 4.8 inches, subwoofer measures 5 x 7.3 x 6.2 inches (WxHxD)
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 11.8 inches | | Product Width:
| 9.8 inches | | Product Height:
| 6.9 inches | | Product Weight:
| 4.5 pounds | | Package Length:
| 11.9 inches | | Package Width:
| 10.0 inches | | Package Height:
| 7.0 inches | | Package Weight:
| 4.7 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 157 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 157 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
119 of 123 found the following review helpful:
Good sound and low price, with some things to considerJul 19, 2009
By Penumbra
My laptop has XP Media Edition software, but really bad speakers. If I want to listen to anything, I need external speakers or headphones. For the price, this Altec Lansing Three-Piece Speaker System does a good job. The bottom line is good, well balanced sound for a low price.
Now the caveats:
On speakers that require an external power source, I would have expected to be able to crank up the volume a bit more. When listening to modern CDs or MP3s on my PC I can turn up the sound high enough to fill a large room without distortion, but when watching an old movie (say 1930s vintage) I can turn up the volume all the way and the dialog is barely audible. Other speakers I've used don't seem to have that issue, but they were more expensive.
This system may be compact for a shelf or desk, but it's not tiny and don't expect it to be portable. The set up is lightweight but rather bulky. The subwoofer is roughly the size of an elongated Kleenex Boutique tissue box; the satellites are approximately the size of Campbell's soup cans.
There are lots of wires, too. The right satellite, the one with the on/off and volume control knobs, has four separate wires: 1) hardwire to the other satellite, 2) hardwire to the jack that goes to the audio source (computer or MP3 player), 3) a jack to connect to the hardwire coming from the subwoofer, and 4) a jack for the wire to the AC adapter. That's a lot of wire coming out of the back of one soup can size speaker!
The wall plug is on the AC adapter. Something to consider if you are already using outlets for the PC, monitor, printer, and whatever other peripherals you need - a power strip may have multiple outlets, but this can easily use one and cover up another.
If none of these observations is a deal breaker for you, then the low price and good sound are a good value.
45 of 46 found the following review helpful:
 Lots of punch for the price and sizeJul 09, 2009
By Shelley Gammon
"Geek"
After spending big $ on Bose speakers for my computer only to have the unit die in 2 years and Bose charging so much for out of warranty repair, I'd be better off buying new ones - I vowed to never spend that kind of money again. Good thing - because I no longer have that kind of dispensable income! Enter these Altec Lansing speakers.
I like having the manual control right on the speaker if I need to suddenly turn down to hear if a phone is ringing or what the dog is barking about.
I hear no rattle when the volume is up - something you typically experience in cheap speakers. The cheap ones typically are a "you get what you pay for" experience... adequate for a small cube at work, but not much else. Not so with these little power-houses. Am I comparing these to Bose? No. These do not attempt to be in the same class as luxury end speakers. I've used a number of low-cost speakers before, however, and these are among the best I've used. I find these perform better than my JBL Duets, which tend to rattle if the volume is cranked up. The subwoofer lets you feel what you can't hear... the base that is too much for most satellite speakers is faithfully transmitted where you can feel it as much as you hear it.
For low-cost computer speakers (or even for an iPod!), the landscape is FULL of competitors - but the cheap ones are typically just that - cheap. Altec Lansing did a good job in making a set-up that's attractive, uses a small desktop footprint and has good sound that's affordable.
28 of 29 found the following review helpful:
Not Bad for a Budget Speaker SystemJun 14, 2009
By F. D. Gillett
"Comparison Shopper"
I picked these up as a temporary solution to get some sound for my PC. My decision to purchase these was primarily because of my prior experience with an Altec Lansing ASC 495 system. Not yet available at Amazon, the BX1221 speakers were purchased at Walmart for $24.95.
When I first installed these I was horrified by the muffled, muted sound that came out of them. After fiddling with the equalizer software that came with my sound card I finally hit on a setting which provided much more crispness and ok bass. Then I went to work on the equalizer and WOW settings in Windows Media player. Once all the twiddling was finsihed I was really surprised by the good sound from this little budget system.
Altec Lansing says they are compact for a crowded desktop. Small, Yes. Compact, No. Due to the long design of the desktop units they actually take up more desk space than any previous speaker I've owned. They're about six inches long so take that into account before you purchase them.
Pros:
-Darn good sound once you adjust them to your preference
-Low Price
-Adequate power
Cons:
-Volume control is a thumbwheel on top of the right speaker
-On/Off switch is a rotory dial on the back of the right speaker
-Left Speaker is connected to the right via a short speaker cord, roughly 42", not allowing for a great deal of seperation
-No seperate volume control or adjustment available for the sub-woofer
Would I buy them again under the same circumstances? Probably. If you're short on cash they're a good value. They're far from a premium system but the installation is simple; they're just plug and play right out of the box. If all you want is an upgrade from 2.0 speakers that came with your computer, you will most likely be happy with the BX1221. Once I get moved I'll be going back to my old 5.1 surround system but until then I can still listen to my tunes without cringing at the sound quality.
27 of 29 found the following review helpful:
 Inexpensive Speaker ThrowdownAug 18, 2009
By myoho guy
I had the opportunity to evaluate both these speakers and the Altec Lansing Speakers for Computers/MP3 Players with Crystal-Clear Sound (Black) side-by-side. Both speaker sets are in approximately the same price range and are about the same quality but with different styling. This set has 2 tubular satellite speakers with fixed stands and a small subwoofer. I tested this set with my laptop, tv, and iPod.
Generally, this speaker set is OK if you just want a basic upgrade from your little laptop speakers, or want some inexpensive speakers for your iPod. The sound is fair and will distort if cranked up too much. Interestingly enough, these speakers don't benefit much from the addition of the tiny subwoofer since the speaker in it is facing downwards; it's really like a regular speaker turned upside-down. Placed on a carpeted floor, the low-end (what there is of it) is lost completely. There's also an on/off rotary switch mounted on the rear of one of the satellites, and the volume control is on the top of one of the units.
The other set I evaluated,Altec Lansing Speakers for Computers/MP3 Players with Crystal-Clear Sound (Black)has a bit better sound quality, especially at low volume levels which I found to be quite useful in a workplace setting. It has a combination on/off volume control on the front of one of one its speaker units (there's no subwoofer with that set), and it also has a separate tone control.
Here's a list of the features of both speaker sets and which set I preferred for each category(I refer to them as "3-speaker" and "2-speaker"):
| Price: Both speakers are within $5 of each other at this writing = DRAW
| Controls: 2-speaker set
| Styling: I prefer the 2-speaker set, but I realize that this is very subjective and others may like the 3-speaker set. If you're looking for compactness, consider that fact that the subwoofer in the 3-speaker is pretty ineffective and thus takes up unnecessary space.
I rate these 3-1/2 stars; they're a decent inexpensive set of speakers, but they just lack a couple of features that the 2-speaker set had.
I preferred the 2-speaker set, but I encourage you to check out the other set that I evaluated and see what others have written about them and make the choice for yourself.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Great stuff for less $$$!!Dec 01, 2009
By Francisco J. Marxuach
Hi!
I got this speakers just a few hours ago and instantly after I installed them and turned computer on I noticed the difference from my older
Logitech R-20 2.1 speakers. The sound quality is way better. Top notch and crystal clear sound. I can tell when drummer is hitting the cymbal or the crash or the china. I can completely tell the bass or double bass.
Great sound for a minor price if you want a basic 2.1 with a top notch sound.
The only thing that I wish it has more power was the bass. But dont get me wrong, is great. But I personally would have liked a bit more power in the subwoofer.
Coming from someone who've had 3 pair of stereo speakers, believe me, this is the best one so far.
Totally worth every penny.
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