Alienware HUB Docking Sound System - Testing and conclusion
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So now the fun part, the listening. With features like the SRS and the TruBass, I couldn’t wait to put it through its paces.
To be honest, I was a little disappointed in the sound I got out of the HUB. I have a collection of music on my iPod for all occasions, so I started with something to test out their TruBass functionality. After a full minute of Planet Rock, it became obvious that the bass capabilities of this beast just weren’t all that great.
Disappointed, I flipped through the tracks to the opposite side of the spectrum. The knob marked "Focus" seemed to act as a glorified treble knob. It took some massaging until Axel Rose actually sounded decent belting out “Sweet Child of Mine.”
Next on the playlist was a little something more recent, but I found myself playing with the Focus and TruBass knobs again until Nickelback sounded good.
The SRS knob added a cool 3d effect to the music, but ONLY if I stayed right in front of the unit. If I moved to either side, the music would start to sound a little off. But I guess that is to be expected with the speakers so close together. To be honest, this unit would probably sound best sitting on a bookcase shelf, surrounded on all sides to give the best sound.
And now, as always, let's take a look at the ups and downs for this unit.
Ups:
- Cool design (it –IS- Alienware!)
- Can be used with batteries or power cable
- Remote control for volume, SRS, and Mute
- Really low price ($45 at the time of this writing, with $20 rebate)
Downs:
- Top dock only good for Alienware player. No other adapters available.
- Sound only good right in front of unit
- Audio adjustment knobs near the back of the unit
- Headphone jack also near back of unit
To be honest, I am disappointed in the HUB. I love how it looks, and in just coolness factor, it definitely deserves a 10. But a better subwoofer and interchangeable docks (the current one comes right out, for god's sake, it's soooo close!) would have gone a long way to make this product better. Moving the audio adjustments to the front of the unit would have been helpful as well.
With all of that being said, I feel compelled to give the Alienware HUB Docking Sound System a score of 4 on a scale of 1-10. At a price of $25 after rebates, they aren’t a bad deal, but don’t let the Alienware brand fool you into believing these speakers are any better than they are.
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