Philips MMS305 Speaker Review - Philips MMS305 Speaker Review Cont'd
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Company: Philips
Product: MMS305 Multi-Channel Flat Panel PC Speaker System
Price: $150.00
Reviewed: February, 2002
Performance: I tested these speakers using my Philips Acoustic Edge Sound Card, in my AMD XP 1700+ box. I figured what better way to challenge Philips speakers than with their own top of the line sound card.
It took me a little while to get used to these speakers. Getting them in the right positions to maximize sound quality, and messing with the bass/treble/fade. But after that, all I can say is that these speakers rock performed unbelievably well.
The surround effects were amazing whether it was hearing gunfire behind you, or the rockets screaming past you, I was blown away by the realism. I tried them out in several games and also with various mp3’s and cd’s to see what they could do. I definitely dig the w00x*
w00x technology: wOOx™ Bass Driver Technology © New!
Philips' patented bass driver design provides rich deep bass from a deceptively small enclosure. Composed of a unique dual suspension design, wOOx™ bass technology delivers more dynamic bass and sound effects for gamers and music lovers alike.
Enabling the wOOx makes a huge difference. Many other “bass enhancement” tools I’ve heard in other systems make the sound hollow, the wOOx just amplified clean bass. In games especially there is a whole level of sound that you do not get without the w00x on. Even at high volumes I did not notice distortion caused by the wOOx, it makes me wonder why anyone would ever turn the w00x off.
I was most impressed with these speakers in games. I tried them out in Kingpin, Red Alert and Quake III. All the games sounded great, but Quake III was definitely the best. They handle simultaneous sounds very well, the music, background noise, footsteps and different weapons all sounded crystal clear and meshed well.
Music from CDs and MP3’s sounds accurate and smooth. I wouldn’t say the bass is earth shattering, but definitely respectable. These things can hang at low and high volumes.
Even with the volume maxed, I didn’t hear any distortion, everything was still sounding crystal clear. I did, a couple times, with the volume close to the top, hear a random crackling sound, but I would say I heard it maybe three times in the several days that I was testing them, so maybe it was just a fluke, when I tried to make it do it, I could not.
The volume level does not go high enough to rock the house, but they do produce a decent amount of sound, enough to piss off the roommates and parents, but not the neighbors.
Conclusion: Overall, this is a very good speaker system especially for the price. You would be hard pressed to find another flat panel system of this quality for the price. The speakers look great set up on my desk, and the system takes up very little room if space is at a premium. The sound quality is impressive, always smooth in every application, and the w00x is especially impressive while gaming with lots of action. The remote is a great feature, however, guard it with your life since it is your only means to control things.
These speakers are not what I would call a complete home audio solution like that Kilpsh Pro Media’s, but then they aren’t designed to be. If your looking for crisp, clean sound from your PC that enhances the gaming experience, these speakers are right up your alley. If you’re one that likes to use your PC as a primary tune source for giant beer bashes, well, you may be better off looking elsewhere. Overall I’d say I’m impressed at the package for the price.
I am extremely disappointed that there are no control options on the speakers themselves. While I love the remote dearly, I don’t like that it’s my only option to control these. I can understand that they would have been hard pressed to place them within a satellite speaker, but to have included some kind of control in the sub enclosure would have been a very welcome touch.
Pros:
Very compact, takes up little space.
Versatility in setting up speakers.
Great sound in all ranges.
Cons:
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