Hercules XPS 2.1 40 Slim Speakers Review
Up on the review block today I’ve got a rather inexpensive set of speakers from Hercules called the XPS 2.1 40 Slim. The name comes from the fact that they’re 2.1 of course, 2 speakers and a sub woofer, but also because the satellite speakers are thin and they should fit on most any desk or any other place where space is limited. The cost is about $40, and for that price they are well worth it I think, the sound is very good especially considering the price. Included is an in-line remote for volume control, but it also has a headphone jack on it and an input jack as well so you can hook up an MP3 player or whatever and use the speakers for sound from that device. So read on to learn more..
2.1 speakers with “Slim” design
* Exclusive design: refined and incredibly stylish. Beautiful, slim satellites that fit perfectly into your room’s decor.
* Total power: 32 watts RMS (2 x 8W RMS + 16W RMS).
* Peak power: 64 watts
* Each satellite features dual drivers
* Speakers are magnetically shielded so as not to disturb your surroundings
* Headphone jack and secondary line input on the remote control
* Integrated power supply
* Satellites feature a black lacquered finish
* Satellite dimensions: 23.5cm (height) x 5.8cm (width) x 7.2cm (depth)
* Subwoofer dimensions: 24cm (height) x 16.5cm (width) x 20.5cm (depth)
* 1.8 meter cable to connect to audio source
* Product meets RoHS standards
Compatible with:
-PC
-Netbook
-Mac
-MP3 player
-CD/DVD player
-TV
-Game consoles
Box contents:
-2 magnetically shielded satellite speakers
-1 subwoofer
-1 wired remote control
-Connection cable to audio source
-Warranty certificate and paper manual
So the speakers come in a box with pictures on it and spec listed.
In the box you’ll find right and left speakers along with sub woofer, remote control and a user manual.
The remote control is wired, on it you’ll find input and headphone jacks along with a large volume control knob and a power LED.
The sub woofer has a volume control on it as well so you can adjust how much bass you want manually.
The speakers are thin, there’s where the set gets it’s name. They’re cloth covered and seems well made.
On the back of the sub woofer you’ll find inputs for the speakers and the power, along with a main power switch.
On the bottom of the sub woofer is the speaker itself, and there’s four nice big feet.
There’s not much to the installation process, you hook them up as you would any other speakers really.
My setup isn’t your average setup though, I’ve got a large desk and a table next to it, so I’ve got a very large work space. I’ve got four monitors on my desk, and then my PC on the table next to me and I found the cords reached everywhere they needed to but they were a bit stretched, in other words it would be nice if they were a bit longer.
I like the little remote that comes with the speakers, it’s nice to be able to control the volume that way. I had a set of Altec Lansing speakers that had a volume control on the right speaker, but during a thunderstorm they got fried, and I missed that ability. The control for these speakers have line in and a headphone jack on them along with a blue LED indicating power, along with the volume control knob of course.
As far as sound is concerned I tested them quite a bit, I work from home so I listen to quite a bit of music while I work on my computer and these sound very good honestly.
The bass is very good from the sub woofer, I actually had to turn it down as it was vibrating my desk even with light bass style music.
The sound is full and clear, highs are crisp and clear, and lows are very low.
Yes at high volumes it does get a bit distorted, but that’s to be expected with most any speakers really, especially lower priced ones.
For movies and gaming the sound was very good as well, no complaints there.
As far as price is concerned, I checked over at Amazon and found them for $39.99, which is much lower than I expected.
So I’m very impressed with these speakers really, especially considering the price.
Conclusion:
For the price I’m truly impressed by these speakers, they actually sound very good. If I didn’t know the price I would think they cost at least two to three times more than they do.
They’re well made, and they look very good. The black color should fit in with any décor, and the speakers are nice and thin so they will not take up much space on your desk.
Pros:
+Decent sound
+Low price
+Well made and look good
Cons:
-Cords could be longer
