Altec Lansing iML237USB ORBIT Ultra Portable USB-Powered Speaker
by Altec Lansing Technologies
Our Price: $30.45
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $25.00 (click here)
Category: CE
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: Altec Lansing TechnologiesAudio: English (Original Language)
Model: iML237/ USB Orbit
Color: Black
Product features:
- USB Powered no batteries required
- Incredible digital clarity
- Tough Design, Aluminum and composite construction
- LED Power Indicator
- Carry case
- AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to A-Female Extension Cable (3.3 Feet/1.0 Meter)
- AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to B-Male Cable (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)
- AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to A-Female Extension Cable (9.8 Feet/3.0 Meters)
- AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to Mini-B Cable (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Altec Lansing iML237USB ORBIT Ultra Portable USB-Powered Speaker
Customer Review: An Inappropriate Choice for Linux Users - Poor Sounding Too
Summary: 2 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
This review is primarily for people who use one of the Linux distributions [operating systems] on their computers but it is also meant for anyone seeking to improve the sound quality available from their computer.
When auditioning a new speaker, I generally like to listen for several hours (and through various sound sources such as a CD player, though that is not possible with this one) in order to become familiar with its sound quality before I make judgment. With this speaker, I am unwilling to do this for the reasons I explain below. So please keep that in mind when reading this - and I do hope you will read the rest of my review.
My main computer runs Ubuntu Linux v. 9.04. My netbook ASUS Eee PC 1000 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 40 GB Solid State Drive, 20 GB Eee Storage, Linux, 6 Cell Battery) Pearl White, no longer available new, runs a modified Xandros Linux operating system. In both cases, this speaker does not work as, evidently, there are no Linux-compatible drivers available for it. (The power indicator does light up but no sound can be heard.)
I'm fairly certain that someone, much more computer-savvy than I am, might possibly make this speaker work with the Linux operating system(s), but that person is not me!
And, frankly, after listening to this for about fifteen or twenty minutes through my one older computer which still runs Windows XP Home, I am not sufficiently impressed to even try to take this any further. Nor do I think any other Linux user will be either. (I will say that, as soon as I plugged it in, the Windows machine immediately recognized the speaker.)
I use that Windows machine for various purposes, one of which is playing internet radio. Though internet radio actually works better with my Ubuntu computer, there are times when I just wish to listen to some music via the web and I do not wish to activate my "main" computer. Rather than buying an internet radio (which is restricted to one portal only), I resurrected this older Windows machine (which, for a particular reason, cannot be converted to Ubuntu) and it has become my internet radio. Using a computer as your internet radio means that you are NOT restricted to just one portal; you have your choice of almost all of them or even of individual stations of your choice. (Have you tried listening to internet radio? You can try it via your current computer, as long as you have a broadband connection. It is so superior in sound quality, in "reception" quality, and in station choices from around the world, to normal AM or FM radio stations, that, for me, with the exception of our local all-news station, there is really little reason to listen to "regular" local radio anymore. [Shortwave broadcasts are another story, however!]).
I use a pair of Kinyo UC-270 portable amplified computer speakers with this Windows computer; formerly sold through Amazon by PartStore and from MCM Electronics (which is where I purchased it), these speakers sold for $3.99 - yes, you read that right! (Unfortunately they are no longer available.) Believe me, these Kinyos RUN RINGS around this Altec-Lansing Orbit speaker in sound quality, in bass, in the midrange, and in treble - in other words, in the overall smoothness of their frequency response, and even in their loudness.
The Kinyo speakers, as well as every other computer speaker system I own, are stereo whereas the Altec-Lansing iM237 Orbit is mono! Why MONO? (Even your computer's internal speakers are stereo!) Someone has written that, as the two channels are actually combined, you are hearing "combined" stereo out of one channel. Anyway you look at it, you are hearing mono. Of course, that may be acceptable to you and it probably would be to me IF the mono sound were of high quality.
However, these Altec-Lansings sound harsh - there is no other way to put it - the sound being skewed toward the treble (bass attenuated).
That is the reason for my not wishing to listen to this speaker for any longer length of time. Fifteen or twenty minutes was enough and it was back to the Kinyos! Why "torture" myself?
Therefore, not only will I not be using this speaker because it does not work with my operating system of choice (Linux), it sounds so mediocre that it is not even worth my trying to see if it could be made to work with that operating system.
Now the Kinyos I own are not large but they would be rather clumsy to take on a trip; for that purpose, the speakers I use (and which I still highly recommend) are the Sonic Impact 5009G Gen3 Portable Speakers. These are very small and travel extremely well in their hard case (which would fit in a large pocket). Plus they are also stereo and can run from several power sources - USB port on a computer, AC, or DC. In addition, they can play from any source - CD player, tape deck, computer, iPod or similar. And their sound quality is superb.
The one attribute in which the Altec-Lansing is superior to the Sonic Impacts is in its loudness. The Orbit does play LOUD. But I must mention that, last year in our hotel room, my wife cautioned me ("cautioned" is perhaps not the proper term) to turn the volume down on the Sonic Impacts. "Do you want to wake everyone in the adjoining rooms?" was one of the milder things she said to me. So, believe me, the Sonic Impacts play loud enough for any rational person in any normal-sized room and thus the Altec-Lansing's advantage in volume is minimized.
And, as you can see, the stereo Sonic Impacts sell for about half the price of the mono Altec-Lansings.
I have never tried a USB-only speaker before and I think I'll never bother with one again. They are too restricted - after all, once in a while on a trip, for example, you *MIGHT* want to also play your speaker system with a source other than a computer, or certain MP3 players which have a USB port. I do. I always take along a portable CD player and sometimes even a portable cassette player. And unless someone introduces a USB speaker system (in stereo I might add) which is indicated in the manufacturer's literature to be Linux compatible, and which features absolutely GREAT sound, I will have no interest in such products. I can't stress this last point too much to Linux users: before you buy, make certain that the manufacturer positively states that the USB speaker product you are considering is Linux-compatible.
I agree that the speaker appears to be well-made. Its construction is obviously excellent and I had no trouble fitting the cable into its recess on the bottom of the speaker. This is the third Altec-Lansing speaker I have obtained and they all feature exemplary construction quality. And the Altec Lansing Expressionist-PLUS FX3021 2.1 Speaker System remains my overall favorite of all of my computer speakers (the Altec Lansing FX2020 Expressionist Classic Speakers for PC and MP3 Players (Black) is also very, very good and, at its current price, represents excellent value for money but note that careful placement is more important than usual with this particular speaker system). Neither of these systems are good for travel, however.
So, though I have very much liked my previously obtained Altec-Lansing speakers (my prior experience with the brand was my reason for choosing this one), overall, I personally am very disappointed with this Altec-Lansing iM237 USB Orbit speaker - and I had really WANTED to like it! Frankly, as I have absolutely no use for it, it is back in its box and is now taking up permanent residence in my crawl space!
The only people to whom I could recommend considering it are those who own netbooks using the Windows operating system who wish to travel VERY lightly AND who think their netbook's internal speakers are unsatisfactory. (However, even for them, I believe the Sonic Impacts would be better.) Before purchasing it, I STRONGLY recommend that you audition it (or, even better, buy it from Amazon with its liberal return policy).
I want to mention - and emphasize - that my two-star rating is STRICTLY for my impression of the sound quality of this speaker, NOT the fact that it does not run with Linux.
It is my assessment that, due to its mediocre overall sound quality, this speaker does no credit to the Altec-Lansing name and reputation. In addition, and even more important to me, it does not seem to work with Linux operating systems. Too bad ...
Description of Altec Lansing iML237USB ORBIT Ultra Portable USB-Powered Speaker
Altec Lansing Ultra Portable USB powered speaker for laptops and netbooks, compact speaker provides 360 degree sound. Comes with carry case.Digital Cameras & Photo Categories
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