Creative Inspire T3030 2.1 Speaker System ( 51MF0315AA002 )
by Creative
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List Price: Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Creative Inspire T3030 2.1 Speaker System ( 51MF0315AA002 )
Customer Review: Wow! And that's an overstatement
Summary: 3 Stars
I decided to ignore other reviewers' comments about these speakers missing mid-range and being a "one-note boom box". Besides, I was getting them free with the super-saver shipping and the $30 Amazon VISA credit. So I can't and shouldn't complain since I didn't pay a penny for these. I just needed a set of speakers for my computer since my wife stole the CD bookshelf system I had been using.
When I said "Wow" in the title, I was referring to my amazement that this system comes with midranges that can't even reach below about 400Hz and a sub that can't go above around 150Hz. That's roughly the octave or two starting somewhere around middle C and going down. There's almost no coverage at all in that part of the sound spectrum. It's like each of the satellite speakers has two tweeters.
Now, if you don't understand what it means to be missing out on midrange, it's like listening to music with a terrible need for your ears to pop. In fact, several times, I've caught myself trying to yawn so that they would pop, only to realize quickly that they didn't need it.
I've never considered myself an audiophile, so I didn't expect to be too unimpressed with these, knowing that some reviewers had some misgivings about them. But listening to these makes my spine shrivel and my neck hairs stand on end.
I gave them three stars, however, and that's because if you turn them up loud enough (without turning up the bass too much), you don't notice the missing midrange as much. It's just that you usually don't want to be blasted out of your seat when you get an email or open Quicken.
On the plus side, the sub is actually fairly good for what it is. Now, I've never thought a 5.25" sub could sound good at all, but I'm blasting it right now with some upbeat Enya songs and it actually performs fairly well. It chokes a bit on Bard Dance, but my Home Theater sound system is the only one I've heard that doesn't.
In short, free is a fair price to pay for these.
Customer Review: Get Creative Gigaworks T20 Instead
Summary: 3 Stars
Creative is such a good computer speaker company, they deserve a lot of credit.
These are not my favorite speakers, though. The tweeter is good...Accoustic guitar or mandolin sounds as if someone is sitting right on my desk playing. The bass is pretty good, although sometimes a bit muffled on higher volume.
But the midrange seems off. Often the high range sounds good, the bass is fine, but the vocals in the mid-range get lost in it all.
The bass unit is medium sized, but it still takes up extra space. So I put it under my desk. BUT, the only volume control is attached by a cord to the bass unit. So I have to reach under the desk to turn it up or down. This is very inconvenient (in a "What were they thinking?" sort of way).
Overall, the system has trouble bringing the high end, bass and mid-range together in a coherent way.
Creative has what I feel is a much better product in the Gigaworks T20. The sound is spectacular, and the bass is built into the same unit as the tweeter and midrange. In particular, the bass shaft extends vertically up along the speaker and opens at the top. So there's no need for a separate third unit for bass. Sounds great in all ranges, has bass and volume controls on the speaker, looks good.
Given the choice betwen the T20 or this T3030 system, definitely go for the T20.
Customer Review: Creative Inspire T3030, are SOOO GOOD...!
Summary: 5 Stars
I just discovered a GREAT web site called MyspaceTV (Google it...!)- Here you can watch/listen to ALL your favorite live Music Concerts, Home | Animals | Comedy | Film | Games | Music | Sports...!
I did not enjoy them very much, due to my lousy speakers! I decided to upgrade?!-
I HAD supposedly high-end DELL speakers, which were good enough for normal computing, ONLY "not so good" treble & base!- while viewing MyspaceTV!- NO midrange (I LOVE midrange!)! I decided to upgrade!
I read "review after review", on OTHER speaker systems (costing MUCH more!), and most complained about poor quality midrange...!
Then I read "MOSTLY" RAVE reviews on the T3030!- they talked about how AWESOME the treble, midrange, and base were!
The price was right...!, so I decided to give them a try?-
The reviews were correct!- So good, that it "knocked my socks off"! I can't see how they get such "BIG SOUND", from relatively small speakers (my home stereo system- is an 18" JVC...!- No not as good (never heard one better!), but GREAT for computing...!))?!
BUY THEM, YOU WON'T BE SORRY!
Customer Review: Something's missing
Summary: 3 Stars
I like to have music in my office at work, and I have a door i can close. I don't need something loud, but I just couldn't stand the 1/2" speakers on the laptop. So, I just bought these. The last time I bought speakers for work, it was a set of Harman Kardon HK-595 speakers (another 2.1 speaker set-up) which has a subwoofer which is big enough for me to use as a laser printer stand. I got fired two days later.
So, I decided to get something a bit smaller. The speakers are attractive, the subwoofer is reasonably sized. The high frequency drivers are OK without being overly impressive, and the midrange is nice. However, there is a huge hole in the upper bass and lower midrange. The subwoofer is a one note boom box. I easily bottomed out the sub without too much volume, which wouldn't happen with a better speaker. I'm going to return them this evening and buy something else.
Subsequently, I bought a refurbished set of Altec Lansing ADA995 speakers, a THX certified 5.1 set up which was made for Dell Computers. They cost about twice as much and have about 200 watts of power with two 6-1/2" woofers. Well, I'm looking for a job again!!
Customer Review: Beware Cheap 1/8 Female Audio Jacks will ruin Sound Quality.
Summary: 1 Stars
Beware of the Creative Inspire T3030,
the 1/8" Female Audio Jacks (Remote Control / Subwoofer)
are made of extremely cheap components leading
to bad contact between them and the male jack.
This translates to poor audio quality,
(with significant low & high frequency loss)
It is a shame that what appeared to be a
well designed 2.1 speaker system ended
up ruined and sounding slightly better than cheap 5 dollar speakers
due to extremely low quality Female Audio Jacks
If you already bought it and you get
powerful & clean deep bass at level 2-4 on the bass dial,
then you have a good unit, but if you have to raise bass to
level 4 and above to get some average bass response
then more likely than not, you have a damaged female jack
on the backside of the subwoofer.
It is easy to damage it by just plugging / unplugging your subwoofer to clean it.
I know this because I bought two T3030 systems due to their low price.
Do yourselves a favor and stay away from the T3030,
you've been warned....