VideoLogic DigiTheatre LC 5.1 Speaker System

The Sound

Sitting back and listening to this system can only be described as a pleasure. The first listening test is generally a well known piece of music at a moderate volume level. This gives a first impression of the system-the song will either sound normal, really nice, or it will be missing something that really sticks out. The DigiTheatre system elicited surprise with the first notes. Simply put, the sound was smooth with presence in the upper mid range that is enough to sit up and pay attention to. But let us break down what the speakers can do.

Looking at the specifications, there is some indication that the speakers could be strong candidates. The signal to noise ratio is decent, if not of the highest quality, while the THD specs indicate that the amp can handle pushing the speakers without changing its tonal quality significantly. A 70 dB S/N ration indicates that the system will have some noise, or hiss, at higher volumes, but that it should not overwhelm program nuances except in situations with a large dynamic range. For a more in depth explanation of what the specifics behind the specifications are, check out the Speaker Buying Guide.

Running frequency sweeps through the individual channels reveal that they have a fairly consistent response. In addition to the LFE information encoded in the ".1" channel of Dolby Digital, the lowest frequencies of the front channels are processed through a crossover and the low pass information is sent to the sub channel as well. This extends the frequency response for stereo reproduction, as the sub is better suited to handle the longer wavelengths than the smaller satellites are.

For surround sound listening, the system is well suited to watching a movie at the normal computing area, or even spreading out a bit onto a couch with a couple of friends. The system will not shake the room, but it can carry its surround capabilities to more than one listener, while preserving its tonal quality. The center channel does a strong job of reinforcing the vocals, and distinctly localizes them to the picture even when the stereo fronts are close in to the monitor. This builds the reality of a movie by enhancing the eye to ear correlation for speaking parts. Yes, that is the whole point of surround sound, but this system gets it right, and makes for an enjoyable experience.

The only argument with the system falls with its bass response. For watching a DVD, it seems to fall a little short on the low end. The midrange is strong and consistent, with a crisp high end that maintains the listeners' attention, though some of the lower frequencies begin to get lost in the mix. Even the plastic construction does not hold back the satellite speakers; no perturbing resonant frequencies caused trouble during the tests. Though the construction could be part of what is holding the bass back, as it represents that the construction, and therefore strength, of the system was compromised on. The lower frequencies suffered as a result. When tweaked with software equalization, the amplification is not very consistent and the sub wants to distort instead of accurately reproducing loud bass. The bass quality was not consistent with the over all quality of the system.
Not everything in life is encoded for Dolby Digital, much to the disappointment of some. Even with the best surround sound system, it is still important to see how their stereo playback functionality is. The acoustics of the system continue in the situation, with a very pleasing tonal quality. Once again, the bass falls short of expectations. Though clarity and quality are both present in the stereo reproduction.

At moderate to loud volumes, the sound quality of the system holds up well. It can easily play to a small number of listeners, or just a single user, with equal quality standards at moderate listening levels. When the system is cranked up, the drivers begin to clip, which is immediately noticed in degraded program quality. The system isn't designed for a rock concert or rave-there is a sense of scale necessary in using it. It will not blow anybody out of their chair, but will give them plenty of reasons to stay there at a moderate volume.

As the volume rises in the system, it maintains its clarity to a point. Then, the lower midrange begins to get muddy, and distortion occurs there as the SPL continues to rise. As the bass goes up, the sub will also distort rather noticeably. This isn't a system for high impact gaming or intense action movies, though people that enjoy really listening to their sound will appreciate what they can do while not trying to blow out anyone's eardrums.