Altec Lansing Expressionist-PLUS FX3021 2.1 Speaker System
From Altec Lansing Technologies
The Expressionist Plus music system is a serious performer in a small package. The stylish, adjustable satellites deliver pure, distinct full-spectrum sound from precision-engineered 2” speakers and the 5.25” space-saving desktop subwoofer fills your space with deep bass. Tuck the compact subwoofer under your desk or on your desktop. Set-up is a snap, so enjoy terrific sound from your computer, CD, DVD, or MP3 player right out of the box.
Color: Black Brand: Altec Lansing Model: FX3021 Original language: English Dimensions: 12.00" h x 11.60" w x 12.00" l, 7.00 pounds
The Altec Lansing FX3021 Expressionist PLUS provides clear, powerful sound in a sleek, modern package that looks great on any desk. This compact system, complete with subwoofer, is easy to set up and is perfect for any personal desktop or laptop computers and MP3 players. Moreover, the Expressionist PLUS is available at a price that won't break the bank. The Expressionist PLUS's sleek design complement any decor. View larger. The 5.25-inch subwoofer provides satisfying deep bass that you can feel. View larger. Big, Detailed Sound Made Simple The Expressionist™ PLUS gives you full-spectrum sound from a small package. Don't let the system's small size fool you, though. With 33 watts RMS of total continuous power, the Expressionist PLUS can fill even a large room with satisfying sound. 1. Independently control the bass output. 2. Volume controls are located on satellites. 3. Easily adjust to find audio sweet spot. 4. Use AUX IN to connect another source. The three-part system comprises two satellites and a subwoofer. The satellites use precision-engineered 2-inch drivers that offer pin-point imaging and crystal-clear sound on the high end. The 5.25-inch subwoofer delivers the deep bass that provides that good, necessary rumble for the low end. Audio Alignment Technology for Superb Accuracy and Sound The Expressionist PLUS relies on Altec Lansing's proprietary Audio Alignment™ technology to make certain that all of the speakers' components work together to deliver your music the way it is meant to be heard. Audio Alignment technology ensures the perfect balance of the three elements of the speaker system--the drivers, enclosure, and electronics--to provide a natural, uncolored, and rich sound from your speaker system. Compact, Stylish Design Puts Controls at Your Fingertips The Expressionist PLUS has a stylish, piano-black look that fits any decor, and its smart design details make operation intuitive and easy. The round subwoofer, no bigger than a small Frisbee disk, is intended to sit on the desktop. A fingertip knob on the subwoofer gives you independent control of the bass output and lets you tailor the optimum balance between sub and satellites. Mounted on an adjustable aluminum base, each satellites can be aimed to find that audio sweet spot no matter where you're sitting. Controls for the system’s power and volume are conveniently located on the speakers themselves, making adjustments just an arm's reach away. And with an added AUX IN jack, you can easily connect another source, such as a portable CD, DVD, or MP3 player, and enjoy full-spectrum music. The Altec Lansing FX3021 Expressionist PLUS is backed by a one-year warranty. What's in the Box Expressionist PLUS speaker system, 3.5-mm audio cable, power adapter, and quick connect guide.
Once again - fantastic sound, but still not perfect. As with all the Altec Lansing speakers I've owned, these have fantastic sound. And as with all of them, they didn't QUITE have the design to warrant a perfect score. I also have the BASS-fanatical speakers, Altec Lansing FX3022 Expressionist BASS 2-Way Speaker for PC and MP3 (Black), and while they don't take up as much space as 2 speakers + sub, their versatility is somewhat limited by the amount of bass that you may not always want (and it's not adjustable.) For this 3 piece set, the bass IS adjustable, which makes a profound difference depending on the range of music you listen to. (There's nothing really wrong with the bass-heavy ones...they sound great, but there are times when that much bass isn't wanted.) So, between the two, I'd go with this set. Also, an older set, Altec Lansing VS4121 2.1 Computer Speaker System, 3 piece, I would say sound roughly equivalent to these. But they're kind of an eye-sore. Again, between this set and the older set, these win out. With their great sound, adjustable bass, stylish looks, there are few reasons I wouldn't recommend buying these...but there are a couple reasons. 1. There is no headphone pass-through. I'm not sure if this is an impossible option to add despite sounding so simple, but Altec Lansing sure doesn't think it's an important option. 2. The hard-wired connection between the satellites isn't a delight...but what's more frustrating for me is that the cable between them is REALLY long... but the cable you hook to your audio device/computer connects to the subwoofer...and it's pretty short, which is odd (see #3.) 3. I'm not sure when seeing a subwoofer became stylish (this one certainly looks nice), but most people kind of stuff it away, out of sight, out of mind. You can't do that with this set. The POWER button is on top of the subwoofer (along with bass-control), and if you put the subwoofer under your desk...there's a good chance the included cable won't make it to your computer's audio out jack. 4. The satellites nor the sub are magnetically shielded. The satellites probably don't matter much (most people don't use CRT anymore, and even so, the strength of the magnet is pretty low. The sub may pose a problem if you want to put it by your computer - I would assume it's a good sized magnet that you wouldn't want constantly next to your computer. Despite this, I personally feel speakers should be judged on how well the sound as the major factor...and these sound awesome. Recommended...as close to the perfect computer speakers that you'll find on the market. ============================ UPDATE 8/16/2009: I've been using these speakers for a while now, and I wouldn't change my review of them based on sound quality. However, the power button (not-so-conveniently placed on top of the sub-woofer) doesn't power these up 100% of the time. Sometimes I need to click the button 4-5 times before the light (on the satellite speaker) comes on, denoting they're actually getting power. Not sure if others have had this problem, but it's pretty annoying. What a great sounding system! I love this speaker system because it has great sound overall and great sounding bass that can be adjusted. This system is an improvement over Altec Lansing's FX3022 Expressionist BASS 2-Way Speakers. As I wrote in my Amazon review of the FX3022s, they are for me a close second to Creative Labs' T20 speakers. In that review I rated the T20s 5 for midrange and 4 for bass on a 1-5 scale, and the FX3022s 4 for midrange and 5 for bass. Using the same standards I rate the speaker system under review at this page - the Expressionist PLUS 2.1 system - 5 for midrange and 5 for bass, meaning that to my ears they are slightly superior to the Creative Labs' T20s (which I still consider an excellent pair of speakers for the applications for which they are intended, i.e., use with PCs and MP3 players). The bottom diameter of the cone-shaped subwoofer is approximately 10 1/2 inches, the size of a dinner plate or as some reviewers have noted, a Frisbee. I doubt that too many people have that much free space on their desk, and so the sub can be placed on the floor. There are two potential problems with this that prospective buyers of this system might consider. One is that the on/off knob, which is also the sub volume knob, is atop the sub, and therefore the sub must be in a location where it is readily accessible by the user (without requiring her to go into potentially strain-causing contortions). The other potential problem is if the floor is carpeted. Because the bass speaker fires down, it's not going to sound as good firing down onto a sound-absorbing surface such as a carpet as it will when firing onto, say, a wood or tile floor. (Something else to consider is if your floor, carpeted or not, is someone else's ceiling and they might not want your subwoofer firing down in their direction.) If one does have a carpeted floor and one wishes to place the sub on the floor, one can always place a piece of tile, wood board or some other sound-reflective surface under it. My laptop desk is a standard card table with folding legs, and because it is a bit deeper than most of the desks I've used, I find that there is ample room at the back of it for the sub and the satellites. The satellite to the listener's right has an indicator light on top of it on either side of which are volume control buttons which control the volume level for the entire system. I usually turn it up as far as it will go and then adjust the volume from my computer. These volume control buttons click when pressed, and they require enough pressure that I find I must hold the satellite steady when pressing the buttons. Because of the depth of my desktop (almost 34 inches), I (who am six feet tall) have to stand up to adjust the volume, and I usually have to use two hands, one to hold the speaker and the other to push the volume up button. The volume resets itself to a very low level every time I turn off the power strip that the system is plugged into, and I usually turn that off every night. I may place the sub on the floor at some point - on top of a board or some other sound-reflective surface given that my floor is carpeted. But because my card table/desk is not against a wall, it will not be difficult for me to access the on/off sub volume control knob on the sub, whereas I think it might be difficult if the sub were on the floor beneath a desk that was right up against a wall. (I recently sprained a shoulder from getting into a contorted position beneath my daughter's sink after volunteering - duh - to do some plumbing for her and my son-in-law, and I sure as heck don't want at my age - I'll soon be 58 - to have to crawl under a desk every day in order to operate a knob on top of a sub woofer.) So I suggest that prospective buyers think about where they will place the sub on this unit before making a decision to purchase the unit. By the way, the sub is about 6 1/2 inches high. If you put it under a desk and you don't have room to get it well out of the way of your feet, you'll probably end up bumping into it with your feet a lot, because it is a bulky, though attractive (if you like a high tech look) thing. Like I said, I love this system. I don't have a problem with the logistics of sub placement, and the sound is just great. It is great for the soundtracks of streaming Netflix instant watch movies that I watch on my laptop. It is great for rock music, and great for the music I listen to the most, which is classical and a lot of opera. I'm listening to WNYC classical on the web right now, they are playing a selection by Arvo Part titled "Fratres," and the sound is awesome, truly excellent. It is an added plus that the firing direction of the satellites can be adjusted up and down, and that the satellites are light, relatively small, and unobtrusive. When I first saw them I feared they would produce tinny treble sounds but that is not the case at all, and in fact WNYC is now playing (I took a phone call since "Fratres" began) a John Cage piece called "First Construction (in metal)" performed by the Manhattan Percussion Ensemble, and there are lots of high-pitched percussive sounds in this piece, and the quality with which the satellites reproduce them is excellent, and "warm." I highly recommend this system to anyone who doesn't anticipate a problem with placing the sub in a location that will be convenient and practical for their use. Great, wonderful sound from heavy bass through midrange to treble. In terms of sound quality, Altec Lansing hit a home run with this system. Great Style and Controls, Only Okay Sound Several other reviews rave about the sound quality of this system, but I'd differ and give forewarning that these speakers look stylish and have an interesting set of volume controls (one being on the satellite speaker, then other on top of the independently controlled subwoofer), but the sound is only good, not great. In fact, if I were going for sound quality in an Altec Lansing product, I'd first consider this excellent alternative that cost only $45. If you're buying for cool looks and like direct control of the subwoofer volume, these speakers are a good purchase. If overall sound quality is a higher priority in your 2.1 speakers, however, I'd consider the above recommendation or the Harman Kardon SoundSticks II.
