Pros: Excellent sound for a workplace desktop or a small bedroom.
Cons: Bass doesn't linger, control placement.
The bottom line: A good solution for desktop computer digital audio that should be standard with all entry-level computers.
DESIGN

The Altec Lansing BX1120 system features four pieces. The first is the powered subwoofer which is a wooden cubical cabinet - 7.9 in. x 7.9 in. x 8 in.
The subwoofer has an AC plug in its backside (without a grounding pin) and has the system’s power switch there as well.

Parts two and three are the speakers themselves. Both measure
4.4 in. x 4 in. x 7.9 in. The left hand speaker has volume, bass and treble knobs as well as a headphone-out 3.5 mm jack and an auxiliary line-in jack.
The main speaker also has a green colored 3.5 mm plug (to the output of the PC tower or similarly equipped device) .

Part four is a cradle specifically designed for the current 30GB Ipod. Basically, it’s a plastic stand with minimal weight and feel – thin plastic.


Connecting

Installation is simple. You merely unwrap the components and place them on your desk as desired – with the subwoofer on the floor. The speakers are already connected so all you need to do is connect the main speaker to the subwoofer and then plug the subwoofer into the AC outlet. Plug the inputinto your computer’s sound card or output and you’re ready to rock.
Installation took me 2 minutes.

Sound and Control

For speakers of this size you don’t really expect to rock a room larger than a bedroom but, fortunately, Altec Lansing makes excellent products and when turned way up, the sound image is loud and clear.
When the system volume is turned 50% up, your ears quickly adjust to the highs and the lows allowing the music to have a rich natural sound without having to be loud.
At 100%, the subwoofer’s initial impact is strong but it loses its deep lingering rumble. When listening to bassy HipHop the *thump* and *bump* of the subwoofer is not the lingering *booooom* you’d desire after hearing much more powerful subs, but, it is perfect for most types of music. Jazz and Rock sound

The system’s total power is only about 30 Watts RMS, but, it is great for a situation where you need high volumes but don’t want to disturb adjacent rooms. They make a very nice setup for an office desk – very stylish when combined with a black flat panel monitor.

I purchased these speakers to use in my classroom so that I could show movies on the computers and have enough volume to get over the chatter of restless students. Because of their simplistic design, they can be moved from one computer to the next without much trouble and can easily be stored in a closet during vacations.


The only disappointments I had with this set are disappointments common to devices in this price range.

#1 The on/off switch is located in back of the subwoofer itself which would most likely be place on the floor or behind a PC desk – making it awkward to get to. They could have placed a button on the front instead to make accessing it easier.
Even more intelligent – place it on the main speaker which will be closest to the worker’s hands.
#2 The speakers don’t come with suction cups or friction stops to keep them from being easily knocked around on the desk. They weigh less than a pound so disturbing them is easier than it should be.

#3 The knobs on the main speaker are placed a little too closely. Combined with the fact they are a bit fat, it can be a bit hard to turn them when you want to quickly raise or lower the volume (or the bass/treble).

The line-in AUX jack is nice to have so you can quickly plug in your mp3 players and the headphone jack might come in handy if you need to switch to more private listening.

For Walmart’s $25 retail price, this is a great system. In fact, it would be nice if this system came with all entry level computers instead of those cheapo un-powered speakers that most companies issue just to prove the sound card works out of the box.

I’m happy with the purchase and glad they work so well in my classroom.