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News: Tom Morello stars in Guitar Hero III
Activision has announced that Tom Morello, from Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, will guest star as a boss character in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Click here to read the article.
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Monster Surround Sound Gaming System 5.1
If there is one thing that every single Xbox owner should have, it's a surround sound system. Xbox was made to have the best sound out of any of the next generation consoles (GameCube and PlayStation 2). Most games, 90% +, are presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and if you don't have the proper set up then you won't be able to enjoy it.
Trust me on this one, when you go the 5.1 route, you will never look back! Before, I would play with my TV speakers... though they aren't that bad; they don't compare to surround sound. I hooked up the Monster speakers and of course popped in Halo. The game booted and then it happened... I became a believer, I saw the light... I was changed forever!
I kept on hearing how surround sound really makes you enjoy your Xbox experience more but I didn't think it would be such a huge boost in enjoyment. Boy was I wrong. Immediately I was immersed in Halo... hearing my fellow marines coming up behind me, shouting orders and taking and giving heavy fire. From the left I heard the Covenant approaching and from the right I heard a grenade explode. I couldn't believe my ears! I almost got killed because the incredible and beautiful sound that was coming out of the speakers distracted me. I just wanted to sit there and listen... forget about playing and just sit and listen.
Well now that my little story is out of the way. Let me tell you about these speakers and surround sound in general. 5.1 surround sound stands for 5 speakers (2 front, 1 center, and 2 back) and 1 subwoofer ... 5.1. This is the best way to experience games. You will actually feel like you are in the game.
These speakers come with a mid-range driver and a tweeter on each speaker for better acoustic range.... in english terms... better sound quality. The total combined power of this system is 130 watts. The subwoofer has a 6.5' long throw driver housed in a bass-enhancing wood cabinet for superior bass. You'll feel every explosion, bomb, crash, etc.
With your system you will also receive a wireless remote control that allows you to turn on/off the system, adjust the volume to all the speakers at the same time, or individually increase or decrease the volume of each speaker or subwoofer. Along with the remote, you will get 5 speaker stands and 3 swivel wall brackets. Of course to set up your system, you need cables. This system comes with THX-Certified speakers manufactured by Monster, which are gold plated for the best sound quality possible.
In case you are wondering how big the speakers and the subwoofer are, here are the dimensions. The speakers are all the same size: 3.5" x 6.25" x 5.5" while the subwoofer is
14" x 7.5" x 12.75" And the cable lengths are as follow: 10 ft long each for the front left, center, and front right speakers, while the rear left and right speakers have 25 ft of cable each.
The overall design of the system is very nice. The speakers and subwoofer are black with green fronts to match the Xbox theme. The speaker design is sleek and won't be a bother to arrange. The base is finished with a nice shine to the wood with volume controls on the front. Very nice design from the folks at Monster.
Overall, the sound quality is amazing! The set up was extremely easy. I was up and running in 10 minutes. The speakers are lightweight so they won't crack your head if they fall on you. I was very satisfied with these speakers. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is that next time... add more watts. Sure 130 watts is probably more than you need, but just knowing you have more ... say 350 + is satisfying. So to Monster I say this, if you update these speakers... make sure to put in at least 300 watts. But hey, that's just me... maybe you will be completely satisfied by the wattage. Congratulations Monster on a job well done!
Overall Score = 9.5/10
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