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Altec Lansing Octane 7 Speakers Review
Jason Tsay
Isn’t it interesting how the usual packaged-in desktop speakers you usually get with your computer never seem to be loud enough? That being said, finding the right speakers to accompany your Youtube and pirated music and movie watching habits can be a bit of a task. But after getting our hands on the Altec Lansing Octane 7 speakers you may not have to look any further.
Altec Lansing Octane 7 VS4621 Speakers
Features
- Four 1” high-frequency micro drivers
- Two 3” mid-bass drivers
- One 6.5” side-firing subwoofer
- System Response: 40 Hz - 15 kHz (-10 dB)
- Sound Pressure Level: 95 dB
- Total Continuous Power: 28 Watts RMS
Review
The Octane 7 speakers come in a sizeable box, packed in with not much aside from the speakers, a couple of cables, and a plain manual, all bundled up with a ton of plastic – and we do mean a lot of plastic. Setup was simple enough. Both satellites connect to the subwoofer, as well as the audio input and power cables.
Design-wise, the Octane 7’s are quite unique and actually look pretty cool. A combination of glossy and matte plastic is blended together for the subwoofer and satellites alike. Mesh covers the flattened cylinders atop flaring cones on each satellite. The right satellite features three protruding knobs, which let you adjust volume, treble, and bass (in order from top to bottom). Turning the volume knob all the way to “0” will power off the speakers. There is also an aux jack directly below these toggles. Power is indicated by a flat orange LED under the gold Altec Lansing logo mounted near the bottom of the mesh area. The subwoofer is an extremely simple matte black box with a central driver and a smaller opening in the lower right corner. The larger driver is not covered up, making the paper circle highly vulnerable to the outside world (If this part rips, the subwoofer is pretty much dead).
We’d have to say bass on this set of speakers is tremendous due to a massive, 6.5” driver powered subwoofer. On the underside of each satellite, you will find a 3” driver, which supposedly enhances the sound by firing bass directly downwards. Upon impact with a hard surface, the soundwaves should bounce out through gaps carved in the base. Highs are projected clearly through four 1” drivers, two to a satellite. In actual listening, we highly recommend toying around with the treble and bass knobs for some time until you find the right balance for your music taste. Dialing the bass knob overboard will muffle the treble while cranking up the highs will make the speakers sound weak. Despite this, keeping both knobs at 50% is not the optimal setting for all types of music.
Overall
Priced under $80, the Altec Lansing Octane 7’s represent a tremendous value in computer speaker world. Two nicely designed speakers won’t take up too much space on your desk, producing those clear highs while a meaty subwoofer provides the real oomph below. Of course, if you aren’t a big fan of the whole 2.1 speaker scheme, you can always check out our review of the Altec Lansing Expressionist Bass.
Pro’s
- Stylish design
- Thumping bass
- Value
Con’s
- 2.1 isn’t everyone’s cup of tea
- Unprotected subwoofer driver
Price: $79.95
Where to buy them: Altec Lansing Amazon
Photos
This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the Octane 7 Speakers by Altec Lansing.
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