Audyssey Lower East Side Media Speakers review

Jason Tsay Nov 2, 2011 Follow Me Follow Me Follow Me Follow Me Follow Me Follow Me Follow Me Follow Us Accessories, Audio, Exclusive, Gadgets, Geek Culture, Okay Geek Review, Reviews

The last time we took a look at an Audyssey product was with the South of Market Audio Dock, which made a fantastic first impression and pleased us for several months following the review. This time the company is back with a set of computer speakers inspired by New York’s Lower East Side neighborhood. Will Audyssey impress us once again with these speakers?

Features

• Audyssey Smart Speaker technology
• 3.5 mm and digital optical audio inputs
• Designed for bass

Our Impressions

The Lower East Side speakers come in a bright red cardboard box with a carrying handle for easy transport. Inside, the speakers, power supply, 3.5 mm audio cable, speaker interconnect cable, and manuals are sandwiched between cardboard.

Design and Specs

Inspired by the neighborhood in New York, the Lower East Side speakers are stunningly designed. Sizing 6” deep by 5” wide by 9.3” tall (and weighing 7 pounds) they’re a little larger than your typical computer speakers but the  again, it’s only a 2.0 set (there’s no subwoofer). If you choose to hook them up to a TV, they really don’t seem so big. So what powers the Lower East Side Media Speakers? Let’s talk specs - two .75” silk-dome tweeters, two 3.5” woofers, and two 4” passive bass radiators.

The design on the Lower East Side Media speakers is relatively simple and quite timeless. The drivers are covered by black cloth griles and a red ring running around each speaker accents the otherwise blacked out matte speakers. The left speaker features the convenient volume knob, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and hidden indicator light. Concealed under the cloth, the light shines red when on standby and green when on. A sturdy metal bar is curved into a U shape stand that keeps the speakers upright. Three bands of rubber prevent them from sliding around on your desk. In other words, these speakers will be very hard to knock over.

Setup

Setup was pretty simple but involved more than your typical desktop speakers. First we took the red speaker interconnect cable and joined the two speakers together by pinching them into the rears of the speakers, then we plugged in the power supply, and 3.5 mm audio cable. Finally, we gave the volume knob a push to turn the speakers on.

Sound Quality

Sound quality is pretty amazing on these speakers, particularly in the bass department. We were truly impressed by the amount of bass this 2.0 set pumped out, but knowing this is Audyssey, we can’t also say we were shocked. By the use of a passive bass radiator, Audyssey ensures that bass is enhanced but not overpowering. Despite a thumping low end, clarity was just as stunning. Thanks to Audyssey’s Smart Speaker technology, we were able to hear detail rich, full audio through these speakers. And at high volumes (the speakers can get pretty loud!), we didn’t notice any distortion.

The Lower East Side speakers will work with pretty much anything you’ve got provided it either has a 3.5 mm audio jack or a Toslink optical jack. This includes computers, Apple TVs, Blu-ray players, game consoles, iPhones, and iPods. We weren’t able to hook up the Lower East Side Media Speakers to an Apple TV but if you own Apple’s tiny black box, you can take advantage of the AirPlay feature for watching movies or just listening to music.

Overall

Those looking for a 2.0 set of desktop speakers should look no farther than the Audyssey Lower East Side Media Speakers. No matter if the speakers are for your computer or TV, they fail to disappoint. The design alone is stunning but the second you turn them on and start cranking the tunes is when you realize how well they actually perform.

Pro’s

• impressive bass
• stylish looks
• digital and optical inputs

Con’s

• larger satellites than other speakers

Where to buy

Audyssey / Amazon — MSRP: $199.99

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This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the Lower East Side Media Speakers by Audyssey.