| Ineo AlienVibes W601 Speaker System |  |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Audio | |
| Written by Dan McNamara | |
| Wednesday, 13 March 2013 | |
Ineo Alienvibes W601 Speaker System Review
Manufacturer: Ineo Technology Inc. Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Ineo Technology Inc. There are times when you just have to let the music roar and headphones are not an option. So what do you do? One option is a high end sound system or you could just get a couple of cheap powered speakers and attach them to your PC? Both options will work but how about a compact speaker system with great bass performance and quite a bit of power at a very decent price. Benchmark Reviews has put the Ineo Alienvibes W601 Subwoofer Speaker System (with remote control) to the test and we were impressed with how it performed. Crank up the volume and it has a big punch and wall shaking bass. This may be the sound system you are looking for. 
This system will be tested with a combination of listening to various music types, running a few specific audio tests that I downloaded from the internet, and when used to play the Crysis 3 MP Beta. Features & SpecificationsThe following information is taken from the Ineo's web site Product Features
Specifications
MP3/ WMA player
Closer Look: Alienvibes W601When you lift the Alienvibes W601 Subwoofer Speaker System box the weight is impressive. The first thing that you notice when you open the box is the size of the woofer. It is big and beefy. The two 5.25" subwoofer speakers seem to stare out at you just daring you to plug it in and crank it up.
The central control panel, amplifier and docking ports of the system are located here on the front. As you can see, the power and source controls for the unit have a nicely sized LED for levels, and the interface panel is placed on the left front side. This is where you can dock your SD/MMC cards, and USB Drives. I like that everything that you would really want to get at is right out front. This being the bass module you can technically place it where you want, but the good very good looks entice you to leave it out, front and centre. The remote control is a nice feature too. It is an IR remote, so line of sight is necessary, but it also allows you to put some distance between yourself and the unit, or jump in a comfy chair and just sit right back and let it roar.
On the back side of the case you can see the two holes that allow the bass to come blasting out the back. This is also where you will find your interface for RCA inputs and speaker connections and the Aux In. The flexibility for the sound input is a really nice feature. Although the Alienvibes W601s come with a 3.5 mm to RCA plug, you are much more liable to have a double 3.5 mm cord hanging around. So here you can hook up your MP3 players, cell phone or computer. The cooling fins remind you that there is a 160W (Peak) amplifier on board and are there to provide some serious cooling for the amplifier. Another nice feature is a positive on/off switch that allows you to make sure that the power is cut. I certainly have enough parasitic devices in my house already so it is nice to be able to ensure it is shut down.
Finally you have the two satellite speakers that look like artwork themselves. At roughly 4" x 4'' x 10" they are a good size and there is a good heft to them as well. In keeping with the exposed design the two three and one inch speakers are right out in front as well, encased in a very nice looking polished black plastic case.
The included speaker wires were about five feet long, so, if you have the space you can get a little over 10 feet separation. Testing & Results: Alienvibes W601Testing MethodologyThis was my first opportunity to test a computer sound system so I wanted to do it right. I was lucky that I was able to have a conversation with a couple of scientists at one of our national testing agencies, one of whom is an audiophile. Well I was a bit taken aback by his enthusiasm but I was able to tease out a general methodology. I used a combination of known sound signals to test the responsiveness of the system and the ability of it to move the sound around. In addition I used various types of music to see how well the system worked in the real world. Finally, as the system is supposed to be hooked up to a computer after all, I used it while participating in the Crisis 3 MP Beta, which has ended as EA is set to release it 19 Feb 2013. Test SystemJust a quick note on the test system. My reasoning was that since the system is primarily a computer system add-on I did not want to hook it up to a source with a higher output. I was more concerned with the performance of the system itself rather than that of a high end sound card. I understand that a higher quality input would produce a higher quality output, but the system below provided me a standard input for testing. HP Pavilion g6-2288ca Notebook
ResultsTo provide some objectivity to the assessment process I searched for standard audio inputs for the system. There is a very large body of articles on the internet about audio testing. At this point I did not want to be setting up a lab in my basement. Not just yet. Eventually I was able to find a website where audio test tones were available for download at audiocheck.net. I was able to select which test tones I required and proceeded to test the system. I also conducted general listening tests at this time. 
The following tests really are for the mid to upper sound range produced by the system. From my research it seems that there was a recent push to provide clearer high tones, and now the pendulum is swinging more to generate a fuller audio environment with solid midrange and lows. That is why I try to test each separately. I will cover the test and results in the order listed above. Acoustic Space. The definition I have used to define acoustic space is that the sound system will create an acoustic bubble. In this space you can move around and the sound picture will not noticeably move, allowing you to rotate your head to concentrate on aspects of the scene. So in my set up with an approximate 10 foot isosceles triangle formed by the two satellite speakers and myself I detected an approximate 2.5 to 3 foot circle describing this acoustic space. In my opinion that is pretty good for a sound system that has such a modest price, and three speaker locations. LEDRO - Overhead. LEDRO stands for Listening Environment Diagnostic Recording Test. This means that sounds are spatially rotated and you can listen to see how well you track the sound. On the Overhead test a sound is produced above your head and to the left. It travels from left to right and back again. You should be able to picture in your mind the sound moving with some precision. With the Alienvibes W601 Subwoofer Speaker System the sound was clear, and above, but the clarity of where the sound was a little weak so I rated it at 65. LEDRO - Down to Up. The down to up test provides the same audio translation. With a down up down simulation for the right and left sides. In this case the sound was quite distinct and you could form a clear picture of where it was in your mind. Score: 85. LEDRO - Left to Right. The Alienvibes W601 Subwoofer Speaker System also performed very well in this test. The sound clearly hovered to the front and translated left to right and back. Score: 85. Timber - The timbre, in my definition, is the covering the audio across the full audio band. I assessed the system using various music types: Classical, Rock (Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody), and Pop (Psy - Gangman Style). I also threw in som Diana Krall and Herbie Hancock to round out the styles represented. The Alienvibes W601 Subwoofer Speaker System is very strong in Bass and Treble reproduction. There is a distinct weakness in the mid-range, but honestly, outside of the audio sweet spot it is almost undetectable. Score: 90. Sound location Left and Right. This was a quick test. A voice is transmitted to the left or right and it was so distinct you wanted to turn your head. Score 85. Imaging Detail. Imaging detail is another very subjective test. It is easier to pick up when listening to complex music representing many instruments. Mostly this is clearer in good quality classical music. A truly remarkable sound system will allow you to almost pinpoint where every instrument is placed. In this test the W601 also did very well. The sound was reproduced very well and singular instruments could be heard in general locations. For this reason the system scored 85. Distortion. I did my very best to produce distortion in this system. Granted I only used my computer, and I am sure if I wanted to overdrive the audio inputs I could, but I was able to max out all the volume levels available and I only was able to detect distortion at the edges of the sound. Score: 90. As I mentioned above I was given access to the Crysis 3 MP Beta. The Alienvibes W601 Subwoofer Speaker System provided a full picture of the audio during the game, although it was limited to the frontal 180 degree hemisphere. When sound was coming from that direction you could clearly detect movement from left to right and up and down. And the level of audio detail generated a very positive gaming environment. I have not mentioned bass specifically yet. From the previous tests it was clear that there was a very strong bass engine under the hood, but I was stuck how to test it out. My son provided the answer: Dubstep. Although I tried out quite a few songs Brain Damage by Jomekka was my hands down favorite. After the first minute or so it jumps into a solid baseline that you really need to hear in free air, with the bass jacked all the way up and the volume blasting. The Alienvibes W601 Subwoofer Speaker System blew me away. Full volume, full base, the sound was solid without fuzz at all. There was enough air moving out of the rear ports that the curtain behind the speaker was actually moving! Speaker System Final ThoughtsThe Alienvibes W601 Speaker System is a great value for the money you pay. If you are looking to lose the headphones and experience a solid audio environment then this is a speaker system for you. It has very crisp highs, and can churn out gut shaking bass. Not only that, it is very well built and attractive. I can see this system fitting into almost any décor and yet able to create a great sound listening experience. It is definitely worth checking out.
Ineo Alienvibes W601 ConclusionThe Alienvibes W601 had solid performance across most of the audio generating environment. It has very crisp and accurate highs due to the 1 and 3 inch speakers and solid speaker construction. The bass in extremely solid. If you are looking for something to shake the room and maximize the discomfort of others in your residence this is it. Not so much when listening to classical or music that depends on the midlevel audio to create an effect, but honestly this is not why you are buying this system. It is to play games and let it rip every now and then. The Alienvibes W601 has a very modern and crisp appearance. The product sheet refers to Piano Finish and I would say that you could slip this system in as a small apartment sound system and no one would be the wiser. So a good job for the makers at Ineo. All the components of this speaker system are well made with great fit and finish. They are solidly constructed and this is reflected in the sound reproduction. There was no buzzing or popping in the system, and it performed very well across the spectrum of music tested. The Alienvibes W601 Subwoofer Speaker Systems is functions as advertised. I was able to push it in each of the realms: Audio testing, Music, and gaming. It excelled in bass reproduction. The controls are up front and easy to understand and the IR remote control brings that same ease of operation to you anywhere in sight of the unit. As of March 2013, the Ineo Alienvibes W601 speaker system is available for $149.99 (Amazon) - a very good value for money. You can use it for gaming, general music listening, and hammering the bass off the walls of your room. I think that the makes of the Alienvibes W601 Subwoofer Speaker Systems have created an excellent product, and priced it right. If I was looking for a well rounded audio system, that could meet almost all of my audio listening needs, this would be one of the final contenders for sure. Pros:
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