| Ineo Alienvibes W401 Speaker System |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Audio | |
| Written by Dan McNamara | |
| Tuesday, 12 March 2013 | |
Ineo Alienvibes W401 Speaker System Review
Manufacturer: Ineo Technology Inc. Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Ineo Technology Inc. Are you looking to hang up the headphones for a while and experience the freedom and openness of your computer audio through a speaker system? Well, if good looks, performance and a really good price interest you the Alienvibes W401 2.2 Channel Subwoofer PC Speaker System may be the perfect fit for you. Benchmark Reviews has obtained a sample and put it through its paces. The Alienvibes W401 2.2 Chanel PC Speaker System by Ineo Technology is a really nicely designed speaker system for a PC user. It is compact, but does produce a very satisfying sound environment. It has a decent amount of amplification to allow you to easily listen to any type of music, get right into video games and even enjoy a movie. The speaker system generated a full bodied sound. You really can hear the crispness of the highs and the bass tones are enough that you can feel them through the table. This system will be tested using 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. 
Product Features
Specifications
Closer Look: Alienvibes W401The Alienvibes W401 Speaker system has a striking contemporary look will fit into any décor from your private office to your living room. The cabinetry is a nice glossy black, and the wood portions add a bit of class to the whole set-up. It is compact enough to be set on a shelf, or desk, and yet leave enough room for your computer peripherals.
From the front you can tell that a lot of thought was put into making the system look like an expensive piece of furniture. The layout of the speakers and controls seem well balanced. The eye easily flows across the unit from one end to the other. The Alienvibes W401 Speaker system consists of three major units, the bass module, and the two satellite speakers. This unit is not shy about displaying the business end of the system. Right out front are the two 4 inch woofers letting you know that you can let the bass rip. Underneath the speakers are the major controls for Bass, Volume and Treble. There is a very sharp, blue, LED light around the centre dial, not only is it a great eye catcher, it also makes it is easy to find the volume in the darkness. 
On the rear of the bass module you will find the input, output and a power switch so you can make sure that the system is off when you are finished. The input cable is supplied with the speaker system, and consists of a 3.5 mm jack and left/right RCA jacks. Using the same connection you can play audio from your PC, MP3 player, and iPod. Also included are the speaker cables which have RCA jacks on them as well. Set up is extremely easy pull the system from the box, hook up the three modules and plug it in. You are ready to rock.
The speakers that are supplied with the Alienvibes W401 are stunning. The 3 inch speakers are proudly on display set into glossy black plastic front panel let you know that there you are in for some sweet high notes from this system. I can confirm that both the W401 and the W601 came with the same satellite speakers, so don't worry about overloading them with this set up. The speakers come with a little over 4 feet of cable so you can separate the satellites by about 8 feet, which increases the audio sweet-spot. This is important when you are sharing your music, or watching a video with others. Testing & Results: Alienvibes W401Testing MethodologyI am still working on my testing regime for audio systems. In this 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 because EA is now set to release the full version 19 Feb 2013. Test SystemJust a quick note on the test system. I decide to limit my input to my laptop, which is obviously not the cleanest input for the system. My reasoning was that the customer (you) will be far more interested in how it works with a computer system because this system is really an entry level audio system. So rather than test high end sound card I stayed with just a regular audio output. 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
ResultsIn order to provide a level objectivity in 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 but at this point I am not looking to set 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: https://www.audiocheck.net/. I was able to choose a selection of test tones that I could use 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. After listening to a few songs I was not worried about the bass from the W401 Speaker system. That is why I tried 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 8 foot isosceles triangle formed by the two satellite speakers and myself I detected an approximate 2 to 2.5 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. So I rated it at 75 out of 100. 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 W401 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 W401 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 timber, 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 some Diana Krall and Herbie Hancock to round out the styles represented. The Alienvibes W401 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: 85. 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 80. 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 W401 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 80. 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: 80. As I mentioned above I was given access to the Crysis 3 MP Beta. The Alienvibes W401 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. Having conducted the preceding tests I then turned to the Bass end of the audio production. So I cranked up all the volumes, maxed the W401 Speaker System bass and went back through my list of Dubstep music that my son provided to me. If you want to isolate the bass in your system try maxing the bass and run Brain Damage by Jomekka through a couple of times. As applicable you might want to make sure that your; wife, parents, and/or dogs are out of the house. Just saying. The Alienvibes W401 Subwoofer Speaker System performed very well - around 100 Hz there is a distinct resonance in my basement ceiling. You could tell though, that the system was at the edge. There was some distinct buzzing at some points in the music. I can say, however, for a system at this price I was very impressed. PC Speaker System Final ThoughtsIf I was looking for a PC speaker system and price was a driving force, I would have the Alienvibes W401 PC Speaker System at the top of my list. It is a stunning system that combines good looks, good price and impressive performance in a well-rounded package. Each of the components will stand alone as a great addition to your space. When combined you just feel that is like an art exhibit. This system makes the most out of the 2 larger woofers and the 2 3 inch cones in the satellites. The highs are very crisp - one song I was playing has a set of chimes ringing at one point and everyone in the room just froze it was so clear. The bass module puts out a very satisfying thundering when cranked up. The whole unit is solidly built and should last a long time. Even the packaging was sturdy and all the components arrived looking bright and shiny. Certainly it was extremely easy to set up and had me cranking out the music in no time at all. All in all I would say that the Alienvibes W410 Speaker System is a great value for the money.
Ineo Alienvibes W401 ConclusionAt just under $90 the Alienvibes W401 2.2 Channel PC Speaker System is a great buy. It has great looks and good performance. The sound it generates is full bodied and has satisfying. I tested the performance on many fronts. The Alienvibes W401 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 I love the look of the Alienvibes W401 PC Speaker System. The liquid black front offset by the silver coated speaker cones is eye catching and also lets people know this system is ready to play. The controls have been integrated into the design extremely well and merge seamlessly with the overall design. The Alienvibes W401 system is constructed to be very sturdy. It has wood where wood makes sense and the solid plastic front pieces give strength and good looks. You can tell that the quality of this build is very good for a unit costing less than $90. Simple. That is what I would like to say about the functionality. There is no messing around to figure out how to do this or that. You want volume - turn it up. Bass and Treble controls are front and centre. It is nice to have this honest, low tech interface. You can sit back and relax without trying to figure out menus and sub-menus. For a price point less than $90 (Amazon), the Ineo Alienvibes W401 is 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. Pros:
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Comments
This tiny system is made to sit on a small shelf!
If you try and hide the sub, you may never see the thing again.
It appears this system is made for an iPod or tablet.
I'll stick with my Corsair SP2500 with its Ottoman sized sub cabinet, thank you.