Altec Lansing MX5020 2-piece PC Speaker System
By: Altec Lansing Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 10
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 On: 2007-03-19
These speakers blew me away compared to the NEC Tower powered speakers I purchased about a decade ago. The bass doesnt have to be turned way up to hear it, and the fidelity is absolutely excellent for a 2-speaker system. I was really impressed by low trombone notes on some live performances that made me feel like I was hearing them live. The right speaker has all the controls behind a door that can fold under the unit. This is one of the few 2-speaker ensembles that has both bass & treble controls, unlike some that have none, or just one "tone" adjustment.
The only 2 negatives I can come up with (and over all theyre minor) is that you have to turn the slightly hard-to-grasp volume/power knob to turn it off and that you must turn the speakers off before the computer otherwise there is a nasty "pop" that can make you cringe. Otherwise compared to all the other speakers I researched, this is tops by far.
 On: 2007-01-13
I bought a set of these to replace my Klipsch Promedia 2.0 speakers which started cutting out on me after a year (seems like a common problem with those speakers). These MX5020 speakers are also designed as high quality 2.0 speakers for those who dont want to run a sub to avoid wire clutter and dont care about the extra bass (most if not all of those 2.1 setups dont sound very good anyway with boomy bass and nonexistant mids).
These speakers look nice with a wide monolithic look. They sit tall and wide on your desktop. Its shiny "piano look" plastic makes it look more expensive and they are cleanly styled. It even comes with a cloth so you can wipe your fingerprints off the shiny plastic. The drivers are clearly seen through the thin fabric material which covers the top 3/4 of the speaker. Once you pick them up, then you realize that they are still cheap plastic speakers as they dont weigh a lot. They do have a headphone and aux input in the back. The controls are available if you flip open the front panel which has a smooth damped door. Youll probably want to keep the door flipped open (it swings out wide and flips completely underneath the speaker). It comes with a large power brick adapter for power and there is no battery option. However, they still take up a bit footprint on your desk so they wont satisfy those who want a unobtrusive setup.
The Sound
Its Maxxbass technology allows these speakers to sound pretty full for its price from its small 3" bass/mid driver. However, for the most part, it works ok, these speakers arent really putting out any clean bass below 100Hz, but they almost sound like they are reaching down to 80Hz. The bass sounds a bit thick and loose at times while just avoiding boominess. The bass and lower midrange sounds has a boxy nasal quality at times. So there "no free lunch". The vocals are pretty clear, but the treble is not very extended. String instruments sound a bit congested. I dont have the instruments to make the measurements but I suspect there is a lot of harmonic distortion in the bass. Overall, the sound is still an improvement over any sub/sat computer speakers Ive heard in this price range, just barely.
To be fair, these are only $100 speakers, and they are still better than most stuff in this price range. They have a unique expensive look.
All in all, I prefer the sound of my previous Klipsch Promedia 2.0 speakers which had better mids, clearer highs, less bass but a cleaner sound through the tonal range.
I rate these a 3/5 for their price ($100). I got these on clearout at my local electronics chain for about $25 USD, so Im satisfied with them until I can afford high end powered monitors like the NHT M-00. I would recommend you probably want to have some good headphones if you listen to music on your computer a lot.
If you can get these on sale for about $50, Id say go for it, but for its price, I expected better given the hype about its "MaxxBass" design.
On: 2006-06-05
I bought MX5020 wanting to be able to listen to the music form portable CD out of my stereo system. I must admit that i do care about the sound quality, so my expectations were not high, however after reading several reviews i decided on Altecs MX5020.
Turning them on was a surprise: plenty of sound with quite apealing tone. Suspicious i took them home to compare with real sound from stereo. The moment of truth was somehow sad.
There is plenty of sound, but this sound has nothing to do with original!! One cannot expect much from small plastics, however for some kind of music it simply kills it.
I mean:
- guitar of Paco DeLucia does not sound like guitar, sounds like guitar imagined by engineers from Altec - terrible.
- female vocals of Particia Barber are acceptable, if one can accept distortions and basically lack of proper midrange.
- male vocals (Tom Waits) are distorted by maxbass, hardly acceptable.
- trumpet of Miles Davis sounds like in a jar.
- saxophone of Sony Rollins sounds like child toy
- rock (Pink Floyd, Sting etc.) is acceptable.
- piano of Keith Jarret is not a piano, especially in lower registers.
One can expect these kind of distortion form toy speakers, however bad think is the maxbass cannot be switche off! Turning down bass kills midrange, so one must accept permanent "bum bum" of so called bass.
I did compate Altecs to Bose, Logitech they were the same if not worse.
Overall i can recomen them to those wanting to listen "bum bum" music, jazz or clasics lovers would be disapointed, but what one can expect from small toy? Other brands and models does not seem to be better, unlike you go for expensive real stereo.
On: 2006-05-07
I never knew that computer speakers could have such full and rich sound! They crank pretty loud as well with seperate bass & treble control! All Your Music, Movies & Spoken Word will come alive in Clean, Warm and Crisp Sound! I Highly Recommend!
Calvin
On: 2006-03-29
Purchased MX5020 & MX5021WHT systems at the same time, planning to deploy the 021 in our family room and the 020 in the office. Prior to installion I ran both in our great room using a Roku M500 source and performed back-to-back listening tests. The 021 can truly fill the room with a very good sound (and at significant volume) and is a great deal for the money, whereas the 020, being slightly less bass-able and with a rather confined stereo image, rates as satisfactory-to-good. Used in the application they were designed for & marketed into, theyll be fine. Personally Ill be buying 021s to use in both the kitchen and master bedroom.
On: 2005-12-16
Really Cool. Satisfied in all aspects, Aesthetic Look is great. I like bass to be more for songs and these speakers produce amazing bass. These speakers rulled out the theory that in order to have more bass the speakers should be big.
I got it in 20 $ on thanksgiving a great purchase at this price
 On: 2005-11-27
i use two sets of these in my hotel - one at the lobby, where theyve lasted quite some time and still sound fantastic and another set out by the pool... where theyve been exposed to rain as well as tons of dust and 115 degree days, where the speakers have probably hit 160 degrees or so since theyre black. after a year, one of the outside speakers went out and the other is still sounding fantastic. seriously, these are great speakers - buy them and you wont regret it - at home i have the logitech 560s which is a 5.1 system, and its just waaaay too many wires and controls and the harmon kardon sound sticks with subwoofer, which never sound more than mediocre....
On: 2005-10-03
I was hoping these would be a replacement for my beloved 10-year-old Altec-Lansing ACS40s. Unfortunately, Altec seems to have engineered the MX5020 to satisfy the hip-hopists craving for bass, bass, and more bass, at the cost of the remainder of the sonic spectrum. These speakers have very little mid-range response and the treble is somewhat harsh and edgy. Acoustic instruments sound terrible (except for acoustic bass, which is ear-splitting), and vocals are thin.
If you want a big bass sound in a small package, these babies deliver. However, if you looking for a more balanced sound, check out the JBL Duet 12-watt speaker. The JBLs are much more accurate and are only half the price of the MX5020.
Pros:
1. They have LOTS of bass, and somehow manage to handle even really low frequencies, such as the low string of a 5-string bass guitar. At high volumes, you can actually feel the bass in your giblets. You wont miss not having a sub-woofer.
2. They are LOUD. They produce an impressive quantity of sound for 12 watts.
3. They feel solid and well-made.
4. They look good. Black monoliths about 11" high, cool blue power light. Sleek and stylish.
Cons:
1. They have LOTS of bass. The bass completely overpowers everything else in the mix. You may like it if you listen mostly to hip-hop or reggae, or if youll use these speakers mostly for gaming. For any other types of music, the sound is unbalanced and unnatural. Turning down the speakers bass knob doesnt help because it completely cuts out what little mid-range the speakers produce. Even tweaking the EQ with WinAmp couldnt even out the sound.
2. They only sound good when theyre turned up. The sweet spot is with the volume between 2/3 and 3/4 of maximum. At less than 2/3, they sound thin and flat. At more than 3/4, they sound harsh (although you probably wont need to turn them past 3/4 unless youre in a really big room.)
On: 2005-08-21
These Altec Lansing speakers produce clear highs, better than average midrange, and deep lows. The music played doesnt sound like it is coming from a pair of plastic cases. MaxxBass technology greatly enhances drum beats and explosions, while the tweeters prevent muddy sounds. This is definitely the best or second best pair of 2.0 desktop speakers on the market today.
On: 2005-05-28
WOW, Im sitting here somewhat mesmerized by the sheer clarity and spaciousness of these beautifully finished little desktop speakers.
I have limited space and too much clutter already, so I needed something full sounding, without the added bulk of a sub. The right speaker has a small glowing blue LED to let you know they are on and a small flip cover containing tone controls and a headphone jack.
Highly recommended!
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