Final thoughts, HEXUS.awards & HEXUS.right2reply
abit's entry into the domain of speaker systems is, we think, a successful one. It has brought to the table an attractive pair of clear-sounding speakers, accompanied by a subwoofer that adds a bit of oomph if needed.
We do, however, have a few reservations about these speakers, along with some ideas on what would make them more appealing.
Firstly, this is a 2.0 or 2.1 system. It's stereo. Very good, clear stereo, but stereo nonetheless. It'd be great to see this technology implemented in 5.1. abit could probably get away with having smaller satellites for the positional audio.
Seeing as these speakers are labelled as for the 'personal digital theater', we think a remote control wouldn't go amiss. That'd enable users to switch SFX modes and tweak bass/treble/volume with a minimum of physical activity (always a plus in our book). Further, the term 'personal' is key here. They're not going to immerse a big room in sound. They're better suited to smaller rooms.
If you want a set of speakers to hook up to your PC, through which you'll listen to quite a bit of music, maybe play some DVDs and games too, then abit's iDome speakers will do the job nicely, providing excellent quality. However, if you like it really loud, or need positional audio to pinpoint where that sniper shot came from, you'll have to look elsewhere.
So does the price have any bearing on the appeal of these speakers. With speakers and sub. bundled together, these speakers should cost around £150 inc. VAT. Ditch the subwoofer and you we reckon you could save yourself £50-£70. Even without the sub, these speakers are very good. The problem lies with the fact that you can get 5.1 systems for less than what you'd pay for these two speakers. Chances are they'll make the floor shake a bit more, get a bit louder and give you better positioning. However, you'll have to pay more for a system with better sound quality than abit's iDomes.
The sheer amount of choice on the market makes it very tough for us to call. If you don't need 5.1 and ear bleeding sound levels, opting instead for a nice looking set of crisp stereo speakers, you won't be disappointed hooking up the DS 500s to your PC. We're not so sure we can justify the subwoofer, though. It's not necessary most of the time, but depending on what you're using the speakers for, its usefulness will vary.
Overall, a pleasing pair of speakers that are easy to setup and a breeze to use. If you want them, try them without the sub first; you might feel they do just fine without it.
HEXUS.labs Certification
Both DS 500 and SW 510 are well built products, and so receive HEXUS.labs certifications. There's just a bit too much competition for us to hand out any HEXUS Awards, however.
HEXUS Where2Buy
Komplett - abit iDome DS 500 digital speaker systemKomplett - abit iDome SW 510 digital subwoofer
HEXUS Right2Reply
Here at HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any abit representatives choose to do so, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.
