Xtrememac Soma Stand - Majestic Pyramid
Knowing XtremeMac, it has always been
designing intriguing form factors. And then the XtremeMac Soma Stand appears,
showing off a little bit of old school fashion. So for all you speaker dock
lovers out there, let’s give this one a spin.
Xtrememac
Soma Stand
1. Minimalistic Design
XtremeMac takes the same approach with its
Soma Stand following Apple’s minimalistic design. The speakers for this device
opens up and spreads out like most docks but in a very unique fashion as it
expands out into a rounded pyramid shape with a pop-out front dock and
rear-mounted controls. When an iPad is docked into it, I can barely see the
Soma Stand at all, which is definitely a nice touch in my books. For Apple’s
smaller cousins (iPhone and iPod Touch), the pyramid’s shape provides them with
a majestic feel when they are docked in, showcasing how a great working design
should be.
2. Mediocre Audio
From the shape, I can tell that the unit
doesn’t use huge speakers but the audio performance is respectable. It is not
the best audio around but still enough to get me by. Turn it up to high and
everything sounds distorted, too low and I can barely hear a thing. Thankfully,
the sound level is loud enough when I am sitting near the speakers but it falls
short when tasked to fill the empty sound space of a small room.
Xtrememac Soma Stand
·
Dimensions: 130 x
160 x 60 mm
·
Weight: 756 g
·
Power Source: AC
and disposable battery
·
Speaker Configurations: Stereo
V: 9/10
F: 7/10
P: 7/10
D: 9/10
U: 7/10
Verdict:
Great form factor that catches attention.
Total Score:
7.8/10
Eacan E-511C - Classy Balance Act
Bored of those dusty old computer speakers?
Perhaps it is time to upgrade then. When it comes to PC speakers, there are
just too many shapes and sizes out there. In fact, I have right here next to me
the Eacan E-511C on my desk. Let’s see if these speakers will be enough to
satisfy a regular user.
Eacan
E-511C
1. More Space
The E-511C is a 2.1 speaker system that is
designed not to be stingy on space. Clad in an all-black wooden enclosure, its
size looks intimidating but, at the same time, exudes a form of finesse with
its piano-black finish. Unless your desk is only dedicated to your computer, I
recommend a bigger table. Additionally, the speakers come equipped with a USB
port and SD slot to read music files from your flash drives.
2. Nice Music
After several hours of movies and music, I
like the sound quality from the E-511C. The treble and bass are balanced nicely
but if need be, there are dials on the woofer to adjust them based on user
preference. There is also this distinctive thump on the bass side and even with
the volume crank up high, the quality doesn’t diminish a lot. However, the
highs at loud volumes hurt my ears more than usual. Probably it’s just me but I
have to re-adjust the treble to reduce the annoyance. To each their own I
guess.
Eacan E-511c
·
Dimensions: 116 x
162 x 128 mm
·
Loudspeaker Type:
5-inch magnetically shielded
·
External Structure: Wooden
·
Frequency Response: 270Hz – 20KHz
V: 7/10
F: 7/10
P: 8/10
D: 8/10
U: 8/10
Verdict:
Quite a decent speaker for those who are looking for an upgrade from their old
ones.
Total Score:
7.6/10
