Cambridge SoundWorks CSW PCWorks FourPointSurround

I recently purchased a new computer and instead of going with the little throwaway speakers you usually get, I decided to get a quality sound system. A little short on cash, I took a look at my options, which turned out to be very few. I wished I had a set of speakers that would take advantage of my 4 speaker capable sound card, but good sounding Surround Sound speakers are expensive right?

Wrong! The Cambridge Soundworks Pcworks FourPointSurround system is a great sounding set of speakers for a rock bottom price. At first, I was skeptical because of their small size, yet I went ahead and purchased them anyway. To this day I cannot regret my decision.

I ordered them from buy.com (luckily catching a free shipping day) and they arrived right on time. Opening the box, I was a little overwhelmed by the amount of wires and other little things that come with the speakers. However, the Pcworks good documentation helped me set up this system with ease. The wires that come with the speakers are very long, as to allow for good sound separation when the speakers are placed far enough from each other. While this is definitely a good thing, it tends to lead to another problem. (See below)

Once the system was up and running, I turned on my PC and was amazed at how much sound could come from such a little package. After adjusting the positioning and sound levels (the PC works comes with a separate volume control which you can attach just about anywhere near your computer), I loaded up one of my favorite games. I have said it before, and I will say it again, I am amazed at how much can be produced by speakers so small.

Sound quality is pretty good from these speakers. They don?t beat a more powerful and expensive system, but its good for someone on a budget. The subwoofer adds just the right amount of power to the sound, greatly enhancing the experience. All and all, a fine purchase.

However, when you buy this system, you do have to take some things into consideration. For instance, it?s a good idea to make sure that your computing area lends itself to a 4-speaker setup. Having some conveniently placed furniture helps quite a bit in this area. Cambridge was kind enough to include two 21? speaker stands with the speakers, but I would only use those as a last resort. The system sounds its best with the speakers pointing so that the sound is directly hitting your ear. The speaker stands are a bit on the low side for this, so the sound ends up bouncing off a few things before hitting your ear.

Another Con of the system is that, while the speakers are shielded, the wires that run from the speakers to the subwoofer are not. Sometimes, if you listen carefully, you can hear FM radio stations faintly from the speakers. This is alleviated somewhat by making sure that the wires are not bunched together (so that they won?t pick up the radio signals as easy).

All and all, I am incredibly happy with my purchase and I would recommend it to any of my friends who are on a budget, but looking for good speakers. Also, if there are any Hardcore Gamers out there who don't have money to burn after buying your super fast system, this is for you. If you do have money to burn, by all means, get a more expensive system, but I expect you to be hard pressed to find a system that sounds as good at twice the price you would pay for these. Keep up the good work Cambridge!