Benwin Ecco USB-D 2 Speakers
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- Max. Power Output: 3 Watt (RMS)
- Number of Speakers: 2 Speakers
- Connection Type: Cable
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Best $10 I Have Ever Spent
Pros
Great, powerful sound; futuristic looking; USB connection
Cons
Small volume dial (awkward location, too); no earphone plug; low volume cut-off problem
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Well, a pair of great sounding speakers for $10, what else can you ask for?
Ever since I discovered the Pandora Radio, I am looking for a decent pair of speakers so that I can get better sound out of the online radio stations. Because I am spending my own money to buy something for my office at work, I am incredibly cheap since otherwise the House Budgetary Committee (a.k.a. the wife) will be incredibly upset. Therefore I have an unrealistic goal of finding something good below $20.
After trying the decent Logitech R-10 ($15), I decided to give this rather odd-looking pair a try, even in the back of my mind I was doubting what a mere 10 dollars can buy me, especially from a brand name that I have never heard of.
Well, let's just say I was pleasantly surprised. Here is the full review.
The Setup
Setup cannot be easier with the Benwin ECCO USB-D 2.0 Speaker. Because it is a USB device, you simply plug it in your computer (by this time everyone should have a USB port on your computer). The speakers draw power from USB. I would imagine that if you have one of those USB ports that does not provide power (on some hubs), this might now work. I had no trouble connecting to my IBM ThinkPad T60.
A great benefit of USB speakers is that they don't need an extra cord for power. I really love this simplicity. The USB cord connects to the right hand speaker. This cable is about 5 feet and a couple of inches. The cord that connects the two speakers also measures 5 fee and a couple of inches. This length is certainly long enough for your connections to separate your speakers far enough to get great stereo sound. However, if you are planning on stretching it to the max according to the specification sheet, you are in tough luck. This is because the spec sheet says the cables should be 6.5 feet, but in reality, it is 5 feet and 4 inches. I believe some silly guy at the factory forgot the fact that one foot is 12 inches, not 10 inches (I hope this review doesn't make him/her lose the job).
There is no software installation needed. Windows (XP Pro, in my case) recognized the speakers and started using it right away, disabling the on board audio. Once I unplug the USB speaker, the onboard audio came back up. Everything works fine, no surprises.
The Sound Quality
The sound quality is of course the most important aspect of speakers. I was comparing this speaker set with the very decent Logitech R-10. This set gave much louder volume when pushed to the max, thanks to a higher power rating of 3 W per channel, compared to 2 W of the R-10. But more importantly, at the same volume, the Benwin sounds much crispier, and the base is also a little bit better. I think this is because the Benwin speakers use two drivers for each channel. In addition to a 2.75" full range aluminum bullet driver (which is actually exposed, I am wondering if this unprotected design will last long…), it has a small 1" micro-driver on top that is capable to producing sound comparable to a 3" speaker (according to a press release in 2002 from Benwin).
Specs
Power: 3W + 3W
Frequency Response: 60 Hz ~ 20 kHz
Driver: 2.75" Full Range & 1" Neomanic Microfoil
Impedance: 4 Ohms
Cable length: 6.5 ft (measured as ~64", or 5-foot-4)
Dimemsions: 3.43" x 3.94" x 9.17" (yes, it is pretty big)
The Bug
I am still trying to figure out this bug. But basically (at least on my IBM ThinkPad T60), when you dial down the master volume on the computer below half way, the speakers cut off. With some other settings being off, I ended up with the dilemma of either having music too loud that might disturb my office neighbors, or don't have any music at all. Later on I found that if I open my Sounds Control Panel, and push every slider (WAVE, SW and CD) to the max, I can still have music at a pretty low volume before it cuts off. I don't have this issue when I am connected to my Logitech R-10 speakers. I don't know if this bug is related to the USB port, or the speaker itself. I am suspecting that it is related to the speaker itself, maybe the Class-D amplifier it uses.
Other Minor Complains
There are other complains on this product. I usually write this section in my product reviews, hoping someone in the factory can read it, and take it as constructive criticism.
Well the biggest complain comes from the volume dial. The dial is so teeny tiny that you would believe it should belong to a headphone, not a full sized desktop speaker. It also is located in a rather awkward place, behind the speaker, instead of in front.
Another complain is the lack of earphone jacks. This issue is more important than it might seem. Because this speaker uses USB port, the on-board audio is disabled. This means if you want to use headphones, you will need to do something extra after you plug your headphone to your computer. You need to either unplug the USB speakers, or manually switch to on-board audio (from the Control Panel). Otherwise your speakers will still be on, and your headphone will not.
Where to buy it for $10?
Most stores sell this speak for about $13~$15. But if you visit www.geeks.com you can get it for $10. I was lucky enough to live close to the Geeks showroom, so I just drove by and picked it up.
After trying the decent Logitech R-10 ($15), I decided to give this rather odd-looking pair a try, even in the back of my mind I was doubting what a mere 10 dollars can buy me, especially from a brand name that I have never heard of.
Well, let's just say I was pleasantly surprised. Here is the full review.
The Setup
Setup cannot be easier with the Benwin ECCO USB-D 2.0 Speaker. Because it is a USB device, you simply plug it in your computer (by this time everyone should have a USB port on your computer). The speakers draw power from USB. I would imagine that if you have one of those USB ports that does not provide power (on some hubs), this might now work. I had no trouble connecting to my IBM ThinkPad T60.
A great benefit of USB speakers is that they don't need an extra cord for power. I really love this simplicity. The USB cord connects to the right hand speaker. This cable is about 5 feet and a couple of inches. The cord that connects the two speakers also measures 5 fee and a couple of inches. This length is certainly long enough for your connections to separate your speakers far enough to get great stereo sound. However, if you are planning on stretching it to the max according to the specification sheet, you are in tough luck. This is because the spec sheet says the cables should be 6.5 feet, but in reality, it is 5 feet and 4 inches. I believe some silly guy at the factory forgot the fact that one foot is 12 inches, not 10 inches (I hope this review doesn't make him/her lose the job).
There is no software installation needed. Windows (XP Pro, in my case) recognized the speakers and started using it right away, disabling the on board audio. Once I unplug the USB speaker, the onboard audio came back up. Everything works fine, no surprises.
The Sound Quality
The sound quality is of course the most important aspect of speakers. I was comparing this speaker set with the very decent Logitech R-10. This set gave much louder volume when pushed to the max, thanks to a higher power rating of 3 W per channel, compared to 2 W of the R-10. But more importantly, at the same volume, the Benwin sounds much crispier, and the base is also a little bit better. I think this is because the Benwin speakers use two drivers for each channel. In addition to a 2.75" full range aluminum bullet driver (which is actually exposed, I am wondering if this unprotected design will last long…), it has a small 1" micro-driver on top that is capable to producing sound comparable to a 3" speaker (according to a press release in 2002 from Benwin).
Specs
Power: 3W + 3W
Frequency Response: 60 Hz ~ 20 kHz
Driver: 2.75" Full Range & 1" Neomanic Microfoil
Impedance: 4 Ohms
Cable length: 6.5 ft (measured as ~64", or 5-foot-4)
Dimemsions: 3.43" x 3.94" x 9.17" (yes, it is pretty big)
The Bug
I am still trying to figure out this bug. But basically (at least on my IBM ThinkPad T60), when you dial down the master volume on the computer below half way, the speakers cut off. With some other settings being off, I ended up with the dilemma of either having music too loud that might disturb my office neighbors, or don't have any music at all. Later on I found that if I open my Sounds Control Panel, and push every slider (WAVE, SW and CD) to the max, I can still have music at a pretty low volume before it cuts off. I don't have this issue when I am connected to my Logitech R-10 speakers. I don't know if this bug is related to the USB port, or the speaker itself. I am suspecting that it is related to the speaker itself, maybe the Class-D amplifier it uses.
Other Minor Complains
There are other complains on this product. I usually write this section in my product reviews, hoping someone in the factory can read it, and take it as constructive criticism.
Well the biggest complain comes from the volume dial. The dial is so teeny tiny that you would believe it should belong to a headphone, not a full sized desktop speaker. It also is located in a rather awkward place, behind the speaker, instead of in front.
Another complain is the lack of earphone jacks. This issue is more important than it might seem. Because this speaker uses USB port, the on-board audio is disabled. This means if you want to use headphones, you will need to do something extra after you plug your headphone to your computer. You need to either unplug the USB speakers, or manually switch to on-board audio (from the Control Panel). Otherwise your speakers will still be on, and your headphone will not.
Where to buy it for $10?
Most stores sell this speak for about $13~$15. But if you visit www.geeks.com you can get it for $10. I was lucky enough to live close to the Geeks showroom, so I just drove by and picked it up.
