When it comes to 5.1 multimedia speakers, we all know how it can be annoying when trying to setup the rear speakers.  For one thing, the wire needs to be long enough to reach behind you.  Another problem is finding the right place to place the speakers to get the desired 5.1 sound effect.  Some people just don't have the room or the proper place to place the rear speakers.  For instance, I usually place one rear speaker on my printer on the right behind me.  Behind on the left, I'm forced to place a speaker on my bed post.  Altec Lansing has devised a solution that will eliminate this problem with the GT5051 multimedia speakers.  These multimedia speakers do involve 5.1 sound, but rather than place the rear speakers behind you, there were placed on the front satellites.  Let's find out if these speakers are more effective or worse than a tradition 5.1 setup.
 

Having reviewed quite a few Altec Lansing products, I have come to expect the similar design of the packaging.  The front of the box has a clear view of one of the satellite speakers which you can immediately tell is unique.  The back of the box shows in small details the specifications of the speaker system.
 

When opening the lid of the box, there are instructions labelled on the flaps of the lid.  Unless you are very unfamiliar in connecting multimedia speakers together, then there shouldn't be the need to look at the instructions.
 

The speakers were held tightly between two large pieces of foam.  It helps protect the speakers from being damaged while being handled or if any accidents occur during shipping.
 

All the speakers are self contained between the foam.  The foam was designed to hold each part of the system securely in place.  Also, each speaker is individually wrapped in clear plastic to avoid unnecessary nicks or scratches.
 

At initial glance, you can tell that the speaker has an odd shape for a speaker.  In fact, it seems to have a twisted shape of some sort.  For the front right speaker, there are buttons to control the volume levels.  There is a main dial with allows you to adjust the volume.  A series of blue LED's indicate the volume level.  In addition, you can control individually the subwoofer, center, and surround volume levels.  Just press the appropriate button and use the same dial to adjust the volume.  Press the same button again and you will be adjusting the overall main volume.

I was a bit confused at first in what direction to place the speaker.  When I found out that the bottom speaker was the 'front' speaker, I turned that speaker to face me.  I confirmed that it was correct, because I noticed the volume controls were in line as well. 
 

The back of the speaker looks more uniform in shape.  It looks like a pillar in the shape of a diamond.  The back of the speaker clearly labels where the speaker should be placed, either the left or the right.  There is a headphone jack at the back of the speaker.  I would have preferred if it was placed on the side or the front of the speaker.
 

The center speaker looks more 'normal' it is basically a block- speaker.  It has a curve at the top of the speaker so it will give the perception that the sound will come out in an upward fashion rather than directly straight.

The subwoofer is a decent size compared with the proportions of the satellite speakers.  In fact, I would say it is approximately the size of a shoebox.  The back of the subwoofer is where all the connections are made because the subwoofer powers the satellite speakers as well.  There is an integrated AC cord which is plugged into an AC outlet to provide power to the subwoofer.
 

All the connections at the back of the subwoofer are color coded and neatly labeled to help make installation a little easier.  The left and right speakers have unique notches in the connections so you can't mistake plugging one into the wrong port.  As expected in a 5.1 sound setup, there are connectors for the individual center, rear, and front channels for sound.  I was content that Altec Lansing provided additional RCA inputs and an auxiliary port so you can connect other sound sources to this system.  In fact, this system would also work with a console or solely with a TV.

A marketing tactic that is used to advertise the product is that they state that this product is true 5.1 surround sound.  I can agree to a certain extent that this product uses true 5.1 surround sound since it still uses a 5.1 channel sound card and uses the individual sound channels.  The part I disagree with true 5.1 surround sound is that the setup (positioning) does not conform to a true 5.1 setup.

The way these speakers work is that the rear speakers on top of the front speakers are placed in a different position so that they they face the sides of the wall.  Therefore, in order to get the maximum effect, you should be in a room that has walls on your left and right and fairly confined.  My room does conform to this.

The part that most people want to know is how do they sound.  When playing music, I compared the sound by turning the surround all the way on and all the way off.  The surround effect took in effect when playing music.  In fact, it added the surround depth to the music.  When playing the same music with the surround speakers off, the music felt bland and just not the same as when the surround speakers were on.

Playing games was a bit of a different story.  If you are a gamer and have a traditional 5.1 setup, the direction of sound can tell a lot of information while playing the game.  The surround speakers gave games the same kind of depth that I experienced in the music, but lacked the distinct directional sound of a traditional 5.1 sound setup.  There were some instances where I could perceive that something was behind me, but overall the surround speakers were inefficient in providing directional sound.

In movies, having a center channel makes a big difference.  The discreet center channel is usually for the dialouge.  In addition, the surround effect was also good for movies.  The depth that was added with the surround sound kept me enveloped in the movie and without really caring for the direction of sound.
 

Let's face it, the speakers that were presented in the review still have the same sound quality as expected from Altec Lansing.  The surround di-pole technology is more of a tradeoff.  These speakers are intended for those who would like to make use of 5.1 sound without the fuss of dealing with the setup of the rear speakers will find these speakers a joy to work with.  If you are an enthusiast gamer, I would recommend sticking with the traditional 5.1 surround setup.  The strengths of these speakers were music and movies.  Games were also entertaining with these speakers, but if you place a large priority on directional sound, you may have to consider other speakers.

Reviewed by ronald@digitalreviews.net