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Cyber Acoustics Sound Off

August 24, 2004

Today we bring you 4 sets of speakers from Cyber Acoustics. Never heard of Cyber Acoustics? Neither had I. A good friend of mine saw them at a trade show and came home with a set of their speakers. They sounded good!! So we did some research and found they had product available in many retail locations. We contacted them to see if we could sample their products. They replied by sending us 4, yes 4, separate systems to try out. So let's see what we found...

Company:

Cyber Acoustics, www.cyber-acoustics.com

Getting Started

For each of these systems, we went to great length to use them as a normal user would. To make sure we did this, each system was used/tested for no less than 2 weeks per set. This way we were sure to experience them in all types of moods and temperaments and situations a person goes through in a given time. We played MP3s of all types (Rock, Country, Classical, even some Bluegrass), movies, games, and even watched some live TV. Doing this allows us to give you a completely objective review of what we heard and experienced.

To assist in this test, Chaintech sent us their AV-710 PCI sound card. Excellent sound card for a great price...but more on that at a later date!!

At normal sound levels each of the speaker systems produce crisp highs, punchy midrange, and deep bass. Every person who happened in to listen was impressed by what they heard. And upon learning about their low price, the speakers sounded even better. If you were to compare each set to an equivalent Logitech or Altec Lansing speakers, these Cyber Acoustic speakers give you comparable quality for less price!!

The Speakers

System Model Watts Satellite Subwoofer MSRP  
CA-3550 68 Watts Two 2.5" high efficiency 4 ohm radiators Bass reflex, dual cannon ported subwoofer enclosure $49.99
A-3640 110 Watts Two 3" dynamic radiators Wood enclosed 10" Power Pro Series woofer $89.99
A-3780 180 Watts Two 2-way satellites with 3" dynamic mid-range drivers and 1" mylar tweeters Wood enclosed 8" Pro Series Driver $99.99
A-5640 140 Watts Four Tower satellite speakers + One center channel 2.4" high efficiency 4 ohm radiators Wood enclosed 10" Power Pro Series woofer $99.99


CA-3550

The CA-3550 is the smallest of the systems sent. As noted it is a 68 Watt system with two satellite towers and a subwoofer. I was greatly impressed with the sound quality for such a small system. The highs were very clear and the lows very rich. Only at very high volumes did any of the sound get muddled and then it was only the really high highs that started to break up. At only 68 total watts, the base was strong but not thumping.

On this system, the controls were built into the base of one of the satellite speakers. There is an On/Off switch, main volume control, bass volume control, and a headphone hookup. One of the cool features on this set was the blue led lighting built into the base of the satellite speakers as can be seen in the image above.

For any computer user looking to step up from a basic set of speakers to something with good speaker sound and the added subwoofer, this set is great for the low price.

Pros:
  • Very good highs and lows.
  • Very cool blue led lights built into satellite speaker base.
  • Superb price for the quality of sound you get.
Cons:
  • At high volumes the high sounds lost some clarity.

A-3640

The second set we took a look at was the A-3640. At 110 Watts this set also has 2 satellite speakers but boasts a large 10" subwoofer. This set packs a lot more power than the CA-3550 and we didn't see any issues with sound distortion beyond what a normal person might crank the volume up to. With this model, the volume controls were placed on a cool illuminated control pod that lets you manage power, adjust master and bass volume, and plug in your headphones. The control pod is like a little mouse that you can tuck under your monitor and out of the way, but is easily accessible to change volumes, thus allowing you to position your speakers where you want them.

This model turned out to be my least favorite because on one thing. I found myself having to turn down the bass because it was drowning out the mids and highs from the satellite speakers. At first I didn't notice I kept doing this, but over time I realized that was the case. The subwoofer puts out a great sound, but it was too much. Even though this is still a great price for terrific sound, I would recommend shelling out a few extra dollars and going with the next featured set of speakers, the A-3780.

Pros:
  • Like the illuminated control pod that lets you manage power, adjust master and bass volume, and plug in your headphones.
Cons:
  • Subwoofer had a little too much power and would drown out the satellite speakers.

A-3780

The third set of speakers we took a look at was the A-3780. This set has a little different design on the satellite speaker. It utilizes a 3" mid and a 1" tweeter to produce outstanding mids and highs that are crystal clear. The 8" Pro Series driver used in the subwoofer gives out thumping base that blends very well with the satellite output. At various volumes this system is just candy to the ears.

Also featured with the A-3780 is the illuminated control pod or mouse like device to control volumes and power as well as providing a headphone jack. This system also sports a cool looking finish and design that looks good in any office or on any computer desk.

Pros:
  • Superb sound from both the satellite speakers and the subwoofer.
  • Super low price for the quality of sound you get.
  • Did we mention the great sound this system puts out?
Cons:
  • None that we noticed...

A-5640

The fourth and final set of speakers we took a look at was the A-5640. This was the only surround sound capable set. It features 140 Watts of power utilizing 4 satellite and 1 center channel speakers. It also appears to be using the same 10" subwoofer that the A-3640 system uses. But in this case, with the addition of 2 more satellite and 1 center channel speakers, I did not notice any issues of the bass drowning out the mids and highs. Although I would prefer that this surround set used the same satellites as the A-3780 (3" mid and a 1" tweeter), it provided great sound especially during games and movies that can utilize the additional center and rear channels. As with the other systems, the sound quality was excellent on highs and lows.

Pros:
  • Excellent sound from both the satellite speakers and the subwoofer.
  • Great low price gives you cool surround sound to watch movies or game with.
Cons:
  • None that we noticed...

Adding It All Up

For anyone looking to upgrade or add speaker systems to your computer, you cannot go wrong in buying any of these Cyber Acoustic systems. My personal favorite is the 2.1 channel A-3780 set and of course for the 5.1 channel set up the A-5640 is a great option. For anyone that considers themselves a true audiophile, you might find something not to your liking in some of the details. But for the price and quality, 99.9% of you will be happy with one of these systems. And none of them will break the bank doing so.

Because of the great quality, easiness to set up and use, and great price, we are awarding Cyber Acoustic an UpgradeAdvisor.com Recommended Upgrade Award. Happy listening!!!

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