Customer Reviews: Read 24 more reviews...
 Just fine - if sound quality doesn't matter at all November 18, 2008
Care
I bought these speakers for my computer after my old ones died. Since my family's computer has a nice surround sound system for listening to music, it didn't bother me much what these sounded like so long as it did have sound to it. And in this way, I was not disappointed.
The sound itself is alright. The static is very, /VERY/ noticeable and very much detracts from most of the things you might listen to. Still, the speakers themselves are not eyesores, and it did survive moving from dorm to dorm as I went through school, so I suppose that's why I had to give it two stars instead of one. And for the money, I suppose it wasn't a bad deal. They were cheap and have worked, if not well.
As far as recommending this to anyone else, if you're in my situation and just want a little sound for low cost, maybe you should try these speakers. However, if you like music and find it worth listening to without annoying you, consider something else.
 I'm returning them. November 11, 2008
Jim
I picked up a pair of these at WalMart yesterday for under $15, and I have repacked them so I can return them to WalMart the next time I go there. Last night I ordered a pair of Creative Labs GigaWorks T20 2.0 Speakers from Amazon's Warehouse Deals, which had an open box pair reduced to around $62. I'll review them after I've had them for a week or so.
Back to the Altec Lansings. As other reviews have noted, they fall over easily, and I found that annoying. They wouldn't stand up for me on a flat (not shag) carpet, and I had to put a book under each one. Barely touching the wires caused them to tip over.
The sound is not terrible, but lacks oomph, though I did not expect better for what I paid. I might have decided to keep them if they did not tip over so easily, and it was primarily for that reason that I began to search on Amazon for alternatives.
I wanted speakers that I could use with my laptop, an MP3 player, and also with a Nintendo DS Lite with the new Korg DS-10 Analog Synthesizer cartridge running on it (a very nice program that includes a drum machine, sequencer, and two analogy synth emulators). I wanted something I could take with me on road trips, and I wanted speakers that operate on AC current rather than only on batteries. The Altec Lansings sounded good with my laptop playing music and Netflix "instant watch" movies, and they sounded good with my MP3 player connected, and they didn't sound too bad with the Korg emulator playing through them. They also sounded adequate when I played a racing game called Grid on the DS Lite. But like I said, because they tipped over so easily, I started looking into alternatives, and once I did, I realized that it would probably be worth my while to pay extra to have superior sound, especially where bass is concerned. I did not want speakers that included a subwoofer, because that would make them far less portable than what I want.
For someone who only wants to spend $15-$20 and who plans to put the speakers on a flat surface and leave them there, I'd say the Altec Lansings would be okay for what they are, which is cheap speakers that sound clear but lack a low end. I like that they have a knob on the front of the right speaker that controls bass and treble. But for me this purchase was yet another reminder that the saying "You get what you pay for" is more often than not true.
Pros: Inexpensive, sound is clear, bass/treble knob, can hook an MP3 or CD player up via the front without disconnecting speakers from computer, MP3 cradle has rubber feet and rubber strips to keep the player from moving around when user is operating it.
Cons: They fall over too easy, flimsy build, and while this isn't really a con for these speakers, anyone wanting significant bass will not get it from a speaker set lacking a subwoofer in this class.
Really cheap "cheap" speakers October 3, 2008
LynnE216 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm no audio buff, but these are really bad speakers. They were bought to replace the standard non-upgrade Harman/Kardon speakers that came with a Dell system that finally died after about eight years of daily use. I selected them because they had both a volume and a tone knob. However... the tone knob only lets you select between "tinny-sounding" and "tinnier-sounding". They have VERY little bass and just have a very flat-feeling sound. Plus the cords were enough shorter on them vs. the older ones that we were unable to place the right speaker on the right side of the computer, and have to live with the stereo channels reversed. I realize I could buy an extension cord, but I plan to get a better set of speakers instead, because these really aren't good.
Why does anyone ever buy Altec Lansing speakers? September 30, 2008
J.B.S.
My speakers at work stopped working, and my boss purchased these as a replacement. He probably found them for about $15 at some hole in the wall. They're awful. If you take a pair of headphones, plug them into your computer's audio line out jack, place them next to your monitor, and turn the volume all way up, you'll have reproduced the effect of plugging these speakers in. There is no bass whatsoever. Altec Lansing has always been absolute trash as far as I have experienced, and anyone who says otherwise either has bad hearing, works for Altec Lansing, or both. Wouldn't it be hilarious if all the quality testers at Altec Lansing had bad hearing? It would certainly explain matters.
Altec Lansing BXR1120 - OK, But Should Not Be Your First Choice September 8, 2008
Mark (East Coast)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The Altec Lansing BXR1120 2.0 music and gaming speaker system will give you basic speaker performance for an acceptable price. But it's hard for me to rate these speakers higher because for those looking for budget speakers, there are cheaper. And for those looking to spend in the same range, there are many better options.
For starters, the fact that they call this a "music and gaming speaker system" is definitely a marketing thing. This is definitely not going to satisfy anybody who wants to do anything more than minimal gaming. As far as music is concerned, once again this is for the undemanding user. There is no bass at all, and while they won't pop or crackle so much they definitely have that hollow cheap speaker sound. These are your basic general speakers for surfing the web and multimedia usage, nothing more.
If you must have these why not get the Altec Lansing BXR1121 2.1 music and gaming speaker system so you will at least get some bass. Because the 1120's have NO bass. Still, if you're going to do that then you will have to consider the Logitech S220 2.1 Speaker System or the Creative Inspire A 200 2.1 Speaker System, either or which will give you better build quality at a similar price. But let me not get too far away from these speakers. This is part of the reason why it's hard to rate these highly; there are MANY better options out there in this price range.
As for the "iPod / MP3" cradle, it's pretty much just a piece of plastic that will soon be lost or discarded. The MP3 player port is just a stereo aux jack on the speaker, but my set didn't even have the cable in the box. Further negatives include a build quality that feels VERY light and will certainly not stand up to anything but gentle use. These things will fall over easily and the cables should not be pulled on. Handle with care.
The Altec Lansing brand is definitely a plus that sets these above a products like the Cyber Acoustics CA-3001RB 2.1 Subwoofer/Satellite System- Black or the Cyber Acoustics CA-3090 2.1 Computer Speakers- Black. Yet brand alone is not enough for me. The performance is just OK, but once again, not the first option in this group.
If you must get just a cheap set of speakers, the Logitech S120 2.0 Multimedia Speakers are probably almost as good at a better price. If you can pay a little more and step up to the Logitech X-140 2.0 Speakers or the Logitech X-240 2.1 Speakers. Like I said, there are almost too many options in this price range. As for me, I don't mind paying much more for myself. I trust my Creative GigaWorks T40 Premium 2.0 Speaker System. I would have probably not even gotten to test these if not for one of my relatives buying this without getting my input first.
Happy shopping.
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