Bigger is better?this used to be the prevalent thinking a few years back whenever people used to visit an audio shop to purchase a music system. Well, the truth is that big speakers don?t necessarily play louder or sound ?bigger? than small ones, nor do they necessarily have better-quality bass.
Also, having a compact, clean looking system without making big sacrifices in performance can be a challenging task, especially when real world budgets are taken into consideration.
While most of the consumer audio world has turned its focus to wireless systems, Fenda Audio (F&D), a fast emerging brand for multimedia speakers, promises an audio treat with its new A530U, a 2.1 surround speaker system which delivers excellent sound quality for all music types. The product is priced at R4,990 and is ideal for a small house or office party. Let us find out how it stacks up in terms of features and performance.
Pulling the A530U from its shipping carton, it becomes evident that F&D?s latest offering meets the three key requirements?something that is budget based, simple setup and good quality audio with plenty of clarity. The overall design is very good and it also occupies less space and most importantly, it is
power-friendly.
A surround sound system designed for those looking for that edge in a compact space, the A530U has the power of two speakers,which deliver clear, powerful sound. The sub-woofer comes with a 6.5 inch full-range driver and the satellite speakers are powered by 3-inch full range drivers for high performance sound quality.
The A530U flaunts a heavy-duty attitude with metal grills as also high glossy front panels, scoring high in the looks department. The system will sound powerful but will exude nothing but sleek elegance thanks to its wooden cabinet. The wood factor reduces distortion while the bass fills your room with clear, powerful sound.
Those who seek the new aural experience whether from their couch, gaming zone or media rooms can just use the system?s USB/SD reader to go about their experience. Like most offerings of F&D, the A530U has smooth connectivity to MP3 players, PC, TV, CD and DVD players. With a built-in digital FM player with 100 FM stations storage and an advanced PLL technology,this console has multiple purposes for multiple moods.
At my end, installation was a seamless affair. I connected the speaker to the sub via an accompanying cable and then
connected the A530U to a wide range of choices?mobile phone, laptop and a DVD player?via the cable. At moderate volumes it sounds great, with rich
lows and well-defined mids and highs. Distortion creeps in at top volumes, but at this budget price, that’s forgivable.
Overall, it?s a decent choice for a surround speaker in this price range with some powerful output. It should be on top of the mind of anyone looking for power that is compact.
* Estimated street price: R4,900