MidiLand S4 4060 Review - PAGE 4
Anthony Roberts - Friday, April 7th, 2000

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-- Article Quick Nav -- 1 - Introduction2 - Product Overview3 - Music Quality4 - More Music Quality and Games Performance5 - Final Remarks

When listening to more contemporary pop, R&B, and alternative music, the speakers were composed and delivered a strong bass line. The bass was smooth, but seemed less refined and more cumbersome than the bass from other subwoofers. There was a general tendency for a flatter, and "wider" response, - this isn't necessarily a flaw, but some listeners might prefer tighter bass tones. Because of this mixed performance, the type of music and personal taste should dictate the suitability of the S4 4060s for the task. Overall though, the S4 4060s did disappoint in music when compared to the S2 4030 -and this was made all the more poignant by the fact that this particular reviewer has had the pleasure of working with both the S2 4030 and the S4 4100, both of which offered musical reproduction at levels that far surpassed many other speakers on the market. So those hoping to obtain the exact same musical clarity and accuracy from the S4 4060s as from the S2 4030s, at a lower price, are best off spending that extra cash and pushing for the S2 4030.

In games, the speakers were above average, and especially gave an adrenaline pumping go-around in action titles with many booms and shakes. The woofer won't take down the walls, but it certainly gives you a run for your money - and it is a much appreciated improvement over the smaller, and more civilized S2 4030s (which couldn't hold their own in games). In a way it is ironic: when we first reviewed the older S2 4030 speakers, we felt that they were excellent for music, but that the under performing subwoofer wasn't as impressive in games. Now, the next generation S4 4060's are the very opposite: they work well for games, but aren't necessarily strong contenders in the music arena. Which leads me to one grateful fact: both the S2 4030's and S4 4060's are available from MidiLand - so you can take your pick based on which direction you wanted to lean.

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