Creative Labs Cambridge SoundWorks FPS1000 PCWorks 5-Piece Computer Speakers

List Price: $59.99

Features:

• 10-watt subwoofer
• Four 3.5-watt satellites
• 9-foot cables for front speakers
• 12-foot cables for rear speakers
• Volume control

Accessories:

Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 PCI Sound Card

Customer Reviews:

Best all-around speaker system [Posted on 2000-09-27]
The FPS-1000 (comes in black or white) is the best general-purpose 4 point speaker system in the market today. The four channel satellites have amazing sound clarity whose effects immediately set it apart from even the more expensive 2 speaker systems. These speakers have true independent audio-channeling (with the proper sound card eg. Soundblaster Live or Aureal Vortex) that will satisfy gamers and multi-media buffs alike.

Comes with 2 speaker stands that seem like a novel idea but are too flimsy to be practical. Unless you don't move much in your workspace, you're likely to knock your speakers down a few times in the couse of a week.

PROS:

- Physical volume control knob with ample wire length allowing you to put it within arm's reach.

- Amazing sound quality for its size and price

CONS:

- Sub-woofer can't produce deep sounds: lacks that "kick" that some look for. This may be due to the Sub-woofer's plastic housing (as opposed to wood).

This ain't in stock, I'm reviewing it for the heck of it. [Posted on 2001-06-04]
Decent sound for my needs. I usually just play games with these speakers. Music from CD's(not ROMs) is okay but not the best, I usually leave the equalizer on my SBLive(non 5.1) alone, it screws things up as does media player. Another reviewer talked about picking up radio signals, I have the same problem with mine but I think it's my motherboard, I bent it trying to put in my soundcard that could also be the problem. I've had these speakers for nearly 3 years and haven't had a problem with them except for that. I usually turn the sound/bass up pretty high too.

They're a blast!!! [Posted on 2001-07-01]
These speakers rock. My brother picked these up for me a couple of months ago. They were hooked up within two minutes, and Ive been enjoying the sounds from these speakers ever since. These are speakers, so there is not much that you can write about them. The cool features of the speakers is that I have a volume remote control hooked up to it which allows me to just change the volume by rolling the knob, instead of reaching for the controls. The subwoofer gives out quite a bit of air when playing Metallica, did I mention that they are loud...? The speakers look cool too. The colors match the colors of a normal computer, so it doesnt look out of place. The speakers can be loud if you want them to be, and increasing the volume does not interfere with the clarity. You wont find another set of speakers that perform as well as these do in this price range. You wont waste your money, my brother didnt, haha.

its ok [Posted on 2002-01-13]
I have this system. I have had it for five years now but the wires have gotten loose and have have had to tape the wires to keep the plug in for power. But the sound is still wonderful.

An impressive low-budget speaker system [Posted on 2002-10-09]
This is a very good low-budget speaker system, but there are a few drawbacks associated with the product. For the vast majority of users, PC games and audio CDs sound very good, and the four speakers do of course allow for stereo effects. The subwoofer is small enough to fit under your desk, the two front speakers are small enough to fit comfortably alongside your monitor, and the system is easy to hook up.

I used these speakers for three years, and very early on I began having plug connectivity problems. If I plugged all of my plugs in tightly, I would at best get sound from two speakers. I had to play around with the plugs and find a magic spot, loose enough for each plug to stay put without falling out, in order to get all four speakers working at once. Any time I bumped the subwoofer, I usually had to go through the process again. Also on the negative side, you have a lot of wires. I seemed to always be tripping over the lines going to my rear speakers or just plain knocking the speakers over onto the floor (without any negative consequences, however).

The main drawback about this speaker system, though, is its lack of abundant insulation on the wires-that is necessarily one of the sacrifices that accounts for the affordable price. I often used to pick up CB radio chatter from truckers passing by my apartment, and sometimes it could be quite loud; if you're not expecting it, it can really make you jump. I basically turned these speakers off whenever I was not using them to avoid the external chatter. If you live in an area where truckers pass by in large numbers, you may want to consider paying a little more to get a better insulated system.

Despite the problems I have mentioned, I do like these speakers a great deal; for the PC user on a budget, these are more than worthy of your consideration. You would be hard pressed to find another system offering such a quality stereo sound for a lower price.

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