Over the years I have tested many computer audio systems, but the Monsoon iM-700 flat-panel audio system is hands-down the best computer audio system my ears have ever heard.
When I opened the box, I saw a black cube-like subwoofer (it's really 10-by-9-by-9 inches), which also contains the 44-watt amplifier. The power is split, with 11 watts each going to the satellites and 22 watts left for the subwoofer. The two 4-by-8-inch satellite speakers are a high-tech clamshell design contained in a subtle translucent "ice"-colored housing, which sits in a tubular easel that slides onto the enclosure. Unlike conventional cone speakers, these contain a polymer diaphragm and perforated neodymium magnetic bars, which allow air to pass through the speakers as the diaphragm moves back and forth. These thin, planar magnetic drivers work splendidly with the 5.25-inch powered subwoofer that's tuned to 65Hz.
I groaned when I saw that the speakers were connected with bare tinned wires instead of plugs, but my misgivings were quickly dispelled when I saw the subwoofer had push-and-insert connections for the speaker wires, much like a good home stereo system. One double wire went from the audio jack of my power Macintosh G3, but should work with any computer--Windows or otherwise--that has a good sound card. A "Y" in the cord ends in a small puck with a wheel and button; Monsoon recommends that you set your computer sound levels in the middle, and use the puck to raise or lower the volume. A small button lets you mute the system if you're rocking out when the phone rings.
I am writing this review while listening to Shania Twain singing "That Don't Impress Me Much," but I also tried many different kinds of CDs, including C.P.E. Bach's "Magnificat," Wynton Marsalis, and Vince Guaraldi in an old pre-digital recording of "Linus and Lucy." Every CD in my collection sounds better on the Monsoon than on the excellent Bose MediaMate speakers that it replaced. The bass is outstanding, and the clarity of tone in the middle and higher frequencies is remarkable. Subwoofer intensity can be varied by turning a wheel on the black cube. I kept it in the middle and it seemed perfect, but game players might want to crank it up for a wall-shaking experience. In a workstation environment, Monsoon claims a system frequency response of 50Hz to 20KHz; all of the alert sounds, including Apple's Speech function with talking alerts, sounded as life-like as those synthesized voices are ever going to sound.
The iM-700 flat-panel audio system is manufactured by Sonigstix and marketed exclusively under the Monsoon brand name. The three-piece system, including the volume puck, sells for $169. If that's anywhere near your budget for a computer audio system, or if you need the best for game playing, digital video, or just listening to tunes, you should run to your nearest Monsoon retailer and get one of these systems. Your ears will thank you for it.
