STACK #181 Nov 2019

GAMES FEATURE

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Light sound It was bound to happen. If you go nuts for RGB lighting, with a desktop/ laptop, keyboard and mouse that light up your gaming sessions, you can do the same with the Logitech G560s. These RGB speakers are designed to offer a complementary light show to match your gaming. On the audio front, it also helps that the 2.1 soundscape is powered by a DTS:X Ultra engine with the option for 3D sound.

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Space saving If you’re gaming on a desk so tiny that the prospect of putting speakers beside or between monitors isn’t possible, there’s another solution. The Creative Stage Air is a compact 2.1 soundbar (two inbuilt full-range speakers and a subwoofer) that’s designed to slot under your main monitor, no matter the size. Use Bluetooth to ditch the wires (for six hours of battery life), or stay connected via AUX/USB combo to stay charged through an all day (or all night) gaming session.

smaller ones) tend to vibrate, and the higher you crank them, the bigger the vibrations. This can make the low-end sounds smash through surfaces more than the higher-end treble notes. This may not be particularly housemate-or neighbour-friendly. You can save bucks with the Logitech Z213 2.1 speakers, or opt for the newer Z323. Alternatively, make a sound investment Razer fan, you can buy the similarly THX Certified Razer Nommo Pro 2.1 security- camera-looking speakers. That said, expect to pay a whole lot more. If you’re willing to spend that much on two speakers, it’s absolutely worth investing in something like the Audioengine HD6 with inbuilt subs (available online only), which are powerful wireless speakers whose bulk is more than matched in their audiophile-pleasing output. Similarly, a bigger speaker budget can Maths isn’t the strongest point of speaker manufacturers, as that ‘2’ and ‘2.1’ logic skips the obvious numerical sequels and jumps straight to a ‘5.1’ equation. Dig into the working out, and you’ll see this translates to two front speakers, two rear speakers, a centre speaker and the shiver-your- timbers.1 subwoofer. Even a compact configuration, like the Logitech Z607, requires a space commitment. These 160-watt speakers pump out solid sound at an even better 5.1 pricepoint. Ideally, the Z607 (or any other 5.1 configuration) is being put inside a dedicated gaming room – which, yes, includes your bedroom – because getting the most out of these speakers isn’t the same as lining up speakers like ducks in a row. in the Logitech Z623 2.1 setup that boasts meaty THX Certified sound care of 200W of audio power. If you’re a green-loving go towards surround sound. Surrounding factors

Better still, if it’s for a fixed gaming station, mount the front speakers to the wall. And as the name implies, those two rear speakers are best placed behind you to glean their audio gains. With the Z607s, this means running a generous 6.2-metre speaker cable and then placing them as close to the same height as the front speakers as possible. This might mean wall-mounting, placing on furniture,

or investing in a speaker-stand solution. The subwoofer can be tucked away anywhere. Gaming speakers may not be a substitute for a serious headset.

You can place the two front speakers as you would a 2 or

But they can be an immersive companion for offline gaming, music playback, and other forms of entertainment that free you up from the

2.1 configuration, and that centre speaker is best placed below your monitor. Bonus convenience points if your monitor can shift up to sit above or on it. If it

claustrophobia of headphones.

doesn’t fit, it’s worth trying to reposition your desktop to behind your centre screen to use it as a makeshift centre-speaker shelf (though keep it clear of heat-exhausting grills).

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NOVEMBER 2019

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