Inspire 6.1 6700 Speaker System

Hardware - Creative's latest system goes 6.1 and Dolby EX.

Its quite extraordinary the pace at which PC audio is progressing, and mercifully improving in quality, catching-up with the pace-setters in the home Cinema industry. Creative’s two latest releases that do just that, the Inspire 6.1 6700 speaker system, and the new Audigy 2 soundcard are perhaps the most cutting-edge examples of this.

What you get with this particular beast are a whopping seven-channels of audio output, which takes full advantage of the Audigy 2’s new capabilities, providing the very best that money can buy in PC surround sound.

The fundamental addition to this package over 5.1 systems is the new rear centre speaker, which adds further depth to your 3D audio, as well offering full Dolby EX playback. A beefed-up centre front unit is also included to add better sound quality, and the subwoofer has been improved too.

All this should set you back in the region of £100 including VAT, which isn’t bad given the sheer quantity of hardware you’re getting for that, though the 6.1 6700 is of course not a budget option. It is however a very worthwhile purchase for owners of either the original Audigy, or especially the new Audigy 2.

The system will even improve the 5.1 output of original Audigy-class cards to something like 6.1, but this only works to a degree, and the addition of a true 6.1 card is noticeable, at least in software that makes good use of it. The standard is of course not fully established yet, but I’m sure as time progresses support will improve, especially given the noticeable difference the extra channel makes to games and DVDs.

Here’s some technical jargon before we continue:

Power Specifications:

Front and Rear Satellite Power: 8 Watts RMS per channel

Centre Satellite Power: 20 Watts RMS

Subwoofer Power: 22 Watts RMS

Frequency Response 40Hz-20kHz

Supports Dolby Digital® Surround EX playback when used with Sound Blaster® Audigy™ 2 card and Creative® Multi-Speaker System (CMSS™) technology

Up-mixes surround to 6.1 channels when used with a 5.1 sound card

Reinforced wood subwoofer with long-throw 6.5-inch driver and dual flared port tubes for clean bass.

Larger, more powerful centre satellite for clear vocal/dialogue.

Flexible wired remote volume control with power switch and bass adjustment plus headphone out for private listening.

Moving on to the crucial sound quality department, its pleasing to note that a marked improvement is detectable over previous 5.1 systems, the extra channel adding depth, whilst the solidifying of this system makes for clearer and sharper sound. This is noticeable even in music playback, like MP3’s, but is best shown-off in 3D games.

In the package you get the usual two front and two rear satellite speakers, a beefy front centre speaker, the new rear centre speaker, and a solid wooden subwoofer. The build quality is of course good, as you’d expect, and the package also contains various stands, a wired-remote, and the necessary cables. A pretty healthy package for the price, even if wiring and connecting everything can leave the rear of your PC looking something like spaghetti junction.

All in all the 6.1 6700 system is easy to recommend, especially to those still without the joy of 5.1 audio – this being the next-step up. Owners of the Audigy 2 (review) may also find this a worthwhile purchase, especially for those with the budget to aim at audio perfection. Owners of the existing Audigy and a 5.1 speaker system may however wish to keep their notes firmly in their wallets as this upgrade will not prove a revolution – more of a progression.

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