8. Cambridge SoundWorks Megaworks 510D

The MegaWorks 510D by Cambridge SoundWorks, subsidiary of Creative Labs, is the most powerful sound system in this test. It has a total power of 500 RMS watts (in Burst mode), quite unheard of in multimedia sound. In fact, apart from the Klipsch Promedia 5.1, which we were sadly unable to include in this test, no system can compare in power with the MegaWorks 510D. The four speakers and the center channel each have 70 RMS watts. Add to that an impressive subwoofer of 150 watts and you'll find yourself with a 5.1 sound system that can reach 107 dB, a fantastic sound pressure. The MegaWorks, like the Promedia 5.1, uses the BASH (Bridged Amplified / Switching Hybrid) and PDC (Primary Digital Control) technologies developed by Indigo. This involves analyzing a sound signal and sending a digital dataflow which maintains the amplified output level so that it is always above the requested level. The result is constant pressure on the amplified output, giving the sound great strength without distorting it.

But strength is not everything, and the 95 dB signal-to-noise ratio given shows that this is a higher-quality product than you usually find in multimedia sound systems. The bandwidth is pretty much the 32 Hz to 18 kHz specified, and the threshold is actually reached. There is just a slight gap in processing at 9-12 kHz, but this is not easy to hear. All the more so because the MegaWorks has a high-frequency damper function which completely does away with the problem by making a drop of 3 dB at 10 kHz. It is best to make use of this function if you use the speakers in a frontal position close to the elements. This, by the way, is one of the very few controls on the MegaWorks, which only has a wired remote control and an adjustment dial at the back of the subwoofer. As for connections, there are the mandatory three mini-jack inputs for 5.1 sound, and also a digital input in the same format. Creative provides the right cable for connecting it to an Audigy, Live! 5.1 or Live! 1024.

With regard to sound quality, the MegaWorks is better than the general level in this test. Especially noticeable are the very clear medium frequencies. The high ones are not quite so fantastic and do not match the outstanding level of the Altec Lansing 641, but they are still clear and true and only saturate at very high volume. The low frequencies are beyond reproach, deep and percussive and never drowning out the rest. The crossover is stated as 150 Hz, which is quite low and gives vital importance to the speakers, which happily never diminish the quality. Instrument distribution and stereo image are the same as the rest, very lifelike. The MegaWorks is also a general-purpose system that performs equally well in games, DVD and music. For classical music though, it should be said the Altec Lansing 641 gives better results because its neutrality and fidelity are more developed. As for DVDs, you need only watch the first scene of "Saving Private Ryan" to understand the power and efficiency of this system. The sound is so deep that gamers will not be disappointed either. In short, the MegaWorks 510D is without a doubt one of the best top-range 5.1 sound systems for PCs, and it also deserves a space in a living room next to the DVD player with an integrated decoder. Of course, this has its price, but, after all, the MegaWorks 510D is much more a technological showcase than a mass market product. So it is only meant for the wealthy who want one of the best systems around for their PC. For a quality approaching that of the 510D with a bit less power, those on a lower budget can turn to the Altec Lansing 641.