Amazon Basics USB Powered Computer Speakers (A100), Black

My musical tastes run the gamut from ancient Sumerian folk songs to Norwegian Black Metal and everything in between. So I need speakers that deliver. For a while, I had the built in speakers on my monitor, and their sound was good, if lacking. Still, I didn't see a need to add yet one more plug to my already overtaxed surge suppressor, so I went with "it'll work", and it did, right up until it didn't. A few weeks ago those monitor speakers finally went out. I figured I could read lips, but that failed rather quickly when I discovered that most software I use doesn't have lips to read. So I gave in, and started shopping around for speakers. Now, contrary to what you may believe here, I am not made of money, so I had to find speakers that were reasonably priced, while still delivering what they promised. I searched around a few regular PC shops, but they wanted a lot of money for very fancy speakers that I knew I wouldn't use to their full potential. I mean, really, do I need a 7.1 surround while I'm working on a spreadsheet and listening to the Alan Parson's Project in the background? Of course not. So I wanted something simple, inexpensive, but good quality. I don't think that's too much to ask. Apparently, unless I'm willing to take a chance on some cheapies from Walmart that will stop working after a few days, that is too much to ask. So I took to Amazon, because let's face it, this is where most of us end up, at least those of us who live in a tiny town where the Walmart is the only choice available for physical locations. I had found another set of speakers before these, and was tempted to buy them, but they had a power cord and not enough actual wattage for what I wanted. Yeah, I'm not looking for something to knock me backwards every time I get a new email, but I do want it to have some power. So finally I saw these speakers, the AmazonBasics USB powered speakers. I continued past them about half a dozen times before I came back to them and figured they would be worth a shot. I mean, they were powered, but by USB so no more stress on my surge protector. They were also smaller, which meant a smaller footprint, to where I could place them on my desk without fear of knocking them over (I have a small desk). So I purchased them. Got them a few days later, unboxed them, and set them up. It was really easy, as it should be, and I powered them on. I picked some Alan Parsons Project from my Winamp library (hey, I like the Alan Parsons Project, alright?). "I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You" starts up, and as it continues to build, I begin to get this smile on my face. Then it kicks off, and it just sounds *great*. The audio is crystal clear, the sound is sharp. There's just enough bass to make it feel "full". In short, I was impressed. I wasn't expecting a lot from $13 USB powered speakers, but I really was impressed. If you're on a budget and need a reliable pair of quality speakers, these are the speakers you want. Believe me. I wish you could hear them, I really do, but trying to show you how good these speakers are when you're obviously looking for better speakers than what you got just really defeats the purpose. That said, I highly recommend these speakers. They're the best bang for your buck. 5/5 Stars John

Got these for a particular laptop. (While that laptop's included speakers are good, they fire upward and the sound dissipates quickly.) So, I wanted a set of small computer-powered speakers (USB) which faced forward -- generally for listening to a few talk shows and watching a few movies. I've always had great success with Amazon Basic products, so when I spotted these I figured I'd give them a try. In a few words, they are AMAZINGLY GOOD, LITERALLY COST LESS THAN THE TAX ON A GOOD PAIR OF SPEAKERS, TAKE UP VERY LITTLE DESK SPACE, AND HAVE A SOLID RANGE (OK, NOT THE BOOMBOX-POUNDING, MOVIE-THUNDERING BASE coming from your dedicated subwoofer, but great considering they are sitting a few feet from your face. And WHILE THE VOLUME IS VERY, VERY GOOD; THESE LITTLE GUYS DO NOT HAVE THE SUPER-HIGH VOLUME THAT SETS YOUR NEIGHBORS TO PUNDING ON YOUR DOOR. (But do note: They have more than enough volume to fill most of your apartment!) The sound is so good that I gave them a test run-through with the AMAZON PRIME MUSIC program -- jazz, pop, classical were clear, sharp and good enough that these will now be my go-to speakers for portable sound. (Rock was good, but not as good that $200-$2,000 system sitting on your shelf.) Do note, however, it seems like these little speakers were REALLY designed to play jazz and mid-range classical -- and they are great for that full range of artists.) And the talk radio programming I was originally seeking support for? It came through crisp, loud and clear (even the ones that I couldn't make out when trying to use the laptop's speakers.) OH, AND IT TOOK ABOUT 10 SECONDS TO HOOK UP. OH, AND THEY COST LESS THAN A GOOD PAIR OF SOCKS.

These speakers were very cheap so I can't be too critical of them, but here are my thoughts. These speakers are very small which is perfect for a desktop with limited space available. They replaced some ancient dell speakers that were huge by comparison - in no way are these speakers worse than the old Dell speakers they replaced. The sound quality on these is good, but not great. I would call myself a perfectionist when it comes to sound, any distortion or noise really bothers me, while these speakers don't have any crackling or popping I have noticed their range is kind of limited. Get into the low bass or really high tones (on higher volume) and these will surrender. For $13 I wasn't too surprised honestly. I got the AmazonBasics brand because I know they are quality products backed by amazon, while these aren't as capable as my much more expensive logitech computer speakers, I'm sure they are much better quality than some of the really cheap generic speakers. If you plan on using these speakers primarily for speaking audio or soft music listening than these will be perfect, in fact most people probably wouldn't notice the distortion at the upper limits but if you're like me and hear everything I promise it will bother you. Other than the distortion at the limits my other complaint is that these are USB powered. It seems that most cheaper computer speakers are USB powered now and I really don't like it. I try not to put unnecessary USB draw on my computer and also it makes me feel like these are lacking in power (these are 3W total output vs 5W for the AC powered version). They do sell a non-usb powered version of these speakers: AmazonBasics AC Powered Computer Speakers (A150) that are $7 more, so it might be worth considering those as well. These speakers are plugged in to a windows 10 computer and they work perfectly (they are USB powered but use a 3.5mm audio jack for the sound) but for some reason the computer keeps telling me that I have plugged an audio device in. Luckily you can disable these notifications because every minute or so the computer would notify me that these were being plugged and unplugged. These came in a typical AmazonBasics frustration free brown box and come with a 1 year limited warranty.

As a computer user who values quality audio, the Amazon Basics A100 USB Powered Computer Speakers have exceeded my expectations, earning a glowing 5-star review! These compact and affordable speakers deliver impressive sound performance, enhancing my computer setup for both work and entertainment. The audio quality of the Amazon Basics A100 Speakers is remarkable. They produce clear and crisp sound, allowing me to enjoy music, videos, and online content with enhanced clarity and depth. The USB-powered feature is incredibly convenient. I no longer need to deal with additional power adapters or batteries - I simply plug them into a USB port, and they are ready to use. The compact size of the speakers saves valuable desk space, making them perfect for any computer setup, whether it's a home office or a dorm room. The A100 speakers are user-friendly with easy plug-and-play setup. I appreciate the hassle-free installation, as it allows me to start enjoying great sound right away. The volume control and power switch are conveniently located on the front of one of the speakers, making it easy to adjust the sound and turn them on or off without having to reach for the computer. The build quality of the Amazon Basics A100 Speakers is surprisingly sturdy, considering their affordable price. They feel durable and well-crafted, ensuring longevity and reliability. The value for money is exceptional. For their budget-friendly price, these speakers deliver impressive audio performance that rivals more expensive options on the market. In conclusion, the Amazon Basics A100 USB Powered Computer Speakers are a must-have for anyone seeking quality audio at an affordable price. Their impressive sound quality, USB-powered convenience, compact size, easy setup, user-friendly controls, sturdy build, and outstanding value make them an exceptional choice for enhancing your computer setup. Elevate your audio experience with the Amazon Basics A100 Speakers - they are the perfect companion for work and play on your computer!

In Jewels That Speak, Lynn Burlingham has created a moving and intimate memoir with a most captivating and historically compelling narrative that stretches across two continents and multiple countries. Her honest voice and the intellectual quality of her writing holds your attention and keeps you reading. Her story begins with a description of her family tree and its direct ties to the famous Tiffany family, and their special connection to the Freud family. Her grandmother, Dorothy, the youngest daughter of Louis Comfort Tiffany of Tiffany glass fame and Anna Freud the daughter of Sigmund Freud were friends and practitioners of Freudian psychoanalysis. We learn how both of these strong women were to cast long shadows over the author and her family – especially during the authors early years. The author explains how these powerful influences had an impact on her, her mother and her siblings growing up as follows, “The psyche of each one of us was endlessly analyzed, like the ingredients in a gourmand’s meal. And analyzing behavior ourselves became our everyday language then.” The ‘magical’ qualities and her personal relationships to the jewel stones in her story offer a clever and effective story telling technique while providing some of her most intimate and personal observations. Each jewel introduces us to another member of her family and significant memories of moments in time. In describing her Mother’s moonstone ring in a bezel setting of yellow gold she reflects, “My mother had beautiful hands, long fingers with unpolished manicured nails, palms pink, cool to the touch. Not artistic like Dad’s. Not practical, but somehow lovely.” There is so much to this story to digest and hold your interest as it twists and turns across the decades of time. She tells us about her Mother who never shared her feelings with her, her artistic and talented Father she loved deeply but was distant, her loving Norwegian grandparents, her Uncle George, at once a prominent diplomat and surrogate father, and of her four siblings, older and younger, and each unique in their own way. She dissects her three failed marriages and the birth of her children with the utmost honesty and forthrightness. In all, she reveals to us her flaws and insecurities, her fragilities and her strengths, as she wrestles with internal self-doubt and conflict. It is her courage in reaching out to and reconnecting with her old college boyfriend after many years that is to become the transformative moment in her life, and his. They reconnect long distance at first through exchanging letters and later by telephone and in person. He becomes her listener and sounding board, her best friend and ultimately the deep love of her life. A few years after they reconnect, she writes for him their story in the form of a fantasy about a gallant warrior (he) and a lady (her) who meet, only to separate and lose each other for many years before their respective journeys bring them back together again – the gallant warrior becomes her husband and true soulmate. And in the end, we have much to admire and learn through their shared memories of intimacy, honesty, friendship, and love.

Bought these on a recommendation from a co-worker. Overall these are fine speakers, but they are not great... The things I like: Compact, easy to use, USB powered vs needing AC/DC, portability. The things I don't like: They have a lot of tin sound to them. They lack any real base and so it's all high notes, treble. They just have an echo that I can't get used to. Also, they have don't crank out a lot of sound. I don't need to blast out all the time but I like speakers that I know can go there if I want them to. When you turn these up they start bogging down and sound like you are going to blow the speakers.. The vibration distorts the sound too much so you can't really blast them. USES: I will use these working at my desk with the volume low. They don't take up a lot of space and give me just enough sound. I think these would be best for playback voice, so when I am listening to an interview or deposition I will use these. I just am bummed that they don't pack enough performance for me to use when I'm trying to listen or enjoy music. Don't get me wrong you can listen to music, but the speakers just don't allow me to really enjoy the sound. The price is reasonable for speakers so with the restricted uses I shared above I would offer them. However if you are looking for something to play video games with, or want some type of deeper sense to what your listening to don't expect anything close to that with these speakers..

GREAT. THANK YOU

These A100's are compact and sound okay, especially if you apply equalization. See below for the equalization parameters I used. I have a Dell monitor with its accompanying Sound Bar. I used to have relatively high-end computer speakers but at some point I started to value compactness and simplicity over sound quality, hence I got the Sound Bar with the monitor. But eventually my pendulum swung the other way and I decided I wanted better quality, but keep simplicity, and not take up a lot of desktop space. I gave these AmazonBasics A100's a try because they're so inexpensive, I figured even if I didn't like them, I wouldn't mind having spent the very little money on them that they cost. Plus, I figured, they couldn't sound worse than the Sound Bar. I love the fact that I can plug the USB power cable into the back of the monitor, alleviating some cable clutter behind and under my desk. The sound quality slightly exceeds that of the Dell Sound Bar. Both have the nice feature that even when the volume is cranked up, if there is no signal, they don't produce much audible hissing noise. Plenty of cheap speakers audibly hiss when turned up, but not these. My ASUS Xonar DGX sound card (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007TMZ1BK/) has an equalizer in the driver, so I decided to measure the frequency response of these A100's and the Dell Sound Bar, then compensate for each. Here's the compensation based on the frequency response I measured for the A100's: Frequency in Hz , Amplification in dB: 30 , +20 60 , +20 120 , 9 250 , +3 500 , -6 1000 , +1 2000 , +4 4000 , -14 8000 , +1 16000 , +10 I applied that amount of amplification per channel using the Asus Xonar DGX Audio Center. The improvement is night-and-day better. (If you really want to dial in the compensation better than the GUI sliders let you, you can manually edit the text in the config file directly. It's here: C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\ASUS\Xonar DGX Audio Center\cmicnfp.ini. The units are logarithmic, where 1310720 corresponds to 20 dB, and the bands 0-9 correspond to the frequencies listed above.) I applied the same procedure to the Dell Sound Bar. The main difference is that in the 120 Hz band, the Sound Bar response was also below what I could measure. The upshot is that more of the audible frequencies in the Dell were uncalibratable, compared to the A100. So, even after equalizing both, the A100's sound better than the Dell Sound Bar. As you can infer from the chart above, the A100's do not generate much pressure in the extreme low (<=60 Hz) and high (>= 16 kHz) frequencies. That's what you should expect. It would be extraordinarily difficult for such tiny speakers to generate a lot of bass, and without separate tweeters, I wouldn't expect the extreme high-end to sound very crisp. Obviously this is a lot of effort to go through for $14 speakers. I did it out of curiosity more than dedication to making these speakers work for me. The next step up I would take would be a drastic leap from these: Probably AudioEngine A2+ or Vanatoo Transparent One, which cost literally an order of magnitude more money, and take up significantly more desktop space. Not a fair comparison with the A100's. So this was a fun little exercise before diving into spending real money. In summary, these speakers are worth what they cost, and you can get a heck of a lot more out of them if you apply equalization -- which some sound cards offer.