Altec Lansing ADA 890

Conclusion

Altec's most recent offering in its desktop surround sound line continues on a strong tradition of sonic quality in the past. The acoustical approach to the system provides a basis on which a variety of features build to create the finished product. For some applications, the system works extremely well together, while in others, it falls decidedly short due to some technical issues.

In the 2.1 setup mode, where the rear satellites are stacked on top of the front pedestals and angled outward, the system offers a compact approach to surround sound environments. In near field listening environments, the system is able to simulate a surround sound field. However, it is somewhat limited to the number of users or scaling; its approach is based on a very nearfield environment.

This same 2.1 mode works extremely well for stereo music playback. For users who find this as a primary use, taking advantage of the warm analog inputs with more headroom while still having a small surround sound system to fall back on is a nice combination.

When spreading the system out to 4.1 mode, the quality of the surround sound field and overall listening experience is increased. The improved separation of audio sources widens the sound field. More people could enjoy the program material accurately in this mode.

One major drawback to the system is the malfunctioning Quad mode. For gamers, this would be the primary listening mode; it allows for four channel soundcards to create an audio environment to accompany a gaming experience. However, the phase cancellation in the system renders this input unusable.

Besides the problems with quad mode, the system is fairly responsive sonically. Its treble and bass adjustment points are well suited to fit the system, and allow for the sound to be tweaked as needed. Overall, the analog inputs are warmer than the digital ones, though they add presence to the low midrange in the sound. The digital input is very clean and consistent, though the headroom seems a little low.

The system sets up incredibly easily. Everything is color coded, and the full page, full color diagrams present multiple configuration options. For listeners that don't have a front mounted headphone jack, there is one provided on the front left pedestal.

Overall, if the quad input worked properly, the system would be an excellent package. The MSRP is $349, though it can easily be found online for $250. Still, this money is spread across a package trying to do multiple tasks while still completely failing at one. Keep an eye out for a fix from Altec, and then it will be a valuable package. For pure music listening and surround sound playback, the system still stands as a competent package, though with a decent price tag. However, the sonic quality of the system is somewhat higher than other comparably priced systems; though THX multimedia certification is a marketing technique, it is based in some real quality standards, and the system did acquire it.