MidiLand S4 7100 Plus 5.1 Speakers

The Sound

The addition of the control module to the 7100 system gave MidiLand an opportunity to add a couple of tweaks to help the sound. In addition, some of these same options are passed onto the user for tailoring personal preference via the delay, balance, and speaker mode options. More sonic control was a step in the right direction for the system as it can adjust for some of the tonal qualities of the speakers.

The satellites used in the system were previously seen in MidiLand’s 2.1 speaker packages, though now there are a total of five. That many identical speakers operating simultaneously will combine to accentuate the strengths and weaknesses of the individual satellites. Frequency sweep tests revealed the tonal characteristics of the satellites. Overall, the smaller drivers are lacking in the low midrange, and have a sharp peak in the lower end of the high frequency spectrum. These combine to make them sound crisp at lower listening levels, but somewhat harsh at higher volumes.

The crossover in the system between subwoofer and satellites is actually performed in the decoder unit instead of at the amplifier level. This does allow for just the subwoofer volume to be directly controlled via the balance controls, which is useful to bring the subwoofer levels up to match those of the satellites. From the factory, the bass seems set a little low, though it is a straightforward adjustment to raise the level. By controlling just the level on the sub leaves the satellites unaffected, preventing any distortion from extra low frequency energy.

The crossover point has also been raised from where it was in the 2.1 systems, from 180 Hz to 250 Hz. This helps with some of the low midrange dropout, though some is definitely still present. This dropout, combined with the strong high frequency presence in the satellites, makes the system sound a little hollow. Increasing the subwoofer level a bit improves the sound to a more reasonable tone, though at high levels the high frequencies take over somewhat and the system is a little harsh.

The use of the digital decoder allows for a more controlled system, though at the sacrifice of some headroom. To check headroom, an AC-3 signal off of a DVD directly output from the computer was used. This signal is independent of the volume controls of the soundcard (it’s a direct output of the data), so it just checks how much amplification is coming from the sound system. This revealed that the upper volume limit set in the decoder box is below the clipping level of the satellites, so the sound does not break down to clipping when watching DVDs. For gaming and music playback, the sound card can add some amplification that reaches the clip point. This does indicate that there is limited headroom on the system that will suffer in a loss in dynamic range in higher volumes.

The subwoofer will keep up with the satellites as the volume, but it is not a room shaker like some systems have. The bass is sufficient to keep the system more or less accurate on the frequency spectrum, but it doesn’t quite have the beef to keep up with some LFE tracks. The bass is well defined and punchy; helicopter rotors are an experience on the system when near the sub.

System noise is fairly decent, with the S/N listed as 55 dB. The decoder box sounds relatively quiet, and the limits it places on the system’s headroom helps contribute to keeping the noise down.

As far as size goes, the system is limited to smaller listening environments. One to two users would find the system sufficient. Beyond that, the system is reasonable to fill a small room, though is more tailored to just around a desk area. In general, the lengths of the cables and the size of the satellites, this is the format for which it is designed.