Get a FREE fully-working copy of Steganos Security Suite 7 (worth £49.99) when you sign up to the Practical PC Newsletter. Review: Creative TravelSound 400
Don Bradbury tries replacing his MP3 player's headphones with a one-piece amplified stereo speaker setup
| Product | TravelSound 400 |
|---|---|
| Company | Creative Labs |
| Web | uk.creative.europe.com |
| Price | £49.99 |
| We like | Small, decent sound quality |
| We don't like | Distortion at higher volumes, no power supply |
| Rating | 8/10 |
| Requirements |
The ubiquitous MP3 player has many options available to enhance it's usability. Among these is a pair of one-piece speakers to allow you to listen to your choice of music without being restricted by the confines of corded headphones. Creative make a couple of neat units for this purpose, and of these we have looked at the TravelSound 400.
For £49.99, this stylish unit simply connects to any MP3 player's headphones mini-jack via a provided lead, whereupon you have amplified stereo sound that's suitable for use in a small room or office, and especially while away from base, in a hotel bedroom, for example, or even in the car - though there are preferable and cheaper options to achieve that via your car's radio/cassette.
Speakers
A pair of 33mm NeoTitanium Microdrive speakers provide the stereo output at 2 watts per channel RMS, with a claimed frequency response of 150Hz to 20kHz. The speaker rack ingeniously swiveling through 180 degrees, one setting protecting the speakers and simultaneously switching off the power by pointing them downwards, the user can direct the sound forwards or at any angle upwards.
Sound enhancement also extends to a Wide Stereo Effect (WSE) control, as well as up and down digital volume controls plus an on/of switch, all mounted on the front panel. The latter features an integral blue LED, while the WSE button bears an integral yellow LED to indicate its activation state.
Power options
Powered by 4 AAA alkaline batteries (provided) or a 5volt DC transformer (not provided), a claimed life for the batteries of 35 hours at 10mW total output, which seems reasonable. Of course the output is also controlled by the MP3 player's own volume control. This varies the input signal strength to the TravelSound 400's amplifier.
Optimum sound quality may depend on driving the two amplifiers (MP3 player and TravelSound) at settings which lead to minimum distortion, but in any event the 400 is not intended for filling a large room with undistorted sound. It's more suitable for smaller spaces, as we said.
In conclusion
The inclusion of a neat, black, felt travel pouch should encourage users to take their music out and about, and while, undoubtedly, less distorted output could be achieved by quite inexpensive separate amplified speakers, the one-piece TravelSound 400 is a neat and effective amplifier cum stereo speaker setup for the traveler whose musical listening ambitions are not too extravagant.
We were quite impressed with the admittedly rather bass-light sound quality, not to mention adequate sound output, but we felt that a near-constant sound level, as exemplified by most pop music, would be best suited to this device rather than the much more variable sound level of classical music where constant adjustment of the volume was necessary to avoid distortion in louder sections while preserving adequate output in the quieter passages.
