GigaWorks T40 Series II 2.0 Speakers with BasXPort

My wife needed PC speakers that were clear so she could understand people in Zoom conference calls. She has some hearing loss and needs to accentuate certain frequencies. Her Win11 laptop speakers were anemic, as were her monitor speakers and several older pc speakers I had. She needed a set that was extremely frugal with her limited desktop real estate. She also needed at least a tone control. I could not believe how few pc speakers have tone controls these days. And navigating down multiple menu levels within the O/S to adjust tone is very inconvenient. Most speakers I found with a tone control were absolute pigs for the footprint they grabbed on the desktop. It was sticker shock when I found these speakers, but they ticked all the boxes, had good reviews, and I've been happy with Creative products in the past. These do a great job and she can understand everyone clearly. The two niggles I have with these speakers are: 1. After they power down (or sleep) after no audio for ten minutes, it takes several seconds for them to power back up after audio is detected. In my opinion, they should power up almost instantly. Due to the delay, she often misses the first few seconds of audio when she reviews a video or performs other tasks, and that frustrates her. The manual says you can just turn the off and on every time, but that requires quite a reach in her case and brings me to the next niggle. 2. To turn them off, on, adjust volume, and adjust tone controls, you must somehow grasp completely smooth knobs that are recessed so low into the front that there is hardly any of the knob to grasp. It is very uncomfortable to adjust the knobs. It's not a big deal because these are something you usually just set-and-forget. But, if you want to flip them off and on real quick to wake them up, you must deal with these almost ungraspable knobs. Overall, these are fantastic speakers. I am not deducting stars for these niggles. They have great fidelity, plenty of power, they are easy to set up, take up as little desktop space as possible, and they are good-looking. I would not hesitate to get them again.

This is an update to my prior review below from about 6 weeks ago... I thought my speakers were dead after 11 years. BUT, turns out it was totally operator error and I'm quite embarrassed. I seriously thought I had checked, double checked and then rechecked all connections to the speakers, computer, etc. and made sure everything was plugged in. I was ready to hit the the button to complete an order for a new set of these. But in my mind I couldn't believe and accept the fact they would have really completely stopped working. I decided to check one last time before putting them in the trash and sure enough, one of the connectors was not fully connected. First, I don't know how I didn't catch it the previous times I checked and second, the connectors are really secure so I don't know how this happened. Regardless, the speakers are working just as well as the day I bought them and they suit my needs perfectly!!! If you're on the fence I would bite the bullet and make the purchase. These are beyond amazing and a great price for the quality you are getting. I purchased these speakers in June if 2013 and overall was very happy with them. They were a bit larger than I would have liked but to me the sound was good and they are a nice looking speaker. I also liked the wired set up versus USB or wireless. I know many have complained about the auto shut off or standby feature but that wasn't really an issue for me. That is until a week ago when they simply never came back on. I think 11 years is a good run and honestly they still look brand new. While I'm giving these speakers 5 stars for everything I've just mentioned I'm not sure why but this go around I'm a bit reluctant to purchase these again. I'm looking at other options, maybe something smaller but most have a USB hookup. Also, I don't want to compromise on sound but don't want to spend a lot of money and I'm not sure I can find something better for this price. I'm anxious to get new speakers but don't want to make a rash decision.

Update: I recently upgraded my speakers as I wanted some more low end in my music. These speakers are decent for the price point but I was getting a little frustrated with the sound quality on them. Certainly not bad, but I will say I had these speakers for the shortest time of any set of speakers I have owned in the last 10 years. I am going to use them for an MP3 player setup downstairs so it isn't like they are getting thrown out or anything. These speakers are quite decent. They have some nice heft to them and the knobs have a very nice feel to them. They seem to be quite sturdy so I anticipate them lasting quite a while. I am pleasantly surprised by how sturdy they actually feel. The sound quality on them is quite good, I think I might still be burning them in as they only have about 7 or 8 hours of use on them so I expect it to even improve a bit more. For the price, these are some great speakers. I am not disappointed in my purchase the least bit. I really like being able to adjust the treble and bass on the speakers themselves, very nice feature that I have not had on a set of speakers in years. The headphone and aux jacks on the speakers are a nice touch too, these would actually make a nice setup for an mp3 player in my den, so there is a chance that a second set may be purchased in the near future. For my setup, I lay one speaker on it's side and it sits just under my monitor stand. That is not possible with these speakers. They are HUGE. They are a little more than a foot tall but only about 3 or 4 inches wide. Looking at the picture I did not think that they were going to be anything close to this size. I have one of them standing up next to a laptop that is open and on a docking station. The laptop has a 14 inch wide screen and the highest point of the speaker is slightly taller than that. That being said, the speakers aren't particularly wide or deep though so their foot print on my desk isn't anything crazy they are just tall. I am not using the stands for the speakers at this time but they seem to be as sturdy as the cabinets and they give you some hefty screws to attach them. The cord that connects the speakers together is a little bit on the short side. It does not appear that it can be easily changed either as the cord is not able to be removed from the left speaker. I am sure someone a bit more clever than myself could figure something out, but just straight out of the box it is lacking. It just bareley stretches around my two 24" widescreen monitors. The cord is not pulled completely tight but I probably only have 2 or 3 inches of slack so I would guess the connecting cord is only 3 feet long. I did not use the audio cable that came with the speakers as I already had one run to my computer. It looks like another standard 3 foot cable. Pros: Good sound quality for the price Sturdy Construction Bass and Treble adjustment knobs on the speaker Nice small power cable, it won't eat up more than port on a surge protector Cons: Surprisingly Tall Short cable connecting the speakers together

Pros: Great looks. Sounds is both clear and tremendously powerful for speakers of this size and price. Couldn't be easier to set-up. Versatile and well-equipped. No separate sub. Cons: Size isn't for everyone. No remote. Not having a separate subwoofer may be a dealbreaker for some. I recently moved into a studio apartment and I can't afford a massive sound system. Like many people I rely upon my laptop as pretty much my sole source of entertainment but was growing tired of using headphones and my valiant, but tiny Altec speakers on my HP laptop. Looking through Amazon.com, NewEgg.com, and Cnet.com was definitely an exercise in frustration. In fact, it took me two months of trolling through those sites and my local Best Buy before I gambled on these. I finally settled on the T40 because both the T20 and T40 have garnered solid reviews. Are they perfect? No, but neither are most reviewers. But generally no one had horror studies to tell (ahem, JBL, ahem) and the only complaints seemed anal-retentive. A sale price of 99.00 on Amazon.com was also perfect and the lack of a subwoofer was a plus. Finally, I've owned a few Creative products in the past...MP3 players, etc...remember soundblaster? And while they were often on the fringe of the mainstream, they have always been solid and never poorly made. I want to break this review into several parts based on how I went about choosing these speakers: 1. Looks: with a sophisticated design and piano-black exterior, these speakers are very fancy looking. On my black lacquer Ikea desk, they look outstanding. Of course, like a shiny black BMW, they do require weekly dusting but I find it to be worth it (buy a Swifter). You will get nice comments from your friends, trust me. That being said, these speakers are a full 12 inches high, so they may be bigger than what you're looking for. Each speaker is slightly canted upwards for optimal sound since they are essentially pointing towards your head. 2. Versatility and Ease of use. There is everything you need here. You have a TV aux in (with included RCA adapter), Aux in, Headphone jack and a standard audio cable for hooking up to your laptop. The power adapter is smaller than most laptop adapters and doesn't even get hot. Wires are needed obviously but are minimal and easy to tie up. There is a Bass/Treble/Volume button right on the front so adjustments couldn't be easier. Very clean and thoughtful set up. People complain about the blue light around the volume button but c'mon. I don't even notice it. People need to calm down. Incidentally, I prefer the dust covers on and overall, the speakers are very chic and modern. 3. Sound: You might notice I put this third. Well, that's because I didn't have high expectations from a two speaker setup. But let me tell you, these speaker will SPOIL you. Pinback sounds amazingly clear and concert-like. Nine inch Nails sounds awesomely angry and loud. Deadmau5, Daftpunk, and Kaskade sound club-ready. Yankees Games sound crisp. Top Gear sounds terrific. These speakers have ALL the bass you need without any of the headaches (rattling furniture, angry neighbors). The high and mid-range sound is quite frankly excellent for two single speakers without any separate tweeters, etc. These speakers are great all-rounders for both movies, music, and internet use. Are other speakers better? Sure, but I bet you'll pay more for them and have to accomodate an ugly subwoofer to boot. 4. Price: There are not many other worthwhile alternatives that offer this sort of quality at this price. The Altec/Logitech crowd designs range from comical and horrendous to just plain tacky. The JBL designs are cool but like a BMW, their reliability sucks. Bose is laughably overpriced. Really little to complain about here. So there you have it. Great looking. Excellent Design. Terrific Sound. Good value. What more do you need?

Update March 2026: Our ancient Sharp flat screen TV finally started to be lame, so we purchased a new Roku set. I was disappointed to learn that most TVs now connect to soundbars via Bluetooth. I'm not convinced Bluetooth is worthwhile, especially on stationary/non-portable equipment. For a while, I thought our TV had no headphone jack, which is the easiest way to connect the speakers. I was cleaning and happened to have a enough light to notice it was buried in a location near the ethernet cable connection. Today I had time to connect the GigaWorks T40 speakers that used to be connected to the old TV, which functioned for many years to make it so that we could actually follow the dialog on the programs we watched. This had become challenging with the new TV using the built-in speakers. What a big difference! We used to require the closed captions, but not anymore! These are great speakers for a PC, and also great for circumventing the idiotic way sound is mixed for new er movies and TV. The only real drawback is the trend of manufacturers obsessively using blue LEDs for everything. Not only annoying, but messes with night vision and circadian rhythms. In the one photo you may be able to tell I used a piece of translucent red plastic to cover the blue light around the volume knob. Original review:This is the second set of these speakers I've purchased. The first were connected to our TV to improve the sound quality. I've found that "theatre" speakers systems with more than 2 channels bury the dialogue, the entire reason we wanted better sound. Although these speakers are intended for a PC, they work perfect on any TV with an audio output. They are a bit large for a desktop, but the sound is quite good. The quality of construction is impressive. The appearance of the speakers is pleasant, without goofy shapes, lights or gimmicks. Bluetooth speakers usually have inconsistent connection quality. I only use them wired, and don't even know, or care, if these will connect via wireless.(edited for clarification)This second set of speakers were for my wife to use on ZOOM calls.

Aug 2020 Update: The left speaker just went bad (loud constant static) and is no longer usable. This happened during a mundane Teams conference call- so no loud audio spike or noticeable cause. The right speaker still works, but no more stereo sound. My online research shows that it's not easily possible to learn if the speaker itself went bad or the controller (housed in the right speaker) went kaput. So, I got a good (almost) 5 years from them. They were great for that 5 years. It's a shame they are gone. Turning these speakers on Day 1, my impression was basically "Ok- they sound fine." Given 3 months to break-in and I'm now very pleased with them. They have warmed up considerably and sound very balanced. I have bass at 50%, treble at about 60% and the sound is quite nice. I keep volume pretty low normally but turning them up is no problem. They get plenty loud for me. I found myself quite impressed a few days ago when playing the PS4. I had some over-ear Bose headphones plugged into the DS4 controller and I think that sound is delivered via bluetooth. It sounded pretty bland but passable. On a whim I tried plugging the earbuds into the GigaWorks T40 headphone jack. HUGE DIFFERENCE. I mean, complete night & day difference. I finished playing Uncharted 2 using the T40 headphone jack and the ending (which is pretty cinematic) had me totally engrossed, it sounded fantastic, and I had a huge smile on my face. My only critical feedback would be 2 items. I wish there were 2 input jacks on the back but there is only 1. This means I always have a cable plugged into the front as I have 2 sources. Also, I wish the speaker with the controls had a switch to assign it as the L/R speaker, as some studio monitors offer. Not the end of the world but it would be a nice option. Also, the auto turn-on/off delay doesn't really bother me. It's about a 3 second delay and doesn't affect me too much. I typically always have some audio going (Spotify, Youtube, Ps4, etc.) so they rarely shut off. Overall I'm extremely happy with the T40s.

These speakers are by no means large. For such expensive speakers, they are quite small. When it comes to sound, the more expensive the speakers are, the larger they tend to get and the better they sound. For $245 dollars, or whatever sale price Amazon chooses to set them at, they had better put out supreme quality. The major complain I see with these speakers is that there isn't deep enough bass at their price. If you are going to get these speakers, you are going to want them for their simplicity and size. They don't take up half of your desk, and they don't have a massive woofer shoving out obscenely low bass. If you feel the need to make your neighbor's house vibrate when you turn your speakers up, these won't do the trick. They can not and will not hit the lows of a woofer, but I wouldn't listen to my music with that much bass even if I had the choice, so it doesn't effect me. Assembly is quick and painless. There are a total of 3 cords; one to plug into the computer, one that connects the speakers, and a power cable. The cords are all nice and long, allowing you to place the speakers just about anywhere you wish around your computer. For these cords to not become a jumbled mess, I suggest that you keep any excess cord tied together, only using what you absolutely need to make everything reach everything else. Besides plugging everything in, the only other bit of setup is screwing the base of the speakers into the speakers themselves with a screwdriver, easy stuff. The speakers are simple to use, which I like. There is a headphone jack and an auxiliary input on the front, which allows you to plug in things like gaming headsets, iPods, and MP3 players. There are 3 knobs on the front as well for sound adjustment. There is the standard volume knob, then there is the bass and treble knobs, I tend to keep them both at about a 2 o'clock angle. At this price, you are not going to get the absolute best speakers out there if you look purely at sound quality. If you want that, buy the massive $250 dollar speakers complete with a 12x12 woofer. If you want speakers that give excellent sound quality while portable and space-friendly, these speakers are for you. Pros: -Excellent sound quality -Don't take up that much room -Easy to assemble -Portable Cons: -Not the absolute best for their price -Bass can't go to massive lows

UPDATE 05/2017 It's been a good run. But I've started encountering static in the tower that does not have the amp. It is not an occasional crackle or sound that goes away. In fact, the static dominates all sound produced from the tower. To the point it makes me turn the speakers off. It starts within seconds of power up and never stops. And it occurs without any sounds being produced or music played. Simply turning them on begins the static. I've performed several tests and it appears the issue is with the internal amplifier in the control tower. Almost 6 years later, I am a little disappointed in the need to purchase new speakers and I've deducted a star for that reason. While it is reasonable to expect eventual failure within 5 - 10 years for most PC speakers, I have used my PC less and less over the past few years. Also, my speakers have been on a surge protector the entire lifetime of my ownership and have never been exposed to over driving or improper listening levels to damage the drivers. As with my previous pair of Klipsch ProMedia speakers, it is a failure of the amplifier that has me looking for new computer speakers again. While I like the T40's, I will probably buy based on my current needs and not the ones that motivated me to purchase the T40's. ORIGINAL 01/2011 So, the delima that is today's PC speakers. Until now I had been using a Klipsch Pro Media 4.1 setup for almost 7 years. When finally the static in the volume knob degraded into a bad sounding sub (like it was blown, but not) and finally a dead amp. Creative Labs Gigaworks Series II T40 You may read reviews about how these speakers recuscitate hind parts when it comes to bass. I just got mine delivered today and purchased them sight unheard. After a month of research, I narrowed my focus to the M-Audio Studiophile AV40 ($200), Creative Labs GigaWorks Series II T40 ($140) (important to note Series II due to minor desirable enhancements), Creative Labs Gigaworks Series II T20 ($90), Bose Companion 2 ($90) and a Dayton Audio ($150) solution featuring Class T amp (50 watts/channel), 6.5" Bookshelfs and left the door open for a matching 80 watt 8" sub ($100). I am using a Sound Blaster X-FI Titanium HD (THX) sound card. I will be listening to my music library on iTunes and general gaming. My Goal Speakers that handled the entire vocal range and highs very nicely. Imaging was important. Only being 24 inches away from the speakers, I need to feel the vocals hitting my face and not my chest. Speakers need space and direction to achieve imaging. Remember, your head is on TOP of your shoulders, ;). An inheritent design problem with most pc speakers. You don't lay your head on the desk to use your PC. Yet most pc speakers are flat on the base and sit on your desk, pointing right into your chest. My Criteria Stereo sound (2.0), fit and finish, build quality, vocal sound quality, imaging, sound controls and design simplicity. I had listened to the Bose Companion 2. For $90 they seem worth every penny. My boss has them at work and I've listened to them on display, as well. They lack sound controls (except volume) and have a natural hollow sound you'd expect from 1 driver trying to do all the work in a plastic cabinet. But they fill the listening space good and seem decently built. Also, they are tilted slightly but not enough. Within 2 or 3 feet on a standard desk, they hit around your shoulders. I never got to listen to the M-Audio AV40's. After reading several complaints on multiple sites, I noticed complaints about build quality on some of the jacks and about the amps getting hot. One thing about amps, they need surface area and ventilation to truly last. Heat is the enemy. They seem to have all the makings of great speakers, but I'm not a fan of coincidence. When build quality complaints seem to echo across the reviews I read, I axed them. I really stressed over the Dayton Audio solution. But ultimately it came down to too many parts. I wanted an integrated solution. Also, again we are dealing with bookshelf speakers pointing at my chest. Axed. So then I turned my attention to the Creative Labs Gigaworks series. The next decision was not as simple as it may appear. T20's or T40's? Imaging, remember? 2 midrange/midbass drivers are better than 1. The "mini tallboy" profile didn't bother me with a 27" LCD. And after all of the reviews I read, no one complained about vocal quality. In fact, imaging and vocal quality were always praised. So, T40's it was. My Impression So, I've been listening to them for about 2 hours and I can say... imaging and vocal clarity are AWESOME. BUT, you've got to be patient with them. Due to their directional nature and (lack of) bass performance, you really need to tweak your equalizer settings, the speakers treble and bass controls and find the right balance between your audio drivers volume and the speakes volume control. Because these speakers entertain so much control over the sound, they TAKE TIME TO DIAL-IN. Be patient. Also, higher quality drivers need break in time. Typicaly 75 - 100 hours of music. New drivers are "stiff". They reproduce sound in a very tight and unforgiving nature. They need time to "loosen" to their natural responsive nature. Once broke-in, they deliver a more forgiving and fuller sound. Even after just a few short hours, I've noticed how the speakers are sounding better. And remember, you've got 3" drivers... don't try to shake the room. Tweak the equalizer and controls to filter out unneeded frequencies until you find the speakers sounding "full". If you want to rattle windows and walls, get an 8" or 10" sub... SERIOUSLY. The most fundamental rule about bass.... the more air you move, the more bass you create. Also, if you're PC speakers are also your primary source for listening to music, you'll want a 2.1 system. You need a sub. So, if these speakers don't perform well for bass, why do they get great reviews? Remember the 3 rules? 1) Know your space (room size), 2) know your taste (what are you listening to) and 3) know what it takes (the type of speaker needed). Most of the reviewers don't get their prime listening enjoyment from PC speakers. They're getting it from their theater or car. I don't demand bass from my PC experience. For me, a PC is about immersion into the screen. Thus, the "space" is about 2 to 3 feet. Forget bass, it's all about imaging at that distance. Vocals, Sound Quality and Staging You will be amazed at how much range you have with the treble and bass controls. I had read in one review that the bass control seems to give more response than the speakers can handle. This is true. But not all music and sound is created equal. It's nice to be able to compensate lesser audio sources at the speaker level. That's what the bass and treble controls allow. You just have to be patient finding the sweet spot. I don't notice any imperfections in the sound quality. No hissing, crackling or straining in the higher frequencies. The vocals are tight, punchy and warm. The highs are smooth, efficient, accurate and effortless. Staging is excellent. Fit and Finish As for fit and finish, they are very appealing. Their controls have a polished "all business" look about them. The power on/off is built into the volume button (one of those Series II things). People have complained about the blue light on the Series I. So, they moved it so it's now a backlight on the volume knob. It can be a bit distracting if you're OCD. Design Simplicity 3 connections (power, companion speaker and stereo input jack). The power converter is reminiscent of a laptop's. The install is clean and not jumbled with a snakepit of wires. Each tower has a "foot" that screws in. And the speaker grills remove to reveal some elegant looking drivers. Build Quality This was one of the primary reasons I went with these speakers. And I'm glad I did. They have a very sturdy feel. Very nice weight. The amp produces nice clean sound. And the drivers, when tuned correctly, are very true to their design. Even the grill is nice! In conclusion, don't buy these speakers thinking your buying a small concert stage with mics, guitars, drums and amps to listen to your favorite band bang out those heavy electric tunes. Instead, your buying a bar stool and acoustic guitar for your favorite singer to sing to an audiance of one. And your chair is only 2 feet away. Know your space. Know your taste. And know what it takes. Good luck!

Dual base . Amazing sound clarity for this little speaker. Even though price is little high it’s worth every paise.. better than 2.1 speakers as it has dual base and we can hear mid tones clearly

A little background: I have gone through a lot of speakers over the years for various reasons (upgrades, speakers stop working, damaged drivers). Once I got my first 2.1 set I knew I always wanted a sub-woofer in all my speaker sets. But as I upgraded into larger speakers over the years, my taste in music changed to those tunes that employed heavy bass and beats. Now that I listen to these speakers, I sort of realize why. Most 2.1 PC speakers are enjoyable for many types of music, movies and games (explosions). But, if you want to enjoy an immersive audio experience, you need to turn the volume up. At which point the bass becomes overpowering and disturbing to (neighbours or other people living in the house). REASON for 2.0: The fact that I enjoy loud music and the general lack of space in my room pushed me into looking for quality 2.0 speakers. I had heard a Bose audio dock and couple of other (premium) smallish speakers without subs throw a descent amount of bass. So I figured why not? After a little research, I picked these up. Research: [...] BUILD: Awesome. PROS : They are heavy for just satellites. So there seems to be a good amp(s) and quality drivers in there. The controls are just perfect (although a little smooth to grip properly). Bass, Treble and volume - Brilliant classic controls. The speakers themselves don't take a lot of space on the table. There is a snug-fitting grill on the front that is easily removable. Those orangish-yellow cones look even better in real. There is a power adapter with a reasonable length cable on it. The cable connecting the two speakers are long enough for two wide screen monitors. Overall build feels a thousand bucks. :) CONS (Not really): These are quite tall (you may read that mentioned often). Its not tall in a bad way, just oddly tall :P AUDIO: immersive and full-bodied PROS: The speakers have a very flat response and most music sounds quite natural. I wouldn't really consider them studio monitors but they come close. The mid's and treble's are especially detailed. I'm just amazed at the clarity the speakers provide. I was able to enjoy songs I hadn't heard in a long time and could hear nuances and instruments in the background. You know you have good speakers when you enjoy music like that. At 32 Watts the speakers aren't exceptionally loud. However, they are loud enough to fill a room and more than loud enough if you are sitting in front of them. Even at the max volume, there is surprisingly minimal distortion. The specs mention a frequency response starting at 50HZ. Not so sure about that, but it can deliver good audible bass (100Hz) with a little tweaking. Using the sound-card's EQ settings, I increase the bass at around 100HZ mark by a few decibels. The bass/treble controls on the speakers have a broader range and aren't as specific as a proper equalizer. However, they still do a great job and I use them on the fly when required. Also to note the, volume/bass/treble controls apply to headphones connected to the speakers as well (which is rare and awesome) CONS : If you have used 2.1's before, you will definitely find the earth shaking bass missing. There is no sub! If you want to shake the floor, get something else. SUMMARY: I bought them at $109 on sale and I feel like that was a steal ! I have had 200 Watt 2.1 systems which I enjoyed for other reasons (parties). This speaker however, I have been enjoying it personally ! If you are looking for 2.0 systems, i think they are good buy no matter what.

Bocinas de un tamaño considerable, pero debido a sus 2 driver por bocinas se pueden lograr una sonido fuerte y sin mucha distorción. Los bajos se perciben mas profundo gracias al diseño de las mismas bocinas sin embargo los medios se llegan a perder un poco, sin embargo esto no supone un problema para disfrutar de la musica o sonido a un muy buen nivel de volumen, ademas debido a su control de bajos y tremble se puede regular para tener un sonido nitido la mayoria de las veces Su nivel de volumen bastante aceptable, lo destacable es su desempeño con un DAC son capaces de soportar salidas altas y amplificadas aunque de esta manera se puede acentuar el problema en los medios, la potencia y claridad que ofrecen son muy buenas sorprendetemente los bajos no distorcionan mucho con el sonido amplificado por el DAC

gr8 speakers and sound is perfect for the PC

Halten was sie versprechen, guter Klang, gute Technik. Und sehen noch gut aus.