You be the judge....

http://alesis.com/products/ProActive51/About/index.html

http://www.fastlanehw.com/reviews.php?i=98&page=2

Aside from the 5.1/2.1 differences, why do they look so similar? If they are manufactured by the same factory, wouldn't the Logitech speakers also make good reference monitors?

I think you should check out the Logitech Z-680 instead. Its identical to the Alesis thingy. I've got one and I wouldnt dream of calling it a reference anything. I use it to place stuff in the 5.1 soundfield but if i used them to do sound in I would get lost faster than you can write "cheepies".

I don't get it. Are they made by the same manufacturer? Alesis or Logitech???

Also, if Alesis touts them as reference monitors, why can't the Logitechs be used as such?

I think I'm gonna go with the 2.1 Logitechs. I need a good bass response and no monitor system within that price range comes close. I've had great experence mixing with 2.1 high output computer speakers like the Altec Lansing 621 (100w RMS). The Logitechs are 200w RMS and can be had for under $100. That's an astonishing deal.

s a v e

y o u r

m o n e y

and don't be fooled by such advertisement.

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s a v e y o u r m o n e y and don't be fooled by such advertisement.

Thanks, but I wasn't "fooled" by an ad. I was reading specs. Just because they're cheaper than studio monitors doesn't mean they're bad. Like I said, I got really nice mixes with my Altec Lansing 621's. I just want something with a punchier bass now, and no studio monitors within a reasonable price range even come close.

Maybe i'm wrong, and maybe my next comparison is even worst but let me state my thinking:

Imagine the bass punch left in your mix is like the capacity of a car to stick to the road. Imagine the difference you'll have with those new speakers is a bigger engine. Would that help to stick better to the road ?

Anyway i hope you'll be happy with your choice - the speakers you're looking at may be what you need, i just wanted to share my view because speakers are so important.

Well I have been using Altec 621's for quite some time and its been extremely responsive !

My 621's have a reported flat response and extremely tight bass.

There is no coloring in the cans and can sound as bad or as sharp as you skills allow to.

I would tend to think of them as the affordable genelecs..

I think the system is 200W.

Dont believe the hype and do what you think is right.

Good stuff !

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Well I have been using Altec 621's for quite some time and its been extremely responsive ! My 621's have a reported flat response and extremely tight bass. There is no coloring in the cans and can sound as bad or as sharp as you skills allow to. I would tend to think of them as the affordable genelecs.. I think the system is 200W.

I'm glad to see someone else is using the 621's, too (shows me that I'm not completely crazy). These are really good monitors. I'm gonna use them as a second reference. BTW, the Altecs are 100w RMS, 200 peak. The Logitechs are 200w RMS, 400 peak!

They probably are from the same Chinese manufacturer. You would probably be surprised at how many products are manufactured by just a handful of Chinese manufacturers these days. At this year's winter NAMM my brother saw the same mixer being displayed by three different companies with just slight cosmetic differences.

E.g. The Phonic MM1202 and the Behringer UB1202 are from the same Chinese manufacturer with only slightly different cases. If you browse the rest of their product lines you'll be able to spot the other ones that come from the same manufacturer.

This is industry-wide. You'll find the same thing occurring in speakers, amps, microphones, etc. This is why it amuses me sometimes to read comparisons of these products and the claims that one is better than the other in qualifiable terms.

I don't know about these particular speakers but my guess would be that neither Alesis nor Logitech manufacturers them but they simply get them from the same Chinese supplier.

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I don't know about these particular speakers but my guess would be that neither Alesis nor Logitech manufacturers them but they simply get them from the same Chinese supplier.

That's fucking astonishing! You'd think that Alesis would have some kind of role in the design, their logo being on it and all. That's just really weird that they can get away with that.

geeseaplenty wrote:

That's fucking astonishing! You'd think that Alesis would have some kind of role in the design, their logo being on it and all. That's just really weird that they can get away with that.

It's not really very surprising. Alesis hardly manufacturers anything themselves these days. Most of their stuff is contracted out to Chinese manufacturers.

But this goes on with many products. I actually had someone try to convince me that his iRiver iMP-250 was somehow superior to my RioVolt SP250 despite their same guts. I even have my SP250 flashed with the iRiver firmware update to play back OGG files.

I wouldn't necesarily call it a dirty little secret but it's something the companies would rather not publicize. The best thing a consumer can do is be aware of the similarities between products and this possibility and make a decision not necessarily based on price but on support from the company.

Looking alike does not necessarily mean same manufacturer and definitely does not mean same sound. Behringer has been copying the looks of popular products for years, but they have never matched the sound of those products.