Review of Tech-Com SSD-3200 FM
I have a Logitech Z-2300 THX certified 200 watt RMS speaker system connected with my PC in which I listen to music & play movies. The sound quality of Z-2300 being THX certified is phenomenal and is truly the Big Boss of any 2.1 speaker system.
Recently I had a need for a small speaker system in which I can hear music & more importantly FM which I dearly miss from my college days. Meet the Tech-Com SSD-3200 FM, 2.1 speaker system.
Apart from connecting it to your PC the speaker system also have a built-in USB port for connecting a drive and playing music from it .It comes with a SD card reader to play mp3 songs. It also has built-in FM radio and comes with a wireless infrared remote controller, all at Rs.1400 (tax included). Phew!!!
The set comes with
•Tech-Com SSD 3200 FM
•Audio cable
•Remote controller
•User Manual
THE REAL ONE
Tech-Com SSD-3200 FM web page is provided below:
Tech-Com affordable, latest, Computer Parts, DVD, LCD Monitor, Keyboard, Speakers
The truth is Tech-Com do not manufacture this set. They actually do import this set from an OEM manufacturer in China and sell in India. The name of this OEM manufacturer is Enkor. Now, Enkor is ISO:9001 certified company which is excellent. This means SSD-3200 goes through strict quality control through the entire manufacturing process.
Enkor does have an office in India. They also sell self branded speakers in India but not this one. Tech-Com SSD-3200 FM is based on Enkor S2112 model.
Enkor S2112
You can check in the link below:
Enkor S2112
Enkor S2112 has only the FM with the speaker set. For Tech-Com they have added the USB & SD card module on the top of the subwoofer and also provided an infrared remote control. All in all SSD-3200 is a pumped up version of Enkor’s own S2112.
DESIGN
Satellites
The SSD 3200 FM has a very simple design. The speakers have a glossy finish on the front and matte on the sides and have a single 3 inch driver each taking care of the mid-range and the treble. Unfortunately, the speakers aren't adjustable and the drivers fire straight forward towards your elbows instead of your ears. They aren't even angled upwards to make up for the lack of adjustment option.
Subwoofer
The subwoofer employs a band-pass enclosure so the insides are split by a partition on which the 4 inch bass driver is mounted. One of the two created spaces is sealed while the other is ported. As such the driver is not visible from the outside and the sound comes out through the vent.
Remote Control
The subwoofer houses all the controls, which would have been a very bad idea had the system not come with a wireless remote controller. You will see three rotary spring-loaded dials; they don't actually turn all the way, but just move a bit and then stop and as you release it they spring back to their default position in the center.
Subwoofer Controls
You can adjust volume from one dial, go to standby mode & change between the AUX,FM &USB modes from the another dial. The middle one can handle sleep & sound modes which I do not know how to use. This three dials are quite complex and handles a lot of functions!!!
Below the dials are the LED lamps, which denote the mode the system is currently in & also the infrared receiver for the remote control.
GREEN -> AUX, BLUE -> FM, RED-> USB or SD card
The front fascia of the subwoofer is made from glossy plastic while the rest of it is wood. On the back of the subwoofer you will find audio input and output ports. The speakers come with 3.5mm to RCA cable, which connects the speaker system to your computer sound card. The satellite speakers also use RCA jacks to connect to the subwoofer, which are fixed at their ends. One grouse we had with the SSD 3200 FM is that there was no auxiliary input or headphone jack available on the system.
The system comes with a wireless remote controller, which is again a very rare sight in this price range. In fact, many expensive systems lack this convenience including my Z-2300. Apart from the functions that you can adjust from the subwoofer itself, you can also adjust the bass and treble level from the remote. The remote controller is conveniently shaped and sized and feels comfortable to use.
USB/SD Card Slot
Two of the main features of the SSD-3200 FM are the USB/SD card playback and the FM radio. You have the USB port and the SD card slot under a rubber flap on the top of the subwoofer and the playback controls outside as well as on the remote controller. You can directly plug in a USB flash drive or an SD card with MP3 tracks on it and the speakers will play them back. For the FM radio you will have to connect the white wired antenna on the back of the subwoofer.
The general fit and finish of the product is just OK. The design is a bit dull and the quality of plastic looks slightly cheap. But that is to be expected at this rock bottom price range.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Good news is SSD-3200 uses three high quality STMicrolectronics TDA2030A Class-AB amplifiers.
STMicrolectronics TDA2030A
Circuit Board
Proof that Enkor manufactures SSD-3200 FM
STMicrolectronics is a very renowned name in audio amplifier market. For example my Z-2300 uses amplifiers from the same make.
EI Type Transformer
Each amplifier is capable to deliver a maximum of18W RMS. So, total power reserve is 18 X 3 = 54W. One is used for the subwoofer and the other two for each of the two satellites. Subwoofer gets 18W and not 20W as advertised in Tech-Com website. Satellites get 11W each. So total power is 18 + 11 X 2 = 18 + 22 = 40W.
4 inch Bass Driver
The satellite drivers are quite big at 3 inches which is good from an acoustical standpoint. The 4 inch bass driver is though quite small and is not fully capable to harness the 18W of power dedicated to the subwoofer. Up to 60% volume & 100% bass this driver will be able to provide good punch but after that the driver gives up and will distort which is quite accepted at this price range.
The bass driver & subwoofer both being small cannot produce anything below 60Hz. So do not expect extreme low bass between 30~60 Hz. My Logitech Z-2300’s 15kg subwoofer with its 8 inch long throw bass driver will rattle the paint of my walls at that frequency range.
PERFORMANCE
Before I get on with the performance, let me remind you that the SSD 3200 FM is priced at Rs. 1,400 including tax. Sometimes I will be comparing this with my Logitech Z-2300 which cost me Rs.10,000 back in 2008. It was necessary to get that out of the way so that when I talk about the sound quality you would know how much the system actually costs and hence what you are actually getting for that price.
Now I will be honest here. I really did not expect the system to rival my Z-2300 and perform any miracles in the audio department. But Tech-Com did impress me with some pretty solid performance that belies the price tag of the product.
The small subwoofer here does most of the heavy lifting and is pretty amazing. The bass response of the subwoofer is tight and punchy. The mid-bass is the forte of the sub and it handles it quite well. It does struggle with the deep bass though and everything below 60Hz is almost inaudible. The first track of the Titanic OST has a very deep bass portion and the SSD-3200 FM completely fails to portray it. On my Z-2300 this bass would have rattled the windows, here it is barely audible.
Same goes for the track 'Boom Boom Pow' by Black Eyed Peas where the extremely low bass lines don't hit you the same way they would on my Z-2300 speaker system would and sound more like a basket ball being bounced around a court. However, when we played the track 'Electric City' from the same album, the little subwoofer made the air in our lungs vibrate hard enough for us to feel it at higher volumes.
The satellite speakers also perform very well. Mid-range is clean and prominent but lacks a bit in the warmth department. The treble is sharp and exciting and although it can go overboard at times, you can keep it in check using the treble control on the remote.
Thanks to their good audio quality the speakers perform equally well with music, movies as well as gaming. I must mention that the audio quality is not consistent across the volume levels. At lower volumes I noticed a distinct softness in the sound and a slight lack in clarity. It's between 20% - 60% where the system sounds the best. Increase the volume too much though and the satellite speakers go banshee on you, with a shrill sound that will make your ears bleed. It's best to keep the system in the middle of its power band and then use the volume control on the PC software.
I also noticed minor bass distortion at certain frequencies which came down to the 4 inch bass driver. It was not a huge deal though and could barely be heard. Out of the box the speakers don't sound that great. You will need to spend some time burning them in after which they will reach their full potential. Just playback some bass heavy music at slightly high volume for a few hours and it will be done. You will also need to tinker with the bass and treble controls to get the best possible sound.
VERDICT
As mentioned before the Tech-Com SSD-3200 FM is priced at Rs. 1,400 all included. For that price you get a system with several features such as built-in USB/SD card audio playback, FM radio and wireless remote controller. Best of all, the speakers have good sound quality that is rare at this price range. For me that is more than enough. Highly recommended from me.
2.1 Speakers under Rs.2500
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