Razer's Mako 2.1 THX Sound System: Unboxed & Hands-On

What's a Mako 2.1 THX Sound System?
We got a chance to demo, in our more natural settings (i.e. Josh's office at home), Razer's Mako 2.1 speaker system. For the uninitiated, this 2.1 (two satellite speakers and a subwoofer) sound system uses a unique "Ground Plane" technology developed by THX (the people behind breakthrough cinema sound systems) and Razer (the guys behind all the cool gaming mice and keyboards) that turns any flat surface into a giant reflecting speaker.

Initial Impressions
The results are impressive, and we're going to have a hard time going back to our old-school standard speakers when our date with the Mako's ends. Bass response is smooth and musical -- as opposed to boomy -- while the highs are clean. These speakers might actually be a bit too clean, as we began to hear inadequacies in our 196-bit (the rate at which they were sampled) MP3 and AAC files from our iTunes library.

As far as ergonomics and design, the Mako is super minimal in a matte-black finish. Since the speakers don't actually look like speakers, the effect is clean, if not a bit cold. The system's touch-sensitive remote allows one to pack away the subwoofer out of sight under a desk. However, its super-shiny surface is a quick finger print magnet, undermining its cool blue glow. We also wish the thing was wireless, but then again, we wish virtually everything was wireless.

So, Is it Worth It?
Overall, we love this sound system. The Mako produces deep, rich sound that's fair to your music in a surprisingly small package. If you're looking for a serious computer and gaming sound system, this one is hard to beat unless you're a real stickler for 5.1 surround sound. As for games, the system has a serious pop that felt great without coming off as aggressively loud.

As we mentioned in our preview, there are limitations with the Mako 2.1. The system only has three inputs -- two 1/8-inch (headphone-size) line ins, and a standard RCA phono plug input on the subwoofer unit. This means the Mako has no digital inputs for more modern sound cards with digital outs. In addition, the Mako uses proprietary speaker cables (see the gallery) that will limit how far you can spread the satellites. Finally, the system will run $399 when it hits retail. While the THX-certified sound is upscale and (to our ears) worth it, not everyone wants to spend that much on a 2.1 sound system.

If you're serious about sound, the Mako is THX sonic bliss.

Razer Mako 2.1 Advanced Desktop Audio

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