I like good sound and I do care what I hear from loudspeakers of a speaker system. What weighs with me more is to hear detailed sounds, where you can clear distinguish not only every instrument, but you can focus easily with your closed eyes on the sounding of any instrument. Many people think that only expensive speaker systems can provide such presence effect. I fully agree with this opinion, but I can’t help but notice that modern models of multimedia speakers cope with this task quite well. SVEN SPS-707 speaker system, which is covered by this review, is a clear proof of this.
First view...
I can say that the history of my acquaintance with SVEN SPS-707 was accidental. Everything started with the fact that, when I was hooked on Google and Yandex musical services for my smartphone, I thought that it was enough for me to listen to all that musical wealth in headphones. I wanted to find a worthy solution, which could turn my smartphone into a cloudy musical center. The first thing that came to my mind was to look closely to special speakers for smartphones. The market of such speaker systems is quite developed. Every producer promises the crystal-clear sound and real Hi-Fi. I listened to several models and did not understand why the price was so high, which was not up to sound quality in any way. There was an impression that the main thing there was not the sound proper, but a possibility to interface with a smartphone. I am sure that such speaker systems with plastic basses will find their customers undoubtedly, especially among those people for whom iPhone is a cult thing, but it is sure not my way.
The combination of an inexpensive multimedia speaker system, but at that time of high quality, and Bluetooth of an audio receiver (for example, as this one), will be a more reasonable solution. It only remains to pick up speakers, which would suit to my requirements on power, sound quality, appearance and some other parameters. In particular, I needed that a selected speaker system would provide connection of several sound sources. In my case I have three sources: a media player, game computer and smartphone or Bluetooth audio receiver. SVEN SPS-707 2.0 speaker system meets these requirements perfectly.
Design features
So, let us get a closer look at SVEN SPS-707 speaker system, and we’ll start to view its design features. It has two speakers 25 cm high. Like all professional speaker systems, it has MDF phase inverter case with Venge natural wood lamination.
The front panel is made of beautiful glossy plastic, which harmonizes ideally with the mat surface of speaker cases. I would like to note that the plastic panel is decorative only. It covers the MDF panel, where the main squawker- woofer loudspeaker with a silver laminated cone 115 mm in diameter is mounted, as well as a silk tweeter 25 mm in diameter, which is framed with a glossy plastic megaphone being used as a decorative thing exclusively.
Let us view the rear side of speakers. Both speakers are equipped with pressboard phase inverters. Pay attention, the producer painted the phase inverter interior in black. That’s nothing of course, and the phase inverter could be left as it is, but it has changed my impression of the speakers’ design radically.
There is an amplifier unit and power supply unit in one of speakers, which is called the active one. The rear panel of an electronic unit comprises three switched inputs (2хRCA and one 3.5 mm mini-jack marked AUX). A power cable jack, on/off button and a pair of spring-load terminals intended for connection of the second speaker, so called a passive speaker, are located lower. This speaker is equipped with two spring-load terminals only.
The active speaker is equipped with a small control panel located on the case top side. The control panel has four buttons. INPUT button is responsible for the selection of a required input. With the MODE button a user can select a parameter, which should be changed. It can be LF or HF timbre. Parameters can be changed with the help of two “+” or “–” buttons. They are used for volume control as well. Five miniature LED indicators display the current status of speakers. These indicators do not enable to appraise the level of volume and LF and HF timbre, this fact can be appear as not very convenient. In practice it is not a problem at all.
The speaker system can be controlled not only with the help of the control panel, but with the help of a remote control as well, which is included. The remote control has a beautiful glossy design with compact dimensions and it supports all the necessary functions including the separate LF and HF timbre control, reset, a sound source selection, etc. The IR sensor is located in the tweeter frame.
Take notice that the design of speakers supports the system on the horizontal surface only. It can be a table, TV stand and shelf or, as in my case, it is the floor. Speakers have small rubber legs on the underside to prevent undesirable resonance.
Two audio cables are included into SVEN SPS-707 package. One cable (2RCA to 2RCA) is intended to connect sound sources with RCA inputs, and the second cable (2RCA to mini-jack) can be used both to connect a PC or notebook and to the headphones jack on a smartphone or iPad. A duplex cable two meters long for the second speaker connection, as well as the power cable, are also included into the package.
Let us look inside...
It is time to look inside speakers, and we will be able to estimate the quality and possibilities of the speaker system in reality. In order to look inside we have to dismount the electronic unit consisting of two boards. The amplifier is mounted on the upper board. It is based on the TDA7265 two channel integrated-circuit HF amplifier. The amplifier provides the output power up to 25 W per channel. A massive cooler is used to cool the amplifier chip.
The PT2313L four-channel audio processor is mounted on the board besides the LF amplifier. It is responsible not only for input switching, but for LF and HF timbre control as well. A small microcircuit, responsible for operation of control panel and IF sensor, is located close with the sound processor.
A pulsed power supply unit is assembled on the lower board, due to which it was possible to decrease its size and weight with simultaneous increase of its power. Besides of that, the use of the pulsed power supply unit made it possible to get rid of the low-frequency noise, which is available in some speakers with an ordinary transformer power unit. In such models it is well heard in the absence of a signal on the input.
Let us put aside the amplifier unit and power supply unit and consider features of the case. As it was stated above, the case is made of MDF approx. 10 mm thick. The case quality, at least, what I am able to see through an opening to mount the electronic unit, is at its best. All construction components are bonded together very thoroughly. The case walls are overlaid with synthetic sound- absorbing material. Though, it is largely placed in the bottom of the case, where the main squawker-woofer 115 mm in diameter and with 20 W power is located. Its cone, which placed on a rubber suspension and made of mixture of cellulose, is laminated on the outside with thin polymer material coating. The use of lamination in loudspeakers of this type equalizes middle-frequency characteristics, eliminates resonance occurrence, as well as improves a piston phenomenon for better transmission of low frequencies. The cone head with a circular magnet does not have the traditional shielding. Magnetic field compensation by the second magnet is used in this case.
The silk tweeter 25 mm in diameter is isolated by special MDF housing; this eliminates squawker-woofer influence on its operation. That is the utmost I would like to say about the SVEN SPS-707 internal fittings, now let us look at its real facility.
Real facility…
According to its specifications SVEN SPS-707 speaker system has 50 W output power (2 х 25 W) and it is able to reproduce sound in the frequency range from 45 to 25,000 Hz. Other parameters of the speaker system are not indicated, but it is not required at all. It is more interesting to estimate its real facility during reproduction of musical compositions in different genres. Sound in these speakers is not similar to the smeared-out “mishmash”, when you begin to understand only that it is played this or that music, but you are not able to disintegrate it. In this case I can hear every instrument distinctly regardless of its frequency range. I can say the same about the use of speakers during watching movies and in games, where you can hear voices besides musical score. We could suppose that the voice of the main music theme will be smeared a little bit on this 2.0 speaker system, but there is no such thing at all. There is the clear perception, that the voice sounds as though a separate loudspeaker.
There is no hiccupping or resonance even with the maximum volume. Of course, it seemed to me that 25W was too large power for application in home conditions. I doubt whether neighbors will thank me for this, but I do not feel great comfort with such power. Nevertheless, it is worth once again to pay attention to the fact that even with the maximum volume the speakers sound very clear. The main thing is to adjust LF and HF timbre correctly.
I noted certain decrease of clear reproduction of low frequencies during adjustment of minimum audible volume level. I do not think that it is worth to write this notice as a lack of this model. It is rather a feature, which is relevant to speaker systems of this class.
Conclusion
Thick case walls in combination with sound insulating material, correctly selected dimensions of speakers and other ordinary at first glance details made it possible to assure high sound quality in the wide range of frequencies. I do not say that SVEN SPS-707 demonstrates the same results, as, for example, professional speakers at the cost of RUB 30,000 per pair. But for its price range (less than RUB 3,000) this speaker system demonstrates a fine result, which will satisfy everybody, who as me, likes good sound, but in this case, the common sense prevents to spend a fortune for speakers, amplifier, wires and other professional equipment.
Besides the topical design of speakers and high sound quality it is important to note the support of three audio inputs, due to which I was able to connect speakers to a media player, game computer and, of course, to Bluetooth audio receiver, with the help of which I can direct the sound from my smartphone, iPad or notebook to speakers. By the way, in order to connect my media player and game computer I made use of miniature decoders, which I had described in my previous article. They made it possible to transform a signal from optical or composite digital input into analog stereo signal.
At that the whole combination including the speaker system, Bluetooth audio receiver and pair of 2.0 decoders cost me less than RUB 6,000. It’s impressive, isn’t it? Especially, after my acquaintance with audio stations for smartphones, the cost of which exceeds the cost of my set manyfold. At that they cannot boast so high sound quality. And really, how you can compare a beautiful, but plastic acoustic irregular-shaped speaker with strange configuration of loudspeakers, with a MDF speaker system designed in due form of the genre? It is impossible unambiguously, because they are different classes of speakers.
In regard to shortcomings of SVEN SPS-707 I have not found anything for the time being, which would regret me about my choice. I would like to pay attention to pair of small things only. In the first place, the absence of protective grid, which protects loudspeakers against dust. By the way, in this regard the black glossy panel was not very efficient, where dust is quite noticeable. The second moment regards the sharp switching of sound sources and serviceability of MUTE function. Wouldn’t it be great if developers use smooth decrease or increase of volume! As for the rest I like everything, and SVEN SPS-707 speaker system receives our award “NASH VYBOR” (OUR CHOICE) deservedly.
