The new three-piece SVEN MS-1060R system is a supreme representation of one of the trends prevailing in the development of modern audio equipment, when the familiar and time-tested sets with classical traits get adjusted to the modern requirements by means of adding some new features, such as wireless control. Such an approach is quite reasonable in our view, as speaker systems are very practical devices and it’s hardly possible to think of something new, especially when the budget is limited. And, as it often happens, in some spheres classics dominates unquestionably. In this review we’ll try to find out if MS-1060 R is the case.

Package contents

The system comes in a cardboard box where you’ll find:

• subwoofer;
• two satellites;
• remote control with batteries;
• 2 RCA to 3.5 mm signal cable;
• two wires for satellite connection;
• operation manual and warranty card.

In general, it includes everything necessary to start operation, but if you prefer to use this set with more or less decent signal sources equipped with RCA jacks, you’ll have to get a 2 RCA to2 RCA separately.

Appearance and Design

The satellites are traditionally designed. They have cabinets with dimensions of 110 × 120 × 95 mm made up of small MDF boards wrapped in vinyl faux wood film. There are small feet for horizontal placement, but no holes for wall mounting, though it would be possible because there are no bass reflex ports at the back either.

The full-range drivers look good. Their paper cones 60 mm in diameter are supposed to be able to provide the sound of adequate quality. To give the speakers modern looks, the drivers are supplied with silvery plastic rings. The satellites are hooked up to the subwoofer-integrated amplifier with push-spring terminals, so the wires supplied with them are easy to replace with something else – for example, for sound quality improvement or just if the length is not enough.

The subwoofer is encased into a massive wooden enclosure stretched upwards. Its dimensions are 170 × 300 × 310 mm. On the front, there is a decorative silvery panel with a bass reflex port mounted on its lower part. The low-frequency driver is located on the side panel and covered with a square grille. The driver itself looks pretty solid. The cone is about 115 mm in diameter.

The buttons on the subwoofer’s front are designed for making basic settings in case the remote control is unavailable. They let you select the signal input (one of the two available – PC and AUX) and adjust the volume.

The remote serves for a lot wider settings. It can be used for adjusting the master volume, changing the treble and bass balance and independent control of the subwoofer and satellites’ volume. The remote is small-sized, so it fits nicely in the hand.

Electronics

As far as the electronic filling is concerned, the system is fairly simple with classical solutions. It’s powered by a small step-down transformer with unknown parameters, but outwardly, its power doesn’t exceed 40-50 VA. The amplifier is produced on typical TDA2030A microchips. The microcircuit plate is of tolerable quality, anyway, without any eye-catching defects. However, there is one peculiarity about the electronics: digital control is realized by means of a pretty decent PT2313L processor.

Still, perhaps in view of high output stage gain, the satellites have excessive HF noise easily noticed when compared to other similar speaker systems.

Testing and Listening Impressions

To start with, let’s focus on the frequency response of the system. The satellites start playing at about 150 Hz and provide allowable curve for this price bracket. After 10 kHz, right after the peak, there is an abrupt fall typical of full-range drivers. The subwoofer plays from 45 Hz, which is also a good result for such a small-sized driver. The characteristics are overlapped without any peculiarities, the more so, as their adjustments can be made with the remote control.

The volume these speakers produce turned out to be on a decent level. As you can see in the diagram, even at the sound pressure of 85 dB, the satellites have distortions of 1-2% within 200 to 10000 Hz. For them, it’s quite an accomplishment.

According to our subjective estimates, the sound of the satellites makes a good impression. They sound clear, soft and pleasant, with vivid notes. The lack of the lows doesn’t affect the overall picture drastically. The subwoofer’s output is deep and dynamic enough. Sure, when the volume is high, compressed shades and other defects start showing, though the volume in store is more than enough for a middle-sized room. Channel adjustment is also a great help, as you can configure the system for any music style.

Conclusion

On the whole, we rate SVEN MS-1060R as a good all-purpose multimedia speaker set. All the components have classical appearance and high build quality. The wireless remote control is a pleasant bonus, and the sound exceeds all the expectations, considering the price which is quite affordable.