Sound Machines

By JOSHUA QUITTNER

During a recent office move, someone heisted a pair of trusty old computer speakers from one of my machines. A lot of people would obsess about the crime and curse the cruel God who could create such larcenous, broken souls. Not me. I saw it as an opportunity to get a better stereo system for my computer.

As long as I was upgrading anyway, I wanted something that would match the luscious digital quality of the DVD player in my PC, which I was using to "test" the latest DVD-movie releases. I reasoned I could get another set of "multimedia speakers"--with built-in amplifiers, these are made just for a computer--or I could go wild and try Yamaha's new "personal receiver" (RP-U100), a $499 high-end amplifier and tuner that plugs into your PC. The beauty of being me is that I got to go wild.

The Yamaha, which starts shipping at the end of August, is the first stereo receiver made specifically for the PC. (A Mac version is expected later.) Why would you want one? Instead of being limited by traditional computer speakers, you can now use virtually any speakers, including the ones on your home stereo. The device, somewhat smaller than a VCR, pumps out 30 watts per channel, has "virtual" Dolby Digital (which simulates five-speaker "surround sound") and has a digital signal processor that allows one-button access to a variety of preset audio mixes. CD players have been offering that last feature for a while--you can simulate the echoey acoustic footprint of a church, for instance, or a jazz club, a movie theater or a concert hall. Another setting is designed for gamers, making explosions boomier and ray guns zappier. Technophiles will also like the dynamic-range adjustment, which makes loud sounds softer and soft sounds louder--a handy feature if you want to watch a movie without annoying your neighbors. Finally, the unit has an AM-FM tuner.

Making things easier, the Yamaha attaches to your PC via the USB port. I borrowed a pair of Bose speakers and plugged them in. Instead of putting them on my desk as I would have with traditional PC speakers, I dropped them in the corners of my office. Then I fired up a movie. With the audio clarity, I felt as if I were at the multiplex.

That said, I would recommend this product only for hard-core audiophiles. The fact is, you could hook almost any stereo receiver into your PC; the PC Home Theater is just supposed to simplify the process through its onscreen "remote control" and by using that handy USB port. Yet I found the system klugey. For instance, I have a TV tuner in my PC, but since the Yamaha device bypasses the sound card the tuner resides on, the TV system doesn't work. A spokesman said I could fix the problem with the right adapters--but I had to buy them separately. Finally, the device supports only one set of speakers, which means you can forget quadraphonic. I ended up not using the Yamaha and buying a pair of Cambridge Soundworks PC Works speakers, tiny desktop units with a modest subwoofer that sits on the floor. The cost? $50. At a price like that, it's almost theftproof.

For more on using your PC as a stereo, see our website at timedigital.com You can always e-mail Quittner at jquit@well.com