September 08, 2000 - Back in March I previewed this system. I had hoped to review the system before now, but good things come to those who wait. For those of you who missed the preview, and are too lazy to click the link and read it, the AudioStorm PST is a complete surround sound system strongly based on the Sony PS2. I mean, the thing looks exactly like the game system. Apparently, Gallant hasn't run into any problems with Sony about the design similarities. Yet.

Anyway, let's take a look at this thing:

First Impression
"Damn, that's a small box." That was the first thing I thought when I got the AudioStorm. The box, which includes the whole system, was about the size of the packaging for your average receiver. I knew from press images that the thing was wee, but not this wee. Things got funnier when I saw the nice amount of packing materials inside the box. But where was the system?

Firstly, the satellites. All five speakers-- center, fronts, and rears-- are identical: a two-inch ball. You could just about hold all five in one hand, and certainly in both. Usually when I see speakers this small I don't even bother with them, but I kept an open mind. The build quality was a little dodgy, especially the cables. Not only are the cables very thin, but they are also single strand and irreplaceable. One end of the cable is hardwired to the driver and the other end is a single RCA jack that fits into the amp. This means that you can't use other speakers with other systems and vice versa. But they are damn cute.

Where's that bass coming from? The AudioStorm sub is a smallish affair with the PS2 color scheme. The most striking thing, at first encounter, is the weight, or lack of it. I have no idea why the enclosure is so big, seeing that the driver is only six inches in diameter and the whole box weighs close to nothing. There is a port on one side, but it doesn't seem to be very scientifically placed. It looks like it's there mostly for design.

But every body must have a head. The amplifier and preamp/processor are all housed in one unit that is as similar to the PS2 as you could get without just using its case. The images to right, which are both clickable, exhibit this pretty well. The amp delivers about 75 watts total power: up to 20 to the sub and up to 11 to each satellite. The unit can decode Pro Logic and Dolby Digital signals, but no dts. And like the PlayStation, you can set it vertically or horizontally. The biggest downside is the LCD, which is very large and sort of ugly.

Second Impression
Overall the system performed much better than I expected and much better than its tiny size would suggest. Ironically, I did not even use the PS2 during testing. (Not that that matters. For now, the only game being planned to have 5.1 sound is Final Fantasy X, which will only utilize the 5.1 sound in cinematic sequences, not actual gameplay.) I used The Matrix for movie watching and Stereolab for music. The results were very pleasant.

I tested full surround first and discovered that this is the unit's main strength. It is much more comfortable with movie dynamics than music. The Matrix sounded great for the most part. Separation among the channels was clean, transitions were smoothed, and the mids and highs were smooth but present.

It seems that Gallant put a bit more into the amp and decoder than the speakers. 75 watts might not sound like very much power, but it was sufficient to fill our medium-sized demo room. 75 is a fair, if not understated, claim. Plus, the decoding was surprisingly good, especially for a $300.00 system.

While the little satellites chirped away happily, the sub was definitely not quite as comfortable. The lows were cloudy and inarticulate. The bass was present, but more as a constant rumble than a dynamic signal. If you simply crave bass and like feeling the bass as much as hearing it, then this should be fine for you. However, if you are picky with your sound, the sub might turn you off.

Like I said, the system greatly prefers movies to music. On music, the bass was just sloppy. Low bass lines turned to mush and there was a noticeable hole between where the satellites left off and the sub picked up.

The highs and mids, however, sounded really nice, and that is where most of the music is. The upper end was never sizzly or unclear and the middle of the spectrum was forward and present. Those satellites might be small, but they can really sing.

I don't know if it is possible to have a "second impression" of the main unit. You just kind of look at it and think, "PS2." The controls are very simply arranged. You can really just toss the manual with this thing. The buttons are large, well placed, and well built. That screen is an eyesore, but I think you would get used to that.

Final Impression
Well, if it's any indication of an overall impression, I kept having to remind myself that this thing costs $300.00, which is nothing for a complete surround system. Competition? I can't really think of anything that does it as well as the AudioStorm for the same price. If you are looking for a one-stop solution for surround sound, then you should seriously consider the AudioStorm. But I have to say that if your main thing is music, then you might want to save up for a better rig.

Highly recommended.

Performance: 7.5/10 Build Quality: 6/10 Value: 9.5/10

-- M Wiley has an enormous rig.