ASUS intros Cine5 compact surround PC speaker bar
updated 11:10 am EST, Wed March 10, 2010
ASUS Cine5 produces 5ch surround in tight spaces
ASUS on Wednesday rolled out what it said is the world's smallest five-channel speaker array. The Cine5 is aimed at providing computers with surround sound in a single piece design. Although it uses standard analog 3.5mm connections for surround instead of optical, it can restore surround details lost when a track is downmixed to stereo.
Total power tops out at just 15W, but the combination of a unique side-firing bass port and high-end drivers allegedly produces about 15 decibels more bass than other speaker systems at its size. A headphone output supplies private audio without having to rewire a computer.
The Cine5 should support any computer that has appropriate stereo or surround output and should be available soon, though like with most ASUS launches there are no concrete details of pricing or ship dates.
