Sony SRS-DB500 2.1ch PC speakers review: Homely entertainment system

Ugly looking, heavy to carry and obscenely big, there is a lot not to like about the Sony SRS-DB500s. As I struggled off the bus with them and awkwardly tried to keep the box from dropping down the road, I had already formulated 300 choice words about the 300W 2.1 ch PC speakers, none of them complimentary. Then I plugged them in and almost all was forgiven.

Yes the sub-woofer is absurdly large, almost the same size as an upturned printer. But the bass! I pumped some Augustus Pablo through and was more than pleased with the performance from the sub. There is a large glowing volume knob and two buttons that allow you to tweak the bass and the treble settings. Don’t touch these – you get better results using your PC’s digital EQ.

There is also an auxiliary input function so you can hook up a friend’s PMP, or anything with a 3.5 mm jack really. There is also a rudimentary remote control with input selection, volume, treble, bass and on/off functionality. Batteries are not included.

The two square, blocky-looking satellites, whilst less impressive than the sub-woofer, still dominate any desk they sit on and take up a bit too much space for my liking.

Tossing my Augustus Pablo CD to one side (The excellent Rockers Meets King Tubbys In A Firehouse) I threw in Jungle Mania and was again delighted with the results – although my flatmates considerably less so.

So for sheer audio quality the SRS-DB500s impress – it’s a reliable PC speaker with deep bass and an … well a polite way to say it would be an imposing look.

However the price is a little steep at £199 – much better than the cheaper PC speakers out there but the same price as the gorgeous Auluxe Dew speakers we reviewed here. If you dig the look of the SRS-DB500s then you will walk away happy. If you want something slight smaller with an equally pretty punch take a good look (and listen) at the Dew. Or check out the 5.1 SRS-DB511s which are designed to attact “Gen-Y PC users” and which I’ve been reliably informed are the new hotness.