Lets be realistic, if you're sporting a £150 soundcard or amplifier your speaker budget should be much higher than the more trifling £110 mark of the Microlab SOLO7C's. However those with HTPCs who have only stretched to on-board or low-cost discrete soundcards should take a long hard look at the option of a set of these high-quality speakers.

Audio quality at a wide range of output volumes from these speakers struck us as excellent, not just for the somewhat modest cost but also compared to more expensive 2.1 and 5.1 systems on the market. Typical LCD/LED TV speakers for instance, the sort your HTPC may be using via HDMI audio output, provide a much less satisfying experience both in bass tones and overall clarity. They may not be surround-sound, but the SOLO7C's would be tough to beat for any entry-level speakers for a home theatre set-up.

As discussed, the remote is something of a disappointment by comparison. Although it provides much-needed functionality including source-switching, it could very well prove to be a liability overall. The fact that it appears operation of the system without the remote is impossible doesn't help matters.

Other than that, genuine complaints are few and far between. Slightly better quality control for the speaker area exposed when the grill is removed would be nice, considering the number of users likely to prefer the aesthetics of this configuration. Even though it's perhaps more pertinent for desktop PC speakers than floor-speakers, using a 3-pin socket for power and allowing kettle-lead cables to be used would be a plus. For a speaker system in this price range, said complaints are minor indeed.



Perhaps not enough to satisfy true audiophiles and a little too large for desktop set-ups, your average HTPC user with modest budget and expectations will benefit enormously from them without the rigmarole and cost of a much more expensive 2.1 or 5.1 set-up. As such, Vortez is happy to present the Microlab SOLO7C's both our Silver and Amazing Value Awards.

Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.