USB speakers make a lot of sense from a certain perspective. With no need for external power they're perfect for the traveller with a notebook. It's strange, therefore, to see the Philips DGX 220.

Too big to slip easily into a notebook bag, they don't make much sense as travel speakers. As all the notebooks and PCs we've seen over the past couple of years have onboard sound, it makes more sense to opt for a pair of stereo speakers for use at home. That's not to say the sound quality is bad. For the £35 price tag, we thought the DGX 220 speakers were impressive. Powered through the USB port, they can deliver 1w per speaker (2w total).

Simply plugging the speakers in gives decent sound with a good mix between bass and treble. Only turning the speakers up to near maximum volume causes any sound distortion, and high levels of bass aren't handled very well.

However, the speakers are best used with Philips' Sound Agent 2. This application lets you control the output using its simple graphical interface. At the base level, it's used to control volume and bass. Dip further into the software and it can be used to adjust every aspect of the sound.

On the front screen its Qsizzle and Qrumble. The former boosts the treble, while the latter boosts the bass. There's also a stereo expansion slider. In the initial position it produces standard stereo sound; move the slider out and it projects the sound in a wider pattern. It makes a substantial difference, although the optimal setting is down to personal preference.

For the money, the sound quality is good, but these are speakers looking for a specific application. Too big to carry around and more expensive than standard stereo speakers it's confusing where they fit in.

Contact: Philips 0870 900 9070
www.philips.co.uk

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