Genius SP-HF2020 Digital 4-Way Hi-Fi Speakers

Sometimes Genius surprises us with an affordable, relatively high quality pair of headphones, as in 2009 with the GHP-04NC ($49.99, 3.5 stars). Other times, the company doesn't quite succeed at audio greatness. The design team behind Genius products seems to have a strong vision; there's no denying the SP-HF2020 4-Way Hi-Fi Speakers ($129.99 list) look very cool, like retro bookshelf speakers, but intended for your computer or television. This 2-channel speaker set is more or less priced to compete with some pretty strong systems, like the Editors' Choice Harman Kardon SoundSticks III ($169.95, 4.5 stars). The problem is: They just don't. At high volumes you'll hear distortion on deep bass tracks, at moderate volumes audio can sound tinny, and the EQ settings simply don't sound good at all. It's a shame, because there's no denying the cool look of the SP-HF2020.

Design
Measuring 16.1 by 4.5 by 5.7 inches, the SP-HF2020 speakers don't demand much more real estate on your desktop than a typical pair of computer speakers?they just happen to be twice as tall. The black matte plastic contour is not terribly alluring up close, but from a distance, all you notice is the array of three midrange drivers and a tweeter, which are situated vertically in a glossy black plastic front panel on each speaker. This pair looks like a high-end speaker set.

The lower front face of the right speaker houses a large volume knob that is quite precise?great news if you really want to fine tune the volume level, but not so great if you need to quickly turn the volume up or down. A near-full turn of the knob doesn't adjust the level of volume you'd think it would. The peculiarly labeled EQ button to the right of the knob switches between three audio modes: WideSound, DeepBass, and AudioAlign. LED indicators for these modes are positioned to the left of the knob. A button labeled Digital also sits to the right of the knob?this switches to whatever is connected to the coaxial input. However, there is no button to switch between the two analog input offerings, which doesn't make much sense. The Power switch is on the back panel, along with the speaker connectors: A 3.5mm jack for computers or aux sources, stereo RCA connection (an RCA to 3.5 mm cable ships with the system), and a digital coaxial connection intended for televisions or stereo systems. For this to be a more viable home theater option, an optical connection would have been nice, but buying your own regular RCA-to-RCA cable and keeping things in the analog realm is another option.

The systems ships with a small black membrane remote control that feels flimsy. The controls on the remote include Mute, Standby (Sleep Mode), Source, EQ, and Volume Up and Down. In this price range, a top-notch remote is a rare thing, and at least this one has a Mute button, which is useful given the difficulty involved with changing the volume level quickly. The previously mentioned audio cable, along with a speaker-to-speaker connection cable and the power adapter, are also included in the box.

Performance
Discussing the sonic nuances of a system that varies from so-so to pretty bad seems like a tedious endeavor, so let's make this brief. The SP-HF2020 cannot handle deep bass at high volumes nor, sometimes, even moderate volumes. The deep bass of the Knife's "Silent Shout," our low-end test track, distorts regardless of whether the EQ modes are off or any of the three is selected. Classical compositions, like John Adams'?"The Chairman Dances," sound tinny at best when the volume level is moderate. If you turn tracks like this one up loud, you will experience the speakers at their best?when there's no deep bass to challenge the drivers, the system offers a smooth bass response that is pleasing at high volumes. Almost any modern pop, rock, or hip-hop mixes, though,? will not work at high volumes because of the deep bass, so this is a pretty limited sweet spot.

The EQ settings are unnecessary. WideSound is supposed to widen the stereo field, and whatever algorithm is at work clearly does something, but why? The supplied speaker cables are already long enough to get reasonably wide stereo separation?the very thing this effect is meant emulate. On speakers that can't be separated, an effect like this makes a little more sense, but here, it's superfluous, and it also happens to really mess with the mix. If things are panned primarily to the left or right, they jump out in ways they shouldn't. DeepBass does indeed increase the low frequency response, but in a muddy, unbalanced way that does not benefit the overall sound. AudioAlign is supposed to change the projection of the drivers if they are placed too low in a room, like on a low-lying television stand, so that they meet your ears more precisely. I didn't really feel that this was actually the case, but again, the effect definitely does something to the audio; it's just not necessarily a pleasant change. The best listening mode for these speakers is, without a doubt, with no EQ settings engaged at all.

For $130, you should expect a lot more from a set of speakers. While the $170 SoundSticks III have a higher list price they're still your best bet below $200. If you can afford to spend a little more, things start to sound a lot better round that price point, like the excellent Editors' Choice Antec Soundscience Rockus 3D 2.1 Speaker System ($199.99, 4.5 stars). Another great option in this higher range is the Cambridge SoundWorks MicroWorks II ($249.99, 4 stars)?both systems offer a very capable subwoofer and clarity that the Genius system can't match. There's no subwoofer here, but that's not what's holding this system back. Overall, the Genius SP-HF2020 is a good design piece with disappointing performance. Spring for the SoundsSticks III if you can.

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