Creative's Gigaworks T40 speakers are, as the name suggests, the upgraded version of the Gigaworks T20. The speakers are primarily taller, to allow room for a second mid-range driver above the tweeter. While audio is very similar to the T20, the T40 is characterised by a more prevalent mid-range and deeper bass capacity. They also (fortunately in our opinions) retain the same design as the T20, an overall aesthetic which we find quite attractive.
The first thing we noticed when listening to the T40 compared to the T20 was the increase bass power, most likely due to the extra room for airflow within the larger speakers. Deeper notes, from bass drums to cellos to thumping techno beats were all reproduced with clarity and a defined form which added a distinct presence to music. The bass complemented the strong mid-range, empowered by an extra driver this time, and despite the mid-range's strength, we noticed even subtler low notes came to the fore. As with the T20, the mid-range is strong and clear, with crisp vocals and a quick, sharp sound that made guitar-based tunes sound especially good. Treble is probably the weakest point, although it is still clear and meshes well with the rest of the music, with the exception of the very highest frequencies which tend to lose their presence somewhat, being drowned out by the lower and mid frequencies.
Volume is quite impressive, easily enough to project music throughout an already noisy room, although probably not enough to handle areas beyond that. Pleasingly, we noticed minimal distortion, even past 90 per cent volume, and music retained its clarity and balance at high levels. Bass is very impressive, delivering tight, punchy beats in electronic music and powerful, resonating basslines in rock music. The lack of a dedicated subwoofer means that the speakers don't quite have the power to do justice to the very lowest frequencies at high volumes, but otherwise they handle low notes excellently.
The great all-round performance of the T40, combined with their potential for powerful and clear bass, makes them great for applications beyond music as well, including gaming and movies. As PC speakers the T40 is capable of handling almost any task assigned to them with clarity and presence, and should make a great addition to nearly any desktop.
The T40's design matches the T20's, with the exception of an additional mid-range driver above the tweeter. The yellow diaphragm and black dust cap on the drivers blends exceptionally well with the dull metallic grey front panels, creating a highly pleasing and professional-looking aesthetic. If anything, the T40 is perhaps too tall. Coming in at 32cm in height, they may not suit cramped desktops, however, for those users with the space for them, they do come highly recommended.
Overall, the T40 is a fantastic pair of speakers. They improve on the already excellent Gigaworks T20 for a small increase in RRP. If their large size doesn't put you off, then the T40 is sure to provide a great range of audio performance for lovers of music, movies and games.
