The Creative i-Trigue L3800 combines a great sounding subwoofer with clear satellites, resulting in an impressive 2.1 speaker system. We did notice a lack of power in some mid-range tones, but other than that the sound was extremely pleasing. If you own a Creative Zen audio device these speakers are even more enticing, as they can double as a home stereo replacement due to the ability to control the functions of your Zen through the remote.
The newest addition to the i-Trigue range, the L3800 packs a serious punch. The subwoofer provides great bass as Creative has found a good balance by producing ground shaking rumbles while still keeping the sound punchy and accurate. We were particularly impressed with the depth achieved by this sub, as it has the ability to generate some very low frequencies without a loss of clarity.
The satellites speakers produced impressive results, achieving excellent clarity and separation of instruments in the upper registers. The bright sound of the satellites, however, contrasted with the depth of the subwoofer, left a noticeable gap in the middle range frequencies. The lack of mid range deliverance is disappointing as the speakers felt rather imbalanced given the excellent bass and treble reproduction.
Constructed from a combination of aluminium and wood, the stylish design is typical of Creative's i-Trigue family. The satellite speakers feature two NeoTitanium micro drivers and a mid tone driver, with the latter firing laterally as opposed to straight ahead. Creative believe this produces a more balanced sound, but as mentioned, we found the lack of balance to be the only issue with these speakers.
The i-Trigue's all come with a wired, external control unit similar to a small AV receiver, and a remote control which is especially handy for those who own a Creative portable digital media player. The remote includes the key functions of Creative's line of Zen players and can interface with them, so you simply connect your device with the standard 3.5mm jack and can then control it via the remote. The control unit houses a volume and bass adjustment as well as a headphone jack.
The speakers are easy to set up as wires are colour coded, with each wire having a different connection, meaning you simply cannot connect a wire to the wrong socket. The wires are also of reasonable length meaning almost any speaker configuration is catered for. Also included in the box is a dual RCA to stereo adaptor for gaming.
With the inclusion of Zen controls on the remote, this is a very attractive package for anyone who owns one of these players. If you don't own a Zen, and want speakers for a PC or other audio device, these still have great merit as the bass emitted from the subwoofer and the upper range of the satellites are excellent.
