The design is simple: a minimalist bar measuring 8.5” with a built-in clip/stand that allows it to be freestanding on your desktop or clamped to your monitor or laptop. It feels solid and well-constructed. The built-in clamp and simple design make it easy to pack along with your laptop for great sound anywhere you are working. Cyber Acoustics even includes a USB-A to USB-C adapter to accommodate newer model laptops that may not have a USB-A outlet.
There are four buttons on the long bottom edge of the bar. The buttons are Volume Down, Volume Up, Mute, and Multi-Function. There are two indicator lights to let you know the status. The first light is a call/microphone/mute indicator, either purple or red or off entirely. If it is flashing red, then you have an incoming call from your smartphone. Solid purple indicates that a call is in progress. Solid red indicates that the microphone is muted. If the red light is off, the microphone is unmuted. The second light is a source connection indicator and will be either green or blue. If you use the device in USB mode, you will see a solid green light when connected. If you use it in Bluetooth mode, you will see either a flashing blue light when it is ready to pair with a smartphone or tablet, or a solid blue light when it has successfully connected.
The speaker bar continued to impress me with its surprisingly crisp sound when playing videos or music. Prior to this, I used the Marboo USB Powered Soundbar, a bulkier, freestanding bar that produced a tinny sound and had a constant high-pitched whine to it that no amount of switching cables or position could remedy. Now that I am using the Cyber Acoustics Speaker Bar, that problem is gone. The built-in dual speakers produce a clear sound at an impressively low price point. One way to look at sound quality is by examining the speaker’s frequency response range (measured in Hz). Humans have an audio frequency range between 20 Hz and 20 kHz (20,000 Hz). When audio equipment is in this range, it is usually referred to as “full-range response.” Most high-end speakers, such as the Sonos Ray Essential Soundbar ($279 on Amazon), offer full-range response. The Cyber Acoustic Speaker Bar has an audio frequency range of 80 Hz to 16,000 Hz, which covers most of the audible spectrum and can be considered decent for a computer speaker. The range is like other speaker bars around this price point. It will not provide the full range of audio frequencies that some high-quality speakers can produce. The lower end of the frequency range (80 Hz) can produce bass frequencies, which are important for a rich and immersive audio experience. However, if you are looking for deep, rumbling bass, you may want to consider a speaker that can reproduce frequencies lower than 80 Hz. The upper end of the frequency range (16,000 Hz) should be able to reproduce most of the treble frequencies and provide clarity in the higher range. However, if you are looking for extremely detailed and extended high frequencies, you might want to consider speakers that can reproduce frequencies higher than 16,000 Hz.
The perceived sound quality is not solely determined by the frequency range. Other factors such as speaker design and room acoustics also play significant roles in the overall audio performance. Ultimately, I was satisfied with the sound quality produced by this device.
The speaker bar arrives in a very no-frills package. Cyber Acoustics saved money on the “un-boxing” experience, and I’m okay with it, given the quality of audio they provide. It is a great, portable speaker that is easy to use with good sound quality.
