“Retro style, modern vibes” is the slogan being used for Thonet & Vander’s Grub 2.1 speaker system, and they appear to be upholding that slogan quite nicely. Skewed recently had a chance to test out these suckers on a range of electronics, and I was pretty happy with the results.
For around a hundred bucks, you’ll receive two 14W satellite speakers with a combination 20W subwoofer/control base. The speakers are modeled after “last century design,” so you’ll immediately note that the speakers have a rather blocky aesthetic to them. Simple and sleek are the two terms I’d use here.
The subwoofer base has four simple knobs to adjust your audio – Volume, Bass, Balance and Treble, slimming it down to some very user-friendly basics. In terms of connections, the speakers support a front-facing 3.5mm aux input for handy MP3 or other device playback, as well as a front-facing 3.5mm headphone jack (should you want to have your sound just for you during a little quiet time). Lastly, there’s a power switch on the back for the conservation-minded.
The rear panel of the subwoofer has outputs that connect to the satellites, as well as a dual RCA input that you can hitch up to your television, computer or other preferred device.
In terms of output for your dollar, the speakers get a really nice sound. They offer a frequency range of 50-20000hz, and on the range of devices we tested with, we got some really nice results. A good hour was sunk into Destiny: The Taken King, and it felt nice to hear more of those explosive lows that are usually omitted by my television’s built-in speakers. The bass is what really made my heart sing. If you’re looking to get some extra power out of your speakers, this is a nice upgrade if you’re budget-conscious but want to upgrade.
In addition to the sonic goodies, the speakers also feature an Antimagnetic Shield that help to eliminate external interference, as well as a cloth mesh over the front of the speakers to help protect them from dust and other harmful things.
The speakers clock in at just under 15lbs, so be prepared for a heavier-than-expected box. They’re currently available at various online retailers such as Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Thonet-Vander-Multimedia-Speakers-Engineering/dp/B00Z792296
