Corsair SP2500 speaker review - Product gallery

With the control unit you can adjust volume, adjust subwoofer level but more importantly that cute LCD screen will display all relevant info and choice selection regarding DSP modes, next to a selection of predefined equalizer settings.

Now we've created a quickie little video demonstrating the menu structure of the control unit figuring writing only tells you so much while a video shows it all. We kept the video quality settings really dark so that the LCD screen in fact is visible. Have a peek.

The Digital Sound Processor can be setup in several modes.

Late Night Mode
The SP2500 is capable of delivering ground-shaking levels of bass, but there may be occasions where less bass is preferable, such as when playing late at night. Rather than simply reducing the output from the sub, Late Night Mode also adjusts the crossover point from 140Hz to 100Hz so that a larger portion of bass frequencies are redirected from the sub to the satellites. The audio stream also has dynamic compression applied so that sudden loud noises, such as explosions, are reduced in volume. NOTE: We’ve tuned the Late Night mode to work best with movies and TV, rather than music. Late Night Mode will cut off some lower bass tones, so we recommend simply reducing the output of the the sub using the control unit when you listen to music late at night.

Headphone Processing
The Headphone Processing mode has been designed to compensate for the deficiencies in many lower quality headphones or headsets, which have poor mid-band performance, and over-boosted bass and treble (double-hump equalization). Headphone mode applies diffuse-field equalization, which results in a more balanced response curve and a better sound. However, if you own a pair of high-quality headphones or a quality analog headset, Headphone Processing mode will not be required. If in doubt, go ahead and give Headphone mode a try, and use whichever setting that personally sounds best.

Corsair Mod X Processing
The audio in movies is originally mastered for playback with an equalization curve called the “X Curve”, which is designed to suit a movie theatre environment. This means optimizing for a very large room with a wide image, very high dynamic range and reproduction from very large speakers. However, in some cases the audio is not remastered for DVD or Blu-ray, where the listening environment is a smaller room, with a narrower field, and playback from significantly smaller speakers. ModX applies digital processing that modifies the “X Curve” to compensate for these differences, and thus make movies sound better in a smaller room, when listening to near-field speakers, such as the SP2500. As with headphone processing, this may work well for some movies and not so well for others, depending on how the audio is mastered. Feel free to try it both ways… there’s no right or wrong; what sounds best to you is what matters :)

Karaoke Mode
Karaoke Mode is a bit of fun for those who enjoy rocking out to their favorite music. It applies processing that attempts to remove or significantly reduce the vocals from the mix, so that you can sing along as if you were the lead singer. However, as not all music recordings place the vocal in the centre of the stereo mix, it will not work equally well for all genres of music or for live tracks where the singer isn’t exactly centre stage.

Dynamic Pop
This setting combines dynamic range compression, as well as applying an equalization curve that enhances the bass and treble. It produces an effect similar to the experience of listening to music on many popular all-in-one audio systems.

This last setting is where you'll quickly feel comfortable at.

Then you can combine the DSP mode with an alternative equalizer setting:

In total you'll find three connectors on the control pod. At the bottom edge you'll find a 3.5mm headphone connector. At the top side a 3.5mm AUX2 connector which can be used for external an MP3 players all the way to the top right you can spot a mini-USB port that allows either you or Corsair the option to upgrade the control pod / DSP firmware should this ever be needed.