Features:
The VS3151 is a very feature loaded system, and the best place to start is the beginning!
The subwoofer can pack quite a punch running at 20 Watts. To enlarge your bass experience that 20 Watt long-throw subwoofer is housed in a ported, wooden cabinet! When adding a port to a subwoofer it helps force out more air, increasing the bass response more efficiently than a sealed enclosure would. Not only is the subwoofer ported but Altec has housed it in a wooden cabinet for very deep and rich bass as opposed to a plastic enclosure. When looking at the back of the subwoofer, hooking up all 5 speakers is near idiot proof as you'll read in the installation section of this review.

(Control Pod, click to enlarge)

One of my favorite features of the VS3151s was the included control pod. The control pod plugs into the subwoofer and a separate string of wires plugs into your sound card. What can this "pod" do you ask? Everything! On the top of the pod is a round power button, which when depressed, lights the tiny green Altec Lansing logo beside the text on the front of the pod. When that logo is lit it is a visual reminder that the speakers are powered on. On the front of the pod there are 4 round dials and a headphone plug.

(Close Up, click to enlarge)

The first and larger of the knobs is the master volume control. This turns up and down the volume of the entire system.
To the right of the volume is the smaller "Surround" control knob. This allows you to turn up the volume of the rear speakers depending on the environment you're in and how much of a surround feeling you want to hear.
The middle knob is the "Center" speaker volume control. That allows you to adjust the volume of the 10 Watt center speaker. In DVD's and some games it is usually the center speaker where the majority of your voices will come from. Since at this time music is still recorded in Stereo (2 speakers) the voices in your music will come out all speakers.
The final knob is the Sub control. This allows you to turn up the volume of just the subwoofer and hence knock more pictures off the rattling walls in the room next to you :)
The last item on the Control Pod is the headphone jack. This allows you to plug your headphones directly into the pod for private listening. The addition of this plug saves the user crawling around to the back of their case to hunt for the headphone plug. This jack also turns off the speakers when the headphones are plugged in. This is a great feature, along with the covenience of having the headphone jack easily accessible.

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