Looking at the system, it is pretty easy to get the basics straight- it is a 5.1 surround sound powered audio system. In case you don't know all the terms, that means four satellite speakers, a center channel, and a subwoofer (this is the ".1"). The system is powered so it does not require an amplifier to drive the sub or speakers- this feature is a must for people who are not audio enthusiasts.

There is a lot more to the FX5051 system though; there better be given the price of this system and its relatively meager wattage numbers. The most important feature is that the system actually has two subwoofers! This is extremely counter intuitive because if this was a dual subwoofer system it would be correctly identified as a 5.2 system. The subwoofer configuration is actually two 6.5" subs mounted in the cabinent facing one another. This "two-barreled" or isobaric design is used because it allows for the maximum amount of bass in the smallest amount of space. Because the two subwoofers are joined and act as one, this is a 5.1 system.

Another feature is handled by the dual mode switch. The two settings- 2/4 and 6- denote the number of channels the system is using at a time. Six channel audio will be for computer use with a USB connection, though the design does not require the user to have a 5.1 channel sound card so it will work with any computer. The 2/4 mode is for when you are using the system with your iPod, CD player, television, or any other product.

Other notable additions are a wireless remote control, a control pod for quick adjustments, an iPod/MP3 player jack, and a headphone jack. The control pod can be used for making quick adjustments, like volume (master, center, and rear can be configured separately) or bass. It uses a combination of buttons and lights in order to handle a number of settings with limited controls. If this worked well it could be called elegant, but overall I found it to be a bit confusing and not nearly as precise as it could be. Luckily the included remote can be used instead.