Functionality
The S4 7100s came with everything you need to hook them up to just about anything. One thing that was impressive was their cabling set-up. It uses RCA everywhere, so you can really do anything you want with them (e.g. hook them into a MIDI setup, home stereo etc.). One major thing that wasn't included was the Dolby Digital Decoder. But, is it really a standard yet? That is the question. The most probable reason for leaving it out is to keep the cost down. The speakers can be purchased on the street for as low as $199 USD. Other than that, there are no rear stands included, but again who else includes them? Only Cambridge SoundWorks. So, you cannot fault them for not including them.

The control module is a great way to control the speakers. It's similar to the module used in the S2 series. With Treble, Bass, Fader, Balance, Volume, Mute, and Power controls. What more do you need? Well, a headphone jack would have been nice. It is available with the 4060s but not on the 7100s, which seems unusual. The module can either sit on your desk somewhere or it can slide into a 5 1/4" drive bay. It has a cable that goes down to your card slots in the case and then the sub unit hooks into there. Either way you hook it up, great idea.

Conclusion
The S4 7100s are a decent set of 5.1 speakers that should keep most users very happy. Now, if you are the kind of person looking to shake screws loose and rattle windows, then you should probably look elsewhere. These are not meant to tear the house apart :) The construction quality seems to be quite sturdy; and overall, the design and appeal were well thought out. The control module was a great idea, but why they left out a headphone jack is beyond me. How do these compare to the Cambridge 2500? They are both very similar in sound, but the Midilands are a bit louder than the Cambridge. It's a toss up really: stands & dolby decoder vs. volume and a slick green LED :)

Sound Quality
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