You might not have heard of Majority, but this UK-based audio company is worth taking note of.
Majority launched in 2012 with a portable Bluetooth speaker. Since then it’s expanded to create a huge range of audio products, including soundbars, computer speakers, DAB radios, microphones and more. It’s not unusual to be hesitant about products from a brand you’ve never heard of, but after spending some time with Majority’s Atlas PC Soundbar and a couple of other products – more reviews to come soon – I’m confident to say it’s a brand you shouldn’t be wary of. Its products are very competitively priced, and boast a quality that outshines its budget price point.
The Atlas PC Soundbar retails for just £24.95. But for that you get a very neat-looking unit that does far more than your standard set of PC speakers. You can connect it to your PC and leave it be, sure, but you can also connect Bluetooth devices to it, play music via USB or Micro SD storage and, surprisingly, it also has a built-in rechargeable battery. So if you don’t want to use it on your computer desk, fine – carry it around the house, use it out in the garden. Wherever you want. That’s pretty damn nifty, right?
Importantly, the Atlas outputs a surprisingly decent sound, too. The volume can go quite high, though as you’d expect at this price point you will lose a bit of quality the louder you go. But at a volume level comfortable enough to fill a room, the Atlas sounds rich and deep. It’s not as bass-y as some speakers, but for its price point it delivers much better audio than you’d expect, whether you’re connected via Bluetooth or auxiliary.
My only complaint so far is that, when connected via the 3.5mm jack, there’s a noticeable ‘hiss’ from the speakers that you’ll hear if the volume is turned up loud. It’s about the only sign from the Atlas PC Soundbar that this is, in fact, a budget item. It isn’t severe enough to put me off recommending it, though. At the volume I’d typically have my speakers at my desk at, it’s not audible. Now it’s set up on my desk, I won’t go back to the bog-standard Logitech speakers I had in its place.
The build quality is certainly worlds above what you’d expect from its price point. It’s sleek black in design, and at 45cm in length, it’ll sit neatly under most monitors, making itself at home in most PC setups. The volume control is found in the centre of the speaker for easy access, and on the top you’ll find play/pause, back and forward buttons to use if you’re playing music via Bluetooth or Micro SD. There’s also a ‘Mode’ button, which lets you easily cycle between all of the functions of the soundbar. Of course, if you’re simply using this as a standard PC speaker system, you’ll not need to touch any of these buttons.
I’m quite confident in saying that you’ll struggle to get a PC sound system as elegant and efficient as the Majority Atlas PC Soundbar for the same price. Of course, better sound systems exist, but you’ll pay a heck of a lot more than £24.99 for them. If you’re on a budget but still want something sleek and good quality, this is well worth considering.
The Majority Atlas Soundbar is available directly from Majority or from Amazon, where it’s currently discounted to just £17. Seriously, this is a ridiculously excellent piece of kit for that price.
