Audioengine 2 - PC multimedia speakers - 30 Watt (total) - 2-way - satin black Review

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(More customer reviews)I got the A2 for use as a portable studio monitor when recording music with my laptop. As such, I think its form factor is unmatched: I don't know of any other 4"W x 6"H powered full-range (2.0) speaker of this quality.

I appreciate the stated frequency response figure, which is offered with plus/minus 2dB tolerance -- unlike other iPod or computer speakers. The cabinet is made from MDF (medium density fiberboard), a material used in many of the most well-regarded audiophile speakers. The Kevlar woofer and quality binding posts also inspire confidence. A protective grille and front-mounted volume control might have been handy, but that's a matter of preference. I got the white (A2W) model which is understated and attractive.

I'm comparing the A2 with the larger (5.5"W x 8.5"H) M-Audio Studiophile DX4 speaker, which is intended for home music studios. The DX4 is actually a little less expensive, but too bulky for portable use. The DX4 comes with individual frequency response measurements which in my case indicated close pair-matching and equally flat response to that of the A2. Anyone who has built speakers knows, however, that on-axis frequency response measurements don't tell the whole story. I did not compare the A2 with larger or more expensive speakers, and my emphasis is on use as a monitor for mixing music.

Dynamics. The A2's little 3" woofer is surprisingly dynamic: turn up the volume control and you can feel the air pumping in front of the cone and the slot. The speaker sounds balanced at both low and high volumes. A speaker this size is of course only for near-field individual listening. It is not for watching movies from across the room. The DX4's 4.5" woofer has more than twice the surface area and is capable of higher sound pressure levels.

Imaging. Probably a consequence of the well-damped MDF enclosure, the A2 images nicely. Instruments do not seem to come from the speakers but from the space between them. The DX4 had better depth and openness however. I think these characteristics are partially due to the DX4's low-frequency extension and high-frequency dispersion.

Frequency balance. The A2 delivers more bass than you would expect from a 3" woofer. Of course, there is nothing below 60Hz. The mid and upper bass are a little pronounced. (The effect is worse when resting directly on a desktop, so try raising them on stands.) This makes a grand piano sound more like an upright. The DX4 manages to go deeper and sound less boxy. The A2's midrange is smooth and natural sounding. The A2's treble character is quite different from the DX4's. The DX4 is a little hyped without being harsh: grunge guitar has more of an edge and cymbals have a more pronounced decay, yet high-hats sound similar to the A2.

Mixing/Mastering. The DX4 has better bass extension and treble clarity and lets you hear individual instruments more easily, so is well-suited to mixing. On the other hand, the DX4's perceived treble "zing" may in some cases lead a recording engineer to produce dull-sounding mixes. The A2 is probably more representative of small consumer playbacks systems (bookshelf speakers and car speakers), yet is less colored and more dynamic than similar-sized powered speakers. Therefore it offers a useful comparison for balancing mixes and for assessing the final mix. Its small size and smooth midrange make it suitable for portable monitoring.

Incidentally, the A2 has both RCA and 1/8" stereo inputs which are combined if both are in use, whereas the DX4 does not do this as advertised. I was also pleased with their customer service, which was responsive to emails and phone calls.

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Product Description:
Creating powered multimedia speakers to follow the Audioengine 5 was a challenge, but we feel we've managed to duplicate the signature sound of the Audioengine 5's in a much smaller package perfectly suited for your desktop or a smaller space in your home or office. The Audioengine 2 is a great introduction to high-quality audio and the perfect upgrade for your computer or iPod.

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GE 98903 Ultrasonix 2.1 Speakers Review

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(More customer reviews)I've owned this speaker set for over a year. I bought it in a local store in Philly for a little less than the price here, but tax was added so it's probably a wash.

First of all, the sound is much, MUCH more full than you would expect from such a small set. The tiny left and right speakers are just amazing. The subwoofer has very deep sound and you truly can't tell where the bass is coming from (which is how bass should be). I use this in my living room on a home-built Media Center PC which is used as a TV. They're more than sufficient for this task.

My one issue is that the red connection speaker wire never worked so I was forced to use a splitter to split the white wire for both speakers. I swapped this wire to be sure that was the problem and when using the red wire with the white speaker, the white speaker no longer worked. It's probably a broken wire inside, but it didn't cost me anything to fix since I happened to already have an RCA splitter. I'd have to say this is a slight quality control issue since it should have been tested better. but even split like this the sound is INCREDIBLE.

I highly recommend this cheap speaker set.

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Product Description:
2.1 Multimedia Speaker is perfect for use with PC, MP3, CD, DVD players and gaming systems.

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Audioengine ADS1 (Pr) Desktop Speaker Stand for A2 Speakers Review

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(More customer reviews)These stands made a huge impact on the sound quality of the A2 speakers. It brings them off the table, taking some muddiness out of the base, and angles them towards your ears for much improved imaging.

Worth every penny!
Mot

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Product Description:
Audioengine DS1 (ADS1) - The Perfect Desktop StandA simple solution for desktop speakers, the ADS1 speaker wedge is a great way to get your Audioengine 2 speakers or other small speakers up off your desk and at an angle right where you need them.

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Studiophile Av 40 AV40 Desktop Monitors Review

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(More customer reviews)These speakers are genuine music speakers with great response for a small desktop set.They sound fine at all volumes including very low volume which is a problem for so many speakers nowadays.

The highs and midranges are clear and crisp as you would expect.The lows are reproduced through a rear-aimed waveguide that gives accurate and clear response.These are not 15" woofers so don't expect that kind of sound but for what they are, small desktop studio monitors, they are excellent and very much worth the money.So much so that I didn't feel the need to add a sub-woofer with them to reproduce the lows.

Don't get fooled into buying the top-rated Logitech speakers for music.They are primarily gaming speakers and don't generally reproduce music faithfully.The M-Audio speakers are produced by and for musicians which makes all the difference.

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Product Description:
The compact M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 Reference Speaker System delivers the same proven M-Audio technology favored by top producers, recording engineers and musicians around the world. The combination of 4” polypropylene-coated drivers and 3/4” ferrofluid-cooled silk dome tweeters provides punchy lows, crisp highs and a balanced, uncolored response. Custom cabinets with dense wood construction deliver more accurate bass response than you could ever get from plastic multimedia speakers.

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M-Audio Studiophile AV30 Professional Reference Speakers Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought these speakers to listen to music and news at my desk in my apartment, and BOY do they fit the bill.

I've put them through the ringer--rock, folk, house, drum & bass, hip hop, samba, All Things Considered--and they sound remarkably good in all applications. Everything but D&Band hip hop sounds almost as good as on my other monitors (KRK 5's) that cost twice as much. The fidelity is impressive, and the response is remarkably flat. If you're used to or prefer the more U-shaped sound of non-monitors, be sure to turn on the appropriate EQ in iTunes; they'll sound tinny otherwise, but that's what a flat-response monitor will sound like compared to regular 2- or 3-way stereo speakers. It's all those mid-range sounds you're used to covering up.

They also handle a good deal of volume. With the volume knob at 50% and my MacBook volume at 75%, it's "Turn that noise down!" loud and still as clear as at lower volumes for most types of music.

The bass lines in the D&B have some drop-off on the bottom end, but that's a LOT to ask of a value-priced monitor with a 3" woofer. I listen to really nasty stuff with super-low bass--Technical Itch, Dieselboy, Bad Company, and the like--so I expected that this would be the one area with less than amazing reproduction. I was right. (Roni Size's "Brown Paper Bag" is much more within their range.) Hip hop beats can lose a some punch, too, and this is the one area where you'll notice a little distortion at higher volumes. (The kick drums in D&B are usually a little more like real kicks than in much hip hop, and these sound great even at higher volumes.)

Again, for the size (don't have a ruler--each speaker is maybe 5" wide and 6" deep) and price, they do surprisingly well. Other challenging types of music with lots of bass that just isn't as low, e.g. House, come through remarkably well.

The 4" version was very well reviewed, so I thought I'd give these a shot because they cost less and take up less room. Also, the primary difference would be in the bass response, and I live in an apartment building, so for me, having less bass was actually a good thing. They still get too loud for me to play them anything close to maxed out, and they sound great.

One more thing: I like the design. M-Audio knew this would be more for desktop listening than studio applications such as mixing (for which I got the KRK 5's). Thus, they put all the inputs and controls on one speaker, which is nice because it only requires one power cable and you don't have to split an RCA cable to run one line to each speaker. It comes with a 1/8" to RCA cable (connects your computer's audio out port to the RCA jacks in the back) AND a 1/8" to 1/8" cable (connects your iPod to the Aux In port on the front). The volume knob in front is also nice.

If you want reasonably high fidelity for a low price at your desk, and you don't need subwoofer-type bass response, I'd recommend these speakers. Highly.

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Product Description:
The compact StudiophileTM AV 40 powered speakers deliver the same proven M-Audio technology favored by top producers, recording engineers and musicians around the world. The combination of 4" polypropylene-coated drivers and 3/4" ferrofluid-cooled silk dome tweeters provides punchy lows, crisp highs and a balanced, uncolored response. Custom cabinets with dense wood construction deliver more accurate bass response than you could ever get from plastic multimedia speakers. And for the highest possible fidelity, the Studiophile AV 40 speakers also feature OptImage III wave-guide technology and a 20 watt-per-channel internal amplifier that utilizes Class A/B architecture. The Studiophile AV 40 reference monitors are the perfect solution for traveling musicians or anyone who wants top-notch sound from their desktop multimedia system.

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M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 Powered Speakers Review

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(More customer reviews)My old Logitech Z-560 developed a short in it creating nasty crackling noises over one channel. The Z560 was a rare beast, a $140 400 watt 4.1 monster that Logitech built to really high standards to create a strong foot forward into the PC speaker market. Sadly, their quality has declined since then, and their current offerings are cheaply made, sound far worse with music than the 560s, and have even fuzzier and more overwhelming bass than the 560 did (the systems one flaw). I decided to try 2.0 systems to see if I could get good PC sound without the added failure risk of a high powered sub and the muddiness that all that extra bass and clumsy frequency transitions between sats and sub causes...

My findings, from worst to best:

Logitech Z-10: 30 watts. Looks good, costs a lot, $150, list. Sounds dreadful. Despite having a largish 3" woofer, and a 1" tweeter, the Z-10 seems to be doing a lot of signal processing of music and the soundstage sounds compressed and artificial. Changing bass and treble makes things worse, and your music will sound different (and worse) on these speakers than it would normally. The touch controls and LCD screen are useless pricy gimmicks that increase chance of failure and add weight and cost to the system. Who in the world needs to see the name of the track playing on the bottom of the speaker? Anyway, these are a disappointment, with the worst sound and tied for the highest price. The speakers are heavy and well made, very stylish, though easily smudged with the reflective black surface on the front of the speaker. Logitech needs to redo these, silly gadgets and useless feature are tolerable, bad sound however is always a deal-breaker. Two stars, for style and build quality.

Klipsch ProMedia 2.0: Also 30 watts. Nice sound, good price, $100 list. Dual 2.5" woofers and a 1" tweeter with a Klipsch high-freq horn in it. These sound pretty good, but they are unexpectedly bulky and poorly made. The oddly formed speaker housing means these take up a lot of space and the volume and bass control knobs look like they come from a $10 CyberAcoutsics set. The cheapie knobs, bulk, and ugliness make these fit for corporate presentations where good loud sound matters and where style is largely irrelevant. For the home user, the cheap knobs may well break over time, which was the Achiles heel for my 560s; quality system, cheap volume pot. Three stars, good though not excellent sound, reasonable price, loses points for ugliness and some shoddy cost cutting in build quality. The bulk is sort of a neutral issue, as the larger box size probably helps the sound and bass extension of the units, but for some users the footprint and added portability difficulties may be an issue.

Creative Gigaworks T20: 28 watts (though the box says 22 watts!) $100 list. Creative obscures most specs on these, probably fearing the single 2.5" driver versus the bigger Logitech and the double same size drivers of the Klipsch may convince buyers that the T20 lacks in comparison to its rivals. Truth is the build and design of the T20s makes them sound much better than either the Z10s or the Promedias. These little speakers can put out an awesome amount of clear accurate sound, and they look great and feel very sturdy. Treble in particular is excellent, and the alleged Bass Xport technology must have something to it, as bass is more than adequate. The separate bass and treble knobs may or may not appeal; to some, they offer more control, to others the added circuitry distorts the signal and gives an added area of complexity in the design that may fail. The portability is excellent. The only real problem is that Creative is so secretive about the wattage and driver size, out of unnecessary concern that buyers may avoid getting these because of a few watts or a half inch. These sound great, look good, and the size to sound ratio is impressive. Four stars.

M-Audio AV40s: 40 watts, $200 list. My personal choice, these speakers are much bigger than the other contenders, but the amazing sound and plentiful bass will convince you that you don't need to even think about a sub system. These wooden cabinets are very attractive and sturdy, but are not exactly portable weighing 14 lbs and being quite bulky. (More so than the Klipsch, but they also look nicer and are built better.) Besides the size and weight, the other issue is cost and maybe availability as few vendors sell M-Audio, and the price for the AV40s even with discount will be $50-$65 more than the cost of the other units I looked at. To me the sound and accuracy (no distortion at high volume, lots of accuracy at low volume) of the M-Audios, at both low and high volume, offsets all the problems. Four stars, loses a star because of higher cost and weight. (Note though these are still theoretically portable, far more so than any 2.1 system or even the average boombox...)

Do You Need More Power, a Subwoofer, or More Speakers? Probably not. If you sit at your desk with the speakers a few feet away from you, you do not need much more than 30 or 40 watts for great powerful sound. A subwoofer (unless it costs a lot!) will just screw up crossover freqs, create too much bass, and encourage the mfgr to give you cheapie satellites on the theory that the loud prominent sub will wow the casual listener who will not care that the sats have 1" uni-drivers and are made of cheap light plastic. Unless you need to entertain parties with your PC, you don't need more power or a sub.

As far as surround sound, unless you watch movies on your PC or play a lot of FPS shooters that need positional audio, the added wires and difficulty of positioning the rear and surround sats in the listening environment are too much of a pain for most folks. Plus a decent PC surround sound system is at least $250, meaning a much higher cost than any of these 2.0 systems.

Buying Recommendations: Don't mind big and bulky? Get the M-Audio AV40s. (Note the company has a smaller less powerful variant, the Av20s, but I did not hear these and they do not seem to be widely available so I cannot comment.) Want small and portable, get the Creative T20. The Logitechs unfortunately have no comparative strengths, and the Klipschs are adequate but offer no real advantage over the Creative. If you can find the Promedias significantly discounted, they may be viable.

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Product Description:
The compact Studiophile AV 40 powered speakers deliver the same proven M-Audio technology favored by top producers, recording engineers and musicians around the world. The combination of 4-inch polypropylene-coated drivers and 3/4-inch ferrofluid-cooled silk dome tweeters provides punchy lows, crisp highs and a balanced, uncolored response. Custom cabinets with dense wood construction deliver more accurate bass response than you could ever get from plastic multimedia speakers. And for the highest possible fidelity, the Studiophile AV 40 speakers also feature OptImage III wave-guide technology and a 20 watt-per-channel internal amplifier that utilizes Class A/B architecture. The Studiophile AV 40 reference monitors are the perfect solution for traveling musicians or anyone who wants top-notch sound from their desktop multimedia system.


A perfect solution for traveling musicians or anyone who wants top-notch sound from their desktop multimedia system. Click to enlarge.
Convenient front auxiliary input and phones jack.
Rear features balanced quarter inch and RCA inputs, along with bass boost switch for low-end enhancement. Click to enlarge.

Studiophile AV 40 Compact Desktop Speaker System

Professional Components--Professional Results
The Studiophile AV 40 monitors are designed with the same quality materials and internal electronics that are used in M-Audio's acclaimed professional monitors. You'll find features like audiophile-grade Class A/B amplifier architecture and balanced 1/4-inch TRS inputs in addition to RCAs. It all adds up to a big sound that belies the speakers' small size. With the Studiophile AV 40s, you don't have to give up professional-grade fidelity to enjoy the ease and mobility of a compact speaker system.
Extended Low End
If you require extra bass response, the Studiophile AV 40 speakers have you covered. MDF wooden cabinets, bass reflex design and an integrated bass boost switch let the Studiophile AV 40s crank out plenty of low end--perfect for urban/dance music, DVDs and more.
OptImage III Technology
M-Audio's proprietary OptImage III wave guide improves overall detail and clarity while minimizing sound issues that can plague other compact monitors. The system works by improving the overall efficiency of the tweeter as well as time-aligning the drivers. This ensures that the audio from each driver reaches the listener at the same time, guaranteeing precise stereo imaging and accurate response.
Magnetically Shielded for Desktop Use
Unchecked, all speakers emit electromagnetic waves that can wreak havoc with your computer's video monitor or a nearby TV. The Studiophile AV 40 speakers are magnetically shielded so that all of your electronic equipment can coexist on your desktop without interference.

AV 40 Specs

Type: Two-way desktop reference monitor
Low-frequency Driver: 4" diameter, magnetically shielded and curved cone with high-temperature voice coil
High-frequency Driver: 1" diameter, magnetically shielded silk dome tweeter
Frequency Response: 85Hz - 20kHz
Crossover Frequency: 2.7kHz
RMS SPL: 101.5dB @ 1 meter
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: > 90dB (typical, A-weighted)
Input Connectors: Left and right RCA line input, left and right 1/4" TRS input and 1/8" aux input
Polarity: Positive signal at "+" input produces outward low-frequency cone displacement
Dynamic Power: 20 watts continuous, per channel into 4 Ω
Input Impedance: 10 k Ω unbalanced, 20 k Ω balanced
Input Sensitivity: 100 mV pink noise input produces 90dBA output SPL at 1 meter with volume control at maximum
Protection: RF interference, output current limiting, over temperature, turn on/off transient, subsonic filter
Indicator: Blue power LED ring around volume knob on front panel
Power Requirements: 100-120V/~50/60Hz, 220-240V/~50/60Hz; powered via detachable 2-conductor line cord
Cabinet: Vinyl-laminated MDF
Dimensions: 8.75" (H) x 6" (W) x 7.25" (D)
Weight: 14 lbs./6.34 kg

What's in the Box
Pair of AV 40 Monitors, Two Power Cables, 1/8-Inch Mini-to-RCA cable, 1/8-Inch Auxiliary Cable, Bare Wire Cable for Speaker Connection, Two Traction Pads, User's Manual.

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Hercules XPS 2.0 30 2.0 Multimedia Speakers (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)With the recent purchase of an LG M237WD-PM 23-Inch Class Widescreen Multi-Function LCD 1080p Monitor/HDTV with a great price and picture quality but terrible sound (as is the case with most small, thin LCD HDTVs), I needed some good quality, but moderately priced powered speakers without the cumbersome subwoofer for TV listening.The choice was between the popular, well-known Creative Labs Inspire T10 2.0 Multimedia Speaker System with 5 watts RMS per channel or the similar but lesser known Hercules XPS 2.0 30 Multimedia Speakers with 6 watts RMS per channel and a lower price.Hercules has been around since the early days of PCs setting a standard with its graphics cards, so I felt confident opting for the Hercules XPS speakers even though almost no reviews were available.

The Hercules XPS 2.0 30 Multimedia Speakers are made in China with a sturdy, decent-looking plastic enclosure.They are powered by a 12 volt, 26 watt external power supply.The frequency response is given as 80-20,000 hz (the same as for the Creative Labs Inspire T10.)

The supplied 3.5mm stereo cable plugs right into the LG M237WD headphone jack for input to the XPS speakers making them ready to audition.My first impression of the XPS speakers was that the sound of human voices was annoyingly "boomy" especially during newscasts.The single tone control only controls treble and not bass. (The single tone control on the Creative Labs Inspire T10 only controls bass and not treble.)To determine what frequency imbalance was causing the boominess problem, I happen to have a parametric audio equalizer which I hooked up between the LG M237WD and the XPS speakers.I found that lowering the gain at 200 hz frequency centered over a 2.0 octave range greatly improved the sound quality of the XPS speakers and eliminated the boominess.This is basically the same as lowering the gain of a bass control which, of course, is not an option with the XPS 2.0 30 speakers.However, bass levels can be adjusted on the LG M237WD.

The LG M237WD has 5 sound settings, each sound setting having its own bass and treble adjustment.So the bass must be adjusted 5 times for each of the 5 sound settings.On a scale of 0-100, the LG M237WD bass settings which work best with the XPS 2.0 30 speakers are in the 16-20 range as opposed to the LG M237WD factory bass settings near and about 50.With the LG M237WD bass settings appropriately adjusted, the XPS 2.0 30 speakers sound very good and quite acceptable for speakers in their price range.It would be nice to have both a bass and a treble control, but that's the sacrifice to keep the price down.If cost were not a consideration, I would go for the Hercules XPS 2.0 60 Multimedia Speakers which do have both bass and treble controls plus 15 watts RMS per channel.

With the bass and boominess problem taken care of, the sound of these Hercules XPS 2.0 30 Multimedia Speakers is very clean and undistorted, even with the volume turned all the way up.There is no hiss or hum or any noise at all when there is no audio input.Because there are bass ports on the back of the speakers, the speakers need clearance from walls for full sound.I also note a slight improvement in sound if the speakers are set atop small platforms about 4 inches tall, like a tissue box.While peak volume won't blow the roof, the speakers are plenty loud enough for enjoyable HDTV and music listening.Music sounds great on these speakers.Explosions, gunshots, crashes, and big drums all sound clean, undistorted and impressive with plenty of punch.These are great speakers if you are on a budget.With that consideration, they rate 5 stars.

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Product Description:
Having become one of the world leaders in the domain of 3D graphics cards, Hercules has developed and exploited its fields of expertise in a variety of fast-growing market segments over the years. Hercules currently offers a complete range of webcams, speaker systems, digital DJing devices, WiFi solutions, iPod/iTunes accessories and sound cards. Hercules launches compelling products which have been fastidiously researched in terms of performance and produced with quality in mind. Hercules XPS 2.0 30 - Black (4769188) 2.0 Speaker set. Manufactured with high-performance components and with a smooth finish these 2.0 speakers guarantee a high-quality sound emission. Exclusive compact design. Total power output: 12 W RMS (2 x 6 W). Peak power: 24 W. Satellite featuring a gold-plated audio connector (not wall mountable). Speakers equipped with magnetic shielding for an interference-free environment. Line In input at the back of the speaker for connecting the main audio source, and auxiliary input for connecting MP3 players etc. Stereo headphones connector located on the right-hand side of the speaker. All switches and knobs are located on the front of the speaker: General volume control knob with standby position and treble volume control knob. External power supply allowing the maximum space possible within the casing for the sound to develop. Satellite measurements: 19 cm (H) x 10 cm (W) x 12 cm (D).

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