Post by Jammydodger on Aug 4, 2005 1:46:10 GMT
Introduction
In the past, Logitech was known for producing mice and keyboards, and quality speaker systems aimed at economical price points and OEM replacement speakers a few years ago. With the advent of the Z-Series of performance 2 channel and Surround Sound speaker systems, Logitech has built up quite an enthusiastic following. The quality, attention to design and detail, and power which was supplied with the previous Logitech Z-640 5.1 channel speaker systems, and the Logitech Z2200 THX Certified 2.1 systems, Logitech comes from a solid background now in speaker design and implementation.
Competition in the computer speaker peripheral market has become more heated in the past couple years - with the Klipsch Promedia Ultra 5.1's, or the Creative Gigaworks S750 7.1 amplified speaker set, helping to prove this point.
To quote from Logitech's product information page:
"We've taken the award-winning Logitech Z-680 speaker system and made it even better. How? By improving everything from the subwoofer to the satellites and adding new innovations like real-time digital sound equalization."
"The result is the Logitech Z-5500 Digital, a THX-certified, 500-watt 5.1 surround sound speaker system that offers everything you could possibly want… and some things you didn't even know you needed. And once you plug in your PC, DVD or music player, or video game console, you'll never want to listen to anything else."
As I had just completed building an HTPC computer system, I recently reviewed the Shuttle ST20G5 SFF case, and used a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-500MCE Media Center Edition dual-tuner card in conjunction with Microsoft's Media Center 2005 operating system. The need arose for video editing and rendering with my computer farm, and I looked at purchasing several high end computer speaker surround sound systems for use in my basement. It did not take me long to decide on purchasing the Logitech Z-5500 Digital speakers for my personal use. The ability to select your audio source (such as optical, coax, 6-channel direct, or the 3 stereo mini inputs) is ideal and provides compatibility for DVD or CD players, PlayStation®2, and Xbox®.
On the following pages, you will find a detailed examination of these Logitech Z-5500 Digital speakers, from packaging to performance and design.
Product Specifications
Total RMS power: 505 watts RMS
* Satellites: 317 watts RMS (2 x 62 W front, 2 x 62 W rear, 69 W center)
* Subwoofer: 188 watts RMS
* Total Peak power: 1010 watts
* Maximum SPL: >115 dB
Amplifier
* Ultra-linear, high-capacity analog
Input impedance
* 8,000 ohms
Surround sound effects
* Hardware decoding for Dolby® Digital, DTS®, and DTS®, 96/24 soundtracks
* Dolby Pro Logic II (Movie and Music modes)
* 6 Channel Direct
* Stereo x 2
* Stereo
Source Inputs
* Digital optical for DVD or CD players, PlayStation®2, Xbox®**
* Digital coaxial for DVD or CD players or PC sound cards (requires coaxial cable, sold separately)
* 6 channel direct (3 stereo-mini connectors) for 2, 4, or 6 channel PC sound cards OR 6 channel direct (3 stereo-mini connectors) for 3 stereo analog mini audio sources, like CD and DVD players, Playstation 2, Xbox, or 2 channel PC sound cards (some devices may require stereo mini to dual RCA adapter, sold separately)
* Analog stereo-mini (on side panel of control center) for portable CD, MP3,or MiniDisc® players
* Note: **Requires Xbox® Advanced AV Pack or Xbox® High Definition AV Pack, sold separately, or PC sound cards (requires optical cable, sold separately)
System Compatibility
PC/Mac CD
MP3 DVD
PlayStation® Xbox®
Package Contents
* 4 satellites
* 1 center channel
* 1 subwoofer
* 6-channel direct cable
* Digital SoundTouch™ control center Wireless remote control, batteries included
* User´s manual 2 year limited warranty
Conclusion
The Logitech Z-5500 Digital speakers are well designed, and produce jaw dropping high quality sound. Appearance of this product is also a plus. When the package arrived, the delivery man struggled to get it in inside my front door, as it weighed a hefty 60.4 pounds. It also contained a stark warning message on top of the packaging, stating you must keep the subwoofer at least 2 feet away from other components, due to the strong magnets used in the subwoofer itself.
The satellite speakers, use a 3 inch polished aluminum phase plug driver and have a tuned port for handling the middle frequencies. The center speaker employs the same technology, but is adjustable so you can aim the sound up or down at your leisure. These small speakers when cranked, will move a lot of air.
Speaker cables are provided, in standard 18 gauge speaker wire. 2 of these are 25 feet long, and the other 3 speaker wire cables included are 15 feet long. You can easily replace the stock speaker wire with Monster Cable or another premium wire of your choice. The subwoofer is a little overwhelming, topping the tape at 15 inches length by 13 inches in width, and is 13 1/4" in height. It is definitely not designed to sit atop a computer desk, and is nearly as big as my home theater system's Paradigm subwoofer.
The speaker grills are easily removed, and when off give an industrial feel with the Logitech logo embossed at the top of each speaker.
Pros
* Versatility -You can hook up a PC, gaming systems, and it even has an extra input allowing use of a CD or DVD player.
* Value - The Dolby Digital and Dolby Theater Sound compatible receiver offers amazing value including Pro Logic II and DTS 96/24 technologies.
* Volume - 505 Watts RMS power these speakers and will produce sound pressure levels in excess of 115 decibels. While testing the speakers in my basement computer rooms, my wife complained that the leather couch was shaking in the living room! Sheer power without discernable distortion.
* Ease of use -The controls were easily read on the LCD display with classy backlighting and provide a lot of versatility. The SoundTouch Control Center is much improved over previous iterations by Logitech.
Cons
* Subwoofer output - The bass produced by this subwoofer can be a bit boomy but I found it quite adjustable through the subwoofer level adjustments provided on the SoundTouch Control Center. I did have to adjust it lower than I would have thought as I don't prefer huge booming bass for most sound applications.
I'm awarding the Logitech Z-5500 Digital, a THX-certified, 500-watt 5.1 surround sound speaker system - with Xtreme Resources' Xtreme Performance Award. After all, instead of being provided these speakers for review, I purchased them based on raw performance and sound reproduction, and ease of use. Logitech advertises these speakers to retail at $399.95. I purchased mine from Newegg for $269.99 and haven't regretted my purchasing decision since.
