Pros: LOUD, clear highs, deep lows, backlit control center, styling, price, large soundstage
Cons: Err, heavy? Very limited wall-mounting angle.
The Bottom Line: As mentioned earlier...this is an amazing sound system without even considering the price. When including the price, it's a must have!!
biglilsteve's Full Review: Logitech Z-5500 5 Speakers
As a college student living in the on-campus residence halls with just a laptop to my name, I was always forced to stick with the best 2.1 system I could find. Upon moving to an apartment where I could have my own room, I decided to build a desktop computer and upgrade to a 5.1 system. After much research, I decided that this speaker set had the power I oh-so-craved. Being a car audio enthusiast and bass junkie, the 10-inch ported subwoofer rated as receiving 188 watts RMS really brought in my attention. The six satellite speakers each receiving over 60 watts RMS drug me in even further, as I figured they would be able to counterbalance the power of the massive subwoofer quite well. Randomly shopping on an unnamed price comparison site, I found the set for $265 with free shipping so I jumped at the opportunity.
Initial impressions
Upon receiving the package, I immediately recognized the quality of the build of this system. Weighing in at 60+ pounds, this system is by no means a lightweight. Opening the packaging only further impressed me. Everything about this system has a solid feeling to it...from the gorgeous (larger than expected) control center, to the 6 satellites housing the 3-inch drivers, to the mammoth 10-inch sub with a port large enough to put my fist in.
Setup
I made no hesitation in properly setting up this system before touching the power buttton. Wall-mounted each of the 6 satellites in their respective positions in front and behind me, and placed the beast on the floor next to my desk. As far as the wall-mounting goes, my only complaint is that the speakers cannot be angled once they are wall-mounted. They are forced to face straight ahead, which might create minor imaging problems for some folks. All the speakers and the control center are connected directly to the back of the subwoofer. I was impressed with the fact that this system uses standard speaker wire, so you can purchase longer wire for setup in a larger room. The system included more than enough speaker wire (15 feet for each of the front 3 satellites and 25 feet for the 2 rear surrounds) for my setup. One thing that could be improved upon is the length of the cord leading from the control center to the subwoofer (the 3 feet worked for my configuration, but might not suit some more spread out setups). The cables from your computer/receiver plug into the back of the control center.
So, the sound quality?
One thing that you cannot take away from this set is that it is LOUD. Playing the system constantly at any volume level past 2/3 can definitely become fatiguing to the ears. You can keep increasing the volume and this system keeps getting louder and louder without distortion from the satellites. The highs are extremely clean and defined, especially since the satellites don't have a separate tweeter. The system is slightly weak in the mid-range, however, but this can be a hard area to judge so it is completely subjective.
The subwoofer does have the power to keep getting louder and louder with the satellites, but it can tend to get a "poppy" sound to it if you are listening to very bass heavy music and push it to its maximum (what sub doesn't do that though??). Just understand that it takes A LOT to push this subwoofer past its limit. I was impressed with the subwoofer's frequency response. My previous (expensive) Altec Lansing FX-6021 system was extremely lacking on the low-frequency range, so this system's bass really caught me off guard. That thing can really reach down to the lower end of the bass spectrum and grab those low pitches. I can enjoy the bass from this subwoofer almost as much as I do from the Alpine in my car's trunk, and that says a lot. The only thing I regret is that my desk is not towards the corner of my room, so the bass is not quite as strong where I'm sitting. If your desk is in the corner of the room and the sub is right next to it, you will be blown away at the bass response.
An extremely important factor to consider before purchasing this system is making sure you have a high quality sound card to send the best possible signal to these speakers. When I first set up the system, I used the integrated sound on my computer's motherboard. While nothing can take away from the sheer power of this system, the quality of the sound coming from satellites was merely par. The highs were muddy unless I maxed out the treble on the EQ of my media player, and the bass was messy and not very defined no matter what i did with the EQ.
I then installed a high end Creative Soundblaster X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS sound card and the sound quality increase was substantial. The highs are so much cleaner and crisper and the bass was the hardest hitting I've seen (well...heard), and all this was possible while leaving all graphic equalizers FLAT. Games are PHENOMENAL with these speakers and Creative sound card. In games like F.E.A.R. and Battlefield 2142, you are really immersed in the environment. The sounds of shell casings bouncing all around you and gunfire in the distance behind you and over your left shoulder are simply amazing. Bottom Line: don't drop the money on these speakers unless you are going to be giving them the best signal quality possible!
Control center
I was pleasantly surprised by the size and build of the control center. Its oversized, weighted volume knob and large, easy to read backlit display make it a very attractive addition to your desktop. It includes effects that you can apply to the current input including modes called "Dolby ProLogic II Movie" and "Dolby ProLogic II Music". These effects did a great job of creating surround effects for my music and movies while I was still using the integrated sound on my motherboard. Once I installed my Creative sound card, however, the effects proved to do more damage than they did help. I figure if you have a good enough sound card, then you have no need for these extra effects. My only minor complaint about the unit itself is that it has a tendency to slide back on your desk when you go to press a button.
The remote control included with this system is great. It gives you every function of the control center at your fingertips. It has good range and has the flexibility of a standard household remote, meaning you still have to point it at the device, but it does not have to be within DIRECT, EXACT line of sight (like my previous Altec Lansing remote). It uses standard AAA batteries (included).
A quick note on power consumption
Not surprisingly, these bad boys do suck up some power when they are being used. However, even when they are idle/mute they still seem to draw a considerable amount of power. I do not have any measured wattages to substantiate this claim, but I can say that I have left them on and idle for hours while I went to class, and when I came back the large heatsink on the back of the sub was still noticeably warm to the touch. Not a huge deal for me since the rent for my on-campus apartment is set and includes utilities, but for all you grown folks out there with houses and what not, this may impact your power bill.
Conclusion
What more can I say? This system was everything I was hoping for, and more. The sound quality is amazing provided you have a decent source. The power of this system is simply all you will ever need, whether you are using it for your computer, or for your home entertainment center. The styling is modern and contemporary and the control center is very attractive in my opinion.
Gamers, moviegoers, and music listeners alike will be equally wowed by this system. You cannot beat this system ESPECIALLY for the money, bottom line.
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