Huge power at your fingertipsAugust 2, 2008 When I bought my new PC about a year ago I knew that I wanted great sound for my $1200 investment. After a lot of research I decided on the Bose Companion II Series II speakers. They sound great, and despite their high price tag, I was happy.
Still, this new high end PC had a 5.1 coax output that was going unused, and in all fairness, the Bose speakers I owned couldn't pump out any sound I would consider loud. So I did away with the Bose with the hope of rattling the walls and listening to movies in surround sound. Continuing with my "go big or not at all" attitude, I decided on the Logitech Z-5500.
First off, this is not a light system. It weighs 55 pounds (probably 50 of that is subwoofer) so this doesn't feel like some cheap toy. The UPS guy was happy when I signed off because I would imagine carrying this beast back to the truck would not be ideal in the 100 degree Virginia summer. So, the box is huge, but everything inside is well placed, and easy to figure out.
There are 4 identical satellite speakers with swiveling bases so you can wall mount them. The center channel is the same as the sattelites except it is on its side, but again the base moves for wall mounting. The sound is controlled by a sound dock with a large knob, and a few buttons that let you control settings and all that good stuff. The back has one input for coax digital, one for optical digital, and a direct 6 channel input. The side has an input for headphones, and one underneath for a headphone to headphone jack (for MP3 players and such).
Then there is the sub. This 50 pound monster is a 188 watt side firing sub that delivers rock solid bass. Now some reviews of "the house shaking" are a little extreme. If you set the right EQ and crank the volume, then yes, you will rattle your brain. Most of the time the sound is more conservative.
The Z-5500 sounds great and has tons of power. There is no lack of it. This system gets REALLY loud. It can hit a level of loud that makes conversation impossible and a level of loud that keeps the party going. For a lot of system, turning the volume to 50% is unrealistic because the more you turn it up, the more distortion and lack of power you get. That 50% is really more like %80 of the power you have. Not here. When you crank it up you realize that the Z-5500 will keep up with you. I fear to put it past 75% of the max volume for fear of the cops being called.
The quality of the sound is also very good. There is great separation from the speakers no matter what mode you are listening to. Movies with 5.1 Dolby Digital sound great. DTS even better. For music, there are Pro Logic II modes to create a fake 5.1 experience, on top of the standard stereo and quad sound (the rears playing the front mix). The only thing worth mentioning is that unless you have a great EQ for your computer, sometimes the bass and highs are a little too much. These are not the best sounding speakers I have ever heard, but they get really loud and sometimes the shock value alone of the sound they produce hides any disappointment in the full range.
So in short...
Pros -
- Way more power than you need at your desk. This is really nice for action movies or loud music. Watching other people when I crank it is always great. They always get that "holy crap!" look on their faces because they are being rocked by a wall of sound. - Easy to control and set up. If you are interested in expensive 5.1 speakers for your computer than you probably won't find this to be anything over your head. - Nice clean look to the package. The satellites are not huge, and the sound dock has a nice look to it with the light blue display. - This can hook up to almost anything, making it a good solution for DVD players, or an Xbox 360, etc. - The different audio modes are nice. Pro Logic II modes, Dolby Digital, DTS, etc.. You can really mix it all up here.
Cons -
- The sub is really big, and can limit where you can put this. On top of this, it is heavy, making hauling this system a little bit of a workout. - The included remote is cheap and does not fit in with the quality of the build.
Overall -
Lots of power in a nice looking package. This system hooks up to a lot and sounds good doing it. I am happy with my purchase and offer a high recommendation.
Awesome!!August 1, 2008 Incredible sound system. It was easy to set up, and immediately started producing high quality sound. Even turning the volume all the way up, no sound quality is sacrificed. Produces clean music even while your kitchen is shaking from the bass. Not only that, but I discovered a few weeks after buying it that there is a 'Boost' mode, activated if you keep turning the volume knob past full. It goes up to Boost 11 (or 13, I forget)... it is awesome.
The only downside is that now I need better encoded MP3's to take full advantage of this system.
Incredible Sound QualityJuly 30, 2008 I really don't have anything negative to say about this system.
After losing my beloved Altec Lansing system (8 years, not bad!), I tried to replace them with the cheaper Logitech G51 system - that was a mistake. The subwoofer was great, but the way it processed the surround sound was pitiful, and within a week I had returned them.
This system, the Logitech Z-5500 THX-Certified 505-Watt 5.1 Digital Surround Sound Speaker System, was more expensive, but ultimately it is worth the price (especially if you find a deal). The audio is crystal clear, the surround sound is perfect.
Setup was easy - the system uses actual 18-gauge speaker wire, which is nice if you ever need to replace it or extend it (the system includes 3x 15' and 2x 25' wires, which was plenty for my setup - no having to rearrange your living room). The subwoofer is huge (the photos don't capture the sheer size of the system), so take that into account if you're short on space. The auxiliary input on the control center is also quite handy if you have friends wanting to share tracks from their iPods, etc.
Can't beat em for the price...July 29, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
First off, I am an audio engineer so high quality sound is very important to me. I have owned this speaker set over a year with no problems. I bought it to replace my Klipsch 2.1 set, which eventually broke. Keep in mind the majority of the time I am listening at low to moderate volumes to not disrupt my roommates and prevent hearing loss. This system is capable of being very loud (I'm sure 100dB+) without distorting.
You must use the subwoofer for the full experience with this system, as it generates all the lower frequencies the satellite speakers are unable to. Bass output is easy adjusted from the control unit.
The sound when listening to music and movies is crystal clear. I occasionally use it for my Xbox 360, with which it performs quite well. 90% of the time I use it with the optical output on my Mac Pro. Sound is exceptional when watching a movie encoded in Dolby Digital 5.1 or dts.
My only complaint is that I wish it had more than 1 optical input so I could use it with my 360/Mac without swapping cables. It also lacks an HDMI input. For the price, I really can't complain a bit though.
Excelent purchase.July 29, 2008 For the money, there is just no better purchase. I mounted all the speakers to the wall using the easy swivel bases they come attached too. The sub is huge with sound to match but for the most part it has remained skillfully hidden. I removed the center speaker because I ended up listening to more music on the stereo than TV which made it unnecessary. The sound is great at low volumes (yes the sub plays well at low volumes) and the bass is like a club at high volumes. I have had the stereo since it first came out some years back and it is very durable. Surviving in my college dorm room and multiple moves I am surprised not a piece of it is broken. I assure you when you get the stereo you will not be disappointed.
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