Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 2.1 Speaker System with Subwoofer
by Logitech
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List Price: Our Price: $169.95 You Save: $0.04 (0%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 2.1 Speaker System with Subwoofer
Customer Review: Best speakers for the price
Summary: 5 Stars
For reference, I will compare these with Bose Companion 3 and Klipsch ProMedia, all of which I have owned or currently own
AMAZING bass. Just amazing. It doesn't annoyingly pop the way the ProMedia does and is just as powerful, and just blows the Companion 3 out of the water in power. The lows aren't quite as full as with the Companion 3, but who cares about that when each beat makes your house shake? Definitely a great fit if you like watching movies on your computer, you'll feel the explosions more than Bruce Willis when you're watching Die Hard.
Highs are very good. Not quite as good as neither the ProMedia or Companion 3, but unless you're listening to classical music it wont particularly matter too much, it's not a huge difference. With some tweaking on your sound card you'll get great clarity on the highs, and that'll make the difference very minimal.
Mids take lots of tweaking, but after messing with your sound card they can get perfect. This is where you see the difference between these and the ProMedia, I'd say the ProMedia has bad mids if it had any. Compared to the Companion 3, mids aren't nearly as full out of the box. Companion 3 are also about $150 more, so if you have a good sound card and don't mind spending some time messing with your sound card the savings are definitely worth it.
Also, they're loud. Very loud. Like your neighbors will hate you loud. I never went over half volume, and I listen to music extremely loud. I've put my Companion 3 to full volume before, never dared to do it with these out of fear that my ears would explode.
Like the ProMedia, these are a slightly more movie oriented set of speakers. If you're an audiophile and want TOP music quality (like you own 4 sets of headphones just because they have different strengths for different kinds of music, and you've tried all the best computer speakers minus the Creative T4, and have about 80GB of music in lossless formats plus about 100GB in 320kb/s mp3's...like me), I'd put down the extra money for the Companion 3. Or look for a good deal on the Companion 3 like I did for both my sets of them :). Otherwise, it's probably a waste of money to get anything more expensive than these. If you're looking at the ProMedia, stop. These will outperform them in every way (except highs, but not in a noticeable way).
Now that sound quality is covered, here's some things I liked/didn't like about the design:
The control pod is great. It doesn't look as nice as the Companion 3 pod, but is definitely more functional. Volume and bass control is extremely useful, especially if you live in an apartment and have an odd sleep schedule. Unlike most computer speakers that have bass controls on the back of the subwoofer, this one has it on the pod. HUGE thumbs up on that. You may notice I didn't mention the ProMedia control pod...er, there isn't one. But to be fair, the ProMedia does have the bass control on one of the satellite speakers, so my criticism on it falters...oh well. The point is, control pods look cool and you want one!
The satellite speakers are big. Not quite as big as the ProMedia satellites, but still huge compared to anything else. Make sure you clear space on your desk
Big con for me, just because of durability...the audio cable is internal. You can't just grab your own audio cable and plug it in. If this one breaks, oops, you need a new woofer. Also, you cant have an awesome setup like I do with my Companion 3 in my room, with a 25ft audio cable that reaches my bed. Although you could just get an extension cable. I don't like it though, modular is always better in my opinion. Cable breaks, get new cable, you're good. But that's just me.
Subwoofer looks impressive. Unlike the incredibly compact Companion 3 woofer, this one is approximately the size of a small house. It looks very imposing. And it makes a great footrest!
In conclusion...highly recommended for anyone with any kind of budget. Best bang for your buck you'll find. And you can make it just as good as anything more expensive if you have a decent sound card.
Customer Review: Add Some Life To Your Smaller Flat Screen TV
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently bought 2 smaller flat screened LED LCD Tv's. One is a 19 inch FAVI, one is a 22 inch LG. I had my fingers crossed that the speakers that came with the TV would be adequate, since I was only intending to use these tvs in my bedroom and kitchen, not as main viewing, gaming, or DVD movie watching. This was not the case, not even with the larger, more expensive LG.
So I looked for a relatively cheap alternative to the normal TV audio hookup which would have required buying a receiver, bookshelf speakers, speaker wiring etc. After researching the internet I found this 2.1 speaker system. It is surprising to me that the vendors do not advertise that these "PC, gaming" speakers are also a great alternative to your small tv listening pleasure. They work wonders and don't cost nearly as much as separate components would.
Hooking up to the TV is as simple as plugging the standard 3.5mm. wired jack which is attached to the logitech remote into the headphone "out" jack on the TV. I am sure most small flat panel TVs have one. But check before you buy. The other connections between the speakers and subwoofer are simple and instructions are easy to follow. The logitech remote has controls for volume, bass volume, and off/on. Plus, once you have everything set up the way you like, you should still be able to adjust the volume through the TV remote (my preference).
What about the sound you ask? For my purposes (see paragraph 1), this system was a great alternative. The subwoofer is big and strong and seems to be well balanced. If it gets too boomy you simply adjust the bass volume on the handy wired remote. Remember, when connecting to a tv, you should have two levels of adjustment at your disposal. The first level is through the tv bass/treble controls. The second level is through this system itself using the remote. Between the two you should be able to find a nice balance between bass and treble that is satisfying to your ears. It is not that complicated. Really. Since hooking this up to my LG, the sound has been quite full bodied, volume level is much louder if I choose to raise it, the subwoofer compliments the speakers nicely (just be sure to adjust the bass volume to taste.)
I like the look of the speakers with the two-toned black and silver colors. Looks sleek and modern. The speakers look and feel like they are durable. The subwoofer is substantial, sort of heavy and has limited connection options... It is really designed to be linked to these speakers. The dimension of the subwoofer is 11 in. X 11 in. X 15 in. (H X W X D).
On a side note, the wired remote has a rather bright blue light on it when turned on. I kind of like it, makes a nice blue nightlight. But there are easy options if you do not care for it. Simply press the off button and off goes the light. Or keep the system turned on but place a piece of black electrical tape over the blue light. Problem solved.
To sum up, this 2.1 speaker system saved my new LG 22 inch flat panel tv from being an audio annoyance. It sounds great now, I have no problem hearing dialect, if I turn on a music channel it sounds pretty damn sweet, and it gets plenty loud enough for my purposes. Unfortunately I missed the Thanksgiving Day price of $79. I hadn't done enough research to go for it that day. A few days later it had raised to the current price of about $115. It is too bad I missed the really good price, but I guess it was not meant to be. So now might be a good time to get it before it goes up anymore. Plus, I read somewhere that Logitech is phasing this unit out, but the replacement unit has less wattage and a smaller subwoofer than this one has. Strange, you would think they would add to it instead of taking away from it, but who am I to decide these things. I say get this one while they last.
Customer Review: excellent power and dynamic range
Summary: 5 Stars
I've tested a number of speakers for there different areas: Living Room, Office, and my Desk at Home.
After trying (and returning a number of well reviewed choices) I settled on the following:
Living Room - Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System
This system had the best overall power of everything I tried. Everything else sounds good when you're close enough to the speakers, but as you move away it gets pretty weak. For the living room you definitely need a 2.1 system. Even the M-Audio StudioPro 3 Desktop Audio Monitors, which seem the be the best of the 2 speaker systems couldn't handle a real room. As mentioned in a number of other reviews, the subwoofer unit is larger than others out there. I expect that's part of the reason these have good power. Make sure you've got a good place to hide it. Sound is very good comparatively. Nothing is going to sound like a real 200w component stereo, but this comes pretty close. I find that the imaging, or perceptual soundstage is a little lacking, not as clearly defined as with the JBL Creature II 3-Piece Powered Speaker System or the M-Audio Studio 3. This got better when I added 6' RCA cable extenders to the satellite speaker wires which allowed me to separate the satellites a bit. But still not great. The volume knob thing is nice, and it's nice to have both volume and bass adjustment handy. I guess you could have easily put the controls on one of the satellites like everyone else though. The headphone jack on the volume control seems pointless to me, but maybe you'll like it. What I wish was that you could have an aux input on the volume thing to plug in your ipod or something else.
Office - JBL Creature II 3-Piece Powered Speaker System
These 2.1 speakers don't have the total power of the Logitech Z-2300, but they have much clearer and better imaging. Since my office is smaller than my living room, and shares a wall with someone, I don't need as much power. These were perfect. The high end is crisp, and the subwoofer clean. The volume control on the satellites is handy, but the bass adjustment is on the subwoofer. I thought this would be an issue, but you actually kind of set it and monkey with it a bit in the beginning, and then leave it alone. The satellites are much smaller than the Logitech and less cheesy looking, which makes them nicer on your desk. I have to say again how killer the sound is. Imaging is great, and it's crazy how they manage to do it with those tiny satellites.
Desk at Home - M-Audio StudioPro 3 Desktop Audio Monitors
These simply have the best sound and imaging of everything I tried except the higher end M-Audio reference speakers. No MP3 is going to sound ever as good as a CD through a component stereo(or an LP, but don't get me started). But I am amazed at the quality of these speakers. They wouldn;t have the power to fill a living room, or even an office. By the time you're 6'-8' away from them, the imaging settles out a bit. But for your desk or as satellite speakers for a TV that didn't come with great ones already, they are perfect. They are a little bigger than many desktop speakers overall, but since many desktop speakers are oddly shaped with leaning towers and wide stands, they actually don;t take up as much more footprint comparatively. The volume and headphone jack and aux in are all on one of the speakers, very handy for access and for plugging in your iPod at your desk. I tried several of the higher end M-Audio speakers, and while I found them to be even better with more power and clarity, it just wasn't enough better to justify the additional size and expense.
There you have it. Enjoy
Michael Peachey
Customer Review: Look no Further !!
Summary: 5 Stars
There has been such thorough reviews of these speakers, I will try not to repeat most of what has been stated.
However, I must tell you that you are NOT limited to the distance of the speaker wires OR the distance of the wired remote!! I have mounted this system and spread the speaker and the Woofer box and the remote contol to the distances that I desired, and the sound is Fantastic!
For the speakers, all you need to do is buy the rca extension cables (that have a male on one end and a female rca plug on the other end, the cheap ones work fine). They can be ordered in 6', 10', or even 25Ft lengths. These are used to extend the satellite speakers AND the inputs, ie DVD player, Tv, etc. to reach the large woofer box.
The secret to extending the remote control is.... You must use an old type.. VGA monitor 15 pin cable... like our old computer monitors came with..it must have a male on one end and a female 15 pin connector on the other end. OR if you can only find the male to male extension cable, then get a gender changer to change one of the ends to female. THE TRICK FOR THIS CABLE IS ... when you are shopping for this vga extension cable.. MAKE SURE.. it has 15 pins! many of these cables are missing one pin (they only have 14 pins). AND You can see this in the picture online if you look at the cable end, in the online pictures of this cable. Both types of cables can be found and ordered here at Amazon. Just search for a vga or svga 15 pin extension cable...and count the pins on the male end. You can get different lengths to suit your purpose. since I could not add a link above. Amazons link adder would not work for me.
go to SF cable and search for this product:
"HD15 SVGA Monitor Extension Cable, Male to Female with Ferrite Bead"
by SFCable DONT FORGET TO COUNT THE PINS ! And get the length you need to extend the remote control for your installation.
I have mine placed exactly the distance I wanted them to be apart. (I was also able to hide my wires with some imagination) and there is NO noticeable difference in performance with them extended far from each other. In fact, the sound is much improved by spreading the sounds out!
As for mounting the two small speakers.. If you pull the grill/cover off the front of the speaker, then with your finger nail, remove the 4 rubber plugs that hold the grill/cover to the speaker then you can remove the 4 (hidden) phillips head screws that hold the speaker half together. Then I drilled two small holes in the back half..and used the holes I made, to securely fasten them to the wall! Then reassemble them on the wall (I removed the bottom flat stand that comes screwed to the bottom of each speaker before starting). That they would normally sit on. So that they would fit flat against the wall...VERY easy to mount these speakers to a wall!!
SUMMING UP :
The ONLY negative remark I have about these, if you would call it that..is what other people have already stated.. the singing type of music is somewhat lacking.. I would have to agree with that. (I won't say better... but different, small speakers, would cure this. However.. for what I am using them for, they could not be better. This system as is... is fantastic for anything else ! DVD movies, Games, Computers etc. They are a full 5 stars for my purpose after extending them from each other.
LOOK NO FURTHER IF YOU WANT Great sounds for movies or games!
Customer Review: Believe me when i say...THESE SPEAKERS ROCK!
Summary: 5 Stars
Ok, first off i've had these for just one day...got them from amazon today (in 5 days with free shipping...great packaging and great delivery) and they are incredible. I am really picky when it comes to good sound, and i looked around for about 2 months before i findally decided these were the ones to get. The design is so sleek and the THX certification really makes a difference. So here i've got something to say about each part of the system, cuz i know that a lot of you out there want a detailed user review.
Sub Woofer- Oh my gosh...this sub rocks. I mean all you bass
lovers out there will be smiling the second you
turn it on. And for all of you who don't like bass
to drown out the music the subwoofer control on the
wired remote does a great job of controlling the
level of the bass, so don't worry about getting a
system like this cuz the bass accompanies the sound
from the satellites very well. The bass is punchy
very responsive and can handle anything you can
throw at it...seriously...trust me i tested it out.
I played NFS Underground 2 with this system and i
can literally feel the engine roaring and the woosh
of cars as they fly by...you will fall in love with
this sub.
Sattelites- I have two words for these speakers...sleek and
strong. The sound is so clear even at high volumes
and not harsh at all...i've tried every type of
music on them from rap to classical to techno to
rock, and they blow every other 2.1 system away!
There are two cloth dust covers which can cover the
sattelites if you wish and they make it look even
better...if that's possible. These speakers are high
quality.
Wired remote- This thing is soooo cool. The volume knob slides
so smoothly and is so accurate. So is the bass
control it's so nice having the bass level
control right at your finger tips.
The Setup- It's so easy it's not even worth talking about. All
you have to do is plug in the sattelites into the
obviously color coded plugs and hook up the
remote to your sub and computer (or game console or
tv...that's right they send you an adapter for
rca audio setups). Plug it in and your done.
I bought these speakers with out ever having heard them b4 and then i went to a circuit city and got to hear them on display b4 mine arrived and i was so glad i bought them. I compared it to the sound of a $250 dollar system from BOSE there as well, and they blew it way with bass and clarity. Logitech is pure quality this is an awesome deal people. If you don't believe how good they could sound, go hear them for your self at some store...but trust me you won't regret buying them right now either...cuz you'll decide to later ne way...lol. But seriously they are the best deal you will get...don't think a system for that price can shake the floorboards? Trust me it thumps!