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: I finally found computer speakers for the music lover
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought these speakers today after trying out and returning Bose's Companion 3 and checking out multiple other speakers including the Companion 5 in our local Circuit City store. For my taste, the Logitech Z-2300 speaker system outperforms all current Bose computer speakers, Bang & Olufsen's ridiculously overprized Beolab 4 and every other speaker set I listened to in many stores over the past weeks. They produce a nice, rich sound across the entire frequency spectrum even at low volumes (at very low volumes the remote bass volume adjustment may come handy but is not necessary to get good sound). In particular when using them as computer speakers (what they actually are) sitting in front of the computer, I do not have problems with the midrange (but did with the Bose speakers). The satellites are a little large but this provides the benefit of larger diameter mid tone speakers, warranting better midtone performance than the Bose speakers, for example. The high wattage pays off not only when playing the music loud, but also when listening to low volume music, which is what I like most. The power of the system allows even weak signals to drive the speakers well, resulting in good low volume performance. All in all, these speakers deliver excellent sound comparable to much more expensive Stereo/HiFi systems for a very reasonable price. They definitely are the best 2.1 computer speaker system I have found for the demanding listener who does not just want loud noise, but rather a good, rich music experience. They are appropriately priced (less than half of the Companion 3 and ~20% of the Beolab 4) and come with 2 years warranty for some nice peace of mind. I tested them with rock, pop, blues, jazz, folk and classical music and they performed well for all of these genres. Definitely a 5-star system (unless it'll break down soon). Only criticism: The remote cable is very thick and the remote a bit too light, so it easily slides on the desk. This is a low price to pay for great speakers, though - as those are really hard to find these days, since manufacturers appear to focus on increasing Surround channel numbers rather than improving sound quality. The Z-2300 system fills this gap very well.Customer Review: BLOWN FUSES.... 1star
Summary: 5 Stars
EDIT:
My original speakers lasted a few days before the fuse blew. Amazon shipped me a new set of Z-2300's. Well, these speaker's fuse also blew as well. That's two sets of speakers in less than one month! BTW, I have my computer, LCD monitor, and LCD TV all hooked up to the same Belkin surge protector. Signal is from an Audigy 2 Value card. These other products are all working just fine.
A call placed to Logitech technical support yielded no help (very unprofessional, patronizing behavior). The person said I had to buy a new fuse myself, or that I can return the product to the original dealer. So, if the return period runs out, I'm stuck holding a nonfunctional set of speakers and having to go out and buy a new fuse myself. Well, forget that.
I didn't buy these great sounding speakers to have to return them every week and then wait for a new set in transit.
Logitech... poor customer service and unprofessional technical support. Apparently, they do not stand behind the products they sell.
Amazon, you're eating the cost on this one. It would be worthwhile to consider dumping this particular product.
ORIGINAL:
I'm am very pleased with this set of speakers. With the recent 2005 Christmas rebate and price, I thought it was quite a deal. I own a previous pair of Logitech speakers (Z-3e) that I bought because they were cheaper than the Z-2300's at the time. The Z-3e is a good set, but the Z-2300 is MUCH better. It was pretty obvious at the local computer store comparing all the different computer speaker setups that the Z-2300 offered great performance, though I opted then for the Z-3's for the absolute lower price. The sound is pretty clear, sharp, and with a good amount of clear bass (not muddy) that is adjustable with its own control knob. So, it's easy to reach over to adjust the total volume or just the bass. At loud volumes the overall sound is still clean. Better systems would probably mean a much bigger outlay and foot print (especially if you went with conventional speaker systems). A highly recommended product for sound quality, small footprint, ease of use, and price.
Customer Review: Loud. And. Clear. Period.
Summary: 5 Stars
These things are incredible. They get terribly loud. Like wake the neighbor's-dead-cat-when-the-neighbor's-house-is-a-block-away loud.
I had a pair of M-Audio AV30s that died from heat exhaustion; apparently studiophiles don't do well as computer speakers, being on all the time in a hot room isn't so good for their power supplies. After limping along with the internal speaker on my Mac Pro for a few weeks, I took a deaf leap, and picked up this set, after reading about its many accolades and awards on every tech blog and website i could find.
They do not disappoint. The sound remains impeccably clear, even at almost the highest volume, though the volume does seem to plateau at some point. You do get some distortion at the highest volumes, but only if you're in a warehouse throwing a rave party would you need to take them to those levels. The satellites are smallish, while remaining powerful. The Sub is HUGE. There are some user pics on here that do a good job conveying the size of it. It has a huge heatsink on the back, which means i don't have to worry about this system suffering the same fate as my AV-30s.
The volume is big and easy to locate, the bass knob effective and noticeable, allowing you to dial back the thumping to appease a studious or sleeping roommate without having to crawl among the dustbunnies. That the input goes through the control pod makes wiring both easier and more complicated, its a double edged blade. Some like it, some hate it, i'm indifferent.
That said, with such a prestigious and powerful system, it would have been nice to have multiple inputs, or at least the capability to receive digital audio via optical/toslink like the bigger sibling, the Z-5500. On that front, Logitech disappoints, but only slightly, not enough to even affect my recommendation. If you need a bad ass set of speakers, or if you just want something that sounds fantastic, this is an excellent choice.
Customer Review: Have Power---Will Rock
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had this system for over 2 years now. It's still running strong and I've put it through it's fair share of abuse. The sub was bigger than I anticipated, but that's no problem for my purposes. I have my speakers and my sub all on my desktop hooked up to my computer. Although this isn't the ideal sub-woofer position, it's what I've found that I like.
As far as power, this system has plenty. The bass, in many ways is OVERKILL...which is awesome in my personal opinion. I seldom turn my volume control knob past 1/3 even though it can handle a lot more without distortion. I've used it as the music center for a small college dance party. Simply put, IT ROCKED!! [although at high levels, the satellite speakers max out before the sub does so cranking the volume past a certain point only adds more bass... which, honestly, is all that really matters at a dance party]
The input is a 3.5 mm headphone jack so it connects easily to any .mp3 player, computer or any mobile media player. It's as easy as plug and play. I love the wired volume and base control which also offers an easy sound shut off button and a conveniently placed headphone jack.
Sound quality is more than decent. Every pluck of a guitar string is crisp and clear [if you manage your equalizer settings to keep the bass from covering the rest up]. The mid range is a little lacking, but can, for the most part, be compensated for using an equalizer.
The only major problem I've had has to do with the volume control. Apparently, it has a tendency to build up dust inside and interfere with the contacts. It caused my left speaker to stop working for a couple of weeks, but I finally posted a quick question on Logitech's forum and they told me to tap and twist the control knob and that solved the problem.
Overall, if you are a high end roller in the audio department, this probably won't quite cut it... I consider myself an amateur audiophile, and I find these to be to my standards, especially considering the price tag. Lots of bass, respectable sound quality, and a decent price tag make this a dang good buy for a low budget.
Customer Review: Brilliant speakers (in many senses)
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a professional musician though not an "audiophile" in the strict sense (my main speakers at home are a lovely set of towers from Fluance's mid-range SX-HTB home theater line). I bought these for use at my desk on the strength of reviews here and elsewhere. Initially I was a bit underwhelmed. The bass seemed excessive, even turned way down, and the treble seemed overly bright, with a weak midrange that led to an overly brilliant sound. Admittedly this is the sort of bright and bassy sound that many people will prefer, but I prefer a very flat, naturalistic frequency response for the mix of classical, jazz, folk, and pop I listen to. I resigned myself to a slightly sub-par listening experience, figuring that no other speakers this compact would be much better, certainly not for the price.
Then I started experimenting with placement, and I discovered that these speakers are very sensitive to both horizontal and vertical placement. Just placing the speakers directly on my desk, even with their built-in upward tilt, left my ears slightly above axis. When I raised them by about 1.5 inches (or slouched down in my chair), it was like magic. Suddenly the midrange had tremendous presence and balance. Likewise, moving my chair backwards a bit further than arm's length from the speakers (which are about 24" apart, dictated by the constraints of my desk layout) created a seamless stereo soundstage. I just listened to Bruckner's Seventh Symphony and heard details in the performance I have never heard in years of listening on my stereo speakers. Unfortunately I can't arrange my desk to get that perfect horizontal separation all the time, but the vertical positioning solves 90% of the problems I initially experienced.
In short, these turn out to be, as many people have said, brilliant speakers in the best sense--if you can put them in exactly the right place. And for many listeners, especially those who listen mostly to popular music, they will seem fantastic right out of the box, because they can go to eleven. :) I'm very happy with my purchase . . . now I just have to get some work done!