Logitech Z-5500 THX-Certified 5.1 Digital Surround Sound Speaker System
by Logitech
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Our Price: $962.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $260.00 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Z-5500 THX-Certified 5.1 Digital Surround Sound Speaker System
Customer Review: Huge power at your fingertips
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Customer Review: definitely worth the money
Summary: 5 Stars
I just recieved this 3 hours ago and i LOVE it.. i never had good pc speakers (i used the JBL sonnet m310J for 3 years until i cracked the bass open by stepping on it) but after comparing these to my sony surround sound system in the living room of my suite, i must say i'm impressed, especially with the bass.. although it sounds boomy at times, i adjusted it with the mixer that came with the sound card and it sounds fine now.. be sure to fasten anything hanging on the walls because it WILL shake..
performance
i'm not much of a audiophile and i'm not really sure what to look out for in a good sound output, but after watching a couple of dvds such as "band of brothers" and "kill bill", it gave an impressive theatre-like performance.. i'm a personal fan of all genres of music EXCEPT country so i tested all types of music i had on my computer.. because of the monstrous bass, genres such as hip-hop and r&b stood out the most.. heavy beats featured in songs by rappers such as common and 50 cent benefitted the most from the deep bass.. However, i was a little disappointed on how these performed on rock songs but then again i didn't really mess with the mixer too extensively so i can't really tell for now.. the overpowering bass took over the instruments in songs performed by artists such as coldplay and the killers.. unfortunately i didnt have any classical music cd's lying around so i had to test with a high quality mp3 version of "Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20", which still lacked in quality by a significant amount.. but i was satisfied by the concert-like atmosphere.. the strings had a crisp sound as if my sister was performing it right in front of me.. but it's important to have the right settings on the equalizer since it makes a HUGE difference when it comes to classical music.. for electronica, i tried out titles such as "superfabulous" by BT and "in love with the dj" by ATB and it sounded great even though i only listened to the songs for 10 seconds due to the walls shaking with both the volume and bass half way up.. the overall performance recieved a 9 out of 10 in my opinion..
setup
this is a big box.. and i had to carry this 50+ pound box from the pickup office to my dorm and it wasnt an easy job.. you'll need a dolly to move this stuff around.. from the pictures it's hard to tell the size of these speakers but they are pretty huge.. i've realized that this system is definitely not something you'd want in a 10x12 suite like mine.. also, because of the huge magnet that powers the bass (or i think thats how it works), it has to be at least 2 feet away from most electronics, such as a computer or a monitor, so i had to change the layout of my room thanks to that.. the rear channel wires are long enough to reach half way around my room along the walls but i doubt they will reach the back in a full living room so you might want an extension wire from radio shack.. the wireless controller is a godsend even for my small room because now i can adjust the volume while i'm watching a movie on my bed or if i'm too lazy to reach the control tower.. another useful feature is the coaxial input.. since my monitor is capable of the PIP function, i can now connect my dvd player to it so i can watch dvds without slowing down my computer.. you can also connect your ipod or cd player but its useless(you'll need to buy the wire with a 1/8" plug on each end).. the setup recieved a 9 out of 10 with the only negative coming from my fingers losing blood circulation after lifting it 200 yards and up the stairs..
overall
after comparing with my friend's klipsch promedia ultra 5.1, the logitech z5500 performed much better in bass tests but lacked just a bit in the overall performance.. but for $130+ less, i couldnt ask for more considering i'm not a die hard audiophile who's willing to spend that extra money for a minuscule difference.. i know i can use the cash to save up for a nice plasma tv or a month's worth of gas money.. my suitemate's already complaining and i feel bad using these speakers to their full potential in such an environment.. can't wait till my suitemates are at the cavalier's game tonight.. then i'll have some fun.
Customer Review: Amazing System for an Amazing Price
Summary: 5 Stars
I ordered this system of off Amazon on Dec. 31, 269.99 with free shipping, and got it on Jan. 5. Amazon had an estimate for Jan. 10-12, so thanks to Amazon and UPS! Now for the speakers: Awesome. They are one of the best speaker systems for computers that you can buy. They even rival similar priced Home Theater Systems. Setup of the system is simple: Not only are the speakers labeled on the back for posistion, but also have color coded ends that match on the sub. The speakers are elegantly designed and the sub is massive. And when I mean massive, I mean the earth-shaking, eardrum-blowing, take-up-space massive. The control pod is also very well designed and easy to use. Inputs and Outputs are all on the control pod: 6 channel RCA, coax., optical, headphones, and mini-digital inputs. Which speaking of inputs, it has a 6 channel/Stereo 1-3 switch....thats right, either connect to computer OR hook up three input devices at one time: iPods, mini disc players, w/e...Speakers themselves are twistable so they are extremely easy to wall mount if you want to. Now for the big one: sound quality. These speakers sound amazing. I mean absolutely amazing. You expect and get high quality sound all the time. The mid-range, which some people say this system is weak on, is not that much weaker unless you are really want a good mid-range system. The bass is amazing and definitely full. Now, all of these speakers have ton of options. For instance, you have stereo mode (front 2), Stereo 2x (front and rear 2, which means the same thing plays from front left and back laft), Dolby Digital PLS Movie, and Dolby Digital Music. Now, from here, you can change options such as Panorama, Dimension settings (controls Front to rear), the width of the center speaker (narrower means the speaker is centered closer to the center, giving it a louder more direct sound), level change of the sub (more or less responsive), surround level (more = aimed towards rear speakers), and center level (controls center speaker). Also, inputs are easy to go to...just press the button! Remote that comes with this is basic and enough things to make it work, however it doesn't do justice to the rest of the system. Then again, wireless remote is optional, so i'm happy anyway. So in general, these are some awesome speakers. I have mine in my dorm room connected to an USB Soundblaster Audigy 2 NX sound card by optical cable. Which speaking of sound cards, you have to have one that supports surround minimum. Also, the better the sound card, the better the sound. Mine works 96-24 on 6 channel. So the only things to consider when buying this is money to put out. Expect Amazon's pricing to flucuate between 250 and 320. Also, if you don't have a soundcard, my USB Soundblaster for my laptop cost 120. The digital optical cable cost another 20. So it does add up in accessories. But these speakers are worth it.....and don't think about the Klipstech 5.1 Ultra. I tried these at Best Buy...the Logitech 5300e had a better sounding sub than these.
So happy shopping. In general: these speakers are worth every penny. I will definitely have these for all of my high school and college years, and I'm sure they will last. These speakers are the best speakers for this range of prices.
EDIT: 3 years later....
Sadly, I must say that these speakers are gone. During a vacation away from home, we had a thunderstorm send a power surge through the electrical lines. The surge protector was useless as the surge was enough to go through that unit, the subwoofer, and one of the speakers. The fuse was completely ruined in the sub, along with its internal components. So right now I'm holding off on waiting to replace the sub and speaker as these speakers have had too long of a shelf life span and will undoubtedly be getting replaced by Logitech in the near future.
Customer Review: Still the best PC speakers money can buy
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased my Logitech Z-5500 speakers probably 6 years ago on sale for $290 - I'm happy to report that my great deal would still make a great one today. At the time, Klipsch still produced the ProMedia Ultra 5.1 system which comparing to the $290 Logitechs was $340. Given the phenomenal reviews the Z-5500's garnered I went with them - the Logitech's also had a larger subwoofer than the Klipsch (10" on the Logitech, 8" on the Klipsch). In all the years I have had these speakers I have loved them the entire time.
Bass response from the subwoofer is fantastic and you can easily rattle your house and pictures off the wall with it. At a true 188 watts RMS power this little 10" subwoofer is easily able to outperform most HTIB subwoofers and is easily able to compete with entry level stand alone home audio grade subwoofers. I purchased my Z-5500's before becoming an audiophile but I am still amazed and pleased with these speakers. Those of a critical ear will be able to hear a bit of lack in the midrange as should be expected from a satellite system, but the crossover that Logitech has set on these speakers is fantastic. I have heard $1,000 HTIB systems that don't even sound as good and discrete as these speakers do.
You have inputs for Digital Coax, Optical, as well as the standard PC audio connectors offering you the ability to hook other devices to the speakers. Their capability to play DTS audio sold me, however the THX testing requirements are strenuous and it is impressive that Logitech passed their test with these speakers. Six years later I still have found nothing superior to replace these speakers (Barring installing a full out home audio receiver and buying individual pairs of speakers). Remember that the 505 watt rating is NOT peak, that is CURRENT RMS so these speakers can get VERY LOUD! Each speaker is rated at 62 watts, the center at 69 watts. Do not, however buy these and think you will swap the speakers out for some nicer speakers you have lying around. The built in crossover will turn even the most esoteric speakers into satellite speakers.
The length of wire provided is more than sufficient in length and given the nature of the satellite speakers equally sufficient. These speakers use true audio cable and are not the integrated style most computer speakers use making them versatile in the ability to use whatever length of cord you need. The control pod is very cool looking and the remote is simple and well-laid out. On a side note, the batteries Logitech gives you with the remote are AMAZING!! I am using the original batteries they included and they still work pefect 6 years later of continuous use (Eastpower knows how to make a long lasting battery)!
This is the end all be all of computer speakers. Once you buy these be sure to get a nice sound card - I use an M-Audio Revolution 5.1, but the HT Omega sound cards are also really nice (I'd avoid Creative). If you have any interest at all in the sound of your computer you will love these speakers. I use far more pricey components in my home theater and while the dynamics of my home theater are superior, you would be amazed how well these speakers can compete with a system such as I have (Over $3,500 home theater system). Do NOT believe anyone who says these speakers are unreliable or anything else - I've had these for as I said many times, 6 years+ and I have had no problems with them ever. Only occasionally does the control pod show weird symbols when I adjust the volume - but they go away and are inconsequential to the function.
You're getting THX certified, high powered speakers with a big sound, remote operated, and audio quality on a level that would normally cost far more - what are you waiting for? If you're reading this you're thinking about getting it - DO IT!! You won't be disappointed!
Customer Review: Very Good
Summary: 5 Stars
I am very impressed with these speakers. I have not yet gotten a digital connection, but I can't wait. The sub is quite powerful, but not as big as so many people mention. I have a little hiss from my front right satellite, but I think I can fix that. I got the speakers refurbished, so that is why they're like that. The controller is very nice to have and I use it all the time, and I'm in a small room. I just like to be adjusting the volume wherever I am. Like others have said, the midrange is a little lacking, but its so small of a problem that it doesn't matter, unless your an audiophile. It would bother you then. The control box is very nice and has quite a bit of good functions. You can select input, the effect of the audio, the settings for the input, the volume level of the Sub, Center speaker, and back two surround speakers, mute, adjust the master volume, and Turn the whole system to standby. Also it can go very loud. I keep my computer volume all the way turned up so I only listen to the speakers turned up about 4 bars. There are 20 total bars and 11 boost bars. I don't know if the speakers can take going that loud, but I know that my ears can't. I don't like listening to music very super loud, but I know that I can anytime I want.
The Subwoofer.
The sub is a ten inch long throw woofer. Looking straight at the woofer, Its 13 inches tall, 13 inches wide, and 18 inches back (including the cooling fins and speaker grill). The cooling fins must be 6 inches away from anything (according to the manual). They are 1.5 inches long, 9 inches tall, and 8 inches wide. There are the five wire connectors for the speakers which are labeled for easy assembly. There is also the connection for the control pod, the power cable, a fuse, and a master power switch on it.
The Satellites
The satellites are 3 inch drivers with a metal spike in the middle that doesn't move. The center speakers stand twists up and down for wall mounting and aiming the speaker. The rest of them only point one way unless you want to wall mount them. Then you just twist the base counterclockwise and it twists up. There are no included screws for wall mounting though.
Speaker Wire length:
Front left/right and center-15'(4.6m)
Back left/right-25'(7.6m)
Direct Connection Cable:
7 feet with three mini connectors on each end.
DSUB cable:
7 feet. This is the cable that connects the control pod to the Subwoofer.
The Remote
The remote has 16 bottons. Power, Test (sends hissing sound through all the speakers one by one), Direct input, Optical input, coax input, effect, settings, sub + and -, center + and -, surround + and -, main volume + and -, and Mute. Its about six inches long and two inches wide. It takes two AAA batteries. Also it doesn't go through objects but it can bounce around if pointed right. I'm not sure how far the remote reaches because I went all the way to the other side of my house and it still worked. Thats more than fifty feet.
I am very happy with my purchase. I only paid [...] dollars for it with free shipping refurbished off of Ebay. It costs [...] at Best Buy so I'm very glad that I found it at that price. I recieved it very fast too. Nothing except for a little bit of hiss out of the front right speaker is wrong with it either. I recommend this product to everyone. :-)