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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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Z-5500 THX-Certified 5.1 Digital Surround Sound Speaker System
Customer Review: Very impressive but Mac users please read
Summary: 5 Stars
This speaker system recently replaced a Klipsch Promedia GMX 5.1 set that I've had for years. I thought my Klipsch set was good until it developed a bad hum, but I was wrong. The Z-5500's are in another league.
The sound quality is amazing, the build quality is sturdy and the main controller is attractive and very easy to use. As another reviewer pointed out, this system could easily replace an audio receiver for a home theater on a budget.
One thing that impressed me was the volume range. If you don't have neighbors you'll be just fine. These things are LOUD. I rarely dial my volume control beyond the quarter point and the clarity is brilliant whether you have them whisper soft or cranked to the "Boost" mode. I haven't turned my set all of the way up out of a small fear that my home would explode.
There are a few Easter Eggs included in the set, one being the boost mode. Once you go past the maximum volume, you go into a series of boost modes. Another hidden surprise is the Second Skin mode. If you hold down Input, Effect, Settings and Mute for six seconds (in that order) when the system is on standby, you can activate it. It just provides a different menu design and more vivid colors for the bottom right button. It's a fun feature for a few minutes.
I have nothing to complain about with the Z-5500's aside from the moderately ugly Logitech logo that adorns each speaker.
Now for the downer for Mac users. While the optical connection that's include on Mac Pro's and even Mac Mini's will give you excellent audio output and connects just fine with these speakers, Mac's don't have native support for Dolby Surround or DTS. That means that the speakers will have to decode the signal -- which thankfully they do just fine. But if you expect the "DTS" letters to appear on the control receiver, it's not likely. Your system will be stuck between Dolby ProLogic II Music and Movie modes. You can also use stereo and stereo 2 of course. Regardless, you'll still get surround sound decoded by ProLogic II so don't get frustrated in trying to figure it out. You can however send a clean 96/24 signal to the system so unless you're an extreme audiophile, you're not going to notice. The trick to sending the 96/24 settings is opening up "Audio Midi Setup" in your utilities and changing the settings for the digital signal to 96/24.
Now, Mac users smarter than me can and probably have figured out how to activate DTS and Dolby on these speakers but it's not easy. I had it activated for a bit on a DTS DVD through Plex and supposedly you can do it using VLC but that's just too much troubleshooting for most folks. I gave up when I realized that the sound is already amazing and I'm wasting time trying to get some letters to appear on the control pod. Silly, I know.
I would recommend the Z-5500's to anyone who appreciates excellent sound in music and movies. I'm not a gamer but I'm sure it would provide a rich gaming experience if arranged correctly. And as for the price, I think it's a heck of a deal.
Finally, do yourself a favor and pick of a spool of decent speaker wire. Those who complain about the cables being too long or too short should splice them to fit and that's easiest with a nice fresh spool. Save the stock wires with the box to eBay down the road when Logitech releases a better set -- which I doubt will be anytime soon.
Customer Review: Worth MORE than five stars in my book...
Summary: 5 Stars
These speakers are by far the best I've EVER heard. They surpass my Yamaha 7.1 surround receiver and Bose speakers in quality. And as for loudness....how loud do you want it? The mains are fantastic. 3" drivers are a plenty, and they can pound out the midbass, midtones, and highs like nobody's business. The subwoofer is crafted extremely well and makes my father's 12" klipsch look like a waste of money. 188 watts continuous power is a gracious plenty, and it's just the ratio I'm looking for.
I'm very pleased with the quality of workmanship in all the parts. I especially like the optical and coax inputs, because now I can connect my laptop (with a Sound Blaster 24-bit external card) to get dolby digital and dts 24/96 surround sound. The imaging is, in a word, perfect. If you have any second thoughts about this system because it's from Logitech and not Yamaha, Infinity, Klipsch, or any other big brand name, don't worry. They sound fantastic, and the digital controller is more than I could ever ask for for the price. If you don't have a 5.1 digital or direct connection, don't worry. The unit can create lifelike surround sound from a simple two-channel stereo source. (Though I'd recommend getting a digital sound card with a coaxial or optical output if you want to watch movies in surround sound.) Even older movies like Blade Runner that are only in two-channel sound fantastic. But newer ones in Dolby Digital are amazing to hear. I've watched Top Gun and The Lord of the Rings on this system via my computer and it gave me chills to hear the sounds. Oh, and you know about the THX screen that's at the beginning of movies like Star Wars? It sounds awesome. The lightning strikes are placed perfectly. I've also played Halo which supports EAX surround effects, and with direct 5.1, you can experience this in gameplay. Positioning is perfect.
There is an undocumented feature called Night Mode, which only appears when playing movies from a digital source (as far as I know). From what I can tell, it reduces the dynamic aspects of sound, enabling you to turn up the volume without disturbing others in another room, etc. with booming explosions. The dialogue still comes in clear and audible and the surround effects still sound great. It's nice to have, since I spend a great deal of my time in a dorm room at school.
Another undocumented feature is the "boost" mode for the amplifier. Keep turning the volume knob past the maximum for several notches. You will see "Boost 1,2,3,4,...11" appear in the screen. This is an extra bit of power from the amplifier, but keep in mind that (and I've tested this) the amplifier is pushing the speakers more than their rated power in this instance and they will distort some. However, I've never been able to use the "boost" mode, because I can't hardly stand turning up the volume past the "e" in "volume" on the screen. Yes, they're THAT loud.
Bottom Line: This is the most excellent surround system I've seen, regardless of price (unless you're talking about tube amps and high-dollar Infinity speakers or something). It is a perfect compliment to any computer with a decent sound card. Oh, and after listening to these, I'd even use them as a home theater surround system. Why not? You get full control of the unit via the remote control!
Five...no, wait... TEN STARS!
Customer Review: If it says Logitech...
Summary: 5 Stars
I do alot of comparison shopping. Sometimes it will take me months to make a final decision. Well, with the Logitech Z-5500, I made no exception. So, when my OEM Boston Acoustics bit the dust, I suddenly found computer speakers on the top of my wishlist. I have to say, I made the best choice! I have also learned that if the label is Logitech, it is quality!
Out of the box, which was huge and heavy, I was amazed! The images you see on the web do these spaekers no justice esp. since aesthetics were just as important as sound quality. I was afraid the control unit would look cheap and plastic. Nope, it's solid and looks handsom on my cherry wood desk. It is alot of work to set-up though. It's easy, just time intesive with all the wires and plastic sleaves.
The speakers stand about 10 inches with rubber skids so they stay-put. And they are one unit with the legs so they do not fall apart when touched, like the Boston Acoustics.
The Control Center stands about 11-12 inches. It's five buttons are pretty simple and straight forward. The volume dial is like those on an amplifier in a home stereo component system. Power On is Blue and Off is red. On the right hand side is an output for headphones and below that an input jack for an ipod or equipment of that ilk. You can hook it up with analogy jack (3) or the digital jack (1). Until you see the connectors, you don't really realize just how sturdy and powerful looking this system is!
The Subwoofer, holy cow! It's big and heavy, so if you do not have space for it, start making room in a corner somewhere. Don't count on hiding it under a bed, couch or next to the computer case. It's too big for the first two and must be a minimum 2 feet away from any electronic equipment - that includes the computer!
I would guestimate it as 2' x 1.5' x 1.5'.
Then I fired it up. It rivals the Bose speakers in my home stereo system.
I started with some Classical and was marveled by the depth. I kept turning it down and lowered the level on the base. Four notches up; I was afraid I'ld wake the neighbors. Then I tried some dance music. I imediately stopped that! I didn't need the police at my house. ha-ha. Then I popped in a DVD. Forget about it! It's Star Wars the way you NEVER heard it before, not even at the theatre! Finally, I played a game, no need to know which one. If you are a gamer, even if you have today's top of the line video card, you are REALLY missing something until you experience Logitech's Z-5500. It's a whole new level of realism I think we all overlook.
When my partner got home, who thought I was nuts for spending this much money on speakers, I ran the same audio experience. The response? Big eyes and a dropped jaw. Now, I'm in danger of loosing my speakers to a ceiling projector TV. I hope Amazon can help me with a good deal on one of those.
In sum, I've never heard sound this defined and clear.
My only issue, I found these speakers cheaper elsewhere, retail; not refurbished. I informed Amazon about it & their price is still the same. But, for the most part, amazon is still one of the lowest prices with the best shipping cost. So, unless you qualify for a deal elsewhere...
Customer Review: Truly a very big bang for your buck
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought these last Fall to replace a cheap "fake 5.1" set of speakers I had purchased some years earlier to go with my PS2, back when I didn't really know much about audio.
Since then I've learned a lot, and really, these Z-5500's are fantastic. Logitech goes on and on proclaiming how THX certification is a wonder thing, blah blah. But when you put in a Dolby Digital or DTS DVD and crank these up, you'll realize what they're talking about. It really does sound like you're in a movie theater.
I can't imagine wanting anything more than these for a 5.1 all-in-one system. I saw some reviews that claimed they really aren't as loud as most people say. Well I have to say that's not true. I haven't dared to turn the volume up past about 50%, because by that point I'm probably already seriously disturbing the neighbors. On my first "real" test I was watching The Fellowship of the Ring. You know in the prologue, the scene where Sauron is defeated and a huge explosion levels the battlefield? The entire ROOM was vibrating. Any louder and things just MIGHT have started to fall over. After that, I decided to turn the bass down a few notches (from its default position) for the remainder of the movie.
The bass isn't "boomy" at all, it's rich, and blends very discreetly with the rest of the audio (as do the other 5 speakers-it's very natural sounding, if they're positioned right). However, at lower volumes the bass might be a little too absent for some.
These speakers sound absolutely amazing at moderate to loud volumes for:
-DVDs with Dolby Digital or DTS audio
-PS2, GameCube, or Xbox games with Dolby ProLogic II, Dolby Digital, or DTS audio (the GameCube is only capable of analog stereo/DPLII, but Resident Evil 4 sounded really great and the rear speakers were doing their job pretty well)
-High Definition Digital Cable shows which feature Dolby Digital (Law & Order, CSI, Lost, etc.)
-Of course regular stereo sounds fine too, it just doesn't shine like the others do.
Music isn't quite as impressive sounding on these, but it's very far from bad. Just don't use the 2x sound mode, or ProLogic II "Music Mode." They're pretty lame.
A few extra things to note:
-Yes, there tends to be a "pop" or "thud" when switching between sound modes or inputs. It's not annoying to me, nor that loud.
-No buzzing coming from the speakers when silent. This is good.
-The subwoofer is bigger than you think it is, even if you think it is quite big already.
-I sincerely wish there were more than two digital inputs. If you have more than two devices which you want to get digital audio from, you may want to look into some sort of digital audio switcher/selector. Honestly, this is the same problem many HDTV's have (not enough component video inputs).
Bottom line: If you're looking for a complete 5.1 setup that can provide stereo, 6-channel direct, Dolby ProLogic II, Dolby Digital, DTS, and DTS 96/24 audio decoding, THEN LOOK NO FURTHER AND BUY THESE NOW. ^_^ Don't forget to get some digital audio cables though.
Customer Review: You won't be disappointed
Summary: 5 Stars
Let's face it. Most PC speakers suck! They lack presence, tend to muddle mid-range / mid-bass, the highs tend to be harsh and tinny, present a poor soundstage, and almost always lack proper power. And bass...hah! That's a joke. Not all subwoofers and amplifiers are created equal, and this Logitech does nothing but epitomize that point.
PROS:
First, the meat: This sub / amp combo is beefy. There's no other word for it (common, I know...but you get the point). The amp has plenty of power, even at lower volumes, and the sub is punchy and accurate and yet, possesses enough excursion to accurately render sub-bass at ~30Hz without bottoming out. At half volume, there's no audible distortion or muddying of the sub / mid-bass notes. (Half volume is plenty loud, believe me).
Second: The satellite speakers have excellent mid / high recreation (which you would expect from a THX rated component) - though not *quite* in the audiophile range. (Hey...we're talking ~$3xx for the whole deal, remember). The present a solid sound stage with accurate reproduction and little to no distortion at higher volumes. The driver's themselves are slightly on the small side, but again, we're not talking audiophile grade components here.
Overall, for the cost (I paid less than $300 when I bought this a year ago), you simply won't find a more cost-effective or better sounding setup for your PC.
CONS:
The design of the satellite speaker bases are somewhat lacking. While the speakers themselves are solid, the bases are a rather flimsy ABS plastic and only possess two mounting holes, which are difficult to get to due to the design of the speakers and their limited swivel movement. It is possible, but use caution and BE GENTLE.
The Control Module connection to the sub is a little on the short side. It would have been nice to see that be a little longer. Same for the 6-channel direct connections. You can replace those yourself, if you wish, but at this price point, those cables really should have been longer. Ditto on the satellite speaker wiring. Again, I used my own...but I guess Logitech didn't figure on Bedrooms larger than 10'x10'. :)
The Control Module does not have HDMI in, so no Dolby TrueHD - You'll have to set your sound card / blu ray player to downmix Dolby TrueHD to standard Dolby Digital. DTS-Master HD seems to work, though (or at least downmixes to standard DTS).
Final Thoughts:
Unless you're willing to spend considerably more $$ on a small 5.1 or 7.1 setup for your bedroom, this Logitech should fit the bill nicely. You will need to spend some time tweaking your sound card's EQ to get the best midrange reproduction possible out of the satellites, but if you know what you're doing...it shouldn't take long and it's well worth the effort.
I feel you will be hard-pressed to find anything that offers the clarity, accuracy and presence that this system offers without spending well above this price point.