The Logitech Z-5500 5.1 surround sound multimedia speaker system is definitely a cut above the rest. For anyone who's tired of all the cheap, flimsy, "Surround sound for $20" imitation 5.1 systems out there, Logitech has brought the beef.
With 505 Watts of power pushing a 5.1 system featuring a subwoofer, four satellites and a quality center speaker, the Logitech Z-5500 delivers true surround sound, and it comes with loads of connectivity options to suit.All this functionality does come at a premium, though, and this is one of the more expensive PC speaker sets you'll find.
At a Glance
Pros
- Fully digital 5.1 Surround Sound
- Great connectivity -- connect up to 6 audio sources
- Premium sound and high volume with no distortion
Cons
- May need a sound card upgrade to experience true 5.1 digital surround sound
- 5.1 speakers take up a lot of space
Features
- True 5.1 Digital Surround Sound
There are a lot of "surround sound" systems out there. And plenty have a 5.1 speaker configuration. But not all of them offer what audiophiles refer to as "true" surround sound like the Logitech Z-5500 multimedia system does. That is, the lesser systems available might have four or five speakers and a subwoofer, but they still connect via standard A/V cables, and therefore almost never have the independently controlled sound for each speaker that surround sound actually requires.
Not so with Logitech's 505 Watt Z-5500 system. Connecting this set up to your PC, video game console, or even TV (or all three) with the coaxial or optical audio inputs will allow you to year faint skittering coming from the right rear speaker, or booming explosions in your floorboards.
All that excellent performance does come at a price, however, and I'm not just talking about the $300 price tag. 6 speakers take up a lot of space -- particularly in the proper surround sound configuration -- and there are plenty of wires to connect and maintain. Not to mention the fact that some PC users may have to update their sound card if they want optical or coaxial connectivity. But isn't it worth it?
Performance
It's hard to say something about a system that performs exactly as it should. The highs are crisp, the lows are deep and pronounced, and the mid range sound is clear. I cranked the volume up as high as it could go, and experienced no distortion whatsoever. I can't promise that it will fill a super-sized home theater with sound at 505 Watts, but it could definitely get "too loud" for me, and for most applications, including smaller home theaters or bedroom set ups, without distorting or otherwise disappointing.
Any drawbacks are largely self-inflicted. The Z-5500 leaves little room for its own error -- you can connect up to six components to it simultaneously, from a PC to a TV to a video game system like the XBox or PS3; and, as mentioned before, the connectivity is almost limitless. But, while this means that you can connect almost any PC to it, it also means that in order to take full advantage of the 5.1 digital surround sound, you might need to upgrade your sound card to something much nicer with coaxial or optial audio outputs.
In all, it's a premium system with premium performance, with a price tag and system requirements to match. But if you're turning a room into a multimedia entertainment system with multiple entertainment systems, it's hard to find a better 5.1 surround sound system with more options.