Customer Reviews

Logitech Z Cinéma Advanced Surround Sound System--2.1 Speakers

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Logitech Z Cinéma Advanced Surround Sound System--2.1 Speakers

Logitech's Z Cinema Advanced speaker system is an incredibly designed high performance product. I own several Logitech speaker products, as well as others by Creative Creative GigaWorks T20 2.0 Speakers, Altec Lansing Altec Lansing FX5051 5.1 powered speaker system with USB connection, Klipsch Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX Certified Computer Speaker System (Black), Harmon Kardon Harmon Kardon SoundStick II 3 Piece Speaker System, and others. I can honestly say, this is a very impressive unit that is well designed for its task. If you have a media center PC setup, this set will make you very happy. Not only is the speaker system ridiculously powerful, the included software is a huge improvement over previous Logitech entries. The included remote rounds out the system and puts virtually all your audio and video applications at your fingertips.

This speaker system will fill a key market niche. The integrated satellite speaker and subwoofer design has more components than meet the eye. Each one-piece satellite speaker has an integrated mid-woofer and tweeter. So these are much more than traditional 2.1 bookshelf speakers. And when you position the speakers as directed and turn on the software surround sound, the sound quality coming out of these approach that of 5.1 systems.

Pros
+ Control your media center PC with a great all-in-one solution and awesome remote
+ Great performing speakers with a ridiculous 35 watts of RMS power per channel, 180 total RMS output
+ Beautiful black and silver speaker and body design
+ Two tweeters and mid-woofers deliver surprisingly crisp sound with or without surround
+ 110 watt subwoofer is simply monstrous and easily fills large rooms with good acoustics
+ Awesome included remote with media center controls and great features
+ Nice integrated support for apps like iTunes, WinAMP, RealPlayer, Yahoo Jukebox, Pandora and Picasa
+ Remote can be configured to work with any multimedia app or to launch a different media player
+ Very sturdy cables and housing are designed to last a long time
+ Power converter integrated into subwoofer so you can connect with a regular power cable
+ Good looking orange back-lit volume and surround indicators on the right speaker
+ Very nice price point for fully integrated media center speaker system and controls
+ USB cable connection is clean and easy - requires on-board port connection
+ Included standard ports for headphones and auxiliary connections (3.5 mm)
+ Simple instructions and plug and play performance for basic use
+ Very modest hardware, hard-drive space and memory requirements for Logitech software
+ True 24 bit digital audio
+ hardware warranty

Cons
- Perhaps overly sleek minimal design could have been improved with physical power and volume controls
- Very heavy system requires extreme caution and should be installed with care and help if needed
- No simple volume controls on the remote, instead included in adjustment wheel
- Would have been ideal to include a few more ports, such as HDMI and S-Video, on the subwoofer
- Satellite speaker cables, while very thick, could have been longer for more configuration options
- No real expandability of the system is apparent; no obvious ports for other satellites or devices
- Many people still demand RF remote capability, this one is only IR
- Those who don't need the remote for Media Center PCs may opt for 5.1 systems at this price

Installation

Installing this guy is simple based upon the included quick start guide. What's cool is that even before the Logitech software is installed, once you make your connections and turn it on it's automatically recognized as a regular speaker system. You don't need Windows Media Center for this to work as a speaker system. This is awesome, and amazingly a lot of the Media Center buttons still work too.

But just note that in order to really take advantage of this guy you will want a Media Center capable PC, with either XP MCE Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 SP2B for System Builders, Vista Premium Windows Vista Home Premium with SP1 or Vista Ultimate Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1 installed.

Installing the Logitech software allows you to have desktop control of the speaker settings, including enabling surround sound. It also allows you to see the options to toggle between the different media applications, including iTunes and WMP among others. You can change settings and really get some control over your MC PC.

Physically installing this guy can be a challenge. First of all, this is a very heavy unit, mainly because of so many integrated components built into the subwoofer body. This is probably a sign of good construction, but handle with care.

The satellite speaker cables are long but could have been longer. The included diagrams give you the impression this was really well thought out for desktop or workstation installs. However, if you have a component center or cabinet for your stuff, you need to be patient and creative to get this set up.

The speaker cables could have definitely been longer to accommodate more setup possibilities. However, in terms of durability and shielding, these are some of the thickest strongest cables I've had come with a speaker system.

The subwoofer body has a silver rimmed front-piece that is not flush with the body housing. It's not a huge deal, but you have to kind of set it up either with the front piece hanging off your component shelf or rested up at an angle. Perhaps this was intentional based upon the lower configuration location noted in the included diagrams.

Sound

The power level output of these speakers is sick, to say the least. Some will be hung up on the "simulated" surround sound feature, a gimmick that has been tried before. Still, even though I was initially unsatisfied, I learned that if you set these up in the right acoustical setting it does perform well. There are two possible setups. For the basic workstation setup where you are literally seated at your media center PC, it works awesome. For those, who like me, want to set this up at an entertainment center, you have to center the system in a somewhat square room with unobstructed walls. Then you can get the surround sound feature to properly bounce in your room.

The total RMS power of 180 watts includes a 110 watts RMS Subwoofer with each satellite speaker producing 35 watts of RMS output via the mid-woofer and tweeter pair. That means your total power output is something like 400 watts, which is really in AV power range.

But the sound is clean. The built in amplifier is well tuned for multimedia sound applications, including gaming. If you have a good on-board sound processor, you should be fine. If you experience any sound effects, definitely take a closer look at your hardware and setup.

Some may feel that you can only get surround sound out of 5.1 Logitech Z-5500 THX-Certified 505-Watt 5.1 Digital Surround Sound Speaker System or 7.1 Onkyo SKS-HT540 7.1 Surround Sound Speaker System systems. Still, I prefer 2.1 system with high quality components over 5.1 systems with small and disappointing satellites. There's a lot of nice 5.1 systems out there, don't get me wrong. I own several. Still, this system sounds better than a lot of those. Definitely have to test drive it to hear the difference.

Features

The power adapter is nicely integrated into the subwoofer, so you power up via a standard plug, no power bricks so many people hate. The speakers have right and left noted on the bottom. The right speaker comes to life when you turn it on with the remote. It has a nice orange read out that shows when it's on, the volume level and surround sound setting. The right speaker also includes jacks for headphones and auxiliary connections.

I really wished they would have also added physical volume and power control buttons and knobs. That way, when I want to hook up one of my MP3 players, I wouldn't need the remote to turn it on.

The Logitech software is actually vastly improved for them. I've not always liked some of the integrated software in the past, but this one was a huge improvement. The only minor negative I can give it is that it is automatically included in the startup folder even if you install the software with the option of not turning on at startup. So you have to manually remove it from your startup if you don't want it on all the time, a minor inconvenience.

The remote is the nicest part of this set functionally. For those with Universal remotes, you may wonder why you need this. This remote allows you to access your multimedia apps seamlessly. You can set up 4 presets, though it's less than intuitive.

You've also got some basic navigational buttons that allow you to go back to your previous app. There are included buttons for shuffle and repeat plays, and multimedia controls including the standard play, fast-forward, rewind and record. The Windows Media Control button launches Media Center, but can be configured to launch another application.

Once again, I would have preferred simple volume up and down buttons on this remote. Instead the made volume adjustment the same as treble, bass, center & surround levels.

If you don't have a TV tuner hooked up, you must set one up upon buying this. Being able to navigate through live and recorded TV with this remote is awesome.

Conclusion

Overall, this is a great set. You have to play with this one for a while to really appreciate how great it is. Test drive it today and see for yourself.

Enjoy!

If you couldn't tell by the title, this is a great setup for your computer desk. Very, very easy to put together. Sub plugs into the wall, each speaker plugs into the sub, and then one USB cable from the sub to your computer.

By bypassing any soundcard your computer/laptop has, the theory is you get a pure 24bit connection to your computer via USB 2.0. Now, I'm not technically inclined enough to know if that's true or not (I suspect it is true), but heck, what I DO have to compare with is my previous speaker set, the Logitech Z-2300 THX 2.1 sound system.

And, well, this Z Cinema set positively destroys the aforementioned. Everything is much, much clearer. A side-by-side comparison has the Z Cinema win out in pretty much everything, music, games, movies etc. The big complaint about the Z-2300 is that it has no mid-range, which is true. All the high end sounds from the speakers, and the lows from the sub. No in between! No such issue on the Z Cinema! One of the complaints about this Z set is how loud it can get. Now, for general use, about 15% volume is plenty. If you want it really loud, 50% is pretty darn loud, almost uncomfortable. At 100% volume, it's positively violently loud for a 2.1 setup. It does not go as loud as my Z-2300 set. But who cares? At full volume, my Z-2300 would distort HORRIBLY. At full volume on the Z Cinema, it sounds perfect. No distortion whatsoever. It makes much more sense to make full volume on a speaker/subwoofer set like this limited in its output. What's the point of louder volume if the speakers can't handle it? Good thinking there, Logitech, with this newer set.

But, there are a few issues, that definitely need mentioning, and one of them isn't new.

1.) Logitech's packaging. It needs work. My speakers were a little scraped up, and I've read reviews where the subwoofer has been cracked. If the units were packaged a little better, this likely wouldn't happen. I've experienced this with my Z-2300 speakers, too, so this isn't a recent development. The remote was also loose in the box, and suffered some minor battle scars.

2.) Mac OS X compatibility. The box says the speakers are ONLY for Windows XP Media Center and Vista Home/Ultimate users. Now, these are speakers. They SHOULD work with ANY system. So, do they work with OS X? Yes, and..... no. When you plug them in for the very first time, Leopard will detect them as a keyboard (haha!), but if you close that window, you can go into Sound in your System Preferences and set the output of your sound to Z Cinema. Yay! You can adjust the volume no problems from your keyboard or from the included remote. BUT, you can't adjust the bass or treble with the speakers plugged in. You can unplug the speakers from your USB on your Mac computer, THEN adjust the bass, and THEN plug them back in. Thankfully I set my bass once, and never again. But why, Logitech, why? How hard would it have been to add a bit more support to OS X users? We're a growing bunch, you know!

2.) No faux-surround for OS X users. Yep, the biggest downside is that this SRS Surround business doesn't work in OS X at all, no matter what you do. It's software dependent. It works fine in Windows XP (Bootcamp for example).

3.) No power button on the speakers themselves. What? What do you do if you lose the remote? GOOD QUESTION! I guess you're in trouble?

Overall, though, this 2.1 set is fantastic. The clarity of sound is so far beyond anything I've heard on a computer set. Oh, and the brushed silver around the speakers matched my Apple Cinema Display quite wonderfully. Now all this set needs is proper OS X support!

4.5/5

(For those wondering, I've experienced ZERO cutouts of sound or crackling when the system is being taxed, doing LightRoom editing, heavy hard-drive use etc. I suspect this might vary from system to system, but for me it's been ace.)


*EDIT* October 1, 2008:

Having used these speakers for quite a while, I wanted to add an addendum to the review:

First, Logitech still don't officially support the Mac platform which is a little sad. And second, there's a teeny bit of bass bleed that I've detected for a while, and thought I'd make mention of this. Basically, some frequencies are being passed over to the subwoofer a little early in the range. Not sure why, but it's there. The average user won't even notice. 4.5/5 score still stands!

First things first - users will have to make some significant tradeoffs in making the switch from standard analog computer speakers to the (supposed) conveniences of a USB based speaker setup.

To give you some backstory I'm somewhat of a computer audio power-user. Oftentimes I will have several audio applications up and running simultaneously (eg - iTunes to manage my podcast subscriptions, Rhapsody to stream audio throughout my house, a seperate cd-ripping/management program, etc, etc.). Prior to switching to the Z-Cinema speakers I had been using a 2.1 analog speaker setup that provided a powerful subwoofer with rich sounding satellites, so what I have come to expect from computer speakers is that it should function like your keyboard - something that is always there, unobtrusive and always works.

Unfortunately, due to the USB connection that these speakers are dependent upon its proper functioning is at the mercy of your computer. By default, the Z Cinema speakers becomes another application layer that your computer has to process. If your system resources are being stretched to the limits processing other applications then playing any audio through these speakers becomes another task that your computer has to deal with. The end result is that oftentimes you will hear the audio stuttering as your system strains to keep up with the multiple processes on your system, and even worse at times the Z Cinema software will crash entirely rendering proper playback through these speakers useless until you do a full system reboot. Keep in mind that my computer is no slouch either - I have ample memory and processing capability to multitask like a rockstar but for whatever reasons at times, the Z Cinema will render my audio useless and that is ultimately disappointing.

OK, so like everyone else, I did some research on surround sound speakers and decided that I do want surround sound, but my office cannot support 5 satellites and a big sub... so I looked around for a 2.1 set up with simulated surround.

A few months ago, I purchased the Z-2300 set up which I love, but the only thing that I had a change of heart on was the fact that they are not surround sound. My son and I watch movies on my PC and decided I wanted to get a 5.1 set up instead.

After looking around and reading the reviews on the Z Cinema, I thought... "these are perfect since they have great reviews, supposedly sound great, and have two speakers; for my set up and having little room, these would be perfect!"

I also looked at the Z-5500 set up but passed on those because of the huge sub and the 5 satellites that as indicated, would not have the room for.

So, I order them, wait for them to arrive with great anticipation. after 3 days, the system arrives and suddenly find myself transform from a 40 year old professional to a 4 year old on Christmas morning. All excited, I take them out of the box and hook up the sub, speakers, and also install the software that was very easy to install on my computer.

OK, here I am, looking at my speaker set up which I gotta tell you, is a nice looking set up with simulated stainless trim and gloss black fascia on both the speakers and the sub. Remote was very well laid out and easy to use.

At this point I take a deep breath and log into Rhapsody.. I pull up a song and press play to listen to the song. I had the volume at about a 1/4 way up and nothing... at this point I think that I have the set up wrong since I cannot hear anything until suddenly, I listen closer to find out that... YUP... THE THINGS WERE ON!! At a 1/4 volume, I can barely hear them. I then turned them up 1/2 way and now you can hear them, but NOTHING like the power of my Z-2300 set up.. I then adjusted the EQ on the player, little better but let me tell you, I was so disappointed at the power of this set up.

Now, I put in a movie and long story short, in order to hear it at a level where I consider it to be "theater like" or loud enough that you can feel the action, I had to turn the thing up ALL THE WAY... and still was not enough...

The bass at the highest setting was barely there... what a disappointment. Needless to say, I shipped them back today for a refund..

Now I know what you are thinking, that I connected them wrong but no, I am the kind of person that follows directions step by step and then re-check and everything was connected correctly.

I think the reason I was left wanting more is that I am used to my Z2300 set up and as far as power, the 2300's blow the Z-Cinemas away.

Also and a final note.. I read a lot of reviews on the Z2300 and Z5500 where there are no tweeters, just a polished aluminum phase plug or "mid driver" that has no mid range and the highs are of poor quality.. sound "canny" but let me tell you, when I listened to the Z Cinema speakers, with a tweeter and mid range driver, they sounded mediocre at best. Sounded like they had no depth at all...

In summary, the Z Cinema look great, they are easy to set up and the software is easy to install. The remote is great and is easy to use but that's all the positives of this speaker set up. The sound quality is mediocre and the bass is almost non-existing (compared to the cheaper z-2300's)

If you want powerful bass and big sound for both you music AND movies, stay away from these speakers as you will be disappointed.

If you want to replace your $10 speaker set up that came with your computer and do not have very high expectations, then you will like this set up..

Enjoy

These are computer speakers and require a USB connection and software installation to work. Now that your expectations are aligned, let me get down to the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

The Good:
- the software installation and USB connection eliminate the need for a sound card, one less thing to generate heat in your system box, and with the multi-core processors available now there should be limited or no impact on your system speed
- there is an MP3 player jack on the side of the right hand speaker (you provide the cable) to connect you iPod, etc. to play music without the need for PC interaction
- the set comes with a remote, I guess for use if you output to a bigger screen or want to control you music play from a distance
- sound at low volumes is crisp and clear, and at least subjectively better than the Creative speakers I had been using
- at louder volumes the subwoofer thumps in strongly, and the volumes continue crisp
- the surround sound is somewhat eerie while gaming, I can almost feel things bearing down from behind me (5.1 or 7.1 is still probably a better choice for simulated reality, but for economy of space in a room not devoted to the computer, these speakers stand up well)

The Bad:
- these speakers are 2-3 times bigger than my Creative i-Trigue L3500 set and suitably heavier (I was a little scared when I saw the heat sink on the back of the subwoofer, until it became clear that the power supply was built in)
- the remote is as bigger, heavier and clunkier than my Logitech Harmony 550 remote
- the cables are limited to 6 feet in length and have specialized connections to the subwoofer, so expect to keep them fairly near you system
- you can play music from an MP3 player without the PC setup, but you have no control over volume, etc. without the PC/software, as a result these speakers would not be a good choice for a stand alone iPod setup

The Ugly:
- installation may or may not proceed smoothly, mine did not, the support helpdesk had me plod step by step through scripted troubleshooting and gave up on me after just a couple of steps suggesting that I make a toll call to their support number (after first suggesting that I call Norton, without providing any substantive reason).
[note this was the formal support system, I found that I was able to get much more knowledgeable help off the Logitech forums, indeed they took ownership of the problem until a resolution was discovered (even after we had determined that something in the configuration of my system was responsible for the problem), kudos Logitech gang and my thanks for the help.]

Bottom line, these are excellent speakers, a bit large for a devoted PC setup, but well suited to the integrated entertainment system that many PCs are developing into with PVR, TV tuners, movie systems, direct play from Netflix, ..., you get the picture. I think I will keep them.
P-)

I really enjoy listening to music on these speakers, they sound great when they are fine tuned through an equalizer. The base doesn't come out too well unless you've got the volume pumped up. These aren't the loudest speakers in the world, but I live in an apartment so I don't ever turn them up to their full capacity.

For games, I can't really recommend these. It's really a hit or miss. Some games sound great, others sound terrible. The software is frustrating too because you have to manually set the display settings to not show up when you adjust the volume. If you don't, and you try to adjust the volume during gameplay, it will kick you back to the desktop.

As others have stated, you have to use the remote to adjust the volume because there are no knobs on the actual speakers. Quality wise, the remote is on par with the speakers itself. I don't use my computer as a home theater system though, so I don't need to use it except for adjusting the volume.

If you have a separate sound card, as I do, there seems to be a little conflict too. I can set the sound to come from these speakers, but when I boot into a game it somehow switches the audio over to my sound card and the audio comes though my headphones.

As for the simulated surround sound, it does feel little more robust when you've got the SRS surround sound on, but as for gaming it doesn't really help you spot your enemies. I have a 5.1 surround headset and I can really tell where enemies are located based on sound alone, but I can't with these. However, I did enjoy the bullets flying by sounds.

My last little issue with them is that they do not power down with the computer, you have to turn them off manually, which of course has to be done with the remote.

First, let me go over the basics. These speakers were a great deal for the price paid; I have no regrets whatsoever in purchasing these speakers. That said, whoever decided they should retail for around $300 is off their rocker; I could see these retail for $169 realistically plus shipping, but I'm cheap and probably would never pay that price. That said, lets get to the nitty-gritty.

I'm going to jump right into tweaking the speakers before I go into the actual review, so here's it as follows:

Let me tell you how to get the most out of these speakers, since many have commented about lack of power and the like. This will require some minor system/computer tweaking, so follow along if you wish. For overall improvement on performance, download the AC3 Filter and CODEC. This will allow you to tweak the max power output to the speakers (for most uses). Increase the Master Volume, and the individuals and EQ however one wishes. These speakers have much more power that they can safely use; don't be hindered by Windows. They get loud enough to fill our living room/house with sound. However, keep in mind these are still computer speakers. Of course they don't compare to a $300 reciever plus $1500 JBLs. However, for most cases aside from huge house parties, these deliver just fine for me. They are kept in a media alcove where sound can also bounce to the rest of the room, so that helps. Make sure that the AC3 CODEC is used for whatever sound is needed, MCE adjusts as follows.

If used with Media Center (MCE), as intended, MCE uses its OWN CODEC for most items. It will require editing the registry to remove the MCE CODEC. Google it, as I performed it on Win7 RC, make sure to backup changes of course. A minor pain, but so worth it when you can use the AC3 CODEC in MCE. I simply deleted the reg key that referenced the MCE CODEC. After that, smooth sailing through calm seas. Watching movies actually turn up to an enjoyable/experience volume.

For the "surround" features, let me just say that's a whole 'nother set of tweaking, so I say leave it off. My personal opinion is that it's not worth it in ANY speaker, definitely never use it for music; splitting frequencies and splitting power is not what I would consider progress in the speaker/music realm, but hey if it suits you, go right ahead.

So, after those minor tweaks, you are left with a great set of speakers, easily worth the $110-150 you probably paid for them through Amazon. The speakers look quite sleak, as others have commented. There is no manual volume adjust, so never lose the remote, and I could see how that would be a pain if used as desktop speakers.

The remote is amazing, if it just had a button for TV power, I would probably marry that remote. I love the scroll wheel for volume personally, it looks so nice and high-tech. As others have noted, the connectors are out of this world for the speakers, not sure who came up with those. So no, no exchanging speakers in any moderately sane manner. I love the USB connection, removes an additional cord for the IR.

The speakers are rather heavy as others have pointed out; this is by far a good thing, minus the shipping costs. The speakers sound is lacking a little in the Mid-Bass range, but so are about 99% of all computer speakers. Personally, I doubt it's the speakers, and probably the Freq Pass Filters they use, and constantly cut out that range, so its easier on the speakers. Nobody ever wants to add an additional speaker for that range, but what ya gonna do? Really only noticeable in Rock/some Classical settings. Here's my sound reviews:

Techno(ish)/Pop - Cascada - Sounds absolutely amazing. These speakers have the perfect ranges for this type of music. A nice punchy low of the sub, and good highs and mids.

Rock/Metal - As I Lay Dying, AFI and Haste the Day - Sounds good, but this is where the lack of Mid-Bass will be most noticeable. Most bass-drums used in rock are right in this range, so you're stuck missing half the sound of this crucial instrument. Even the mids sound a little weak, making the overall sound a little sterile/boxy, quite common in computer speakers and satellites. Still, they sound decent, better than most computer speakers.

Beats/Hip-Hop - 3OH!3 & Young Jeezy - Once again, due to the use of artificial instruments, the lows and highs are exaggerated, which is precisely where these speakers shine. So, I'd say these are excellent for this music, but could always use more power for house-parties.

OK so I'm sure I could say more, but overall I'd say these are 9.5/10 for the price paid (emphasis there). These are niche speakers, and suited my use 100%.

The remote control is quite ergonomic and easy to use. The Z Cinema does not require XP Media Center Edition or Vista to work with games and music players. XP MCE is required for full functionality of the remote, namely the buttons that control MCE functions. However, the remote allows you to control WinAmp and iTunes by skipping between songs or fast forwarding within a song. I found this feature to offer a convenience that many other generic remotes never featured. The dial control is the most interesting part of the controller. You press the black button in the center of a dial to select between volume, treble, bass, and SRS controls while the rotating dial is used to adjust the settings. The remote control accepts two AA batteries which are included.

The left and right speakers each contain a mid-range woofer and a tweeter. The speakers use proprietary cabling to connect to the subwoofer and amplifier assembly. The ported subwoofer is the largest, heaviest, and most bulky part of the entire system. My biggest complaint would have to be the right speaker having too short of a lead. I had to relocate some of my equipment in order to accommodate the huge subwoofer so that the right speaker could be connected.

The sound quality is extraordinary. The high notes are crystal clear, and the mid-range gives a lot of punch. The bass is extremely subtle at low volumes but you can hear the thump. At higher volumes, the subwoofer really flexes its muscles. I found this behavior to be synonymous with the factory subwoofers and audio system in my car.

The Z Cinema is capable of producing sounds at loud levels and I know this from accidentally setting the volume too high using the dial, or from some software quirks. Applications like PowerDVD remember their previous volume setting and if you're listening to MP3s while testing applications, the volume could potentially be raised to a deafening level. If anything, I would have liked the Z Cinema software to overrule any audio settings for software applications to prevent this accidental shift in volume settings. It is unnerving to enjoy MP3s at a comfortable listening level only to have the audio suddenly spike up to the max because a software application like PowerDVD remembered an old setting.

The infrared interface is integrated into the right speaker which has a series of LEDs that light up various indicators. When the system is turned off, the satellite speakers look like black monoliths.

I did notice some odd echoing and clipping while playing music through iTunes. It could have been some DSP effect or iTunes adjusting the volume settings independently of the Windows sound system. For normal MP3s, the sound is extremely clear and crisp. For gaming, I found the system to be nothing short of extraordinary. The high notes are so clear that I can feel every rumble strip and tire spin in Race 07 WTCC. The 4-cylinder engines scream like banshees at 8500 RPM and the shrill sounds are replicated accurately via the mid-range woofers and tweeters. When another car passed me, I could almost feel the sudden gust of air.

Coolness: After playing around with the settings, I discovered that the remote control could access player functions within other applications. For example, while playing Battlefield 2, I can use the remote to control the WinAmp playlist. This is a big benefit to many games that don't offer custom in-game music, or for games that don't allow control over tracks while inside the game (Race 07 WTCC allows custom MP3s but there's no way to skip to the next song).

Pros: Outstanding audio performance. The highs are clear, the mid-range is punchy, and the subwoofer "thumps" when the volume is turned up. The sleek and modern finish of the speakers is impressive. The right speaker looks like a black monolith until it is turned on. Amber LEDs illuminate cut-outs for various icons on the speaker.

Cons: The satellite speakers are larger than the average PC speaker but are not incredibly imposing on desk space. The right speaker wire/harness needs to be at least 6" longer so the subwoofer can be placed more "strategically". The subwoofer is incredibly large for a PC audio system, but keep in mind it was intended for a Media Center PC system that would be placed farther away from the audience.

Bottom line: Outstanding build quality and impressive fit and finish. The ported subwoofer enclosure feels like it is made of wood with composite panels or another resonant material. The system is heavy. The UPS delivery person fumbled a bit with the package due to its weight, and I don't blame her. I recommend getting some help if you're not up to the task. It is an outstanding speaker system for a media center in your living room, and works just as well for gaming or listening to music on a desktop computer. The remote control makes life easier!

Update: I noticed the Z Cinema program/service would frequently crash while playing certain games like Call of Duty 4. Once this occurs, it can freeze up the game and prevent the remote control from controlling the audio levels. In addition, the Z Cinema system suffers the same problem as other software/USB-based speaker sets. Sometimes applications remember their own volume settings or decide to change the audio level to a deafening volume all by itself.

I'll start off by saying that even though my review of these speakers is pretty critical, I don't think they're awful, although they're not good either. If I had to do it over again, I would pass on these speakers. I didn't buy from Amazon and they're pretty heavy so I'd take such a hit returning them or ebaying them that I found a way to live with the faults.

Probably my biggest problem with these speakers is that they suffer from a common problem cheap speaker syndrome - speaker manufacturers tend to overemphasize the bass to make up for lack of sound quality. These are no exception. The highs from the sats aren't that bad, but there's really no mid range to speak of. To compensate, the bass is just overwhelming. It actually works okay if you're watching an action movie or something, but for say, classical music or talk radio, it's incredibly annoying. Unless you turn the bass all the way off all you hear is a constant "thump-thump-thump" from the subwoofer, even at low volumes. The only way to get around this is to completely turn down the bass and then all you're left with is highs. To me this is the deal-breaker. I use these speakers when I work. My routine includes sports talk in the morning and classical music for when I need to concentrate. They suck for those purposes.

Another problem is the volume (as many other people have mentioned). It just doesn't get that loud. Crank everything up and it's loud, but not "turn it to 11" loud. Kind of disappointing.

I bought these speakers because of the USB functionality. My laptop has the headphone jack on the front and I didn't want to connect that way. Unfortunately while it does do USB, it doesn't do it well. I'm running Vista Home Premium 64 and I find that occasionally I'll have to restart Windows to get the speakers to work if I unplug them and plug them back in. It doesn't happen all that often, but seeing as how I've never had to restart after plugging in headphones, one is too many. Who knows, it could be a Vista issue, but either way it still happens.

Finally the cords. What the hell were they thinking??? Both sat's use some sort of proprietary connection and the cords are WAY too short. The left speaker uses what looks to be like 2 RCA plugs next to each other and the right speaker uses what can only best be described as a serial cable. What happens if you want to move your speakers further away from the sub? I suppose you're SOL.

What's good about these speakers? As I said the highs aren't bad and if you're listening to the right medium the bass doesn't overwhelm. It's also nice that it's got a headphone jack as well as an aux input. I haven't tried the SRS stuff, but I suppose I'll add that to the list of pro's.

Relative to the price I paid ($99 incl shipping), they do offer a lot of features and decent performance, just not as good as some people here are claiming. I wouldn't pay more than that and would absolutely recommend anyone find an alternative at the MSRP ($300!!!!!).

In the end I think I'm going to move these speakers into my weight room because they sound a lot better than the Zune dock I'm using in there and get some better speakers for my PC setup.

Logitech's Z Cinema Advanced speaker system was incredibly easy to set up and has exceptional sound. I have an Altec Lansing speaker system with a similar set up and Logitech has a far superior sound. The speakers themselves are very well designed and slick looking with their black and silver colors. They are also very solid and sturdy and look like a quality product. They connect to your PC through a USB cable and have a separate power supply.

This system is just the right system to use with Windows Media Center as it provides an integrated access to all your audio and video players. To use all the features of the included remote you need to install the provided Logitech software on your PC. Once you install the software the speakers are instantly recognized by your PC and can be used with all your applications. The software is also very simple to use and has some neat graphics with large fonts that can be viewed from a distance.

The subwoofer is really powerful and the satellite speakers have a mid-woofer and tweeter which is why the sound is clearer and brighter than a traditional speaker and subwoofer system. The surround sound works well too, and the sound is loud enough to fill a large room. Watching movies on your LCD monitor is fun as these speakers will add the necessary punch. The only addition that I would like in these speakers is to have more ports, for e.g. an HDMI port so that I could use them with my HDTV if needed.