Customer Reviews

Logitech Compact Speaker System Z320 for Notebooks

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I am very pleased with this Logitech Speaker System Z320 (Black). This is the first Logitech product I have ever owned and I am impressed.

Now I must mention that the star rating I give takes into account the size of the speakers, their cost, and the purpose for which they were designed. Overall, within their category, these are, in my opinion, 5-star speakers.

For their size, cost, and portability, they produce absolutely amazing sound quality, among the best I have heard in such small external computer speakers. Are they my absolute favorites in computer speakers? Well, no - the Altec Lansing Expressionist-PLUS FX3021 2.1 Speaker System remain that (they are 2.1 speakers after all, they take up much more room, and they cost more than these Logitechs) - but the Logitech ones are, right now, a VERY close second.

I have mine placed on a cabinet with the speakers about 40 inches apart (the connecting cord between the speakers is approximately 72 inches) and they are about 6 inches in front of a back wall. For best sound quality, and this is VERY important, they should be placed as close to a rear wall as is practicable. This will offer the most bass reinforcement - and small speakers such as these need all the reinforcement they can get.

This placement allows the speakers to perform well, in my opinion. They produce excellent treble and midrange and the bass, while certainly not "bone-shattering," is more than adequate when taking into account just what these speakers are.

With no subwoofer, you are not going to "feel" any bass but you CAN hear the note(s) being played. So far I have played two pieces through them - the first was MÁ VLAST [My Fatherland] by Bedrich Smetana in the performance by the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by James Levine. This was an MP3 which I encoded from the original CDs at 128 kbps VBR and was, of course, played from my computer (an Acer Extensa 5620-6419 running Ubuntu [Linux] v. 9.04). The second item I played is one of my favorites (and one of my reference sound discs): Holst Suites 1 & 2 / Handel Music for the Royal Fireworks / Stars and Stripes (Stereo Hybrid SACD). This was played through an Insignia NS-P4112 portable compact disc player (about twenty dollars at Best Buy) and, while it's just a fair player at best, it is worth rather more than its selling price, at least in my opinion.

The first selection sounded absolutely excellent via these speakers. The second selection (which was the CD layer of the hybrid SACD disc) sounded quite good except for the famous bass drum. Now of course it is unfair to play such a disc through speakers such as these but I wanted to give the a good test. I have to say that, for their size and price, they came through with flying colors.

From my listening to these two selections, I can confidently state that these speakers will bring a lot of pleasure to anyone who requires speakers in this category. Do they sound as good as my Klipschorns? Of course not - but then I can't take my Klipschorns on a trip - or even out into my back yard! I CAN take these along (and, from my admittedly limited - so far - audition, these can play VERY loud so they should work fairly well outdoors).

Are there "nits?" You bet - No. 1: why, oh why, do portable {computer) speaker manufacturers insist on hard-wiring their speakers together? While a six-foot separation is often adequate, there are situations in which I should like to separated the speakers even further. (The bass response would certainly be improved, though it still wouldn't be "great," if I could place them in the corners of my room.) I wish manufacturers would allow attaching their speakers together via 3.5mm stereo cords. With that option, the owner could separate the speakers to any reasonable length desired.

No. 2: I wish these speakers had covers for their drivers. Removable covers would be ideal. I am always afraid of damage occurring when drivers are not protected in some way.

No. 3: I wish these speakers had treble and bass controls. While I have found their balance to be excellent, it is always better to be able to adjust these parameters should the occasion arise.

No. 4: I wish these speakers imaged somewhat better. I was quite surprised at this slight deficiency, considering the size of the speakers. If I were to separate them to their six-foot maximum, the imaging might improve. Now I do have to mention that this particular "quality" is relatively unimportant to me personally. Others, however, might wish for more and better imaging quality which is why I mention it.

However --- the above four "nits" are just that - nits, VERY minor quibbles in a low cost, high quality, and VERY versatile speaker system. As a slight bonus they are, in my and my wife's opinion, very good looking.

Now I have to admit that I read the four reviews posted ahead of mine and I must say that I'm quite surprised that the other reviewers did not like these as much as I do. Fingerprints on the cabinet? That, in my opinion, is a non-starter. Why would you touch your speakers with dirty or oily hands? Just wash them first and there will be no fingerprints! (Or, should it be necessary, you could use a slightly damp paper towel to remove any stray fingerprints which did find their way onto your speakers! - And yes, we have a 2-year old granddaughter who visits us and spends time at our house.) No bass? What would anyone expect from small portable speakers with tiny drivers? There is no way to cheat on the laws of physics, they being immutable. A recessed headphone jack? Well, that might be important to some people, but not to me. Why would one want to listen to headphones via these speakers anyway? Just unplug them and plug your headphones into the output jack of whatever source you're using! (I really do not understand why some manufacturers put a headphone jack on their computer speakers; you have to attach a sound source via a 3.5mm headphone or line output jack anyway so there is really no need to have the speakers operating just to listen via headphones and I would rather see the money spent elsewhere, such as connecting jacks for speaker separation as I mention above. I'm sure that some, perhaps many, will disagree with me.) Distortion at very loud levels? Read my comment above regarding "no bass."

As I stated at the beginning of this review, I am very pleased with this Logitech speaker system. I believe that anyone in the market for such small portable speakers will also be pleased. Their price is right and so is their performance (not even to mention their excellent construction quality which is described at length in another review) and this is why I give them, wholeheartedly, five stars.

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Update: September 25, 2009

I listened to many pieces of music yesterday; the total listening time was about eight and one-half hours. I used various sources: my computer and my portable CD player, as noted above, and, later, an older cassette tape player (Optimus SCP-32). In all cases the sound quality was exemplary. (I also have the capability for playing LPs through these speakers with one of my spare Technics SL-Q200 turntable in conjunction with a Behringer PP400 phono preamp; one of these days when I can overcome inertia ... )

I experienced no listening fatigue at all - and, for me, that is one of the main positive attributes of any speaker system.

If anyone reading this is considering a small portable amplified speaker system with excellent sound quality and at a low price, I urge that person to buy these. If you buy them from Amazon and, for some reason, do not like the speakers, you can always return them for credit or refund.

But if you are a thoughtful and careful purchaser, do your research thoroughly (and even audition them if possible), and if your tastes in music are similar to mine (classical, some acoustic jazz, and some Broadway/Hollywood musicals as well as some music from motion pictures) - in other words, music in which the sound is minimally processed - I believe that you will NOT ever return these Logitech speakers and that, in fact, you will like them as much as I do.

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Update: September 29, 2009

I mention this in a 'comment' to this review but I'll repeat it here: the more I listen to these speakers (and I have been listening extensively since I obtained them), the more I like them. They produce SUPERB sound quality. This morning I was listening to an internet radio station [Classic FM, a UK classical music station] and they played, among other selections, The "Toccata" [the fifth movement] from the Organ Symphony No. 5 by Charles-Marie Widor. If you know this piece, you know it has some DEEP organ tones. It is a piece which will really show off your audio system (if it is of high enough quality to thus being shown off!) and these Logitechs acquitted themselves just fine. Could I "feel" the lowest notes? Definitely NOT - see the sixth paragraph in my review above - BUT I COULD hear all the notes. I'll say it again - this is amazing performance in a speaker system this small (and low-cost). Frankly, I have never heard its equal.

It remains my firm opinion that, if you are a discriminating music listener, you will truly admire these speakers and you will be VERY pleased with them. I certainly am!

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Update: October 5, 2009

Some may call me a Luddite but I firmly believe that the best sound quality obtainable today still comes from vinyl LP records. If you are not of such a mind, then you need read no further. But if you are, well I have to tell you that today I have attached a spare Technics Quartz Direct Drive Automatic Turntable System SL-Q200 through a Behringer Ultra-Compact Phono Preamp PP400 to these Logitech Z320 speakers and the system sounds just GREAT! (And don't let anyone kid you - this phono preamp is very, very good and there is NO hum whatsoever with it. I believe that all those who complain about hum need do is to reverse the plug in their electrical outlet or, at the very least, ensure that their outlet is correctly grounded AND that they have their turntable's ground wire correctly attached to the phono preamp's ground connection point!)

I have thus far played several LPs and as I am writing this I am playing Rachmaninov's Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op.27 played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yuri Temirkanov [Classics for Pleasure CFP 41 4508 1] and the sound really has to be heard to be believed! CDs, MP3s, even cassette tape all pale before the sound I am hearing right now!

I was going to try the turntable/phono preamp with my Altec Lansing Expressionist-PLUS FX3021 2.1 Speaker System and I still may do so tomorrow or the next day, but having heard the sound these Logitechs produce, I am in no hurry to try anything else.

Believe me, these are positively the best speakers of anywhere near their size that I personally have ever heard. The proof is in the pudding, that 'pudding' being called Long Playing records.

These Logitech Z320 speakers sound superb with all of the LPs I have played thus far. Therefore, in my opinion, they will sound superb with anything you choose to play through them.

As I mentioned above in the main part of my review, you cannot and must not expect deep gut-wrenching bass. These are small speakers, each with two 2" drivers and a small port. You cannot get around the laws of physics; no such small speaker can reproduce the deepest tones which come easily to much larger ones. Everything depends, of course, on just what you want out of your speakers. You can have small and portable (with good sound, as here) or you can have deep and powerful bass but you CANNOT have both in the same speaker. It's just a fact of life! (You will HEAR most of the bass tones but you will NOT feel them with these Logitech Z320 speakers.)

However, all that being said, I strongly recommend that anyone reading this far buy them. In addition to offering first-class sound quality and great portability, they offer excellent value for money. Obviously I really like mine very much and I truly believe that you won't regret the purchase.

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Update: December 8, 2009

I have now owned these speakers for about two and one-half months and I listen to them every day. With many speakers, after the first glow of ownership has worn off, many people become tired of them and wish to move on.

In my opinion, this will NEVER happen with these Logitech speakers. As I noted originally, the sound is VERY smooth. I often play them for many hours at a time and I never experience so-called listener fatigue. As a matter of fact, the only thing I experience is pure joy at the quality of the sound they produce.

These speakers, being amplified, will make an excellent second (or, if you're somewhat cash-strapped, first) hi-fi system. They would be especially appropriate for a bedroom or other regular-sized room in your house. They would also be excellent for use in a second home. Giving a pair of these to a child would be appropriate also as they would acquaint that child with what good sound sounds like - and they would do so at small cost.

They sound really good with any source with which you wish to use them.

Now you must realize that they will not replace really high-end speakers such as my Klipschorns. Yet I personally do not regard listening to the Logitechs to be a major step down from those Klipschorns for the situations in which I use them (the Logitechs) - playing mp3, aacplus, or FLAC music files, some CDs, and internet radio (and even, as I mentioned, LPs, though I frankly shall not use them too often for that purpose; LPs demand the best in reproduction so, for them, I shall continue to use my higher-end systems).

But considering the quality of sound produced at the price charged, I cannot praise these Logitech Speaker System Z320 (Black) too highly.

I continue to give them my highest recommendation. Thank you for reading this. I hope it has been informative and will help you in making a purchase decision.

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Update: October 3, 2010

Even after over a year, this speaker system continues in production without change. It is even featured in Best Buy's ad for this week (though, as is typical for Best Buy, at a higher "sale" price than Amazon's "regular" price!).

Longevity in production, especially for such an inexpensive speaker system for which there is PLENTY of competition, says something to me - and it should say something to you.

This speaker system is still being made because it is GOOD. I listen to mine almost every day and, in my year plus of ownership, I have never become bored with it. I generally use it for listening to internet radio.

I have just discovered a new internet radio station which may be of interest to you: it is an "experimental" classical music station called "AVRO Light Classical High Definition." Why is it called experimental? It transmits at 320 kb/s! That high bit rate produces the best quality sound yet achieved by an internet radio station and, at this time, they are trying it out just to see how well it works. (You can find it easily on [listenlive<dot>eu]. Scroll down to "Browse by Genre" and click on "Classical." Then just scroll down until you see the station; you will also see the bit rate.) Even if you're not partial to its music - I am, of course - you ought to try it to hear just what sound quality internet radio is capable of! And I can tell you that, though it sounds fantastic through my main audio system, its sound quality through these Logitech speakers is nothing to sniff at. I was amazed the first time I heard it through these Logitech Compact Speaker System Z320 for Notebooks and I'll bet you will be too!

In my opinion, regarding a speaker system of this size and price range, you just can't do better. It is the very best such small active speaker system I have ever heard. (And I use it far more often than my Altec Lansing Expressionist-PLUS FX3021 2.1 Speaker System even though, overall, those much larger speakers do sound better; unfortunately for me, they take up too much room, are cumbersome to set up and take down [I have no place to leave them permanently set up] and, as these Logitech speakers sound almost as good, they're the ones I use almost all of the time.) I'll repeat it again - if you've read this far, just buy a set. And buy it from Amazon. In my opinion, you'll never regret it. Thank you again for reading this.

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Update: February 12, 2011

These speakers are so good that, in my opinion, they can (and should) be used as more than just "computer speakers" (though they are, as I've stated, excellent in that regard).

Would you be interested in a CD player which is a really great complement to them?

Look at this Stanton S252 DJ Table-Top CD Player with Fader Start and Digital Outputs or, if you want MP3-disc playback capability, examine this Stanton S.300 Tabletop CD Player with MP3 Compatibility (which is essentially the same as the S.252 except for that MP3-disc capability).

I have attached these players (I own them both) to these Logitech speakers and, in my opinion, the combination is superb. It makes for a really fine small audio system and would be ideal for a bedroom, a vacation home, or similar. Both of these components, Stanton CD player and Logitech speakers, are extremely well-constructed and I believe that the sound quality they produce together would satisfy practically everybody.

It certainly satisfies me!

When I saw the Logitech Z320 speaker system offered, I chose to replace the inexpensive Harmon Kardon speakers which were included with an older computer system. According to Logitech, this affordable simple two speaker stand alone system offers a powerful 10 watts (RMS) in a small package with 360 degree sound for a better listening experience. This sounded like a great alternative to the older speakers used in my office.

The Logitech Z320 speaker system is simple to set up. Plug the speakers into your computer, and then connect the power cord to the wall and the back of the right speaker. While the speakers can sit on separate corners of the desk, there is no way to disconnect them to run the wires underneath the desk top.

These speakers have a modern sleek look from the front. The cabinet's shiny black face doesn't attract fingerprints with clean hands. However there are no protective covers over the drivers to prevent damage. The driver's centers are inverted eliminating the desire of tiny fingers to make them so. The back of the speaker is ugly, for a 360 degree system I would have expected some attention to detail from the rear as well.

The 360 degree sound works surprisingly well, properly placed the sound spreads evenly around a room. The sound is acceptable for most computer related uses at reasonable levels, but distortion is evident at the half way point and greater. However it doesn't take much for this system to be louder than the inexpensive [[ASIN: B0002V9IKK $10 Creative speakers]] I have at home. The sound is a bit tinny and there is no tone dial to adjust the sound. Windows media center and other music software offer equalizer settings, this dial may not be missed by everyone.

As for an affordable two speaker stand alone system, I find the current price difficult to justify. If the 360 degree sound is important to you consider the Logitech Z320 speaker system, otherwise continue to research the alternatives. This system's short comings don't make these speakers horrible, but they may not be the best option either.

PROS:
Clean and modern appearance
Simple plug and play design
360 degree sound

CONS:
No tone adjustment dial
Distorted sound as volume increases
No speaker covers
Speakers don't disconnect from one another

These are adequate external powered speakers. These are not necessarily 'computer' speakers, they can be plugged into any device that has a 3.5mm standard audio jack (iPods, MP3 players, portable DVD players, CD players, etc). The sound is not remarkable, 4 x 2 inch speakers are hard pressed to output quality sound. The design is either hate it or love it, those 2 inch speakers are exposed with no grill cover. The glossy front is another love or hate item. Fortunately, only the face of these speakers are glossy.

Sound Quality.
The speakers sound very tight and closed. The treble response is good and clear. Midrange is acceptable. And bass is lacking. All these traits are common with trying to push sound through 2 inch speakers. At normal listening volume, the speakers keep up. If used as a general computer speaker, they perform just fine. When pushed with music, full range sound, the speakers are acceptable. Turn the volume up or increase the bass and sound just turns muddy. I would guess this has more to do with the design Logitech chose (more in a moment), and is bass interference, not amplifier clipping. When pushed, these are muddy speakers.

Design.
Logitech tried to do a kind of dipole design. In each cabinet there is one powered speaker facing the listener. There is a second powered speaker facing to the rear of the cabinet. On that rear there is also a port to allow air movement in and out of the speaker enclosure. This design is an incredibly difficult design to get right, and really requires very high quality speakers to force the sound out of the cabinet. If the front and rear speakers are in phase (both pushing out at the same time) a ton of power is required because a vacuum is created inside the cabinet. If the speakers are flimsy, the amp low powered, and airflow restricted; the sound deteriorates very quickly at higher volume. If the front and rears are out of phase (the front speaker pushes out while the rear speaker draws into the case) there are some horrible audible problems with sound waves cancelling and getting serious dead spots in sound response. My guess, Logitech chose to go with in-phase speakers and would have a much better sound with better quality speakers.

Tear Down.
I've included some tear down pictures. I'm kind of a hardware fan, and love to know about what is inside electronics. The most important question I had was about the two speakers - was the rear a passive or active speaker. These are very well constructed speakers. Logitech did a fantastic job at wrapping wires and components in foam or rattle prevention material. The face is very nicely attached to the body of the speaker. They used a lot of double stick material to assure that these speakers will never rattle. There is a fantastic large heat sink for the amplifier. I expect this unit will never overheat. Logitech has used high quality electronics in the construction. I was also impressed with the fiberglass isolation between the front and rear speaker. Honestly, these are extremely well constructed speakers. They will survive a lot of dropping and hard banging. The cases are very thick plastic and would take a lot to crack.

The 360 degree concept.
The problem with this dipole arrangement (front and rear facing speakers) the soundstage expands to an almost uncomfortable size. These speakers do exactly that. The soundstage (or the impression of where sound is coming from) is incredibly narrow. Oddly, these speakers have a very narrow stereo sweet spot. That's strange considering the rear facing speakers. I'm not a very big fan of this design, nor the sound generated.

Use
Pretty darn simple use. There's a small wall wart A/C adapter, the cord is about 3 feet long. The cords between the speakers is around 2 feet and permanently attached to the cabinet. The 3.5mm input cord is also permanently attached and around 2 feet long. The front panel has a big power/volume knob. It has a good solid heavy feel to it, I like this knob a lot. That knob actually makes this speaker feel more like an expensive piece of audio equipment. There is an orange pilot light when the speaker is on. And the left hand side of the right speaker has a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Logitech would have done better by not going with 4 identical sized speakers in that case. It would have been much better to use a tight small tweeter and a larger midrange speaker that could handle some bass. Or, if this design was key to their marketing, use much higher quality cone material, with a bit more free breathing cabinet.

I like the overall design of these speakers. They have a good solid heft to them. To my eye, they look good. They are a bit chromey and glossy, that's OK. The build quality is outstanding. I just wish they sounded better.

For this product review, I tested against a pair of Sennheiser HD-595 Premier Headphone to compare audio quality and listening experience. They are my everyday headphones and provide me with a balanced and natural tone to compare against. I also tested audio from several movies/video files off my Macbook Pro and music from an iPod touch.

Firstly, the Z320 does what it advertises. It fills the room with audio in all directions, thanks to rear and front mounted speakers. From every part of the room, I could hear the music as clearly as if I were sitting right in front of them.

The piano black mirrored finish gives the speakers a touch of class. The downside, of course, is that fingerprints and dust show up very easily against the polished surface. Additionally, the volume knob is not grip textured, so oily fingers beware. The knob makes a nice satisfying click when switching to and from ON to OFF.

Sound-wise, the Z320 is mostly good. Bass response is over-boosted, which can be good for rock, jazz, and hip-hop. It's not so good for classical music, and some movies and DVD's. I found the bass balance distracting at times, particularly with documentaries (PBS's The Queen of Trees, China: A Century of Revolution (Three Disc Set)) where the Z320 gave the voices a bit of an unnatural reverberating quality. No separate bass control means it's a one-size fits all proposition. You're stuck with one setting for all your music/audio needs. This is fine for casual users looking to play back MP3's, blip.fm, YouTube or everyday internet streaming, but audiophiles should look elsewhere.

The volume dial not labeled with numbers or tick marks. At high volumes (past 2 o'clock on the dial, which might be volume level 7), I hear noticeable sibilance (a hiss or buzz) during quieter moments when playing music like Beethoven: Complete Music for Cello & Piano and Best of the Verve Song Books: Love Songs. For fast changing and loud music like hip-hop and rock, this isn't noticeable.

Lastly is the potential issue of the recessed headphone jack, which can prevent full insertion by some headphones. My Sennheiser could not fit all the way in, for example, and I only got audio out of one ear. Other headphones with a smaller diameter sheath will fit though (see my pictures in gallery).

Overall, a good pair of speakers for general-purpose laptop use that really does fill up a room with sound, freeing you to move about your home or workspace. Construction is sturdy and hefty, though the input plug could use a bit more ruggedizing and a thicker plastic coat. This is typically the weakest link in many audio devices and where many of my speakers and headphones have failed in the past from frequent bending and stress during insertion and disconnecting. AC adapter is labeled "Logitech" so as to prevent confusion as to which device it powers. (Not a trivial point when you have accumulated a dozen AC adapters that have no identification and can't remember which goes where). Speaker plug is colored a pastel green to match the color coding on PC audio output jacks.

As self-powered speakers, these will work with any computer or device with a speaker/headphone jack and a nearby electrical outlet.

Let me start by saying I consider myself an audiophile. I am listening to these Logitech speakers in my studio where I have a Carver high-end amplifier and a pair of B&W studio speakers.

After opening the box, I was first impressed by how beautiful these speakers are. Stylish, modern but not over-the-top. They have a simple and elegant design with black luster finish. The exposed speaker cone gives them a unique look too.

I was originally concerned about the lack of a front cover to protect the exposed cone. In reality the chances of the speakers being hit by something are pretty slim unless you plan on bringing them along with your laptop everywhere you go.

My past experience with Logitech products has been very positive, but you don't think of them as speaker manufacturers. My two other sets of PC speakers are Altec Lansing and Harman Kardon.

The sound quality is excellent for speakers in this price range and size. This means you should not expect the super deep bass that only a subwoofer can deliver (under 100 Hz). If you need speakers to plug into your computer for the music at your next party you should probably look elsewhere. However, for everyday use, I doubt you can find a better set of speakers.

While many speaker manufacturers claim surround sound, these little speakers actually deliver. I don't know how they do it. Music comes out with a spatial richness that is pretty amazing.

The sound is crystal clear, with excellent tonal separation and range from treble to midrange to a very respectful bass. Combined with the WOW effects standard in Windows Media Player, the musical experience is very rewarding.

I am enjoying U2's The Joshua Tree being played in these Logitech speakers as I write this. Vivaldi was very enjoyable. I also played some Enya, which sounded fantastic due to the 360 sound.

I have Logitech 2.1 speakers on my laptop and that's what I'm comparing these speakers to. The sound quality is good even at relativley high volumes -- unlike the 2.1 speakers. Compared to my logitech 2.1 speakers, the base isn't as powerful. The speakers reproduce mid-range and high-range tones very well. These speakers look very nice and I would recommend them as a great value for the price.

I previously owned a pair of Logitech speakers and they broke after about 6 years of Good Use. I don't blame Logitech, because the speakers were amazing while they lasted.
I decided to go with Logitech once more, that's why I bought these.
I was so happy when I got them because they look very nice, like the picture.
After about 5 minutes of setting up I played one of my favorite songs: The Offspring, Can't Repeat.
Then everything started going down hill,

Pro's: The sound is clear... if your very close to the speakers.
The design makes them easy to fit anywhere
They look Great

Con's: The sound is all over the place.... some songs sound bad, some OK, some good.
I wanted to get speakers that didn't include a ground sub-woofer, these don't fit the bill.
You have to adjust the speakers several times before you get a good projection/aim of sound.
Some songs sound muffled
Tried equalizer settings, nothing seems to work.
It's hard to explain why these sound bad, but you'll just have to take my word.

Final comment: Wouldn't pay more than $15 for these.
Needless to say I am returning these.

Hello...i just ordered these (Logitech Compact Speaker System Z320 for Notebooks) speakers. they are amazing in all features to me...the look, the sound, and they're worth the price...$33.98. you will never regret them with the price!
The only con is: they are a bit heavier than some others...but thats not a biggy to me. 5/5

These speakers work great for presentations. I use them regularly for presentations of 50 to 100 people and everyone can hear without any problems.

To begin, I must note that I don't expect much out of a set of desktop speakers in the sub-$100 range. In my situation, I was looking for a set of speakers to improve the sound I was getting from a smaller flat-screen TV in a bedroom. The TV speakers were okay for general listening, but were very weak where movies were concerned. After doing much research, I decided to give these Logitech Z320s a try.

After getting them installed and putting them through their paces, I admit they are one heck of a buy. In my opinion, they're a bit large for a traveling set, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better pair for the price, making them ideal desktop speakers, or, as in my case, dresser-top speakers.

The bi-directional speaker placement (their 3D sound feature, with speakers pointing both toward the front and the rear) creates a much fuller sound than I expected from the modest speaker towers. They fill a 12'x12' room with a very rich sound. I'm not talking about rumbling bass here--for that, you'd want a set with a subwoofer. These just produce a very nice, rich, and full sound--far better than that native from the TV, and that's just what I wanted.

The high-gloss finish does make them a bit of a fingerprint magnet, but that's a minor drawback. Covers for the sound cones would have been nice, from the perspective of avoiding dust or an accidental puncture, but with proper handling they should be just fine.

The only features I wish these speakers had are two-fold. First, I would have loved to see bass and treble controls on the speakers themselves. I can adjust these to some degree from TV menu, but on-speaker controls would have been a real benefit. Secondly, I would love for the speakers to automatically power off if they aren't receiving any input. When I'm done watching a movie, I need to remember to shut off the speakers separately, at least until I get a power strip with a master control outlet.

Those little knocks are just my own preferences. If you want a decent set of desktop speakers at a resonable price, go no further. You'll get sound comparable to something nearly twice as much, and suitable for everyday use, the occasional movie, and for playback of your favorite MP3 tracks.