Customer Reviews

ZVOX 550 Low-Profile Single-Cabinet Surround Sound System

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A bit of history to let people know where I'm coming from.

Back in the 70's, I would have been considered an audiophile. The money I spent back then for high quality components and sound was ridiculous (well over 10 grand for my system -- I'd hate to even think about it in terms of today's dollars). But over the years, I began to realize that to get that extra bit of realism close to a live concert was far too costly to continue down that path. It was an impossible goal anyway. I also learned that if I were completely honest with myself, what I perceived to be near perfect, simply wasn't (and I've auditioned speaker systems in the 3K to 7k range).

Perhaps I shouldn't even be reviewing this product. But I feel differently today than I did all those years ago. I feel that I can now purchase any reasonably designed sound system and it would pretty much meet my present needs (my hearing, although not bad, is hardly that of my youth). So when I decided to add a sound system for my conventional TV (yes, I don't have a flat panel HD TV ... yet), the LAST thing that I wanted to do was hassle with a bunch of speakers and string wires all over my house (as I've indicated, I've been down that road). My son, who is probably pretty close to being an audiophile, but has a lot more common sense, was stunned that I was even considering a minimalist solution -- a reasonable sound system with the least amount of mess, effort and dollars. Looking for such a system may sound simple enough, but it's anything but.

Enter the Zvox 550 system. I purchased this system sight unseen (meaning, I never auditioned them), a dangerous practice, btw. Oh, I did my research -- listened to several HTIB (home theaters in a box) systems including the Bose. And I often listen to my son's impressive custom component 5.1 system. I also realized that Zvox isn't exactly the most widely known audio system (or company, but they should be). And because this is basically an internet speaker manufacturer (but with a solid pedigree), it would be difficult to find these in the normal stereo / television outlets. My decision rested in that Zvox has a 30-day return policy (they will even pay the return postage to their site) should the system not perform to my expectations. Add to that fact, this company's design philosophy is similar to my own, so I decided to buy it and try it out.

First, and foremost, this is not a component 5.1 system. Matter-of-fact, Zvox even explains on their site that if you want true surround sound, go to a 5.1 system, which they do not make (odd to find any company that honest). No standard stereo system (even with electronic enhancements) will give you actual movie theater surround sound. Yes, Bose 3-2-1 systems claim they do, and people seem to really like these fairly expensive, but very convenient systems. But if those people ever heard a well-engineered 5.1 system, they might have a change of heart. Still, a system that is simple and easy to set up and without a lot of wires strung about, is a pretty compelling reason for many people (it certainly was for me).

The Zvox 550 is an unusual and unique system in that it was designed specifically to hold your television (a maximum of 90 pounds of weight), making it unobtrusive. Oh, it's pretty large (about 3-1/2" high x 28" wide by 14-1/2" deep), but disappears when adding a conventional TV on top. It is also attractive enough to set your flat panel unit on top. It is solidly built from medium density fiberboard (not plastic) and is completely analog (including its PhaseCue circuitry). It powers everything via a 60 watt amplifier. It houses six speakers (five 2" main speakers and a 5-1/4" ported down-firing subwoofer). Two of the main speakers closest to the ends of the unit, perform the "wizardry" of spreading the sound field. Frequency response is rated 45 Hz - 20 kHz (but no plus/minus db range was given, nor watts with distortion numbers, which make those rating numbers pretty meaningless).

So what do I think of the Zvox 550? Personally, I think it does a fine job. No, I wasn't blown away by earth-shaking, window-rattling bass, or sun-crystal highs or gasping mid-range presence. Nor was I shocked by the electronic wizardry that expanded the sound stage before me (called PhaseCue). But don't run for the hills just yet, because I'm not really blown away or that impressed by ANY audio system (perhaps the audiophile in me has never quite left -- and one thing about audiophiles, they are rarely satisfied and generally hate everything).

What the Zvox 550 does give you is an accurate and balanced sound. The bass is clean, tight and solid (and may even surprise a few people), and doesn't bottom out or sound boomy or muddied. The highs don't sound the least bit strained and the mid-range has enough presence to keep me more than satisfied. Often, in movies, voices are lost over the music and sound effects. If this system surprised me at all, it's that I could hear voices much clearer than I thought I would or possibly could (no more lost dialogue for me). And to say it was an improvement over the TV speakers would be a gross understatement, and total injustice. It filled my average-sized room with solid bass, intricate highs, and natural mid-range with power to spare, and that's exactly what I thought it would and should do -- nothing more, nothing less. The sound stage did indeed expand, to the point where I could point 45 degrees or more on each side of me without noticing gaps or strange, unnatural effects (but one shouldn't go hog-wild with the PhaseCue settings).

However, not everything came up roses. As easy as this system was to set up (plug in the power cable, plug in the RCA cable, put the battery in the remote, turn it on), configuring the sound attributes is a different story. There are no visible cues when setting volume level, bass and treble levels, or even the PhaseCue level (other than blinking LEDs on the unit's enclosure as one adjusts the parameters), so one has to do this by ear. Be prepared to take a little time with this, especially fine tuning movies, then switching to music. I firmly believe this system (while not expensive, it isn't exactly cheap) should have given the user the ability to set several parameters, then bring them up with a touch of a button, so I'm pretty miffed that this wasn't incorporated. And not to have any visible cue (other than blinking lights) is stupid. To me it's a big omission in an otherwise sound ideology. They may be great speaker designers, but they need classes in human engineering. Added to that, they also use a cheap-looking remote that requires direct line of sight.

Rating this system is anything but easy. One shouldn't compare it with systems costing thousands of dollars. And one shouldn't compare any 2.1 system to carefully implemented component 5.1 (or above) sound systems. However, one can and should compare it with many of the HTIB systems within a few hundred dollars of its price range, and to sound bars, as well as to the Bose 3-2-1 system. The Zvox 550 is truly a niche product, and a unique one at that (part of its allure for me), and it does everything that the manufacturer says it will do. With that in mind, I rate this a solid 7 (out of 10), or a 4-star rating (actually a little bit better than 3-1/2 stars). Sound wise, I'm quite pleased (for an ex-audiophile, that's not easy to do). However, I know there are people who love deep, rumbling bass. Some will even sacrifice and opt for a bit heavy, booming bass over a naturally solid and tight bass, just to get that "feel". For people craving the deeper reaches, the Zvox is set up so they can add any powered subwoofer they choose (but please choose wisely or you might lose the natural sonic delight of this system if smothered by over-powering bass). For me, I like the sound just the way it is, so it's a keeper.

The ZVox Z-Base 550 is made to be a simple plug-and-play replacement for the speakers in a flat panel TV, and, as such, it is enormously successful. It offers tight, reasonably extended bass, simple integration due to its slim but sturdy design, excellent dynamics and a clean rich midrange for clear articulate dialog. For those who want "mo bass," the unit offers a subwoofer output for use with a powered sub. It's simple, unobtrusive and sounds great.

It does have some quirks, however. The remote is flimsy and doesn't work particularly well, and there are no clear visual cues on the unit itself when you are adjusting things like volume or surround effect (PhaseCue). The first problem can be cured by programming the ZVox volume and PhaseCue controls into any universal remote, but the second issue is one you'll have to live with. Fortunately the sonic improvements of the 550 over any TV's built-in speakers are so substantial as to make these ergonomic issues fairly trivial.

In fact, even without a universal remote, if your TV has a variable audio output (many do), then you can simply use your TV's remote to adjust volume. But do make sure to turn off your TV's built-in speakers as they may interfere with the sound quality of the ZVox system.

As has been noted by an earlier reviewer, the ZVox isn't really a surround sound system. The PhaseCue effect will give you a wider, more spacious soundstage but not much sound from behind (real or imagined). But really, if you want true surround, go with a real 5.1 or 7.1 channel system.

For what it is, the Z-Base 550 is an excellent performer and is sure to appeal to those for whom sound quality is of utmost importance. You can read our full review on Big Picture Big Sound's web site.

Having recently purchased the Samsung LN-46A650 I was blown away with the picture quality but not the sound. Two tiny speakers in the back that fire toward the rear wall. This is not a criticism of the Samsung. All of the new flat screens suffer from this. You can't have a 3 inch thick T.V. with massive speakers built in. To get really great sound you have to go the 5.1 route with a highend receiver or a seperate power amp & sound processor. This could easily cost 5 to 10 times the cost of the T.V. Then you have to have the right room to put it all in. This creates another problem, the W.A.F. (Wife Acceptance Factor) You spent how much!!! Any type of soundbar or 2.1 system is a compromise. This can still be some what costly. Yamaha sells a soundbar that costs $1800 with no subwoofer. Bose has several systems available. In my opinion the sound is average but highly overpriced. You are paying for the massive advertising they do. This brings us to ZVOX. (I finally got to the point) A small company that does direct internet sales with a 30 day refund, no questions asked. They even pay the return shipping. The 550 was delivered by U.P.S. well packaged and no damage. Installation was a no brainer. Up and running in 15 minutes. All of the sound adjustments are made through the small cheap remote provided. This is something that you have to experiment with by ear. The blue light just flashes when you make an adjustment. I noticed a big improvement in the sound quality. The most notible is when you are watching a movie. The sound expands about 8 feet on either side. You hear much more detail. If you really turn the volume up (not a normal listening level) there is no distortion. Good for music videos. Watching a news program with just dialogue you won't notice much difference. Bottom line is this. For $500 it's worth the price. A well made product that won't break the bank and a big improvement over the crappy speakers in your present T.V. If you hate it sent it back and you lost nothing.

I have had the ZVOX 550 base for several months now and I am more or less satisfied with it. I gave it 5 stars because I truly believe that is the correct rating. The more or less is because I would have preferred to have a 5.1 sound system, which the ZVOX is not. That said, the ZVOX 550 Base is quality all the way. Mine is a refurbed unit that I got from ZVOX for considerably less than what a new unit would cost. Mine sits under my 50 inch plasma and the combination looks great.

As other reviewers here and elsewhere have previously said, it is not a replacement -repeat, not a replacement- for a 5.1 system since it is a stereo speaker system. However, the speakers deliver exceptionally clear, rich, quality (and powerful) sound that is an excellent alternative to the TV's built in speakers. I was particularly impressed with the amount of bass the 550 delivers, which was very substantial to my ears. You can also connect a separate subwoofer, which is in this case is done for a stereo set-up and not a 5.1 set-up.

The Phase Cue feature expands and reduces the stereo effect. In my experience, Phase Cue works best on movies, either played on a dvd player or when they are received in your home via satellite/fios/etc. in 5.1 (I have Directv) rather than for typical TV broadcasts. For movies, you really do notice that the front sound field is expanded several feet beyond the the TV so you do get semi-wrapped in the sound track. In addition to the great sound quality, I totally appreciated how easy it was to hook up. You shouldn't have to spend any more than 5 minutes and possibly less than 2 minutes plugging in the power and hdmi connections. It will probably take longer to review the 1 page directions sheet. A couple more minutes changing the speaker settings in your TV's menu and you're ready to rock & roll! It was fantastic not having to spend hours trying to get all the connections made that one encounters with a separate AVR and multi-speaker system.

If you have a flat panel that weighs less than 100 lbs and want a simple, high quality upgrade to your TV's speakers that also offers some flexibility, the solidly built ZVOX 550 Base is well worth considering. Check eBay for a refurbed unit from ZVOX if you're looking to spend less than full price.

Added 9/23/09: Although the ZVOX 550 Base is easy to use and, as noted above, extremely easy to set up, a major flaw is the small 'insensitive' IR remote (for which I probably should have subtracted 1 star). This remote MUST be pointed precisely at the correct spot on the front panel and only from HEAD ON for the base unit to respond to a command. There is a blue light on the front panel of the base unit that will blink to acknowledge a command from the remote so there is visual as well as audio confirmation. I typically sit about 10-12 feet away. There is no response if the remote is even slightly off angle when I try to make an adjustment so I often have to physically move to have the proper line of sight to get a response. My understanding is that ZVOXAudio now has a replacement remote available, however I do not know whether or not it works off angle or is more sensitive than the remote it replaces. We can only hope that it corrects the shortcomings of the original remote.

9/25/09: I emailed ZVOX regarding my issue with the remote and they sent me the new version of the remote. The new remote only has volume controls and a mute button. You still need the original remote to control the Phase Cue feature. The new remote seems to have a larger 'sweet spot' and works significantly better than the original remote so I am quite satisfied with its performance.

I recently moved my "good" system from Family room to Rec room and needed a modest replacement in the Family room with a small footprint. The Zvox seemed perfect. After reading the reviews and the marketing material and specs from the company's website, I figured this might be a great little system. I bought it while it was on sale at Amazon. With my Amazon Prime free 2-day shipping, it showed up amazingly quick as usual (under 24 hours). Although the package looked like UPS took out their frustrations on it (again, as usual).

Setup is fool proof and there are no options. Plug it in, connect your left and right RCA's and go. Problem is, it really sounds no better than the built-in speakers on my 42" Panasonic Plasma (circa 2004). Honestly, it doesn't. There is a little more bass, due to the Zvox having a 5" speaker in the bottom, but not enough to be worth anywhere near $400... I even did a blind listening test with members of my family where I switched between the Zvox and the TV speakers. 100% of the test listeners chose the built in TV speakers using both TV dialog and CD music as sources. My oldest daughter described the sound as "Empty" - I have to agree. I played with treble, sub, and "Phase que" levels (which is all that can be controlled) - did another blind listening test - no real improvement.

Basically, this unit delivers an upper midrange and an upper low range - not much in between. Not even close to a home theater experience and basically un-usable for music.

Verizon Fios users: You will NOT be able to control the Zvox with your Fios universal remote. The supplied codes don't work. Plus, the Fios remote's "learning mode" will not produce a code to control the volume either. I actually emailed Zvox support 2 days prior to purchase to ask this question. I didn't get a reply, but bought anyway. Turns out, it's now been a week and I still haven't gotten a reply. So I guess their support's not that great, at least around the Holidays..

Upon close inspection (the grills are removable), the Zvox had 5 tiny (about 1 1/2" diameter) cheap-looking drivers (paper cones with paper domes) and 1 equally cheap looking 5" "woofer". Based on the audible treble distortion that was really obvious, I'd say the onboard amplifier circuitry is pretty bad too. The "phase que" surround emulation circuitry didn't do anything for me except make the sound more "wierd". Construction is pretty good - typical low/mid price speaker quality. Although I'm not sure I'd describe the end caps as "Piano Laquer finish" as the company's description does. It's shiny and black, but far from perfectly finishes and smooth...

All this took place in my family room, which isn't small - about 14' x 18'. So maybe I was expecting more. If you have a very small room, it may be worth a look - "your milage may vary" as they say. If you have a decent sized room, sit 6 feet or more from your TV, and have any kind of an ear for good sound - you'll probably be disappointed.

I was looking online for surround systems to compliment the new DLP we purchased for our home. Neither my wife nor I wanted a system with a bunch of wiring to string all over the room and when I saw the ZVOX unit on the website that fit underneath the T.V. we decided to give it a try. I may add a sub woofer just because I like a little more bass than the unit produces but the virtual surround sound is incredible. The cabinet is very nice and adds to the "look" of our T.V. I actually built a couple of black box supports for the ends of my T.V. since the units specs did not recommend placing a T.V. the size we purchased on top of the Z-Base 550 without additional support. I turn the T.V. sound back on occasionally just to revel in the difference.The only thing I haven't figured out yet is how to get my universal remote to work the Z-Vox unit but it is no big issue for sure. Worth the money!

The form factor of the 550 is very nice and practical. Sound is very good at times but bright and harsh most of the time.

A lot of the reviews rave about the clarity of dialog played through the 550. It sounds like the 550 purposely boosts select dialog frequencies which makes finding a suitable volume for some movies very difficult. I was watching Tony Bennett unplugged which sounded nice until the applause. The applause was very loud and bright compared to his performances. I have listened to this DVD on a couple other systems that do not exhibit this. Quantum of Solace was almost impossible to watch/listen. The sound levels were way off. I have a THX calibrated theater as a reference and pair of Vandersteen 2CEs, Velodyne ULD18, HK Citation 7.0 analog pre amp and OCM amp as my casual listening system. In the bedroom, I have a couple Audio Engine A5s and a Yamaha YST FSW050BL that crush the ZVOX 550 for $50 more. When the source material matches the sweet spot of the 550, it's magic. Just beautiful. As indicated in my caption, hooking up an OPPO 83 playing a Norah Jones SACD was really nice.

I find the need to keep the 550 remote in my hand to do real time tweaks to listen comfortably.

In fairness to ZVOX, the sound they get from the cabinet form factor is commendable.

The box arrived from UPS in good shape. The box had been re-taped with several pieces of tape which only struck me odd after I opened the box and found the 550 covered in moisture. One of the plastic feet under the leg was missing. The sub woofer grill was off. The cardboard box was completely dry. After closer inspection, it was obvious this was an open box that got through Amazon's customer return QA. I am not convinced the unit was damaged by the moisture which was confined to the inside of the plastic bag containing the 550.

Amazon has another one on the way. Hopefully the new one will work better.

Edit:

I received a replacement from Amazon the next day. Great service. Bottom line, the new unit is terrific. The first unit is not working properly. It's amazing that I find myself comparing a $399 dollar unit with a modest $10K system.

Minor annoyance: mute does not mute subwoofer.

I bought this knowing that I would not get true 5.1 surround and it didn't matter. I was sick and tired of turning to my wife, or having her turn to me, and say "what did they say?". I also wanted something that would create a wider sound field. Since getting this earlier this week we have been thoroughly impressed. Last night we were watching Pan's Labyrinth and during one scene before they show it raining outside my wife turned to me and said is it raining outside? This system also works incredibly well for music. I plugged in my Ipod and must have listened to it for 4 hours. Great clarity, good bass, and all in all a good experience considering it's coming from one box.

There is one con I can think of but I think I would find that with any soundbar system. First, since the 550 is under the TV, you can not move it around. Why would you? Well, as many of you have experienced before, bass goes in waves and I find that my sofa is located right in the low bass wave. (I'm sure there is a technical term but let's go with wave) If I move the couch back 2 feet the base is awesome. About 2.5 feet forward and it's great as well. My only issue is that I can't do it in a small room. My solution to this is going to be buying a subwoofer that I can place where I want. In the meantime, I'll move the sofa back to watch a movie. Another issue I see many people listing as a con is the lack of a readout telling you where the bass, treble, and phasecue are. Eh, it doesn't bother me at all. I know that on most movies I go all the way up and drop it two for the phase cue, 1 bass, and 2 treble. TV is the same and music I drop the phasecue by 2 or 3. It's really really simple to do. Another issue I have is dealing with a wall missing on my left side. Sometimes while playing music it is pretty obvious but it hasn't been that obvious during movies. The wall issue would be an issue with any soundbar so I can't fault the 550 for that.

My only suggestion to ZVOX is to make a subwoofer that people can buy. If ZVOX made one I would buy it from them before looking at Polk or the others here on Amazon. Many won't need it but the few like me that find the base lacking due to sitting location would love one.

What we gained in resolution when we got our 46-inch Sony Z model, we lost in aural clarity when we shed our 32-inch ProScan with external-speaker capability. Our TV room is 12 x 13, and I didn't want to run wire for a home-theater set-up. I happened across a review of the ZVOX 550 in an audiophile mag. That, together with other, expert reviews and user reviews, led us to purchase the 550 in December. Amazon and UPS got it to us in five days. Set-up took 20 minutes, including centering everything on the component cabinet. And the sound? We can't stop smiling! Broadcast, cable, CD, DVD, Blu-Ray--news, sports, music, movies--it's excellent. Most important, dialog is clear, even the quiet stuff, and we don't have to crank it up. (We're both over age 55; any day with an absence of closed captioning is a good day.) Who says analog is "old school?" If your situation is like ours, then consider the ZVOX 550. Thanks, ZVOX!

I auditioned a number of home theater soundbars in the $400 -$500 range [to purchase as
a Christmas gift for my in-laws] and came away disappointed in their sound quality as well as their visual presentation. I discovered ZVOX [doing a soundbar search on Amazon] and visited the ZVOX website to learn more about their product. I was very impressed about their approach to product design and focusing on what really matters: sound quality. The 30 day trial and free shipping offer sealed the deal.

I was impressed with the overall sound quality, clarity, sound stage presentation and power of the ZVOX 550. Voice and music was very natural and the Phase Cue feature worked as advertised. Set up was incredibly simple and easy.

Build quality of the unit was outstanding and visually it had the look associated with a fine musical instrument [grand piano] or high end audio equipment. A surprise was the quality and amount of bass the unit could produce. It wasn't until I turned the bass control to its maximim that it started to get boomy.

The one thing I would like to see in the unit is a visual indication of the volume setting. Instead of just having the LED indicator on the front of the unit that indicates either "Power On" or "Standby", a small digital
readout showing the volume setting would be appreciated.