Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 2.1 Speaker System with Subwoofer
by Logitech
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 2.1 Speaker System with Subwoofer
Customer Review: Returned my new Bose Companion 3 system to get this instead...
Summary: 5 Stars
I spent several days going through reviews, home audio sites, looking at the huge back and forth swing regarding the quality of the Bose Companion 3 system, reading posts from all the Bose bashers, and the people who liked them. I'm not a Bose basher, and having heard some other bose systems in the past that did decent sound, I was really wanting to like their system. I mean, I *really* wanted to like them. I'm needed speakers for my media center PC, and having just replaced a larger pc unit with the tiny Dell Hybrid, I wanted to also get some smaller form factor speakers. I really liked the small size, so unobtrusive, and the Bose would've worked so well where the LCD TV is across the room from the couch.
I was looking to replace an older Logitech 5.1 system, which currently only has the front left and right plugged in due to not having a good layout in the great room at my new house for rear channels. They worked well and had good sound, but I was looking for a little more punch across the board with a little better clarity for highs and mids than they could do since I listen to a lot of music on this system.
I opened the Bose and unpacked, laid everything out right as my current system was, and had both systems plugged in and running, so I could just unplug the 1/8" jack from the rear of the media center PC and swap between the two of them at will to hear the difference.
Since the 80's I have used the same two songs as my "reference" sound checks. "Take Me Home" from the Phil Collins 12 inchers album since it has a good variety of percussion, highs and lows, good bass punches, and cymbals and such. It gets very good high and low frequencies right in the intro. I also use a german recording of Mozart's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 23 in A Major.
I heard the immediate difference in both. As so many others have reported, there's an unmistakable tinny, hollow sound from the Bose. And I half expected it just from the small speakers, because they just can't move as much air as something with more area. But the startling difference between my lobotomized 5.1 system only running 2 channels, and these Bose, was hugely disappointing.
And I did go through my HD audio card and worked with presets, but the fact that the other speakers worked so well with the settings I had, and other ones I tried worked well, it just seemed like too much work to have to go through to force a "slightly more expensive than comparable" set of speakers to sound as good as "inferior" ones.
And no matter what tweaking or sound settings I did, there was no mistaking the fact that they just did not sound good.
So I returned them and replaced them with the Logitech Z-2300 set since that had good reviews. And I did the same thing with my old logitech set and the new one that I did with the Bose. Set both up identically, in the same locations, and swapped the plug between them as I played the same songs. And I heard an immediate difference between the old and new ones that was even more startling than the difference between the old ones I had been using and the Bose. I really wish I had the Bose and the Z-2300's both plugged in to do side by side comparisons because it would have made the new ones sound even MORE incredible.
I live in a house with some space around me so I don't have a fear of neighbors complaining to me, but I still don't pound out the volume. Sometimes I will turn it up and enjoy something, but for the most part I'm listening to low to mid level volume settings, whether TV, DVD, or music. And these 2300's perform incredibly well for all of them, where the Bose just did not compare at all.
I tried, I really did, I ignored most of the posts on the audio video forums that told me not to get the Bose, because I really wanted them to work for me due to the form factor. But I wish I had followed the advice all these audiophiles were offering and saved myself a few days of wasted research and the purchase of two different speaker sets, and just bought the Logitech 2300's right off the bat..
Customer Review: Best speakers for the price
Summary: 5 Stars
For reference, I will compare these with Bose Companion 3 and Klipsch ProMedia, all of which I have owned or currently own
AMAZING bass. Just amazing. It doesn't annoyingly pop the way the ProMedia does and is just as powerful, and just blows the Companion 3 out of the water in power. The lows aren't quite as full as with the Companion 3, but who cares about that when each beat makes your house shake? Definitely a great fit if you like watching movies on your computer, you'll feel the explosions more than Bruce Willis when you're watching Die Hard.
Highs are very good. Not quite as good as neither the ProMedia or Companion 3, but unless you're listening to classical music it wont particularly matter too much, it's not a huge difference. With some tweaking on your sound card you'll get great clarity on the highs, and that'll make the difference very minimal.
Mids take lots of tweaking, but after messing with your sound card they can get perfect. This is where you see the difference between these and the ProMedia, I'd say the ProMedia has bad mids if it had any. Compared to the Companion 3, mids aren't nearly as full out of the box. Companion 3 are also about $150 more, so if you have a good sound card and don't mind spending some time messing with your sound card the savings are definitely worth it.
Also, they're loud. Very loud. Like your neighbors will hate you loud. I never went over half volume, and I listen to music extremely loud. I've put my Companion 3 to full volume before, never dared to do it with these out of fear that my ears would explode.
Like the ProMedia, these are a slightly more movie oriented set of speakers. If you're an audiophile and want TOP music quality (like you own 4 sets of headphones just because they have different strengths for different kinds of music, and you've tried all the best computer speakers minus the Creative T4, and have about 80GB of music in lossless formats plus about 100GB in 320kb/s mp3's...like me), I'd put down the extra money for the Companion 3. Or look for a good deal on the Companion 3 like I did for both my sets of them :). Otherwise, it's probably a waste of money to get anything more expensive than these. If you're looking at the ProMedia, stop. These will outperform them in every way (except highs, but not in a noticeable way).
Now that sound quality is covered, here's some things I liked/didn't like about the design:
The control pod is great. It doesn't look as nice as the Companion 3 pod, but is definitely more functional. Volume and bass control is extremely useful, especially if you live in an apartment and have an odd sleep schedule. Unlike most computer speakers that have bass controls on the back of the subwoofer, this one has it on the pod. HUGE thumbs up on that. You may notice I didn't mention the ProMedia control pod...er, there isn't one. But to be fair, the ProMedia does have the bass control on one of the satellite speakers, so my criticism on it falters...oh well. The point is, control pods look cool and you want one!
The satellite speakers are big. Not quite as big as the ProMedia satellites, but still huge compared to anything else. Make sure you clear space on your desk
Big con for me, just because of durability...the audio cable is internal. You can't just grab your own audio cable and plug it in. If this one breaks, oops, you need a new woofer. Also, you cant have an awesome setup like I do with my Companion 3 in my room, with a 25ft audio cable that reaches my bed. Although you could just get an extension cable. I don't like it though, modular is always better in my opinion. Cable breaks, get new cable, you're good. But that's just me.
Subwoofer looks impressive. Unlike the incredibly compact Companion 3 woofer, this one is approximately the size of a small house. It looks very imposing. And it makes a great footrest!
In conclusion...highly recommended for anyone with any kind of budget. Best bang for your buck you'll find. And you can make it just as good as anything more expensive if you have a decent sound card.
Customer Review: Add Some Life To Your Smaller Flat Screen TV
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently bought 2 smaller flat screened LED LCD Tv's. One is a 19 inch FAVI, one is a 22 inch LG. I had my fingers crossed that the speakers that came with the TV would be adequate, since I was only intending to use these tvs in my bedroom and kitchen, not as main viewing, gaming, or DVD movie watching. This was not the case, not even with the larger, more expensive LG.
So I looked for a relatively cheap alternative to the normal TV audio hookup which would have required buying a receiver, bookshelf speakers, speaker wiring etc. After researching the internet I found this 2.1 speaker system. It is surprising to me that the vendors do not advertise that these "PC, gaming" speakers are also a great alternative to your small tv listening pleasure. They work wonders and don't cost nearly as much as separate components would.
Hooking up to the TV is as simple as plugging the standard 3.5mm. wired jack which is attached to the logitech remote into the headphone "out" jack on the TV. I am sure most small flat panel TVs have one. But check before you buy. The other connections between the speakers and subwoofer are simple and instructions are easy to follow. The logitech remote has controls for volume, bass volume, and off/on. Plus, once you have everything set up the way you like, you should still be able to adjust the volume through the TV remote (my preference).
What about the sound you ask? For my purposes (see paragraph 1), this system was a great alternative. The subwoofer is big and strong and seems to be well balanced. If it gets too boomy you simply adjust the bass volume on the handy wired remote. Remember, when connecting to a tv, you should have two levels of adjustment at your disposal. The first level is through the tv bass/treble controls. The second level is through this system itself using the remote. Between the two you should be able to find a nice balance between bass and treble that is satisfying to your ears. It is not that complicated. Really. Since hooking this up to my LG, the sound has been quite full bodied, volume level is much louder if I choose to raise it, the subwoofer compliments the speakers nicely (just be sure to adjust the bass volume to taste.)
I like the look of the speakers with the two-toned black and silver colors. Looks sleek and modern. The speakers look and feel like they are durable. The subwoofer is substantial, sort of heavy and has limited connection options... It is really designed to be linked to these speakers. The dimension of the subwoofer is 11 in. X 11 in. X 15 in. (H X W X D).
On a side note, the wired remote has a rather bright blue light on it when turned on. I kind of like it, makes a nice blue nightlight. But there are easy options if you do not care for it. Simply press the off button and off goes the light. Or keep the system turned on but place a piece of black electrical tape over the blue light. Problem solved.
To sum up, this 2.1 speaker system saved my new LG 22 inch flat panel tv from being an audio annoyance. It sounds great now, I have no problem hearing dialect, if I turn on a music channel it sounds pretty damn sweet, and it gets plenty loud enough for my purposes. Unfortunately I missed the Thanksgiving Day price of $79. I hadn't done enough research to go for it that day. A few days later it had raised to the current price of about $115. It is too bad I missed the really good price, but I guess it was not meant to be. So now might be a good time to get it before it goes up anymore. Plus, I read somewhere that Logitech is phasing this unit out, but the replacement unit has less wattage and a smaller subwoofer than this one has. Strange, you would think they would add to it instead of taking away from it, but who am I to decide these things. I say get this one while they last.
Customer Review: excellent power and dynamic range
Summary: 5 Stars
I've tested a number of speakers for there different areas: Living Room, Office, and my Desk at Home.
After trying (and returning a number of well reviewed choices) I settled on the following:
Living Room - Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System
This system had the best overall power of everything I tried. Everything else sounds good when you're close enough to the speakers, but as you move away it gets pretty weak. For the living room you definitely need a 2.1 system. Even the M-Audio StudioPro 3 Desktop Audio Monitors, which seem the be the best of the 2 speaker systems couldn't handle a real room. As mentioned in a number of other reviews, the subwoofer unit is larger than others out there. I expect that's part of the reason these have good power. Make sure you've got a good place to hide it. Sound is very good comparatively. Nothing is going to sound like a real 200w component stereo, but this comes pretty close. I find that the imaging, or perceptual soundstage is a little lacking, not as clearly defined as with the JBL Creature II 3-Piece Powered Speaker System or the M-Audio Studio 3. This got better when I added 6' RCA cable extenders to the satellite speaker wires which allowed me to separate the satellites a bit. But still not great. The volume knob thing is nice, and it's nice to have both volume and bass adjustment handy. I guess you could have easily put the controls on one of the satellites like everyone else though. The headphone jack on the volume control seems pointless to me, but maybe you'll like it. What I wish was that you could have an aux input on the volume thing to plug in your ipod or something else.
Office - JBL Creature II 3-Piece Powered Speaker System
These 2.1 speakers don't have the total power of the Logitech Z-2300, but they have much clearer and better imaging. Since my office is smaller than my living room, and shares a wall with someone, I don't need as much power. These were perfect. The high end is crisp, and the subwoofer clean. The volume control on the satellites is handy, but the bass adjustment is on the subwoofer. I thought this would be an issue, but you actually kind of set it and monkey with it a bit in the beginning, and then leave it alone. The satellites are much smaller than the Logitech and less cheesy looking, which makes them nicer on your desk. I have to say again how killer the sound is. Imaging is great, and it's crazy how they manage to do it with those tiny satellites.
Desk at Home - M-Audio StudioPro 3 Desktop Audio Monitors
These simply have the best sound and imaging of everything I tried except the higher end M-Audio reference speakers. No MP3 is going to sound ever as good as a CD through a component stereo(or an LP, but don't get me started). But I am amazed at the quality of these speakers. They wouldn;t have the power to fill a living room, or even an office. By the time you're 6'-8' away from them, the imaging settles out a bit. But for your desk or as satellite speakers for a TV that didn't come with great ones already, they are perfect. They are a little bigger than many desktop speakers overall, but since many desktop speakers are oddly shaped with leaning towers and wide stands, they actually don;t take up as much more footprint comparatively. The volume and headphone jack and aux in are all on one of the speakers, very handy for access and for plugging in your iPod at your desk. I tried several of the higher end M-Audio speakers, and while I found them to be even better with more power and clarity, it just wasn't enough better to justify the additional size and expense.
There you have it. Enjoy
Michael Peachey
Customer Review: Very good sound, but cheap and low quality product
Summary: 2 Stars
I was very excited to finally own the Z-2300 system, which seems to be far and away the best reviewed set of 2.1 computer speakers still available. I guess having such high expectations can't ever be a good thing when it comes to home audio. These speakers sound very good overall, with solid bass and pretty good midrange and highs. The low end was not nearly as impressive as many reviewers claim though. I guess if you are sitting 2 feet away from the sub at a computer desk, then the bass would probably sound more consuming. In my living room the Logitech 8" sub sounded less impressive than a 10 year old Boston Acoustics 7" subwoofer, even when cornered. The 2 small speakers are also very directional and they are angled upwards, which makes placement anywhere but on a low computer desk kind of difficult. I compared this Z-2300 system directly to the old Bose Companion 3 series 1 set I have had in my living room for years......and the Bose won in every aspect. The Bose sounded richer and fuller with music than the Logitech, and on movies had crisper dialogue and highs. The Logitech can get very loud without much distortion, as can the Bose, but I would never use either anywhere near their maximum outputs. The Logitech was a strong performer for music and movies, but I still cannot believe cnet and others rate these speakers as highly as they do. If you can get them for one hundred bucks or under, they are a solid deal. At more than that, you could probably get some great used home audio components that sound much better.
The overall quality of this product was the reason I returned the Logitech Z-2300 set after just a day of use. The subwoofer enclosure was covered in some sort of sticky substance right out of the plastic wrap and packaging from Logitech. It was stained on all the black panels and looks terrible. Trying to remove it only made the discoloration worse. Clearly just a defect from the Logitech packaging or manufacturing process. Next, all the components have a cheap plastic feel, almost like a really cheap home theater in a box system does. The sub is weighty, but enclosure feels junky and does not have a nice finish by any means. Secondly, the sub periodically cut out and shut off by itself during light use. It was not pushed at all or cranked up, and suddenly would shut off or would not turn back on right away. I unplugged and plugged back in and tried again. The fuses seemed fine as well, but the bass unit would either not readily turn back on or would shut off during light use again and again. After this occurred 3-4 times, I knew it was going back to Amazon. I considered a replacement, but the quality of this product is just not at the level I need for it to be used as a small home theater setup in my living room. The original Bose companion 3 setup I have had for over 5 years is still working great, so I guess I should not have messed with a great thing. The Logitech speakers are very good sounding speakers at a decent price point, but low quality components and build quality were the main downfall for me. I would love to see a newer version of this set (Z-2400 ?) in the near future with better build quality, better 2 way speakers, longer speaker cords, and an updated subwoofer. Then I might consider taking another chance on this set. By the way, I have a set of Logitech Z-523 speakers in my office hooked up to my computer and really enjoy them. They have proved much more reliable thus far than the Z-2300 set did and are a great value at under sixty dollars shipped.