Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 2.1 Speaker System with Subwoofer
by Logitech
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List Price: Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 2.1 Speaker System with Subwoofer
Customer Review: Definitely read the 3 star reviews! Good, not great speakers
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm not an audiophile, musician or expert in any way. I just know what I like in terms of sound. While the Z-2300s are good speakers, they are waaay over hyped. Buyer beware.
Before purchasing these speakers I was using a cheap 29 watt Creative set that I have to admit gave glowing reviews to right here on Amazon. The reason for my high marks wasn't because the system was great, it was because they were a bargain at around [...] bucks. I had outgrown them (bigger place, now wanting to have real parties) and wanting something that both sounded good and could deliver higher volume.
The reason for the inflated reviews are probably because these are computer speakers and most common users are accustomed to their cheap [...] dollar sets (like my old Creatives) so these just blow them out of the water.
As others have mentioned, the mid-range is severely lacking. I didn't even know what the mid-range was until I researched these speakers (after purchasing them) trying to figure out why I didn't like what I was hearing. After I tweaked the iTunes equalizer to an arrow shape with high mids and lower bass and treble did the sound finally start to sound right for most songs.
But even with this fix, the speakers still have their issues.
One, it's almost impossible to take these to the highest volume without noticeable distortion. I think about 75% power is about their max. So I see this as more a 150watt set more than a 200. I'll just never use all that power because it just doesn't sound good. I want to stress that I did mess with the pre-amp and both the iTunes and computer volume settings. With both of those set at about mid-power the speakers still cracked at around 75% power.
Two, there is some low hiss on songs where there isn't a lot of music to fill the space - a vocal track for example. My connections are fine and I tested some of the highest quality tracks I had. This isn't horrible, but I found it annoying.
For this price range this probably a good deal. But please, don't listen to all the hype with these 5 star reviews. I honestly wished I'd paid more money for something better. It isn't that I think I got ripped off - I got what I paid for - it's that I was swayed by all these glowing reviews and I was expecting something that exceeded what was probably possible in this price range.
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Update: I've found with extended use that the very low hiss I described is only intermittent. It's possible that the speakers react to inside electrical wiring in the walls, but I can't tell. (This is not something I've encountered before with any speakers I've used.) I've moved the speakers several times and have not been able to detect a pattern. In any case, the hiss problem is not as bad as I thought it was. Your mileage may vary.
Customer Review: Extreme Value!
Summary: 4 Stars
The reason why I titled this review "Extreme Value" is because that is exactly what you get with this system.
I researched reviews, websites, etc. for months before I bought these speakers. I previously had a Memorex i pod dock (which was absolutely horrible by the way) that went out on me. So, I couldn't not listen to music in my home right? After reading all the reviews I would ever want to read and comparing prices and everything else under the sun, I came to the conclusion that these were going to be my best bet. Let me tell you, I was right on the money!
I will say that I was a little surprised at the sheer size of the things when they came in the mail. The fed ex shipment said that the box was about 36 lbs. So don't be surprised when you see how big the sub woofer is. I see that other people had mentioned this in their review as well.
The system is extremely easy to set up. Take everything out of the box, save the packaging (in my own opinion), plug the satellite speakers into the back of the woofer, plug the woofer in, and make sure your placement is to your fancy and hook the audio jack into your computer, ipod, game system, dvd player, or what have you...and voilaa! You have yourself one of the best sound systems you can get in the $100-$200 price range.
The sound can get absolutely loud (which is never a bad thing in my opinion). The sub woofer is everything that the reviews say it is...LOUD. I will admit, the mid range is lacking a little but if you are not much of an audiophile you probably won't even notice it. I am, and it's not annoying enough for me to return these or even noticeable enough in my opinion. I look forward to going home and turning on some relaxing music at night just to listen to these bad boys. It's one of those sounds where you feel like your listening to your music all over again.
I don't really have any gripes about these speakers honestly. Except for the extremely large size of the woofer, non-adjustable satellites (they are upward firing), and the small lack in the mid range department, I don't see much that I don't like about these speakers. What I do like is the removable dust covers, ease of set up, extremely loud and clear sound, tight and thumping bass, and design.
If you are looking for speakers that won't break the bank, I would seriously consider buying these. These are the ones for you. I would also like to note, HP direct is selling these for $135 with free shipping. They arrived at my house within 3 days. The lowest you can get from Amazon is $149 with free shipping (ships within 1-2 months which stinks). HP has amazing service as does amazon, but, for once (and it doesn't happen very often) I found the price cheaper elsewhere.
Customer Review: From someone who rarely writes reviews...
Summary: 5 Stars
...I feel compelled to write one about this product. I've been looking to replace my wimpy 5.1 surround system that I bought a few years ago, but was reluctant because I didn't want to shell out $300+ dollars for a Bose or comparable system, but didn't want to get another cheap set of speakers to replace my old cheap set of speakers. When the price on these dropped to seventy bucks, I figured there's not too much to lose if they didn't impress me, so I bought them. First off, the price on these does not in any way reflect the quality of the product shipped. In the box, they feel heavy (which is mostly a good thing when it comes to home electronics). Out of the box, they still feel heavy, but look substantial yet understated. The Subwoofer is roughly twice the size of my old one, and takes up a good bit of space under my desk. The sound quality is comparable to most $300+ 2.1 systems I've heard, and the volume blows all of them out of the water. I've yet to turn it up past about 60% for fear that the neighbors will complain. The wired remote volume nob is very handy, as I keep my speakers floating shelves above my desk, which is quite large, and hate having to reach up to them to adjust the volume. So here's the breakdown:
PRO'S:
-Smart, sleak and stylish looking. Looks great if you (like me) have a chrome or metal theme to your workspace.
-Very easy to set up. Involves about four wire hook-ups, and no driver installation, download, or anything. I've yet to change my sound settings in windows, and they still sound great.
-Great fidelity. Haven't picked up a buzz, hiss, or otherwise.
-INSANE VOLUME. Be careful. These are 200 Watts. As a point of reference, most medium-size guitar or bass amps push out between 50 and 100 watts. Those are the big black felt covered things you see guys in bands mic'ing. These literally shake the room.
-Price is equally insane. They must be trying to clear out last year's model for the new one. I'd pay three hundred for these, and not feel like I was being ripped off.
-Sturdily built. There's not a part of them that feels or looks cheap.
-THX sound produces an effect that, while not entirely surround, delivers a pretty convincing theater-like experience. What it lacks in rear and center channel speakers it makes up for in room-filling sound volume.
CONS:
-Not wireless. I don't feel ripped off.
-Large footprint on Subwoofer/Woofer unit. I still don't feel ripped off.
-Possible lower back strain for UPS delivery guy. Sorry.
-At this price, won't be around for very long.
Customer Review: Deserving of their praise
Summary: 5 Stars
I went through some horror with the Logitech Z523 speakers. I originally wanted these but they seemed like overkill so I opted for the other set. After 2 sets of the z523's failed I bit the bullet and got these. These are AMAZING speakers for the price. Of course they are not studio monitors or an elaborate set-up. But the cost of that, not to mention the room it takes up, is not ideal for most people, me included.
The satellites are 3"w x 6.5"t x 5"d. The reason the depth is so long is that they have a slight angle to them so they point upward and fill the room nicely. The grill covers come off if you want. The subwoofer for this thing is HUGE. It measures 11h x 11w x 15d - no i'm not exaggerating. The depth is FIFTEEN inches. A few of those inches are a giant heatsink to help keep things cool. Look at the customer pictures for reference to the size of this. I had to shuffle some stuff under my desk for it to fit. There is a master power switch on the back of the subwoofer, and the controller knob thing is plugged into the sub and the back of the computer and is the bass/power/volume adjustment.
The sound is quite pleasing. I find it to be really great whether listening to music or watching a movie. I have listened to just about any kind of music you can think of and they are equal to the task no matter what. I've also watched several movies or tv shows and they handle that just fine too. When I put the bass to about a quarter of its power my desk vibrates. The volume will make things vibrate when I put that up maybe a third of the way. Make no mistake - these puppies are LOUD. As far as audiophiles and speaker geeks are concerned they would probably carry on about the 'lack of mids' or 'overpowering bass'. To me the mids seem to be just fine, and the bass can be adjusted to your liking.
Do these sound like a $20k sound system? Of course they don't. But for a little over a hundred bucks these are phenomenal. Just make sure you have room for the subwoofer.
I debated between getting these and the 'updated' version - z623's. I picked these based on the strength of the reviews and the fact that these were first made in 2003. Here we are 7 years later and they are still receiving rave reviews. That was the deciding point for me. I have read that the z623's claim to be the same specs but that they don't perform as well as these. I also read that the subwoofer box for the z623's is smaller than this one. So if space is a big concern maybe they would be a better choice. But also keep in mind that the z-2300's have been discontinued and been replaced with z623's. If you want the z-2300's get them NOW. Soon they will be gone for good.
Customer Review: Best sound out there from a 2.1 - Awesome!
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, regardless of brand I would only look for speakers with THX certification - pass on everything else. You'll eliminate a large majority of the market (the mediocre performers you wouldn't be happy with anyway) and make your decision process easier. All speakers I reference below are THX certified.
I purchased this Logitech for the laptop in my bedroom and have compared it to its competitor, a 200 watt 2.1 Klipsch from 2008 and three of its big brothers in the Logitech family, the 400 watt Z-560 from 2001, the 280 watt Z-5300 from 2005 and the 505 watt Z-5500 from 2010.
My 1st THX certified speakers, the 400 watt Logitech Z-560 4.1 is over 10 years old and continues to be my primary system as of this review - you can read my 5 star review on them. In 2005 I purchased the 280 watt Z-5300 5.1 surround sound for my sister and she still thanks me for them today. Then in 2008 I bought a 200 watt Klipsch 2.1 system for a friend who had no music and no working speakers. I was introducing her to my music and wanted to pair it with quality sounding speakers. Much of my music has deep bass so I look for speakers to handle the lows equally as well as they can handle the highs. Knowing the reputation of the Klipsch name I wanted to give them a try but they came up short on the bass end. They distorted at volumes that the Logitech's thumped right through. At volumes that I feel a subwoofer should handle.
My most recent purchase, the Logitech Z-2300, is for use with my laptop in the master bedroom and wow! It gets 5 stars. I use it for movie watching and music listening - finding myself retiring to the room much earlier each evening not to sleep but to enjoy movies or music in the comfort of bed.
In all my systems, I use MusicMatch Jukebox player with DFX plugin for the equalizer. For those of you asking about the mid range on these speakers, you're absolutely right they come up short. With the equalizer though, the results are stunning.
UPDATE 2010; No thanks to Yahoo, I was forced to retire the now defunct MusicMatch Jukebox and replaced it with MediaMonkey and another DFX plugin. All speaker systems from 2001 to date are still performing well except the Z-5300 which started blowing fuses last month. It was already 5 yrs old and out of warranty but Logitech offered me 50% off any system of my choice as replacement. I was pleasantly shocked since I was only asking if I was using the correct fuse. Logitech shipped me a brand new 505 watt 5.1 surround sound Z-5500 at 50% off with free shipping. Another winner from Logitech...Outstanding poduct backed with fantastic service and support!