Product ReviewsLogitech Z5500 Computer Speakers

Wow!

This system will shake the pictures off the wall of an average room. The surround is crisp and distinct. I recommend using the optical input otherwise you will have a bunch of wires running to the control. Seemed a little strange that the audio inputs are on the control head instead of the sub woofer. I seems to be very well built and the satellite speakers are small and unobtrusive. I have had several Creative Labs systems and each one has over heated while idle. The last one nearly burned my house down. The Creative labs systems produced good sound when they worked but compared to this Logitech system they are severely outclassed.

I was so happy with my purchase of the Logitech system that I bought a second set for the other room. You can't go wrong with these! Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: 4surpluscity

This item is repaired, the speaker screw...

This item is repaired, the speaker screws are sealed, and the control screen does not turn on, the light is dark so you cannot see when you need to change the sound mode.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: zancomsystems

Big sound! Big Base!

If you care about your sound quality, the richness of the deeps and the pureness of the highs and the fullness of the mids then this is the system you want! Retail it is about $420.00 US. For the money it may sound a bit much, but the sound quality is very near to BOSE quality and the functionality is very logical and simple! Once the cables are connected from the subwoofer to the satellites you can easily connect your audio source to the included digital control modual complete with IR remote and batteries included! There is a jack for an optical digital in and a coaxial RCA digital in. There are three phone jacks with included cables to connect to your 6 channel sound card. You can also connect 1-3 channel audio sources. There is a headphone jack and an auxilary jack for an iPod or other portable device. The control modual is used for volume both overall and individual speaker balancing as well as switching inputs.

This thing has serious power. 505 watts! No wonder considering the size of the subwoofer! The subwoofer will shake your house guaranteed! It is very large for a computer system.The subwoofer is about 15"x16"x20". It is large! If you want a smaller system and can sacrifice a bit of power I would go with a Creative product or on of Logitech's "lesser" models. This thing may be too much for some people. If you can afford it I would ultimately recomend a BOSE system because they tend to be slightly smaller and they have great computer speakers. But if you are slightly less into spending the money but what serious power with awesome quality go for this system.

My complaint: the base is huge for a computer system, and there are no stands for the rear speakers. You have to either mount them on a wall with the attached small desktop stand or place them on a shelf that is behind you.

Drivers:
-Satellites: 3” polished aluminum phase plug drivers
-Subwoofer: 10” high-excursion ported driver with 6th order bass reflex enclosure
-Surround sound effects
Hardware decoding:
-Dolby® Digital, DTS®, and DTS®, 96/24 soundtracks
-Dolby Pro Logic II (Movie and Music modes)
-6 Channel Direct
-Stereo x2
-Stereo
Supported digital formats:
-Dolby Digital
-DTS and DTS 96/24
-PCM (uncompressed stereo): 44.1 kHz / 16 bit through 96 kHz / 24 bit
-Source Inputs:
-Digital optical for DVD or CD players, PlayStation®2, Xbox®**
-Digital coaxial for DVD or CD players or PC sound cards (requires coaxial cable, sold separately)
-6 channel direct (3 stereo-mini connectors) for 2, 4, or 6 channel PC sound cards OR
-6 channel direct (3 stereo-mini connectors) for 3 stereo analog mini audio sources, like CD and DVD players, Playstation 2, Xbox, or 2 channel PC sound cards (somedevices may require stereo mini to dual RCA adapter, sold separately)
-Analog stereo-mini (on side panel of control center) for portable CD, MP3,or ---MiniDisc® players

Total FTC power: 505 watts RMS
Sub-woofer: 188 watts RMS (into 8 ohms, @ 100Hz, @ 10% THD)
Satellites:
Left/Right: 62 watts RMS x 2 (into 8 ohms, @ 1khz, @ 10% THD)
Center: 69 watts RMS (into 8 ohms, @ 1kHz, @ 10% THD)
Rear Left & Right: 62 watts RMS x 2 (into 8 ohms, @ 1kHz, @ 10% THD)
Total Peak power: 1010 watts
Maximum SPL: 115 dB
Frequency response: 33 Hz — 20 kHz
Amplifier: Ultra-linear, high-capacity analog
Signal to noise ratio: 93.5 dB, typical 100
Input impedance: 8,000 ohms
Compatibility:
PC/Mac
CD
MP3
DVD
PlayStation®
XboxRead full review...

I love them but am not in love with Logitech

I have actually owned these speakers and really love them. I orginally replaced a 5.1 set of Klips that I could not get working with my sound card. The items were packed well easy to set up and look good. I would have rated them a 5 star item except for one flaw. The controller box which seems to be a problem with this system. Also that logitech does not sell replacement parts for their products just cover warrentried items. There are other ways around the control box a few on Ebay and other software. I think just because of their no replacement item policy I will look at another brand when I finally shop for a 7.1 system just because of that.Read full review...

High quality! great system! loud and with good quality!

Yea, this is a great speaker system, goes very very loud, and still I never got to peak it, the Bass is very deep, and works perfectly at those intense moments. I use this for movies, Games, and Computer. with a high quality set up, everything just works very well, nothing can compare! good mount, the wires could be longer for the rear speakers, but that is it. everything works great! I reccommend this buy to anyone, but not for a small room, this gets very loud, and you do not know until it comes to you!Read full review...

Some things to love, some things to hate...

The Z-5500 was critically acclaimed upon its release - but I think they have more to do with the fact that the Z-5500 offered very good features (tons of inputs, Dolby/DTS decoding, etc.) relative to its price. Its sound quality, for anyone who's actually heard good audio, leaves a lot to be desired.

Acoustically, the Z-5500 does offer a very even frequency response, as evident by measurements shown in multiple professional reviews - however, something about it just sounds "off". The treble lacks resolution and spark, the mid-range is slightly nasally & lethargic, the bass has the tendency to be loose.

Originally I had faulted the driver units for these flaws - I never understood why Logitech insists on sticking with the phase plug design for their high-end speakers instead of going with a true 2-way design. If you read discussions on hi-fi forums, you will see this as one of the main reasons people speculate as to the poor sound quality of the set.

But as it turns out... the main acoustic issue of the Z-5500 lies not in the speakers themselves, but the electronics. Namely, Logitech used some cheap components that's really bad for signal processing. Don't believe me? Hook up the Z-5500 satellites to a dedicated A/V receiver and hear for yourself - I can guarantee you all the missing details in the treble will come out, and the midrange will suddenly sound full-bodied and energetic.

Fortunately, for those who are willing to dedicate the time, there's a way to upgrade the internal electronics and make the Z-5500 perform like a decent hi-fi system (Look up "Almi's Logitech Z-5500 Mod" on Head-Fi).

For those who are not willing to perform such extensive modifications, there are still a few general tips I can share:

1) Remove the speaker grills - I find the treble response to be rather temperamental on Logitech's phase plug driver design, and the speaker grills do actually have a notable effect on the sound in this case.

2) Point the satellites directly toward you - The phase plug drivers appear to be highly directional; treble response in particular takes a huge hit if the satellites are pointed even 10 degrees away from you (the 2-way Altec Lansing ADA995 I have, on the other hand, are not nearly this drastic).

Lastly, I would like to dispel some popular myths surrounding the Z-5500:

-The rated 10%THD is atrocious!
There are people who claim they can "hear" the 10% THD, which is a downright laughable assertion. Regardless, the 10% THD is from the integrated amplifier (not the speakers themselves), when it is operating at MAXIMUM output (trust me, you'll never have the speakers turned up that loud). During normal operations, the THD value is much, much lower. The reason Logitech chose to list the THD at 10% is so they can claim the 505W output figure.

-These speakers lack treble/midrange!
The treble is slightly lacking; there is a rolloff above 16KHz. But as aforementioned, I think the issue is more in the signal pathway than the drivers themselves - it's not so much that the treble isn't present, but the definition is so poor that it feels hazy and indistinct. Driven by a capable amp, the satellites actually have quite a bit of sparkle. The midrange on the other hand is not lacking at all - I think people who say this don't understand what frequency range qualifies as "midrange". If anything the Z-5500 sounds slightly warm, with a mild peak in the 2-3K range. But overall the satellites' response curve is quite linear.

-The 200Hz crossover is terrible!
Actually, the crossover is around 120Hz, which isn't that bad for multimedia speakers. Personally I haven't noticed any directional issue with the subwoofer under normal usage - the only time I notice any directionality is if the subwoofer module is placed really close to me, or if I am sitting directly in front of the forward-firing driver. Placing it off to the side and at least 3 feet away and you shouldn't notice anything.

-You get much better sound with an A/V receiver + bookshelf speakers!
Can't argue with that, but at what cost? Even a "budget" surround sound receiver easily costs $200, and decent book shelf speakers around $50 a pop. That's $450 without even accounting for the subwoofer, which will easily set you back another $150-$200 (given that most A/V receivers only offer pre-amp subwoofer output, you will need an self-powered sub). That's a $600 minimum VS the $300 retail price of the Z-5500. All-in-one home theater packages won't necessarily sound better, and they won't be suitable for computer usage anyway (most of them lack 6-channel analog inputs, which forces you to use compressed Dolby or DTS signal via coax or optical, and that means lossy sound quality)

Considering its available features and the output power, the Z-5500 actually offers a lot for its price. And for those willing to put in the effort, the sound quality can be vastly improved.Read full review...

Verified purchase: No

overall disappointing sound. good bass and loud, but cheap sounding

I bought this system to replace a dead Gigaworks 7.1 surround sound system for my new gaming PC. It has a Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Champion card in it. I still have my old rig which has a Sound-Blaster Audigy 2 ZS I tried this speaker system with both computers and got the same result.

I tried all the connection types from each PC to the control panel with this set- direct connect, s/pdif coax, and optical. While there were differences, no amount of tone control or equalizer adjustment could help make it sound good.

To sum up this system, it has good bass- strong and punchy without being muddy. The rest of the speakers sound exactly like what they are- small speakers in plastic enclosures. The sound is cheap. At anything but low volume the enclosures resonate. There seems to be a notch of the audio range missing between the sub's bass and what the other speakers are reproducing. Music is almost unlistenable at any but the lowest volume.

All the reviews of this Z5500 system I read were positive with the only pan being the bass could be overpowering. I didn't find any real problem with the bass. The software that came with my sound card can adjust cutoff frequency and a bit of tweaking made it OK.

After hearing this set I wondered what what the reviewers who praised this system were listening to. I doubt they had any listening experience other than ear-buds, mediocre car audio, or boom-boxes prior to hearing this set. I have always had high quality audio systems for the past 40 plus years and this ain't that!

The only good things I can say about this are the bass, the control panel, and the nicely arranged, easy to use remote. The control panel is nicely laid out. The display is easy to read. It accepts 3 different selectable input sources- digital coax S/PDIF, digital optical, and analog direct with the orange, green, and black connectored cable. I have both my new gaming PC and my retired but still being used PC connected to it. I switch inputs to select which PC audio I hear. The one concern is I read a lot of complaints about the control panel failing after a short time.

To improve the sound I replaced all the surround speakers with larger ones, vintage bookshelf sized Kenwoods, K&Ns, and an Onkyo center. It made a stunning difference in the sound quality which proves the amps are good- just the speakers themselves are lacking. Still, for the money this set cost I should not have had to replace them. My old 7.1 Gigaworks system was great sounding with similar sized speakers.

I cannot recommend this system in good faith to anybody who cares about sound QUALITY. Loud does not equate to good sound as many seem to think just like putting a loud muffler on a car does not turn it into a racer. I wish I knew of something else I could recommend instead that is for computer, but there isn't much available. I looked. It must be a small market because there are few 5.1/7.1 PC speaker systems out there. I think a modestly priced traditional home theater surround sound system would be preferable. There are a number of them priced about the same as this speaker set that include everything. With the right cables it would be simple enough to do.

I spent over $6,000.00 on my new gaming computer and wanted it to sound as good as it plays. Before it died I had a great sounding speaker set on my PC so I know it's possible. I use a lot of Logitech's other products and love them, but this set misses the mark.Read full review...

Subwoofer

The speaker in the assembly is in pristine condition. Even tho i javent tested the amp part. The speaker replaced my damaged speaker in my current z5500. It sounds like its brand new. Ps. I blew my previous speaker. Too much bass.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Sold by: 4surpluscity

Eccelent Quality, Near New Condition

I bought these as my center channel speakers and when they arrived there was only a few cosmetic defects like scratches on the back but not where it would show at all and the speakers seem to be in the shape of being barely used. They were beyond what I expected for used quality and there was very fast ship outside of my country. I would indeed recommend these as high quality satellite speakers that can cover a very nice range of frequencies. The size of each speaker is 3 inches and there is a port in the back to allow for better low frequency response as well as increase in sound.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: critical_hardware

Quality large speaker set, plenty of power! A++

This is a great speaker set, it can get fairly loud without any boost settings, and looks great. The bass is huge, it has been said it is as big as an ottoman, you should get the picture...
The smaller speakers are very heavy for their size, so they are harder to knock over and such, and the bass probably weighs 30-40lbs, which makes it something to move around...
The control pod it also nice and hefty, and is a little taller than the side and rear speakers. The buttons and adjuster is very nice on the control pod, it is pretty well laid out.
Has plenty of connection options, you can hook up your HDTV via the digital connection, thats a nice option.

I was a little disappointed at first at this system, as it didn't seem to be able to get "that much" louder than my previous G51 150w Logitech 5.1 system. I had them both connected to a great Asus Xonar sound card, and boosted everything and fine tuned it in the Xonar control panel in Windows. It just didn't get much louder at max volume than the G51, and I was especially disappointed at the subwoofer, it wasn't too much louder than the G51s, the G51s' sub can really be loud!
I finally figured out that it has some special boost settings built into the control pod!
There are two different boost settings, each go to 11, so put together you get a boost of 22db over the regular maximum volume. Each boost is a sound increase of 1db.
To get the first boost you keep turning the volume control knob, it takes about a half-turn then you see the screen display the boost numbers.
Once you have boosted that, you can further boost the system by holding the mute button and turning the volume knob about a half-turn, then you will see the other 11 boosts being added to the volume you had.
So you can use a little boost with the mute button all the time if you wanted, I find that useful if you are using a laptop or an CD player input where you don't have a control panel to boost the speakers, it keeps them as loud as if they were plugged into a professional PC setup...
There are some more interesting little features that the control pod has that you might not know about, just google it!
I'm really enjoying the speakers now, the little speakers are ear-splittingly impressive, they can get really really high pitched sounds very loud, and the bass is well matched to them.
The bass in my experienced cannot be boosted too far above the center, side, and surround speakers, so to get a lot of volume out of the bass everything has to be turned up a lot, and the little speakers are extremely loud.
Great system, it'll take a lot of beating, and has enough power with the boost for anybody that isn't totally deaf. It will shake your walls and play the tunes clearly while doing so.
The bass's cooling fins get really hot after being used for a while, be careful when turning it up a lot, I would probably put a fan on it to keep the heat off...
Great system, definitely recommend it to anybody that has room, wants clarity and power for about $200-$300.
I understand that the Z-2300s are basically the same system with the same bass(actually an 8" version of this bass, same wattage) so for about $150, that'd be a great system for a lot of power, and the bass would definitely be very powerful with the two little speakers.Read full review...

Logitech Z-5500

You have high definition video, with your big screen 1080p, why shouldn't you have high definition audio as well?! This is an excellent system that I would highly recommend for any media enthusiast! I use the optical connection for PS3 which sound great on this system. Every detail can be heard from different angles. Blu-ray sounds great, games sound amazing! I also use this system with my PC, bringing strong bass and great quality sound to mp3 files or PC games. This digital system is great and should not be passed up. Logitech makes great products, and this is no exception. You will not be disappointed.Read full review...