Friday, June 10, 2005
Logitech's Z-2300 Speakers: Decent Sound on a Budget
Posted by Jason Dunn in "HARDWARE" @ 09:00 AM
Reviewing a set of speakers is a difficult task because there are so many variables: why type of music did I test? What file type and bitrate? What audio device was sending the signal to the speakers? How loud did I have them turned up? And most important of all, how good are my ears? For these reasons, speaker reviews are perhaps the most subjective type of reviews. Nevertheless, I present to you a Quick Look at the Logitech Z-2300 2.1 speaker rig.
So do people still want 2.1 speaker setups? Sure they do! Not everyone has the space required for a 5.1 setup, and if you're listening to mostly music and not DVD audio, the extra channels don't add much to the experience. In my case, I was looking for a small set of speakers to connect to a networked audio player that would sit in my living room. We had a three disc CD player there, but given that all my CDs were in digital format, it seemed silly to rely on CDs for music when all my music was sitting on my server in digital format. Logitech sent me these speakers to look at before my networked media player showed up, so I opted to test them with my Creative Labs Zen Micro. For 2.1 speakers under $100, the Logitechs impressed me!
The Z-2300's are THX certified, which is impressive given their price point. I doubt many people will be pumping THX audio through them, but if they have Lucas' nod of approval, hey, it can't hurt. ;-) 200 watts RMS of total power is divided up with 40w per satellite, and the sub throwing out the other 120w. You can read up on the rest of the specs at the Logitech site if you wish - you're probably wondering how they sound, right? In a word, good, but not great. I tested a variety of music, from hard rock to classical, from country to dance/techo, and they delivered adequate sonic punch. They don't lack in volume, that's for sure - day to day we don't have them turned up more than a quarter of maximum volume, and it's plenty loud. Audio is crisp and clear on all tracks, and the sub woofer does a good job with the bass. Why don't I say they sound great? Well, I can't help but compare them to the last set of 2.1 speakers I had, a set from Klipsch. The Z-2300's lack some of the warmth and "room filling" sound that the Klipsch had. I paid 200% more for the Klipsch, however, so we can't forget that.
In the box you'll get the two satellites, the sub, colour-coded cables for quick setup, and a wired remote with a headphone jack. Two things about the remote could be improved: first, it should have a separate line in jack, preferably an RCA-style jack. Right now it's a good companion for MP3 players and computers, but this would make it more compatible with media players. Second, the volume dial is mushy - it lacks the satisfying click of being able to accurately dial to the volume you want. There's a bass adjustment dial on the remote as well, saving you from having to bend over and grope the sub woofer.
You can find these speakers at most big-box retailers, and our Pricegrabber search engine says they're around $100 or so. For under a hundred bucks, these speakers are a great deal and perfect for those either on a budget or in need of some small speakers with big sound.
So do people still want 2.1 speaker setups? Sure they do! Not everyone has the space required for a 5.1 setup, and if you're listening to mostly music and not DVD audio, the extra channels don't add much to the experience. In my case, I was looking for a small set of speakers to connect to a networked audio player that would sit in my living room. We had a three disc CD player there, but given that all my CDs were in digital format, it seemed silly to rely on CDs for music when all my music was sitting on my server in digital format. Logitech sent me these speakers to look at before my networked media player showed up, so I opted to test them with my Creative Labs Zen Micro. For 2.1 speakers under $100, the Logitechs impressed me!
The Z-2300's are THX certified, which is impressive given their price point. I doubt many people will be pumping THX audio through them, but if they have Lucas' nod of approval, hey, it can't hurt. ;-) 200 watts RMS of total power is divided up with 40w per satellite, and the sub throwing out the other 120w. You can read up on the rest of the specs at the Logitech site if you wish - you're probably wondering how they sound, right? In a word, good, but not great. I tested a variety of music, from hard rock to classical, from country to dance/techo, and they delivered adequate sonic punch. They don't lack in volume, that's for sure - day to day we don't have them turned up more than a quarter of maximum volume, and it's plenty loud. Audio is crisp and clear on all tracks, and the sub woofer does a good job with the bass. Why don't I say they sound great? Well, I can't help but compare them to the last set of 2.1 speakers I had, a set from Klipsch. The Z-2300's lack some of the warmth and "room filling" sound that the Klipsch had. I paid 200% more for the Klipsch, however, so we can't forget that.
In the box you'll get the two satellites, the sub, colour-coded cables for quick setup, and a wired remote with a headphone jack. Two things about the remote could be improved: first, it should have a separate line in jack, preferably an RCA-style jack. Right now it's a good companion for MP3 players and computers, but this would make it more compatible with media players. Second, the volume dial is mushy - it lacks the satisfying click of being able to accurately dial to the volume you want. There's a bass adjustment dial on the remote as well, saving you from having to bend over and grope the sub woofer.
You can find these speakers at most big-box retailers, and our Pricegrabber search engine says they're around $100 or so. For under a hundred bucks, these speakers are a great deal and perfect for those either on a budget or in need of some small speakers with big sound.
