Logitech Z-5450 Digital Multimedia Speaker System Review
- Product Name: Logitech Z-5450
- Manufacturer: Logitech
- Performance Rating:
- Value Rating:
- Review Date: May 30, 2006 20:00
- MSRP: $ 499.95
Power: 315 Watts RMS
- Satellites: 199 Watts RMS (2 x 38 W front, 2 x 40.5 rear, 42 W center)
- Subwoofer: 116 W
Peak Power: 630 Watts
Maximum SPL: >103dB
Frequency Response: 35Hz – 20 kHz
Inputs:
2 Digital Optical, 1 Digital Coax, 6-Channel Direct (3 stereo mini
connectors) for 2-, 4- or 6-channel PC sound cards (convertible to 3
stereo analogue inputs), Analogue stereo mini (side input) for portable
players, 3.5 mm stereo headphone output
Amplifier: Ultra-linear high-capacity analog
Drivers:
- Satellites: 2 1/2” aluminum phase plug
- Subwoofer: 6 1/2” high-excursion
Surround Sound Effects: Hardware decoding for Dolby Digital, DTS, DTS 96/24, Pro Logic II (movie & music), 6-Channel Direct, Stereo
Supported Digital Formats: Dolby Digital, DTS & DTS 96/24, PCM(uncompressed stereo): 44.1 kHz/16 bit through 96 kHz/24 bit
Dimension: 20.5” x 16” x 27” (gross W x H x D)
Weight: 54.4 lbs
Pros
- Can handle a computer, a gaming system, and even has an extra input for a CD/DVD player
- Includes a THX-certified DD/DTS controller (with Dolby Pro Logic II & DTS 96/24)
- Very loud and clean playback of 5.1 sources
Cons
- Subwoofer becomes muddy as volume level increases when listening to music
- Stereo sound quality becomes harsh at high volume levels
- Boring styling
Z-5450 Features
It seems that I spend more time in front of my computer these days than I do in my home theater. As a result, I listen to music, play games, and watch video at my desk almost every day. The idea of a true 5.1 channel surround system has never appealed to me mainly because of the logistics involved with the rear speakers. In both my office and my home computer setups, there is no good way to conceal speaker wires running to the rear surrounds. With the introduction of the Z-5450 Digital multimedia speaker system, Logitech has solved this problem. Suddenly it makes sense to invest in a quality speaker system that would be a great fit for a small office, den, or dorm room.
What makes the Logitech Z-5450 system unique is the controller, that acts as a basic processor to which you can connect your computer, a gaming console, a DVD player, iPod, or just about any source you think of. The possibilities this creates will have you re-thinking your office or dorm setup. I consider this a true convergence product as you can eliminate the expense of a full speaker/sub/receiver setup, without having to skimp on true THX-certified Dolby Digital or DTS performance. Rather than set up a system for your TV/gaming, and another system for your computer, you will find more than enough inputs here to keep all of your gear connected in one place.
Z-5450 Build Quality, Setup, and SoundTouch Control Center
The system sports a combination black/silver design, which will allow it to fit in quite nicely with a variety of computers, DVD players and game consoles. The speakers and control center are black with a silver trim. The removable speaker grilles are black with a Logitech/THX logo plate. The control center has a two line blue digital display. The power button glows red when off, and blue (that matches the display) when on. There is a large black control knob that adjusts volume, subwoofer, center, and other levels. There are five other buttons that control Input, Level, Effect, Settings, and Mute. The large knob has indents so you feel the adjustment as you turn it. The five other buttons (as well as the power button) have a nice solid click that you can feel when operating.
The aesthetic design of the speakers strikes me as rather dull, but certainly not unattractive. Each speaker is a traditional boxy rectangular shape, sort of like an old Volvo very safe and functional, but far from sexy and exciting. In fact, I would go as far as to say they are a bit boring. But they will blend nicely with most equipment, and do not take up much space. The brackets can be unscrewed and swiveled to a mounting position for reasonably secure wall mounting via a keyhole slot that will allow it to hang on a screw or nail head. But you are limited with this, as there is no way to pivot the speaker left to right, or up or down. It is a fixed position, either tilted on a desk or parallel to the wall, with no available adjustment to either. Another unusual aspect that stood out to me was that the surround speakers are a bit larger than the main front speakers. (The rear speakers are larger due to the power source and built-in amplifiers.)
The sub has a good feel to it. It is a heavy, all black enclosure with a side firing port. There is a Logitech/THX logo plate on the front. Reaching inside the port I can feel some cushy black insulation, that helps keep the cabinet from sounding too hollow when you thump it - or more importantly - when it begins to thump! The amp section is mounted into the rear of the cabinet and has cooling fins, standard hookups for speakers & the control center, and a power switch.
Set Up![z5450_spring-clips.jpg](resolveuid/7336b6688986c86af403e3ac8170b3b3/image_mini)
Set up was pretty quick and very simple. After taking all of the satellite speakers out and positioning them around my desk, I used the supplied 15’ speaker cable to connect the three front speakers. They all have standard red/black spring clip type connections. The cables are connected to the same type of connections on the rear of the subwoofer. The control center is connected via a serial (15-pin) connection. The only other switch on the subwoofer is for the power.
The control center has two mini jacks on the side of the unit, one labeled for headphones and one for a portable music player such as an iPod, CD or MiniDisc. On the rear you will find three stereo mini jacks – green (front), black (rear) and orange (sub/center) – designed for a PC sound card. There is a small switch to select between 6-channel or stereo 1-2-3 for these stereo inputs. (For an Apple computer, you would use one of the optical inputs.)
There are also three digital inputs: 2 optical, and 1 coaxial. Whatever you are connecting, you should have no problem finding an input for it. There is also a short antenna that flips up on the rear, similar to what you would find on a wireless router.
Here is an example of a typical setup using the control center's
inputs:
Optical 1 - X-Box
Optical 2 - Playstation 2
Coaxial - DVD player
6-channel direct (3 stereo mini jacks) computer sound card
side mini jack input- iPod
As you can see, the Z-5450 can handle a large system without having to swap cables. The power is supplied through the subwoofer. There are two green LEDs that will glow solid to confirm that the unit has a connection with the rear wireless speakers. The lights will blink when searching for the signal.
Loudspeaker Placement
You will no doubt find that tweaking your speaker positions will
result in getting better results. The fact that the rear speakers are
wireless makes it much easier to place them properly.
Understand that wireless
does not mean that the rear speakers have no wires, it means that they
have no speaker cables.
Each speaker has an electrical cord that needs to be plugged into the
wall.
For some setups, this will defeat the purpose of purchasing a system
with wireless
surrounds, but in general it is far easier to locate a nearby AC outlet
than run cables from the controller to the surrounds.
As is always the case, sub placement can impact the clarity of your low end. You should try as many positions as your space allows for optimal sound. But in the real world, at least on my busy desktop (not my computer screen, my actual, real life- top-of-my desk), placement of the sub or satellites may not be optimal. This system is not built for critical listening, but it will provide an impressive sound field for you, and my guess is that it will re-shape your thinking about a multi-media speaker system for your computer.
Digital Sound Control Center![z5450_controller.jpg](resolveuid/d8b3c5bad65a83dacb5830cbb4535c34/image_mini)
Everything you need to control your system can be found on the control center. It matches the speakers, and looks like a large wireless router. Pressing the "Input" button repeatedly will cycle you through the above-mentioned inputs. The "Effect" button does the same thing when connected to a digital source, allowing you to cycle through stereo/Dolby PL II Movie/Dolby PL II Music. The "Settings" button lets you cycle through available settings for a selected mode.
Z-5450 Use and Conclusion
The system controller is very simple and functional. Once you have plugged everything in and powered up the controller, the display will immediately tell you which input and effect is selected.
To adjust the speaker levels, simply push the "Level" button until the speaker you wish to adjust appears. Then use the large control knob to increase or decrease the level. Your options here are "Subwoofer", "Surround", and "Center."
The
"Effect"
and
"Settings" buttons work the same way.
The choices for "Effect" will depend on your source material.
The "Settings"
button will also give you choices based on your Effect settings.
In Dolby PLII Music mode, you can adjust Panorama (on/off), Dimension
(fade from Front to Rear), or Center Width (adjust from Narrow to
Wide).
In Dolby PLII Movie mode, you can adjust the Surround Delay.
In all modes, the mute button instantly mutes the sound completely.
You can
release the mute by turning the large control knob or by pressing the mute button again.
The remote falls into the "not sexy" category, but has everything you need clearly labeled. One nice feature that surprised me was a "test" button that generates a pink noise test tone. The tone cycles through the speakers 舑 Front Left, Center, Front Right, Rear Right, Rear Left, Subwoofer. To cancel, just click the test button again. This makes setting up your speaker levels a breeze, and is quite a nice feature for a desktop system (thank THX for that one). Another positive is direct access to each of the sub, center and surround speaker levels with dedicated +/- buttons for each.
Using the System - Sound Quality
The Logitech Z-5450 Digital system sounds great right out of the box. You will find yourself completely immersed in games such as Ghost Recon when using the Dolby Pro Logic II: Movie mode. You will jerk your head around when you hear a twig snap behind you as you sneak around a wooded encampment. Voices of the enemy in the distance will cause your heart to pound as you try to get close enough for a clear shot. Debris seems to fall all around you as a grenade explodes nearby. Your desk rumbles as a tank rolls past. This how games are meant to be experienced!
Movies come alive on your computer monitor when backed by the huge sound stage that
this system can deliver.
The subwoofer really shines in DTS and Dolby Digital modes on action
adventure movies such as the opening sequence of
Tomorrow Never Dies
.
The surround
imaging is excellent with full, rich sound coming from the wireless rear speakers.
Concert DVDs are also great sounding on the Z-5450. I listened to U2 Vertigo 2005 Live From Chicago in DTS and was very impressed at how clean and loud the system was. The sub handles LFE channel sound very well "tighter/cleaner" than I would expect on a system this size. And did I mention LOUD?!
Steely Dan's Two Against Nature DVD provided an interesting test of the rear speakers. This disc, although recorded in front of an audience, is more of a "studio" than "live" recording. It has what I consider a "gimmicky" surround mix, as they throw things like background vocals and horns in the rear channels. But this did give me a chance to hear some full range instrumentation in the wireless speakers, with good results. For example, during the song "FM", the sax solo is completely in the rear speakers - not ambient, but full range. The system handled it with ease. I am floored at not only how loud that the system will play, but how clean at these levels. The LFE channel stays tight and punchy as you would expect from a Steely Dan recording.
I can't stress enough how impressive a DD or DTS soundtrack can be on this system. It will really take you from thinking "computer speaker system" to "small home theater system" on my desktop! The Z-5450 Digital system is loud, rich, and will shake your desk.
Listening to stereo music sources, such as MP3s from my iTunes library, or CDs, I found the system to sound pretty good at moderate levels. But as I turned the volume up, I was having to continually adjust the subwoofer level from song to song. As is typically the case in my experience with satellite speaker systems, the sub seems to be too boomy or muddy when listening at higher volumes. But with the system playing as low level background music, the tone is quite warm and toasty. Some of this you can minimize with subwoofer placement, but keep that sub level adjustment handy.
Uncluttered recordings such as John Hiatt's Crossing Muddy Water sounds incredibly rich and detailed. But harder rock material, such as the power trio Wolfmother are a bit more boomier and brash.
It was also fun to play with the Dolby Pro Logic II: Music settings. I normally have no interest in listening to music recorded in two channel stereo through a processed surround setting, but it did make for a full and interesting sound field. I especially like the "Center Width" adjustment, which spreads out the sound stage (N/narrow), or tightens it up (W/wide). The "Dimension" setting is fun too - it sends weight to the front or rear. Yes, these are the "gimmicks" I have referred to earlier, but they sure can liven up a dull recording. And let's be real - we all have guilty pleasures (that we never admit listening to) that could stand some sonic improvements.
Conclusions and Overall Perceptions
The convenience of wireless surrounds comes at a price. The list price of $499 is steep, although the street price appears to be around $299, which would seem more reasonable for the performance. If you do not need the wireless surrounds, the Logitech Z-5500 is a more powerful system, and possibly a better value, for the same price.
Overall, I find the system much better for movies and games than music. For casual music listening at lower volume levels, it is fine. But as you begin to turn it up, you need to tweak the settings from song to song to find a sweet spot. Games and movies sound great right out of the box.
With this system Logitech continues to innovate, providing an alternative to a traditional full size receiver and speaker setup in areas where running cable to surround speakers was previously impractical. There are better choices on the market for listening to music from your computer in stereo. But if you are interested in a desktop THX 5.1 surround system, this is a great system, capable of volumes that will get you kicked out of your office, and maybe even your dorm!
The Score Card
The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:
Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating
Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.
Audioholics Rating Scale
— Excellent
— Very Good
— Good
— Fair
— Poor
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