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5 Responses to “Logitech Speaker System Z520”

1. I. R. Smart. Says: June 14th, 2010 at 10:35 pm

   This latest desktop speaker system from Logitech is a very smart-looking set, that is incredibly easy to set up. The box is simply packaged, with the speakers side by side, and a power brick in a separate white box. The glossy volume dial and Logitech logos were covered in pieces of film to protect them from scratches during transportation. A nice touch!

   Setting up the speakers is simple, and takes under a minute:

   1.) Take speakers out of box
   
   2.) Connect left speaker to right speaker
   
   3.) Plug AC cord into right speaker, and plug into wall socket
   
   4.) Plug speaker cord into sound card (these are not USB speakers)
   
   5.) Turn on

   I did this testing with my MacBook Pro and iTunes 9, as well as streaming music to the speakers via an Airport Express. In both cases, the results were similar:

   The sound is “good.” Very clear mid-to-high range, with the low end just begging to be filled out a little more. The Chemical Brothers’ beats came out very nicely in the mid and high range, and classical music sounds wonderful.

   With a little subwoofer, this would be a truly excellent set. As it is, the “average” user will be quite happy with the Z520. Hardcore gamers will, however, choose a 2.1 set (i.e. two speakers + subwoofer) to give them the extra punch this set could do with. (I’d recommend them the Logitech Z Cinema or the Z-2300, or Klipsch ProMedia 2.1)

   Overall, though, a very solid set of speakers. Recommended.
   Rating: 4 / 5

2. RG Says: June 15th, 2010 at 1:29 am

   Any speaker review has to start with the sound. I like my previous Altec Lansing speakers a lot. I love the Z520s. They have a very well-balanced sound and don’t distort at higher volumes. I spend a lot of time in front of my computer and I almost always have music playing. So I’ve given these speakers a lot of use in a short period of time and they haven’t disappointed. Perhaps the only minor quibble is that I tend to like my bass quite a bit and the Z520s could use a touch more bass for my personal taste. But as I said before, they have great overall sound balance so unless you’re a bass lover like me you’ll probably think they sound perfect the way they are. I also like my music loud so I crank it up louder than I probably should and it still sounds crisp and clear. They have more than enough power to fill up an average size room.

   The speakers themselves are all black with a mesh grill covering the front. Very stylish to me. They have a slightly larger footprint than some comparable size speakers because the bottom is quite wide. But they’re relatively small for having such a great sound and you’ll have no trouble clearing enough space for them. The cord connecting them is about 6 feet long so that’s about as much separation as you’ll be able put between them, but that should be plenty.

   They might be slightly expensive if you think of them as “just computer speakers.” But if you use them a lot for music like me, they’re a good value compared to what it might cost you to buy a regular pair of stereo speakers.
   Rating: 5 / 5

3. T. Stratton Says: June 15th, 2010 at 1:36 am

   Once again Logitec puts out an excellent product for computer accesories. These are great speakers, especially to add decent sound to you laptop. Construction and quality is solid. Sound is very good, with crystal clear sound produced. If you want a set of speakers, but don’t want to mess with the extra woofer found on many sets, then these are for you.

   These speakers are large enough to provide ample speaker size without being overly bulky. The both look good and produce excellent sound. You won’t get the “vibrating” base of a more expensive system with a separate woofer, but with these you won’t miss it. I’m sitting here listening to them as I write this review, playing my MP3 player through them…..quite impressed.

   I can honestly recommend these.
   Rating: 5 / 5

4. Emily D. Agunod Says: June 15th, 2010 at 4:04 am

   I was excited to review the Logitech Speaker System Z520. These are the features noted on the box:

   - 360-degree sound: helps project audio evenly in all directions, so you get a great listening experience throughout the room

   - Amplified two-way design: Sound is realistically reproduced for clear, natural acoustics for your music, videos, and games.

   - 26 watts (RMS): It’s loud enough for a party and detailed enough for subtle tones – all in a stylish package.

   - Auxiliary input: You can quickly plug your iPod without having to unplug the speakers from your computer.

   - Simple two-speaker system: The standalone system offers a full range of sound that’s easy to set up, especially with notebook computers.

   Okay, first of all the speakers were easy to install and had long enough wires to connect from my desktop, which is on the floor to the top shelf of my desk, a distance of about 4 feet.

   I wasn’t too impressed with the sound because it sounded a bit muffled to me. I had Jensen speakers before this which had crystal clear sound. By design, the speakers are on a 30-degree slant. My son pointed out that if I stand directly in front of the speakers, it sounds better. So the 360-degree sound that Logitech touts is only on a lateral plane and doesn’t project downward too well, which is where I’m situated at my computer chair. My husband also had to adjust the bass on my computer to reduce that muffled sound. Those two are speaker maniacs so with their tweaking they got the sound quality to what I was looking for. It’s sounds quite rich and full-bodied now.

   With the volume at the half-point setting, it’s loud enough to make an action movie sound realistic but I’m not sure if can be loud enough for a party. Maybe in an apartment.

   The auxiliary input is nice but because it’s on a shelf above my head, when I attach headphones, there’s a wire hanging down from the side. But I’m not holding that against Logitech. The design is pretty cool, its pylon shape very modern. They are sturdy and I like the big volume knob. I think it’s worth the price.
   Rating: 4 / 5

5. Robert Moore Says: June 15th, 2010 at 4:39 am

   The instant I took these speakers out of the box I strongly suspect that they were going to be very nice speakers. They are very heavy, which indicates a nice sized magnet inside. They took about 30 seconds to hook up completely. I pulled up iTunes, clicked on “Just When You’re Thinkin’ Things Over” by the Charlatans U.K., and instantly fell in love with these speakers. They have wonderful definition, surprising clarity even with the volume turned up, and lots of power for speakers this small. I had been needing some speakers to go with the laptop I got this past spring and these definitely fill the need. They don’t sound as good as speakers with a subwoofer, but they are definitely not the piece of marginal junk you usually find for computers. These actually sound good!

   After the Charlatans U.K., I put on the soundtrack to CAPRICA by Bear McCreary (a very nice album, BTW) and was really pleased with it as well. I then put IRON MAN on my laptop’s Blu-ray player and again was extremely pleased with the sound. I then put on cuts by Queens of the Stone Age and Damien Rice to get some real diversity and once again I was thoroughly pleased with the sound quality.

   Frankly, I might not have gotten these if I hadn’t been a participant in the Vine program. I’ve not been very impressed with the Logitech speakers that I’ve listened to in the past. They were, to be honest, merely throw ins for computers. They simply weren’t very good. But these were absolutely splendid. Nothing in the least like previous Logitech speakers that I have heard. While I would never have bought these prior to today, knowing what I know now, I definitely would. If you need some high quality stereo speakers at a quite reasonable price, you definitely should consider these. They are attractive, easy to set up, and extremely attractive. And they also do what they are primarily advertised to do: provide excellent sound from many spots in a room. Unless you want some surround sound speakers or want something with a heck of a lot of power, these will delight just about anyone who needs quality computer speakers.
   Rating: 5 / 5

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