Logitech Z4 2.1 Speakers
Logitech is best known for being at the top of the peripherals market with its stellar mice and keyboards. Their forays into the world of sound, however, have been noted as somewhat hit-and-miss. With the general opinion of the Z3 speaker combo being that of “lackluster”, we were interested in seeing how its predecessor, the Z4 2.1 combo, would perform in comparison. Has Logitech improved over the shortcomings of the Z3, and is the Z4 combo a worthwhile investment for gamers and music enthusiasts? Check out our review to find out!
First Impression |
| I have to admit, I’ve been a headphones man for most of my days as gamer, digital artist, and all-around computer user. I like the closeness of headphones, and I’ve always believed that a good set of headphones would provide the best of a sense of immersion, due to being able to drown out or completely silence outside noise. So, when the Logitech Z4 2.1 Speaker set arrived for review, I volunteered to write the review not only to see how the product stands up on its own right, as well as how it stacks up against my semi-bias for headphones.
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A Closer Look |
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Popping open the box reveals the two satellite speakers (nine inches tall with the bases, and about two and three quarter inches wide), the subwoofer (a nine inch cube), the wired remote control, the power cord, color-coded audio cables, and an installation guide with a really easy-to-follow diagram illustrating how to assemble the speaker combo.
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Installation |
| First up, setting up the Z4 combo is as easy as one, two, three. Plug the two speakers and table-top volume controller into the subwoofer, plug the subwoofer into your sound card, plug the subwoofer into a power source, and you’re off and running – color-coded cables make it so simple that even the layman could have the unit out of the box and set up in less than a couple of minutes. Positioning the speakers, subwoofer, and the table-top controller in comfortable locations around your desktop is easy, due to more than adequate cord and cable sizes. And if that’s still not enough, the speakers’ stands can be unscrewed and they can be wall-mounted for maximum space-saving!
Once you’ve got everything plugged in and situated, all that’s left is to boot up your computer and switch on the Z4 combo. The power switch for the combo is located on the controller making turning the unit on as quick and effortless as possible. No having to reach up and turn a dial on the speakers or anything like that. It should also be noted that the controller also has a convenient, built-in jack for headphones and a microphone, so late-night gaming sessions or other situations where speakers wouldn’t be appropriate are no problem.
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Observation |
| So, how does the unit sound? Well, the first thing I did in trying the combo out was crank the volume and bass and play a few tracks from some of the hardest-sounding bands on my playlist: System of a Down, Rise Against and Redfield. The sound of the unit is surprisingly big and of high quality, despite the small size of the speakers and the subwoofer — the latter being perhaps the biggest surprise of all. It’s got a lot of power for being a 23 watt woofer at a compact size of roughly nine inches cubed. It’ll handle all the rapid bass lines of your favorite punk, metal or rock bands with no delay or clashing against the clarity of the two speakers. The best thing about it is the fact that it compliments the speakers nicely, without being overbearing or producing unwanted side effects such as rattling noises or a complete drowning out of the treble from the speakers at high settings. The speakers themselves are crisp, clear, and even at full volume suffer no distortion or crackling. Each has one active and two pressure drivers, which give them a really deep, rich sound.
In dealing with games, the speakers continued to impress. They handle dynamic sounds featured in games like the Splinter Cell series very well. Sound shifts from one speaker to the next very seamlessly. Sneaking around as Sam Fisher, I was able to react to noises all around me just as quickly as if I were wearing a pair of good headphones with no distracting outside noise. When put to the test against a few rounds of Call of Duty, the Z4 speaker combo passed with flying colors. The explosions from grenades, gunfire and chatter of soldiers in the foreground, as well as the ambient noises of warplanes flying overhead, tank rounds being fired off and the booms of distant explosions all came through crystal clear, simultaneously. You won’t get the same height of immersion you would from a 5.1 speaker system – nor should you expect to – but for being a 2.1 combo, the effect of the z4 is very good. |
Conclusion |
| In short, the Logitech Z4 2.1 Speaker set is a stellar value for its affordable price ($99.99 American). It’s far more than adequate for heavy gaming or listening to music, and I won’t be going back to headphones any time soon. I’d highly recommend it for anyone with limited space or for those who don’t want to pay a small fortune for a high-end system, but want the absolute most for their money.
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| Pros
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Cons
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| Sleek, compact design is a real space-saver. Excellent sounding system for a very affordable price. Practical design makes it a pleasure to use. It’s Logitech – you really can’t go wrong. |
You’re not going to get the same amount of immersion you would from a 5.1 or greater system – but you shouldn’t expect to. |
