Logitech Z-2200 Review

Who needs 5.1?

by Josh Walrath

Out of the Box

            I was very surprised by how heavy the box was for this 2.1 speaker set.  I had recently reviewed the Altec Lansing VS 4121 speakers, and while I thought that system had a bit of heft, it is nothing compared to the Logitech’s.  I knew I was in for some good times, as the amplifier in such speakers constitutes the majority of the weight.

The first sight of the subwoofer is actually quite impressive.  This is a very large sub for a computer!

            Upon opening the box I was greeted by the subwoofer which is almost the same size as the one included with the high end Z-680’s.  The dimensions are slightly different between the two, and the Z-2200 does not have the massive heatsink on the back that the Z-680’s do.  Still, the subwoofer is big, and it is pretty heavy.

            The satellites also have a bit of heft to them, as they are made of a thick, high density plastic.  The satellites from the Z-2200’s are identical to the Z-680’s.  There are four main features of the satellites that I would like the cover.  The first is that each satellite is ported, so the efficiency of the driver should be very high.  The second are the standard wire posts that allow a user to connect any kind of speaker wire they desire.  The third is the removable stand that will allow either desktop use, or wall mounting.  The fourth and final feature is the aluminum phase plug in the middle of the driver.  Each satellite is covered with a cloth and plastic grill.  These grills do not overly affect the sound quality, but there is a small improvement with them off.

            All of the wiring is color coded, and the wired remote has a very solid feel about it.  All of the knobs are firmly attached, and the turning motion is smooth yet still has a nice amount of resistance to it.  The remote also features the headphone jack, which turns off the speakers once it is utilized.  The remote only controls the subwoofer level, and has no treble adjustments whatsoever.  This is unfortunate, as some people appreciate a brighter speaker, which is achieved by increasing the amount of treble.  The power button is also located on the remote, so the speakers won’t have to draw power when not in use.

Upon pulling the sub out, you notice the sizeable heatsink on the back for the integrated amp.  While large, it is nowhere near as large as the Z-680's heatsink for its 500 watt amp.

            Assembly was quite easy due to the color coded cables, and in no time the speakers were up and running.  The speakers themselves are quite attractive in their gunmetal grey, and the THX stamp on the grille and speaker tends to gain a bit of attention.  While they may not be as pleasing to the eye as the VS4121’s reviewed earlier, they have a beauty all their own (especially once they are turned on). 

Testing

            I set up these speakers to use the same Audigy sound card that the Altec Lansing VS4121’s used.  This is an Athlon 64 3200+ system.  While the Audigy isn’t the top of the line card anymore, it still has a very clean sound.  Some have complained the bass is a bit underrepresented, but a quick adjustment in the control panel fixes that.

            I played a variety of CD’s, MP3 files, games, and DVD’s on these speakers, all set in a medium sized room with good acoustics.  Volume was adjusted to a comfortable level for each application.

Next: Music

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