Reviewed by Barry Little - June 6, 2008

Manufacturer: Logitech

Model Number: 970118-0403

Price: Get the latest from Amazon.com and Shopping.com

A good speaker system is a must for PC-based entertainment, and while 5.1 and 7.1 speaker systems may be the cream of the crop for games, music and movies, space and money constraints can make them impractical for some. That’s where 2.1 speaker systems and the subject for today's review comes in—from a world-leader in digital lifestyle accessories for work and play—the Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System.

About Logitech

Focused on innovation and quality, Logitech designs personal peripherals to help people enjoy a better experience with the digital world. We started in 1981 with mice, which (new at the time) provided a more intuitive way of interacting with a personal computer. We became the worldwide leader in computer mice, and have reinvented the mouse in dozens of ways to match the evolving needs of PC and laptop users.

Since those early days, we have expanded our expertise in product design beyond the computer mouse, with a broad portfolio of interface devices that are the “last inch” between you and your computer or your console game, digital music or home-entertainment system.

With products sold in almost every country in the world, Logitech’s leadership in innovation now encompasses a wide variety of personal peripherals (both cordless and corded), with special emphasis on products for PC navigation, gaming, Internet communications, digital music and home-entertainment control.

For each of our product categories, we study how our customers use their digital devices, and then our designers and engineers set their sights on how we can create a better experience with those devices – richer, more comfortable, more fun, more productive, more convenient, more delightful.

Package and Contents

Logitech’s widely recognized green and white-accented packaging is impossible to miss at retail establishments, and the Z-2300 is no exception—if for no other reason than the sheer size of the box, which is larger than those of some 2.1 speaker systems. Photos of the stylish-looking speaker system grace all sides, along with the usual specs and features in multiple languages, and awards from the leading print and Internet tech media outlets.

The most notable feature on the box is the Logitech Z-2300’s 200 Watts of RMS Power and 400 Watts of Peak Power rating, which rivals some entry-level and mid-range 5.1 systems. Despite the controversy over RMS and Peak Power used as real-world benchmarks for audio power output and clarity, for better or worse it’s what most folks will readily take into consideration when shopping for speakers. THX Certification is a must for any respectable set of speakers. Naturally, the Logitech Z-2300 is fully THX Certified. There's no Dolby^® Digital or DTS support. Like the majority of 2.1 speaker systems, the Logitech Z-2300 is analog only, lacking any digital audio connections.

You may not need the biceps of a WWF champion to heft your Logitech Z-2300 2.1 Speaker System to the checkout counter, but you’ll undoubtedly find the carrying slots cut in each side of the box useful if you don’t have a shopping cart handy. In spite of the very reasonable price, the size and weight of the box are indications that the Logitech Z-2300 is not your average, bargain basement 2.1 speaker system.

Once you get your new speakers home, opening the box confirms it. Three quarters of the box is occupied by a thick Styrofoam protector for the Z-2300’s massive subwoofer sealed in a heavy plastic bag. The remaining space is taken up by a heavy-grade cardboard accessory box. Everything is a tight fit, and it takes a bit of effort in removing the upper Styrofoam protector so that the subwoofer and accessory box can be lifted out. But when it comes to getting your speakers home in one piece, a tight fit with a stronger box and packing materials is definitely preferable to a loose fit with thinner, cheaper ones.

Hauling out the subwoofer, if the photos of the Z-2300 on the box didn’t make it obvious as to why the box was so large and heavy for “just” a 2.1 speaker system, the sheer size and weight of the unit clears up any question. At 11 x 11 x 15 inches, the subwoofer is nearly as big as those found with some 5.1 speaker systems. Inside the accessory box, you’ll find a pair of Satellite Speakers, the SoundTouch™ Control Pod, a multilingual Setup Guide, and a Console Game Adaptor Cable.

As a recognized world leader in multimedia and input accessories for computers, you’d expect the design and quality of the Z-2300’s box and the manner in which it is packed, not only to inspire confidence and encourage the purchase of the product, but to do a first-class job in protecting it. Logitech does not disappoint in either of these areas.

Up Close and Personal With the Z-2300

The Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System has a sleek silver and black finish that will compliment just about any PC (unless it’s a Mac). Granted, there are premium 5.1 speaker systems—including those made by Logitech—that have more formidable sized subwoofers than the Z-2300. Whatever the Z-2300’s subwoofer lacks in size, it makes up for with an 8-inch, Long-throw Driver with a flared bass port mounted on the right-hand side. Equipped as such, the Z-2300’s woofer should have little trouble hanging with many 2.1 speaker systems while giving more than a few budget and mid-range 5.1 systems a good run for the money. The Logitech logo silkscreened onto the speaker is visible through the grille.

On the back of the woofer, you’ll find a set of heatsink fins that help cool the Ultra-linear, high-capacity analog amplifier buried inside. To the left of the cooling fins is a pair of color-coded RCA jacks for the speakers—yellow for the left, black for the right. South of the speaker jacks is a D-sub connector labeled Wired Remote for the SoundTouch™ pod. Below that (and the obligatory electrical code and warning label), is the power switch, followed by the fuse holder. The power cord is not detachable, but it does have a standard plug that will save some space on power strips occupied by transformer block cords.

The two satellite speakers measure 6.75 x 3.5 x 6 inches—large enough for good sound yet small enough not to take up too much desktop real estate. The speakers sit low on built-in pedestals and are angled upward. The pedestals are not adjustable for height or angle. Easily removable for cleaning, the dust covers made of nylon-like cloth, are pressed into the face of the speakers via keyed pushpins. The pins are made of thick, flexible plastic to inhibit breakage. The satellites are equipped with a 1-inch tweeter at the top, and a 2.5-inch driver at the bottom enhanced with Logitech’s Aluminum Phase Plug that resembles the tip of a bullet protruding from the center of the driver. Logitech claims that this configuration outperforms conventional satellites without the phase plug. Unlike some speaker systems, the Z-2300’s satellite’s wires are hard-wired. While this insures a more problem-free connection, it also makes upgrading with longer wires if necessary or repairs in the event of a damaged wire more problematic.

Satellite and subwoofer volume are controlled via the SoundTouch™ Remote, which also has a power button for the satellites and a headphone jack. The larger System Volume Knob turns freely about 270° from left to right, decreasing and increasing volume respectively. The smaller Subwoofer Volume Knob does likewise, but has a clickable detent in the 12 o’clock position, which represents the volume mid-point. SoundTouch™ is hard-wired with the Audio Input-to-PC Cable (whose plug is AC’97 color-coded lime green), and the male D-Sub cable that connects to the back of the subwoofer. In the event you’ll be connecting the Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System to a game console, you’ll need to use the adaptor with the green female RCA mini-jack on one end and the red and white female RCA jacks on the other.

Setup and Testing

You probably don’t need to use the Setup Guide, which is only four pages long for each of the three languages (English, French and Spanish). Logitech color-codes and labels everything clearly, and the D-sub connections for the sub-woofer are keyed so they can only be connected one way. Probably the biggest “challenge” you’ll face in setting up your Logitech Z-2300 is finding the optimal position for the best possible sound for your specific environment whether you’re connecting it to your PC or console. And making the wires and cables as neat as possible, of course.

Typically, you’ll want the two satellite speakers on each side of your monitor facing you, with the subwoofer on the floor off to the side—preferably to your right—and aimed at the wall facing you and your PC or console, if possible. Another option that will work is having the woofer directly under your desk in front of you, if the first position isn’t doable.

Before you get started, make sure that the sub-woofer’s power switch is off and that it is not plugged into a power outlet. Also turn down both volume knobs on the SoundTouch™ Remote. Get the subwoofer and speakers positioned as desired. Then:

1. Connect the left and right speaker wires to the jacks on back of the subwoofer

2. Connect the D-sub cable from the SoundTouch™ Remote to the plug on back of the subwoofer and tighten the finger screws.

3. Connect the Audio Input-to PC cable to the green jack on the I/O port on back of your PC if you’re using your motherboard’s on-board sound—or to the green jack on back of your sound card if you’ve got a sound card installed.

4. Plug in the subwoofer’s power cord to an outlet and flip the subwoofer power switch to the “On” position.

5. Press the power button on the SoundTouch™ Remote. The blue LED next to it should light-up.

6. Turn up the volume on both knobs just enough to determine if the sound is working when you power on the PC and use whatever sound console is provided with your onboard audio or sound card, to test the speakers.

Here’s the specs for the test system used:

Since I listen to my iTunes collection a lot while working and game in my spare time, I used iTunes and three of my favorite games—Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Crysis and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, to see just how well the Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System lives up to its claims. For iTunes, I listened to some of my favorite songs with and without the benefit of EAX audio preset enhancements. For the games evaluation, I just played the three games listed above for a couple hours each as I normally would.

Sound from the Logitech Z-2300 is clean and distortion free at sane volume levels. As you get closer to redlining the volume, there is some clipping and distortion. Assuming of course, that you can actually tolerate the volume that high at extended periods without your ears bleeding, the walls developing hairline fractures and your neighbors organizing a lynch mob outside your door. Bass volume on the subwoofer is an exception. You can crank it all the way up with no ill effects, and is the preferred setting if you really like to come strong with the bass. Maxing out the bass on some songs can make it sound a bit “muddy.” I found the three ‘o clock position a good compromise for the wide range of iTunes music I listen to. Though whether or not you use such effects is a matter of personal taste and preference, I found the Sound Blaster X-Fi’s EAX audio presets were clean and clear as well. Particularly when listening through my iPod ear buds via the SoundTouch™ Remote’s headphone jack. The wider range of the Sound Blaster equalization adjustments and audio presets compared to the default iPod equalizer, made my “plain old” ear buds sound like a more expensive set.

Bullets, explosions, the frantic shouting of soldiers under attack, alien freeze rays, and destruction spells came through loud and clear over the Z-2300. Even with CMSS-3DVirtual enabled in Game Mode on the “Fatal1ty” Sound Blaster X-Fi PCI Sound Card, no set of 2.1 speakers can truly match a good 5.1 speaker setup for true surround-sound immersion and audio positioning like the Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speaker System that I normally use for PC and Xbox 360 gaming. But the Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System put up an admirable effort, nonetheless.

Final Comments and Conclusion

In a market saturated with 2.1 speaker systems, the Logitech Z-2300 continues to be a strong seller since its introduction back in September 2004. And with good reason. The Z-2300 is easy to set-up, sounds as good as it looks, and with an on-the-street (and Internet) price as low as $70, easily out-performs almost any 2.1 speaker system in its price range. And the SoundTouch™ Remote offer convenient volume control and headset access while being compact enough not to get in your way on your desk.

The faults I found with the Z-2300 are few. Once I placed the subwoofer on the floor and to the right of my sitting position, and set the Z-2300 system up in my office, the left speaker wire came very close to being too short to connect to the subwoofer. That’s the main drawback of speakers with fixed wires. While separate cables can create their own problems, they are also easier to swap out or completely replace should the need arise.

Then there’s the 90° angle on the Audio Input PC Cable plug. Compared to a straight plug, it does relieve unnecessary tension on the wire and plug that could cause a short—if the cable were too short to begin with. Since the cable runs straight from the SoundTouch™ remote and is more than long enough, even if the PC were sitting under the desk rather than on top of it, there’s not much point in setting the plug on a 90° angle. Whether you’re using a sound card or the rear I/O panel audio ports, using an adjacent jack means having to “swivel” it out of the way. A minor nuisance to be sure, but one that could just as easily have been avoided had a straight plug been used.

Minor gripes aside, if you’re looking for a quality 2.1 speaker system with great sound at a great price and a two-year limited warranty the Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 200-Watt 2.1 Speaker System may be just what you need.