Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 5-Piece Speaker System with Subwoofer

Rating:
Summary: Logitech best bang for the $, Amazon shipping rocks!
Review: Enough people have reviews these speakers here on Amazon, but I just wanted to elaborate on the shipping. I bought these from Amazon for $229 with free shipping(I had $50 coupon). The package weighed 60 pounds and it only took one day to receive. Normally with free shipping, I assumed the worst. But I ordered on a Wednesday morning and they were on the steps by 11am the next day.
Now I bought these to replace my aging Logitech Z-560 4.1 speakers. Wow they get better all the time. I can't believe that they can sell these for that price and make any money. Sure there are minor problems with them like the RCA wires, which aren't all that bad. I would guess they did this to provide some shielding in the wires to help with the THX certification. The brackets for the rear also would work better with a redesign for mounting on the wall.
One other problem with them. I can't keep the walls from vibrating, or me from smiling. They rock!

Rating:
Summary: You must by this system
Review: I bought the Logitech Z5500 from Amazon a week and a half ago, for $279... a great price already. I chose super saver shipping, expecting my package to arrive in 2-3 weeks, but to my suprise it arrived about four business days later! Right away, when you take the speakers out of their cartons, you know Logitech was out to make a killer system. Wait till you see the sub -- it's a monster. Hookup was a little difficult, as with most tech manuals, they only give you 3/4 of the information you need to do what you want. After a quick trip to a local electronics store and the purchase of an RCA to mini-jack adapter, I now have my Sony Wega HDTV playing in clear crisp, surround sound. You talk about clarity. Try hooking up your DVD player to the Z5500s with a toslink cable, and wait to be amazed. The first movie I played was "Collateral" and heard sounds that previously went unheard. Long story short, these speakers may be a little intimidating at first, but are VALUE priced, especially when you compare them to the "big boys" that have been around for years. I highly reccomend these speakers to anyone who wants a $600+ home theatre system, but doesn't want to pay that much. Thanks again to Amazon for the lightening fast FREE shipping!

Rating:
Summary: Z5500 Rocks!!!
Review: I had the Item shipped to my friend via Super Saver shipping. Got there in good condition and ahead of time to boot!!!

Opened it up, connected it, and plugged in my MP3 portable into the side of the control unit for 3.5mm plugs. It sucked big!!!! Absolutely no bang at all, while static and strained notes ruled when the volume knob was twisted to the high power levels.

Connected the THX optical cable which I also got bought, and inserted a good music disc in the DVD player. WWHOOOAAAAAHHHH!!!!!. Made the mistake of putting the volume to high before starting and my neighbors have yet to forgive me!!!! Suddenly, everything came to life. My music sounded just like at any good HiFi shop, and playing movies in DTS mode, plomps me right in the middle of the best house seats in a THX hall!!!!!!!

I could hear notes and sounds which on my old system, never showed up. Playing some classical inspired Audiophile discs played through a Marantz CD player brought out the missing sounds and minor 'mistakes' made by the artistes clear as ice. Watching Star Wars 2 on the DVD made me turn around and wonder whether the skies were pouring during the Kamino scene, and had me dodging during the battle scene of Droids versus Clones.

However, not everything is perfect just yet.

The small problems with the unit which caused me to feel less than 200% satisfied, include, hard wired speaker cables, cheapest of the cheap remote control design, slightly uneven Subwoofer rubber legs (stubs), and the aforementioned problem with my MP3 portable (which can be rectified with a 3rd party item).

All I can say is if you can live with the small flaws, Buy One NOW!!! You won't regret buying it for the quality of the sound. And if you do, please use a cotton stick - Ear cleaner to decongest your auditory cannals !!!

EC Ong.

Rating:
Summary: Solid system, great value
Review: I just took delivery of the Z-5500 a mere four days after ordering, even with super saver shipping -- nicely done, Amazon.

The Good:

- Solid construction. Speakers in this price range, in my experience, are often of somewhat suspect construction in terms of materials and assembly. No rough edges here at all, that I can see.

- BIG bass. The subwoofer is nice and punchy, with no audible distortion even at high volumes (have not tried max volume; not sure my walls would hold up)

- The console is very well done. Despite the relatively short cord to connect to the sub, I far prefer this setup than having to fiddle with settings on the sub box manually. The remote is also a very nice touch. Note also that all audio inputs (optical, coax, 3x 1/8" stereo) are on the console as well.

- Sound clarity is very good, using the digital coax input. No hissing, noises, or other distractions.

The bad:

- RCA-style speaker wires. This makes initial setup a snap, but makes it a little annoying to extend the factory-provided wiring. The manual does note that using extensions is OK, as long as they are designed for speakers and not for line-level inputs. As awful as regular 2-strand speaker wire can be for connections, I'd love to be able to use this mountain of spare wire I have to do the extensions.

- Somewhat muddy mid- and high-ranges. I guess this is about what you'd expect from full-range drivers on the satellite speakers, but I was fairly disappointed (based on my expectations after reading all these stellar reviews). There is also no ability to adjust output levels (other than bass) from the speaker console, so if you don't have an EQ on the source audio, there's not much you can do about it.

- Limited volume control. If you listen to music at a low volume (say, while working at night), you'll find there isn't much room for fiddling at the low end of the volume control. One setting is too loud, the next "half-click" is far too soft. I've worked around this by using the computer's volume adjustment to make finer changes. Not a huge deal, but a little annoying for me personally.

FWIW, I bought this setup to serve as my gaming audio, to replace my ancient Bose 301 bookshelf speakers and equally ancient 2-ch amplifier. Given that I paid as much for the two Bose speakers as this entire setup, I think the Z-5500 is a truly fantastic deal -- BUT, for anyone making a similar migration, do not expect the sound quality to quite measure up. Not sure why I did...maybe wishful thinking :)

That said, these speakers blow away any other "all-in-one" surround setup I've seen at the price -- and even at higher prices.

Overall rating is 4 of 5 stars -- the muddy mid and high notes cost it that fifth star in my book.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing System for an Amazing Price
Review: I ordered this system of off Amazon on Dec. 31, 269.99 with free shipping, and got it on Jan. 5. Amazon had an estimate for Jan. 10-12, so thanks to Amazon and UPS! Now for the speakers: Awesome. They are one of the best speaker systems for computers that you can buy. They even rival similar priced Home Theater Systems. Setup of the system is simple: Not only are the speakers labeled on the back for posistion, but also have color coded ends that match on the sub. The speakers are elegantly designed and the sub is massive. And when I mean massive, I mean the earth-shaking, eardrum-blowing, take-up-space massive. The control pod is also very well designed and easy to use. Inputs and Outputs are all on the control pod: 6 channel RCA, coax., optical, headphones, and mini-digital inputs. Which speaking of inputs, it has a 6 channel/Stereo 1-3 switch....thats right, either connect to computer OR hook up three input devices at one time: iPods, mini disc players, w/e...Speakers themselves are twistable so they are extremely easy to wall mount if you want to. Now for the big one: sound quality. These speakers sound amazing. I mean absolutely amazing. You expect and get high quality sound all the time. The mid-range, which some people say this system is weak on, is not that much weaker unless you are really want a good mid-range system. The bass is amazing and definitely full. Now, all of these speakers have ton of options. For instance, you have stereo mode (front 2), Stereo 2x (front and rear 2, which means the same thing plays from front left and back laft), Dolby Digital PLS Movie, and Dolby Digital Music. Now, from here, you can change options such as Panorama, Dimension settings (controls Front to rear), the width of the center speaker (narrower means the speaker is centered closer to the center, giving it a louder more direct sound), level change of the sub (more or less responsive), surround level (more = aimed towards rear speakers), and center level (controls center speaker). Also, inputs are easy to go to...just press the button! Remote that comes with this is basic and enough things to make it work, however it doesn't do justice to the rest of the system. Then again, wireless remote is optional, so i'm happy anyway. So in general, these are some awesome speakers. I have mine in my dorm room connected to an USB Soundblaster Audigy 2 NX sound card by optical cable. Which speaking of sound cards, you have to have one that supports surround minimum. Also, the better the sound card, the better the sound. Mine works 96-24 on 6 channel. So the only things to consider when buying this is money to put out. Expect Amazon's pricing to flucuate between 250 and 320. Also, if you don't have a soundcard, my USB Soundblaster for my laptop cost 120. The digital optical cable cost another 20. So it does add up in accessories. But these speakers are worth it.....and don't think about the Klipstech 5.1 Ultra. I tried these at Best Buy...the Logitech 5300e had a better sounding sub than these.

So happy shopping. In general: these speakers are worth every penny. I will definitely have these for all of my high school and college years, and I'm sure they will last. These speakers are the best speakers for this range of prices.

Rating:
Summary: Speakers worth more than it's price
Review: I was quite impressed by the quality sound produced by my friend's Z680 (also bought from Amazon) which provoked me to buy one for me. But unfortunately the price went up which made me to go for the Z5500 (the next version) as there wasn't much difference in terms of price. Luckily I got a very good deal of $265.99 with free shipping for the Z5500 and this should be one of the lowest price I have ever seen in Amazon. So I ordered and they shipped me the same day and was delivered to me in two working days which is unbelievable for this "Giant" pack.Thanks Amazon!! So, I got it before Christmas and had fun with music and movies during the holidays. After listening to these speakers, I cannot imagine getting such a nice speakers for this low price and I also don't think you will get these low prices anywhere else other than Amazon.

Absolutely "no review" is required in terms of the speaker quality, again it is already "THX" certified. I would also recommend a Monster optical cable (8feet or 4feet) for those who buy this speaker. The outcome is tremendous.

Appearance wise the Z5500 is more cute and sleek than it's predecessor Z680. Also, be very careful handling the subwoofer as it is so heavy and he is the "BASS" guy. The control unit has a much improved look and feel with this version. Otherthan that so far I haven't seen anything negative to talk about. Finally I can say that I am one of the most satisfied customer of Amazon and Logitech products (especially after buying Z5500). I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a good 5.1 speaker system. No second thoughts, you will be surprised!! Thanks.

Note : After buying and getting the speakers connected, please be aware that you are always at a higher risk of your neighbours complaints. :-)

Rating:
Summary: Great system - Highly recommended
Review: Just got the system yesterday. Bought it because of all the good reviews and my experience on lower end logitech speakers' quality. I knew Z680 got very high remarks but never actually heard it. All I can say after hooked up the Z5500 is that all the excellent reviews are true. These speakers are simply amazing! They look very nice as well. Very well made. I found the remote control is very useful. The control center looks fancy and works well. No need to mention the sound quality. They are as good as all the other reviewers suggested. I am just very satisfied with my purchase.

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional quality and value
Review: Let me preface my review by saying that, during the week immediately following Christmas 2004, I bought the Z-5500s for $269.99 from Amazon. That's a 33 percent break off the MSRP and the Super Saver Shipping was free (normally, it would cost $40-50 to get this extraordinarily bulky package delivered) so be advised that timing might control whether you get a great deal.

As for the product itself, I'm sufficiently impressed. Because I wanted a punchy 5.1 system for my office, and multiple inputs so I could attach my laptop, iPod, PS2, and cable box, this accommodated my needs perfectly. This is an excellent system for smaller rooms and for audiophiles with discerning ears. I heartily recommend purchasing it if you enjoy crisp audio with your games, movies, and music!

Rating:
Summary: Simply PHENOMINAL!
Review: So this is the deal, these speakers are the best I've ever had and some of the best I've heard. Logitech has really started to impress me lately with all their products but I've had the Z5500's for only a couple days and I've already fallen in love with them. The sound is beyond crystal clear and the woofer is ridiculously loud. It's actually more then I expected. My previous setup was with a shelf stereo, JVC hx-Z3 which was definately loud but missed the clarity. Amazon hooked me up with a bill of $269.99, literally that was it, no shipping no tax. I WAS PUMPED, especially since the price has gone back up. Not to mention I recieved the package two days ahead of scheduled delivery. They had the best deal I've found in over a month which is what made me spend the money i didn't have to get them, but it was well worth it. Other then that, nextag.com is a good comparison site for many products and usually gives more merchants then pricewatch.
ANYWAYS, listening to the speakers now, they're worth the retail and it makes me happier knowing that and getting them for $270 :)

Rating:
Summary: Simply great!!!
Review: this set is awesome. great sound quality and the bass is HUGE. Amazon made an incredible 3-day delivery even on free shipping. Right On!!! never hessitate to get this set of speakers if you have the slightest chance. what's more, they're really nice looking.