When it comes to audio Logitech has been a company that people seemed to associate with low cost entry level when thinking of speakers. This is an image that over the past year or so they have been working very hard to shed. Based on the systems I am familiar with their initial break through into the minds of more performance oriented users came with the February 2001 introduction of the Xtrusio DSR-100, a 4.1 system that received many positive reviews, including one from us. Around the same time that the Xtrusio DSR-100 was announced Logitech also announced the acquisition of Labtec, another speaker manufacturer with an even more entrenched reputation for value rather than performance oriented systems. Some might have expected more of the same market focus but the DSR-100 performance and the fact that Logitech had gained the resources and expertise of Labtec boded well for the future.

On September 10th of this year Logitech let the “future” out of the bag by introducing their new line of Z-Series speakers. This speaker family, which includes the Z-560, Z-540 and Z-340, combines what Logitech calls “spectacular performance with patented Logitech technology, to offer an attractive line of high-end audio products”. In this initial review we are going to take a look at a pre-production unit of the flagship product of the series, the THX® (multimedia speaker) certified Z-560, a 4.1 system that according to specifications delivers a true 400 watts RMS of power at an amazingly low MSLP of $200! While we tested a pre-production unit the retail product is now shipping and we have a summary of what improvements have been made to the final product at the end of this initial review. 

Overview

The Z-560 comes with 4 identical one-way satellite speakers, an 8" side firing subwoofer (mounted at the front of the enclosure) and a handy control box (called the SoundTouch Control Center) that has controls for power, master volume, surround (called fader), and subwoofer levels as well as an amplified headphone jack and a button for a DSP based feature called M3D Matrix technology. More on these controls and features follows below.

As is typical of almost every multimedia speaker the approximately 11"x11"x13" (HxWxD) subwoofer cabinet also houses the amplifier. In the case of the Z-560, Logitech notes that they use a true linear design that is powered by a massive toroidal power supply, the likes of which is usually only seen on much more expensive systems. The output power has 53 Watts going to each satellite and 188 Watts to the subwoofer. Logitech makes a point of emphasizing that their power rating is sustained Watts RMS measured to FTC standards. This is clearly in reference to the shift by Klipsch to use a rating of Burst Watts RMS or Maximum Burst Output on their ProMedia line. Initial testing shows that the Z-560 plays both louder and cleaner (at those louder volumes) than the ProMedia 4.1. However, to be fair, while we can discuss the merits of these numbers for extended periods, clearly both systems play more than loud enough for the intended usage.

On the rear of the Z-560 subwoofer you will find a massive heat sink, a standard power cord, a DIN input for the control tower and four pairs of spring clip speaker connectors for the four output channels. The connection to the outputting device (typically a 4 channel sound card) comes by the way of two cables that are permanently attached to the control pod and terminate at the other end with PC99 color coded stereo mini-jacks.

The SoundTouch Control Center as noted has controls that lets users fine tune the listening environment with separate controls for power, M3D, volume, fader and bass. The unit can either sit horizontally or vertically in a stand that clips into one end. This unit attaches to the amplifier in the subwoofer cabinet via a DIN connection and it also has the front and rear mini-jack connectors that go to what ever sound card or other outputting device you are using with the system.

When the power is on a cool blue light rings the larger master volume control that equally affects front and rear channel levels. As noted above the fader control is actually a rear volume control and the level can be turned completely off. That’s not the case for the subwoofer control and in fact almost my only complaint about this system is the fact that I would like the ability to turn the subwoofer level down a bit beyond the minimum possible on this pre-production unit. This has been changed on the production unit to allow for lower subwoofer levels. You still can’t turn it right down and we don’t yet know how significant this change is. According to one user in our forum it’s still too high.  The headphone jack when in use automatically mutes the main speaker outputs.  It also functions the same way whether the power control on the SoundTouch Control Center is on or off, provided of course the unit is connected to a power supply. Sound quality from the headphone jack is very good and volume levels are excellent even when using my 150 Ohm impedance Sennheiser HD525 headphones.  The M3D button is surround by a ring that emits a green light when the feature is enabled.

If you have ever put a standard stereo source through a Pro Logic decoder then you will have a good idea of what the M3D Matrix technology sound like. M3D Matrix technology is a method of extracting the natural hall ambience hidden in 2 channel music sources to present a realistic surround sound effect with no artificial reverb or echo.  It also has no impact on the front channel output.  

With M3D mode enabled the rear inputs of the Z-560 are completely disabled,   so you won't want to use the M3D effects on any true 4 channel source material.  In this mode the rear volume control instead allows you to set the strength of the M3D effects sent to the rear speakers. 

The key differences from the Pro Logic effect and the reason why I think it sounds clearly better than the Pro Logic generated surround channel from stereo sources is, unlike Pro Logic, the M3D effect is not frequency limited so there is good bass and high frequency performance.  That's not to say that high frequency response on the ambient surround effects is that important but to me it makes a notable positive difference.  Just as with Pro Logic the M3D effect is always a mono effect, that is regardless of the source originating from the left or right channel the surround effect will come equally from both channels.  That's unlike Creative's CMSS Music Mode which, while sharing the Pro Logic frequency limitation, is a stereo surround effect.  The CMSS Music mode can be found on the DTT2500, DTT3500 and likely Inspire 5700 speaker systems.  QSound's QMSS, found on sound cards such as the Acoustic Edge, will give the best of both worlds with a full frequency stereo effect on the generated surround channels.  

Getting back to M3D, just as with a Pro Logic decoder, any material that is in exact center will not play from the surround channels with M3D enabled so often you will get a nice effect with any centered vocals staying with only the front speakers and just some of the instruments duplicated into the M3D generated surround channel. 

Note that while there is clearly some appropriate front, center and surround channel separation on native Pro Logic material it is not a Pro Logic decoder and as such as not nearly as effective as such a decoder when it comes to full surround/front channel separation.  That is, unlike an actual Pro Logic decoder there is a lot of leakage of front channel material into the surrounds and vice versa.

It’s clear right from first sight that Logitech has put a lot of emphasis on the satellite styling and external build quality. The speaker wires attachments use a binding post style, something usually found only on quality hi-fi components. The grills are removable and the metal stands can also be removed and reversed to allow for wall mounting. Moving to the actual drivers it gets even more interesting.

Each of the four fairly large (approximately 6"x4"3.5" (HxWxD) not factoring the stand which adds about another inch or the removable grill which adds about another 1.5 inches to the depth - measured by me as no measurements provided by Logitech) identical fourth order front ported satellites use what Logitech describes as high excursion, ultra-wide bandwidth, phase aligned 3" satellite drivers, with a polished aluminum phase plug. Phase plugs are not uncommon on quality hi-fi systems but are a feature that I have not seen used on any other multimedia system to-date. 

According to Logitech, the phase plug design offers several advantages over the more commonly used dust cap using drivers. First they say it reduces moving mass. Less mass, equates to higher sensitivity which in turn allows for a higher Sound Pressure Level (SPL) at any given wattage. Elimination of the dust cap means no stored energy in cap and no resonant energy behind cap. The phase plug adds thermal mass, which results in improved power handling. Finally the phase plug reduces time smearing, the effect of the same sound reaching the ears at different times, thereby resulting in less coloration of the sound.

For a paper and visual world the Z-560 satellites certainly make a very strong first impression, but what about real world performance?

Sound quality from the satellites is very good. That is, regardless of the frequency range the reproduction is very clean and until the very highest volumes, distortion free. Frequency response appears to be affected somewhat by the removable grill with the more even response (appears to be within a 9 dB bracket from somewhere between 130 and 140 Hz (~160 Hz for the driver with the balance coming via the port) all the way to 20 kHz) coming with the grill left on. With the grill off the high end gets boosted by 2 or 3 dB and with upper bass fairly strong the midrange gets a bit overshadowed.

Subjectively, midrange quality is very good, although at times I thought it was a little recessed and other times just fine. It would seem Logitech would agree with the former since the retail units will have their equalization adjusted for slightly more midrange. I suspect part of my varying subjective impression is tied to the particular midrange frequencies in question and also to the amount of bass in the sounds being reproduced, as the minimum subwoofer level is a bit high (again something that will be changed in the retail units).

No details are given by Logitech on the actual crossover point between the 3" satellite drivers and the subwoofer. For a number of reasons I have not pinpointed the effective crossover point yet in our own testing. However, I suspect it is somewhere below 140 Hz and the roll-off beyond the crossover point is aggressive enough that the much lower frequencies are effectively filtered from the satellites resulting in very clean performance, even at high volumes. As noted above, the upper bass extension is very good, although not quite as extended as the ProMedia 4.1 or the AMR-150. Still clearly well above average when compared to systems such as the BA4800, DSR-100, S4-7100 and even Crossfire.

What may surprise a lot of people is the high frequency quality and quantity of this Z-560 system is very good, in fact in isolation (for tracks with mostly high-frequency notes playing) it’s for the most part comparable to what you get from the ProMedia 4.1! For more typical playback where there is a mixture of midrange and bass notes it again comes across very effectively, definitely better than other single driver systems I have heard. In this usage perhaps not as defined as on the ProMedia 4.1 when it comes to the transients on cymbals but I am talking about very subtle differences. The important point to take out of this is the high frequency definition is very good on the Z-560, certainly better than you might predict for its single driver nature and more than good enough for an enjoyable listening experience.

Overall imaging on the Z-560 is very good with a fairly wide sound stage thanks in part to the good upper bass extension combined with good midrange and strong high frequency performance. Based on testing with both bass heavy and less bass heavy music I suspect that the ability to tone the subwoofer down a bit beyond the current minimum will further improve the overall sound stage. Note that just as with the other systems with good upper bass extension on the satellites, the midrange frequencies that drive a lot of center channel imaging are overall not as prominent on systems with less upper bass extension.

When it comes to competition at the $200 price point the Z-560 is excellent. Relative to the $200 or less MSLP systems I have heard it is to my ears and tastes only surpassed in overall smoothness, but not volume, by the Polk Audio AMR-150, a system with a much less powerful subwoofer. Next in line I would have picked Logitech’s Xtrusio DSR-100 (but that system has been replaced by the Z-560) and the Boston Acoustics BA4800. The Z-560 satellites are even competitive with the more expensive Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 system, maintaining better clarity at high volume, particularly where there is a lot of bass. For music only, I would have to give a slight edge to the ProMedia 4.1 satellites at moderate volumes, mostly because I found the minimum bass on the Z-560 subwoofer overpowered the midrange at times. This as noted is something that Logitech says they have addressed in the retail units both in terms of tweaking the midrange and offering a lower minimum subwoofer level.  Subwoofer strength and balance aside, at high volumes the Z-560 maintains notably better clarity than the ProMedia 4.1 satellites at those same volumes, so gets the edge for people looking to play at louder volumes.

Despite what you will see in many reports, the ProMedia 5.1 satellites are not the same as used in the 4.1 and the overall performance is quite different. The ProMedia 5.1 satellites are in fact to me notably better performing than the PM 4.1 sats due to a number of changes both within and outside the satellites. Here I am speaking about both lower and higher volumes with the changes putting the satellite performance on the twice as expensive ProMedia 5.1 somewhat, but not significantly, ahead of the Z-560.

As impressive as the Z-560 satellites are for a system at the $200 price point, the subwoofer specifications are even more impressive. On paper we see that Logitech has used a MDF enclosure that houses a single front firing 8" high excursion driver. The system uses a large radius, highly flared port to prevent turbulent port noise on high intensity bass notes and is rated to deliver a 120dB maximum SPL (Sound Pressure Level). The specs rate the system to deliver down to 35 Hz with no +/- dB parameters.

Objective testing shows very impressive subwoofer performance. In near-field tests the 8" driver extends down to about 65 dB before rolling off more than 3 dB relative to a 100 Hz reference point and to 61 Hz at –5 dB. The tuned port further extends the subwoofer right through to the rated 35 Hz to about 30 Hz before sharply rolling off. This extension is comparable to the ProMedia 4.1 sub, although surprisingly each of the two 6.5 inch ProMedia 4.1 sub driver covers a bit more range, extending to about 56 Hz at –5 dB relative to the 100 Hz reference point.  Looking in the other direction the Z-560 sub is down 5 dB from the 100 Hz reference point at 136 Hz and down 10 dB by about 154 Hz.  Localization of this subwoofer is clearly never going to be an issue.

Subjectively in far-field testing (that typifies normal usage) the bass sometimes comes across too strongly for music if you want neutral (just like the ProMedia 4.1 at the default setting). As noted Logitech has apparently addressed this in the retail unit by lowering the minimum level. When it comes to movies and games it’s just fine as it is at the current minimum setting. Levels aside, what comes out is deep, well-defined bass notes with amazing dynamic range.

The Z-560 subwoofer is overall night and day better than the subwoofer on any other $200 4.1 multimedia speaker system I have heard and in several respects also better than some more expensive systems!

Compared to similarly priced systems the Z-560 8" driver is handling a large percentage of the notes that those less expensive systems handle between the driver and port.  The combination of larger driver size, superior driver quality, low port turbulence and a generous supply of power from the amplifier combine to explain at least in part why the overall quality and depth of bass is better on the Z-560.

The large radius, highly flared port delivers the promised results with notably less port turbulence even compared to what most more expensive 4.1 systems (ProMedia 4.1 and Crossfire) deliver. The Monsoon MM2000 gets around this design challenge by using dual passive radiators instead of a port and while the resulting quality is somewhat better than the Z-560, the depth is not as great (around 45 Hz instead of 30-35 Hz).

Port turbulence aside, when compared to the ProMedia 4.1 and even more so against the Crossfire, the Z-560 sub also exhibits notably greater power handling ability before either distortion or over-excursion sets in. The result is better overall dynamic range on the Z-560 subwoofer. 

In terms of definition and transient response (tested at a common optimum volume) I would put the MM2000, Crossfire and ProMedia 4.1 at varying levels ahead of the Z-560, particularly for frequencies where the drivers are handling the majority of work. The Z-560 subwoofer is still quite good in this respect and close to the ProMedia 4.1.  Where the sounds are getting down into the range where the ports of the Z-560, Crossfire and ProMedia 4.1 are handling the majority of the work (generally below 50-60 Hz and particularly below 40 Hz) the overall definition and quality is clearly better on the Z-560 thanks to much less port turbulence. In fact the Z-560 sub even outperforms the ProMedia 5.1 subwoofer in that 30-40 Hz range for quality and also has overall greater dynamic range (but not quality)!

The Z-560 subwoofer blows the subwoofer of every other $200 or less 4.1 system I have heard right out of the water, going toe to toe and then some with the $300 ProMedia 4.1! In fact, I would go so far as to say that the Z-560 is the best performing multimedia subwoofer I have heard for games and movies this side of the ProMedia 5.1. If you like to exaggerate bass for your music or just play bass loud you can add music to that list as well.  From a pure quality, but not quantity, aspect, both the $300 Monsoon MM2000 and $450 VideoLogic Sirocco Crossfire subs as well as the $400 ProMedia 5.1 sub get the nod over the Z-560, and even that is not cut and dry when you factor in the deep bass notes.  The very fact that I have to reference these higher priced systems speaks volumes for what Logitech has accomplished at the $200 price point.

This is an area that we will cover in more detail for the full review but for now I will say that noise levels are very good and should be even better on the retail units. The power handling ability of the system is outstanding, maxing out beyond the levels of the ProMedia 4.1!

If you have read any reports on the Z-560 in early November or earlier there is a very strong likelihood that it was based on the same pre-production unit that I tested. This unit as you will have gathered by now is very impressive, even without taking its $200 MSLP into account. The final retail units, which are now shipping to stores, should be even better. I have already touched on two changes, but here is the full list:

• leads on the sub driver were shortened and the grill on the sub moved out to significantly reduce the chance of the leads could rattling against the driver and/or the driver hitting the grill;
• knobs on the SoundTouch control center were fixed to rotate more easily (I had no problems with rotating the knobs on the test unit);
• knobs will have an indent to allow for visual feedback on setting;
• internal EQ was slightly modified for more midrange
• wiring around the transformer was corrected to eliminate buzzing (I did not note any buzzing)
• sub level control was re-calibrated so the sub could be set at a lower level than possible now (this hopefully is a significant enough change to address my main complaint on the test unit)
• air leaks in the sub (especially through the screw holes holding the heat sink on) were eliminated
• a sharp edge eliminated from the top of the heat sink

The Logitech Z-560’s major strengths are the impressive subwoofer, the very good quality on the satellites, the good upper bass extension of the satellites, the amplified headphone output, the very good overall dynamic range of the system and the relatively low price. Even without factoring in the changes to the final retail unit the performance of the Z-560 is amazing.

When it comes to music performance it’s very good although you can find both less expensive (AMR-150) and more expensive systems (MM2000, and Crossfire) that are clearly more even in the frequency response. The ProMedia 4.1 also appears to be slightly more even, but not quite as clean, particularly at higher volumes. This is an area that the tweaked system equalization on the retail Z-560 should improve the performance and even as is the listening experience is very enjoyable. In fact, if you want to belt out your bass then it’s hard to imagine anyone complaining about what the Z-560 delivers, but for those looking for a bit less bass it will, just as with the midrange, depend on the extent of the changes to the retail unit.

Shifting to games and movies, I can state with confidence that I have never heard a better 4.1 system for those uses at this price point and even going well beyond (ProMedia 4.1, Crossfire, MM2000) the Z-560 is competitive!

Overall the Z-560 is an outstanding product, one of those rare beasts that leaves you scratching your head asking again and again "how do they sell this system for just $200?" Perhaps when we try to delve into more details of the system for our full review we will come across the answer to that question but one thing that won’t change is my very positive impression of the Z-560.

For additional information you can check out Logitech's speaker page.

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