|
 Posted: April 09, 2003
Author: Jason Kohrs
Manufacturer: Logitech
Source: N/A (Search PriceGrabber for Best Deal)
The center channel speaker (picture below) is the control center for the speaker set. The only control not incorporated into the center channel face is a separate volume control for the subwoofer. What you do have is a power button, main volume control, fader control (for front to rear balance), center channel volume control, a “matrix” button, and a 1/8” stereo headphone jack. Although I am not totally clear as to what the matrix button does, I do know that leaving the matrix setting off provides what you would expect for 5.1 channel sound. The connections to the center channel speaker include three color-coded 1/8” stereo connections to connect to your sound card, as well as a din style connection that connects to the subwoofer to transfer the audio signals to the subwoofer as well as the satellites. The color-coding makes installation a snap... you just plug the three 1/8” plugs into the corresponding ports on your sound card to enable 1) the front stereo speakers, 2) the rear stereo speakers, and 3) the sub/center channel speakers.
 
The four satellite speakers are identical and as pictured in the images below. Black plastic housings with aluminum bases outiftted with rubber feet to avoid marking your surfaces. Each satellite speaker has a lead of cable with a mono RCA type plug for connection to the back of the subwoofer. The signal from the sound card passes through the center channel, to the subwoofer, and then out to the 4 satellite speakers. The two rear speakers have a substantially longer cable than the two speakers for use in the front.
 
The only feature of the satellite speakers that will distinguish one from another, other than the cable length, is the color of the RCA connection used to connect to the subwoofer.
- Front left: Yellow
- Front right: Black
- Rear left: White
- Rear right: Red
The color-coding on the satellite speaker connections then corresponds to matching plugs on the back of the subwoofer, once again making the installtion as simple as possible. Just match the colors and plug everything in.
 
In addition to the connections for the satellite speakers, also featured on the back of the subwoofer housing is an independent volume control for the subwoofer, the din type connection from the center channel speaker, and the only power cord required for all six speakers. Having to use only one electrical outlet is a nice feature, although not uncommon, and further simplifies the installation of the speakers.
Although it appears that you have an 8” speaker installed in the subwoofer housing, what you are actually seeing is a passive radiator, which reacts to enhance the bass provided by the driver concealed inside the housing. There are many designs out there for subwoofer enclosures which provide slightly different effects, and the design of the Z-640’s subwoofer housing seems well suited for desktop pc and gaming system use. The bass is tight and you really have to crank it up to generate any distortion or
 
Once fully installed, and connected to a Hercules Fortissimo III soundcard (capable of up to 7.1), the speakers were immediately put to the test. They replaced a mix and match 4.1 setup I had that included four Altec Lansing desktop speakers as well as a somewhat generic, powered subwoofer.
The sound quality was immediately noted with the playing of a few mp3s in WinAmp. Whether it was rock, rap or dance music, the bass/treble sounded excellent and the stereo separation was more pronounced than I had been used to. This type of experience continued when I watched a DVD copy of Jurassic Park 3. As well as the crisp, clear sound, the surround effect was very convincing. Although not a serious gamer, I did go a few rounds in RalliSport Challenge and Counter Strike and was very impressed with the newly found audio experience that went along with the games. The surround was again very realistic and aided my weak skills in staying alive just a bit longer on a few occasions in Counter Strike.
Conclusion:
The Logitech Z-640’s create sound that is much better than I would have expected from a $70 set of speakers. Couple this price with the recent $20 rebate Logitech was providing, and you have an excellent set of speakers that are just as easy to set up as they are to afford. The highs are very crisp and the lows are deep and powerful. You will not be let down whether these are used with pc multimedia applications or for serious gaming.
On top of the admirable performance, the Z-640s are also very attractive. Logitech has designed stylish enclosures for the Z-640s that will look great in any environment.
The only problem I had was with the cable that connects the center channel speaker to the subwoofer. I would have like 2-3 more feet in order to place the center channel above my monitor (at an elevation of about 5 feet) while still being able to connect to the subwoofer placed on the floor to the left of where I sit. In order to reach, I was forced to place the subwoofer under my desk in the area of my feet, making it more difficult to reach the subwoofer volume control, and also making them prone to an occasional kick.
Doing some comparison shopping, you may find the Z-640’s priced less than buy.com’s $69.99, but the free shipping compensates for this in my opinion. Newegg is currently offering them for a penny more ($63.00 plus $7.00 shipping/handling). Gateway seems to have a great price on them until you factor in shipping... $58.95, plus a whopping $19.38 for shipping/handling.
Pros:
- Sharp sound and excellent subwoofer response
- Simple setup
- Attractive design
- Nicely priced
- Only one electrical plug required to power all 6 speakers
Cons:
- Cable length between subwoofer and center channel too short for my preferred setup
Final Grade: A+
Please drop by the BigBruin.Com Forum and feel free to discuss this review.
Page 1 | Page 2
|
