Logitech Z-2200 Review - Sound Quality
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I put the Logitech Z-2200 speakers through a series of sound tests and made as many significant observations as I could. All tests were run on my P4 3.06GHz machine with Turtle Beach Santa Cruz sound card. Results, are of course, qualitative.
Movies
- The Matrix: Reloaded (mansion lobby scene)
- Enemy at the Gates (opening sequence)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (final battle)
- 2Fast 2Furious (opening race)
The Z-2200 speakers breezed through these movies with exceptional quality! Every clash of every sword, every bullet piercing through the air, every rock thrown and thudding as it falls, the rumbling thunder of thousands of horses against the dirt, the shouts, yells, and moans throughout the chaos - come out of the Z-2200 with crystal clear precision. Never before have I heard computer speakers deliver movies with such great sound. The bass is strong, and varies in depth accordingly, and never once drowns out the sound coming from the satellites. The speakers are even more impressive when you turn the volume up as they can really fill the room with sound while maintaining an excellent level of clarity.
Music
- Liszt - Transcendental Etude no. 10 (piano) - A live recorded piano piece containing a large spectrum of high, low, loud and soft notes at a very rapid rhythm; tests clarity, or the ability to reproduce clear, distinctive notes.
- Dvorak - Finale from the New World Symphony #9 (orchestra) - By the Bohemian composer Dvorak, this piece incorporates a whole host of string instruments majestically and tests both percussive transients and overall instrument reproduction.
- Chopin - Etude no. 5 op. 10 in E (piano) - Similar to the first piece by Liszt, this short 1:30 etude is a fast piano piece good for testing clarity.
- Yanni - Quiet Man (new age) - A soothing mixture of electric keyboard with percussion instruments, this piece demands accurate reproduction of bass from the subwoofer; it reveals flaws in cheaper subs which often flood sound with too much bass.
- Fabulous - Not Give A Fu*k (rap) - This song requires better quality bass production otherwise the sub will sound like it is rattling.
- Linkin Park - Don't Stay (rock) - A combination of modern instruments and vocals, Linkin Park combines sampling elements with heavy rock riffs; mainly stressing a speakers ability to keep sounds clean and clear; a poorer quality set of speakers will produce a muffled-type sound.
- Evanescence - Bring Me To Life (rock) - Similar to Linkin Park but stresses more on vocals, taxing more the satellites rather than the subwoofer.
- Metal Gear Solid Theme Song (modern) - A mixture of computer generated beats and what sounds like an entire orchestra, this song mixes together many different elements to make a catchy tune. It alternates between high and low sounds as well as rapid and long notes.
After listening to a few movies on the Z-2200s, I was not surprised how incredible CD and mp3 music sounded on the 200 watt system. It's a truly phenomenal experience listening to these speakers whip the average 5.1 home theater. No doubt, half the reason why the sound is so great is due to the excellent Santa Cruz sound card used - but the speakers are responsible for delivering the experience; making the room shake, making you tremble the first time you blast them as loud as your ears can handle, and keeping sound clean and clear at even unbearable volume. I'm no audiophile but I was truly impressed by the Z-2200's music playback for just a 2.1 setup.
Games
I played Need For Speed: Underground for PC, a THX certified game, with the Z-2200s for nearly an hour. Never before have I appreciated the game as I much as I do now. The opening movie, CD quality music during races, gear changes, acceleration, power slides, crashes, NOS, objects passing on the sides and over head, etc. all sounded so real, that now I understand that THX certification isn't simply a money making scheme. After previously have been playing the game with 4.1 Altec Lansing speakers and now experiencing it with THX certified Z-2200s, I can sum it up in a few words: the experience is worth the money.
Next: Conclusion >>
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