Introduction

When one thinks of Logitech, what usually comes to mind are peripherals such as mice, keyboards and game controllers. While Logitech has been involved with audio devices for a few years now, it has not been until the past few months that they have begun to be noticed as a contender in the audio market. Their Z-series of speakers, released last year, has really taken shape and has been noticed by the community, especially the high-end Z-560 set. Today, I'll be looking at the entry-level Z-340 system, a three-piece system that is geared towards affordability. Can it live up to the premise set by its bigger brother?

Specifications

Here's a quick list of the important features of this system:

• Total power output: 33 watts RMS
• Satellite speaker power output: 6.5 watts RMS per channel
• Subwoofer power output: 20 watts RMS
• System frequency response: 35 Hz-20 kHz
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 85 dB
• Input impedance: > 5,500 ohms
• Signal output (headphones): 3.5 mm (1/8") stereo mini-jack

This 3-piece system is all black, from the wires to the speakers. It'll fit in nicely with any computer, especially if you've gone the black colour route with your choice of peripherals. The general look of the system is also close to that of the Z-560 and almost identical to the Z-540. The satellites are not overly large, and will fit in nicely especially if you have limited desktop space. The right speaker has all the controls on it, such as the power button, volume knob and a headphone jack. Three wires come out from the back of it - one to the left speaker, one to the sub, and one to the lineout of your soundcard. All of these wires are permanently attached to the right speaker, making it somewhat clumsy to move it around. To make it even more difficult, the wire that connects the right speaker to the left speaker is also hard-wired to the left speaker, so the two are permanently attached to each other.

The right speaker holds the controls.

The left two wires come from the right speaker, while the power cord comes from the sub.

Sub is cube shaped.

The sub is quite large for a system like this, and is cube shaped. It'll fit nicely underneath one's desk or in a corner of a room. There is a bass volume control knob located inconveniently at the back, but once you have set it to your liking you shouldn't have to adjust it too often. It's still a bother though. The control wire from the right satellite also attaches to the back. It's a pity Logitech couldn't put the bass control on the right speaker, where it would be far more easy to make adjustments. The right speaker's controls are set up fairly well, but I found the volume knob to be a bit weird. It seemed as if the resistance to turning changed as the volume knob was at different positions. A minor quibble, but one that may be worth noting to some. There is also a bright blue LED (3mm) that indicates when power is on. It is so bright in fact, that it may be distracting especially if the LED is oriented in such a way that it is shining directly at you!

Sub volume control on the back.

Satellites are fairly small.

Bright Blue LED for power.

The metal stands for each of the satellite speakers was a nice touch I didn't expect from an entry-level speaker system. The stands have three grip feet to make sure the speakers stay in place, and if you wish to wall-mount these speakers, you need only loosen the screw at the back and turn the metal stands around. The headphone jack was also a nice addition that I suspect will become necessary on most speaker systems. It doesn't take too much effort to add one, but the effect is most appreciated especially for late-night listening. The audio to the speakers automatically cuts off when headphones are plugged in, and headphones can even be used when the system is not powered on.

Speakers are on metal stands just like the entire Z-series.

Metal stands can be turned around for wall-mounting.

Three grip points to keep the speakers secure.

Overall, this system met my expectations for a budget-type speaker set. The cons such as the hard-wiring of the left speaker to the right speaker are somewhat expected for a system of this calibre, but this was offset by a few surprises such as the metal stands that double as wall-mounts.

Installation

Installation for the most part, was easy. Upon unpacking the system and separating the wires out, I found a nice place for the sub. The satellites were a bit more difficult to set up because of all the wires coming out from the right speaker. Positioning the left speaker required some weird maneuvering because it was hard wired to the right speaker. Beyond this, setup was fairly simple, but if Logitech had made the left speaker detachable from the right things would have taken a bit less time.

Testing

I tested these speakers for about two weeks listening to a variety of music from classical to techno and playing games such as Unreal Tournament, Jedi Knight II, Dungeon Siege and SOF2. After this I was able to form a coherent opinion on the performance.

The first thing I noticed, from listening to almost any music, is that the bass output of this set is almost unreal! For certain genres of music, this will be appreciated, but for others you may have to turn down the bass volume knob to zero! In my opinion, however, I think that the bass is far too exaggerated, which makes music listening less pleasurable. In addition, this system is lacking in the upper ranges compared to my old Altec ACS-45 speaker system. The two are close in performance with music, but I would have to pick the older ACS-45 if it really came down to that.

In games, however, the Z-340 excelled thanks to its superb bass. Sound effect such as explosions and foot steps sounded clear and great on this system, and if you are looking for a good speaker set for an exclusively-gaming system, I would recommend these especially if you have limited funds. You can really feel the atmosphere of a game with these speakers, as the bass sort of envelops you.

Conclusion

This system has its shortcomings, most due to the fact that it is geared toward the budget arena, but nonetheless performs well for its price. If you are looking to spend no more than $50USD on a system, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend these. They are more than worth the price.

Pros

• Style fits in nicely with any computer system
• Headphone jack on right satellite
• Power button separate from volume knob
• Metal stands that also double as wall-mounts
• Nice bass for games
• Worth the price

Cons

• Bass can be too powerful, especially for music
• Lacks definition in the upper ranges
• Left satellite hard wired to the right
• Bass volume knob at the back of subwoofer

Lastly, thanks to Logitech for providing the Z-340 speaker system to review. This review wouldn't be here without their help!

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