Introduction:

  There certainly are a lot of options nowadays when it comes to speakers for computers. From the lowly two-piece setups all the way to 7.1 systems, and from budget speakers to expensive THX-certified rigs, looking for the right setup to suit your situation can often be hard. The upside to all of this is that speaker designs are getting better and better, and your money will go a lot further in this day than it would've 5-10 years ago; many years ago, computer speaker systems were regarded with somewhat of a stigma, as they were considered less than "real" speakers. They certainly have come a long way since then, with some of the higher-end computer speaker systems rivaling entry-level home-theatre setups.

   One company that has taken this market by storm is Logitech, with the introduction of their Z-series of speakers some years ago, particularly the Z-560s. This was one of the few systems that could compete with the Klipsch systems, and many would say that the lower price made the Z-560s the better buy. Logitech was satisfied with just having one excellent offering, and soon updated their entire Z-series lineup with other offerings to appeal to a wider market segment with their quality.

   The Z-3s occupy a peculiar segment in Logitech's product array. Being only a 2.1 system that isn't THX-certified, it certainly doesn't fall into the high-end category; on the other hand, some of its features and price place it above Logitech's entry-level offerings. And, from looking at its design, one gets the idea that Logitech is trying to portray the Z-3 as more than a "budget" system, as its stylings aren't typical at all. However unorthodox its appearance may be, the speakers must still be able to perform - and they had better perform better than entry-level offerings considering their price.

Specifications:

   The Z-3s are a standard 2.1 speaker system, and this may be their biggest turn-off to potential buyers who have now been indoctrinated to the features that 5.1 and 6.1 systems offer, thanks to the plethora of such products out there and the resultant marketing about them swarming about. However, 2.1 systems still have their merits; for those that don't want or don't need surround sound, or for those who have limited space, or for those who simply want a no-nonsense speaker set for another computer, a decent 2.1 system can be more than enough. However, there is no denying that you certainly won't get the same experience from watching a movie or playing a game with a 2.1 system as you would with a 5.1 setup, for many people this isn't an option due to space constraints.

• Total RMS power: 40 watts RMS

• Satellites: 17 watts RMS (8.5W x 2)

• Subwoofer: 23 watts RMS

• Total peak power: 80 watts

• Frequency response: 35Hz - 20kHz

• Drivers:

• Satellites: 2-inch aluminum phase plug driver

• Subwoofer: 8-inch pressure driver

• Speaker dimensions:

• Satellites: (H) 7.75 inches x (W) 3.625 inches x (D) 3.125 inches

• Subwoofer: (H) 9 inches x (W) 8.875 inches x (D) 9.375 inches

• Signal to noise ratio: >92db

• Two-year limited warranty

   The Z-3s can consume up to 40 watts sustained (on average), which is decent for a system of this size. You'll notice that the satellites feature aluminum phase plug drivers, which first saw usage for Logitech in their Z-560s; it is certain that Logitech included these in the Z-3s so that they would be compared to speakers with such a high reputation.

   As always with Logitech, the Z-3s come well-packaged in a decent-looking box. Foam surrounds each piece of the system and not only protects but also prevents the pieces from moving about inside the box during shipping. After unpacking and unwrapping everything, you'll find that the package includes the two satellites, a subwoofer, the wired remote control, a small manual, a game console adapter and the omnipresent registration card.

  You may also be surprised by the look of this speaker system. It departs from the black/grey look of previous Logitech systems and instead adopts a wood-paneling appearance that seemingly blends in with a room's atmosphere instead of standing out like a technological device. This, combined with soft-silver highlights, represents quite a big departure for Logitech in terms of styling. I'll admit I was first turned off by this new look, but after some time I believe it better fits into a room's overall appearance, especially if you have a wood desk or hardwood floors.

The Z-3 box.	Well-packaged.
The Z-3s.	Sub has faux-wood paneling.

   The subwoofer is covered in the wood-like paneling, except for the front where a dull silver plastic cover and black metal grill form the appearance. The sub is not ported, which may not bode well for its performance, but Logitech seems to think other design aspects matter more in this respect. Having listened to their previous offerings, I tend to believe them in this case. Its footprint is roughly a square 23cm or 9" wide, which makes it the same size as the sub of the previous Z-340, Z-540 and Z-640 systems; and, from its appearance, one could come to the conclusion that this sub isn't all that different from the previous ones as well. However, I found this not to be entirely true, at least in how this sub performed.

   The back of the sub shows the sub volume control and a DIN connector for the wired remote control. There is no hard on/off switch here; to truly turn off these speakers you'll need to unplug them as the control pod's on/off switch really toggles between on and standby. The AC adapter is located within the sub's enclosure, so there are no bulky external adapters to deal with that only steal or cover up adjacent electrical outlets. While I don't often adjust the bass volume, I didn't like it being located on the back of the sub; with the sub's small size, you're likely to put it underneath your desk or somewhere else that is out of reach; hence, adjusting the bass volume will be annoying. For the extra price these speakers demand over other Logitech setups, I would have liked the bass volume control to be on the wired remote, thus within reach.

Sub powered by an 8-inch pressure driver.	Back of the sub.
Control pod wires moulded together with speakers.	Z-3 satellite; cords are hard-wired into the speaker.

   As you can see from the third picture from the left above, the wires from the control pod and those from the speakers are moulded together. Since the wires are hardwired into the speaker, it effectively turns the satellites and the control pod into one messy and tangled piece. Not only does this limit your placement options for the speakers, but it makes setting them up troublesome, as you have to maneuver and fight with the wires in order to set up the speakers. It would have been much better had the speaker wires been separate from those of the wired remote; however, the wires of the speakers and the control pod are individually insulated, and so they can be "peeled back" or separated somewhat in order to allow you to place the two satellite farther apart. I found that without doing this, the maximum horizontal distance between the two satellites was about 68cm or 27". However, I would have hoped that the wires would have been separate, given the extra price the Z-3s have over similar offerings.

   After the wires from the control pod and speakers merge together, they form into the DIN connector that plugs into the subwoofer's back. The length after the merge and to the connector is about 1.8m or 62", which should be a sufficient length. The other cord that comes from the control pod terminates into a mini-stereo plug that goes into your soundcard/computer, and it is roughly 2m long. The plug is an L-shaped one, though I would have preferred a straight-shaped one.

With grill.	Without grill.
Beautiful appearance.	"Wood-panel" look.

   The Z-3 satellites certainly look different than any computer speakers I've seen. Firstly, they feature removeable grills just like Logitech's high-end speaker systems, which allow you to show off their true appearance; however, if you're worried about damage from kids/animals/your own clumsiness, you'd probably be better to leave them in place. The grills are held in place by four plastic pegs that fit into rubber-lined holes on the speaker.

   However, it appears that Logitech wanted you to eventually remove the covers, since once you do you are treated to a brushed aluminum surface that Logitech has taken the care to wrap in plastic sheeting for protection from scratches during shipping. The look of brushed aluminum combined with the wood-panel appearance of the sides makes for a very distinctive look, and perhaps appeal, as you're not likely to find many speakers with this particular combination. Removal of the grill also allows you to notice the aluminum phase plug Logitech has included, which they say helps improve sound quality; you'll also notice the port on the top, which should increase lower frequency response somewhat. Overall, without the grills the speakers have a nice professional look to them that should appeal to many people.

Grills held in place by plastic pegs.	Metal stands removeable.
Stands have rubber feet for secure placement.	Driver is lined by rubber.

  Both speakers are clearly labeled "L" and "R" at the back so you shouldn't have trouble deciding which goes where. Looking at the back, you'll also notice that the metal stands are removeable; however unlike previous Logitech speakers, they can't be reversed and turned into wall-mounts; the metal stands have no facility for wall mounting. With the cables hard-wired into the speakers and considering their length, this is somewhat of a moot point - the speakers were meant to be placed on your desk. The metal stands are quite hefty, and lend a feeling of durability to themselves. They also have four rubberized feet on the bottom so they won't be slipping around on your desk.

   The wired remote or control pod is nicely shaped, with a large volume knob, and fits in nicely with the rest of the system. It's slightly larger than a pack of playing cards, and so it shouldn't take up too much desk space. Also on the control pod is a button to switch the system from on to standby (or "off", if you will) and a headphone jack. However, there is no bass control; instead that knob is on the subwoofer, in a less-than-accessible place; there's also no treble control at all. I understand that these aren't meant to be high-end speakers, but I still would've liked to see these features included, given the Z-3's professional appearance.

The control pod.	Headphone jack.
Bottom with rubber feet.	DIN connector to subwoofer and mini-stereo plug to soundcard; both wires come from the remote.

   The headphone jack has become somewhat of a defacto standard for computer speakers, and so its inclusion is welcomed. Plugging in headphones automatically mutes the speakers and allows you to control headphone volume using the same knob on the control pod. There is also a very bright 3mm blue LED on the remote to tell you when the speaker system is on; this LED is almost too bright, but luckily you won't be staring straight at it since it's on the control pod.

  Lastly, a small manual detailing the easy installation is included, along with a game console adapter. I thought this was a nice inclusion, since many people will undoubtedly plan to use these speakers with their game console, and this inclusion saves them a few bucks or so. The adapter converts the mini-stereo plug from the remote into RCA plugs so that the speakers can be used with other signal sources.