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(More customer reviews)Until now I have used a 200 watt Sony stereo system hooked up to my computer. Sound quality on that system is decent, but it is big and bulky, and the amp hisses a little. I was looking for an affordable set of 5.1 speakers that could be used primarily for music playback as well as occasional use for games and movies. I bought the Logitech X-530 based on several online reviews, hailing this system as the best sub-$100 system for music as well as gaming and movies. The two drivers in each satellite seemed to me a little large for quality treble, and a little small for mid range, but the reviews seemed to indicate otherwise. I have not heard the other systems in this price range, but my suspicions were correct, and the X-530 is bellow my standards for music (but passable for gaming and movies).
I received these speakers from Amazon in about 3 days (even with super saver shipping!) upon their arrival I immediately set them up and put them to test.
Excited at the prospect of surround sound I first tried Medal of Honor, a game that has been lauded for its surround sound, then Call of Duty, Counterstrike etc. While the physical setup of the speakers had been a snap (plugging, attaching them to the walls etc.), the audio setup was not so easy. In each of the games I tried, L and R front was very strong, but Center and L and R surround were almost non existent. I was able to balance the speakers using the software suite provided by Creative Labs with my Live! Sound card, but each game was different, making quitting and restart each game until the sound was balanced a trying, trial and error affair. Dials for surround and center volume would have been much appreciated! Once the sound was balanced, I did enjoy the surround effects in each of the games, and the sub woofer added a visceral amount of boom to the explosions.
My experience with movies was similar, but the system's inherent shortcomings began to come through. Audio physics states that bright, focused treble is best produced by a small driver, and middle range sound requires a slightly larger surface area to move the air for solid mid-range sound. The dialogue and sweeping soundtrack in the movies I used to test the speakers soon showed that the dual drivers were inadequate for their job. It was clear that satellites were in capable of producing the full range of human speech, and that the sub woofer was picking up the mid bass, as many of the voices (men especially) boomed out from underneath the desk, rather than coming crisply out of the center channel. Even very deep-voiced men don't shake the floor when they talk! A decent amount of treble was present, but unfocused and muddy. Sharp metallic and other high range sound effects were present, but without any discernible place in the sound stage.
With some consternation I continued my test in the way of music. Here, the last remnants of the speakers' respectability fell to pieces. The speakers were woefully inadequate for full range music, with a huge gaping hole of mid range between big, boomy, inaccurate bass and messy, confusing treble. The harmonics were missing, leaving instead a thin treble melody backed by mushy sinus collapsing bass. Classical music sounded like your basic $30 carry boom box with a lot of bass. Bright upper harmonics were completely absent. Choral works were unbearably floppy and messy in presentation. With the booming bass and tinny treble I got headache after about a half hour, and not because I was listening too loud (I wasn't)
After a week or so of deliberations, I'm packing these up. There is simply no reason for me to own a set of speakers that are solely suited for gaming, which I do only occasionally. Unless I can bite the bullet for a Klipsch GMX system, I'm just going to use my Sony stereo.
Pros:
Look cool
Easy setup
Apparently better than other speakers in the price range
Cons:
Big, boomy, inaccurate bass
Voice track in movies boomed out by subwoofer
Messy, unfocused treble
Very little mid range
No physical surround and center volume controls
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Logitech X-530 5.1 Speaker SystemGet the most from your games and movies with the adrenaline-pumping surround sound of the Logitech X-530 5.1 Speaker System. Its subwoofer and satellites use the latest technological advances to ensure consistent audio at any volume.
Plug the Logitech X-530 into your PC, music player, DVD player, or even your PlayStation® or Xbox® game console and immerse yourself in clean, crisp, consistent surround sound from your games, movies, and more.The high-tech subwoofer adjusts itself dynamically to deliver distortion-free bass. And the five wall-mountable satellite speakers use Logitech´s patented FDD2 technology to eliminate the uneven sound response created by conventional dual-driver designs. The result: a clear, uniform sound field without the "hot spots" and inconsistency of other dual-driver satellites.
Frequency Directed Dual Driver (FDD2) satellite technology produces a uniform sound field for full, rich sound
Matching front & rear satellites deliver balanced surround sound
Dedicated center channel makes dialogue clear and intelligible.
Dynamic, real-time bass equalization maximizes bass response while minimizing distortion
Ported subwoofer design displaces more air for deeper bass
Headphone jack enables private listening
Master volume and subwoofer level controls placed for quick, convenient access
Satellite speaker stands rotate for easy wall mounting
Click here for more information about Logitech X-530 5.1 Speaker System
