StarDestroyer.Net BBS

So my Logitech Z-680's crapped out. Specifically, the rear-right speaker output on the subwoofer stopped outputting a signal. So I called them up and told them I'd run through all the necessary tests, and it was definitely the port. They asked for my speakers' serial number, I gave it to them. They asked where I got it, and I was truthful and said eBay. They said they needed an auction number. So I told them I'd call back after I got it.

Did some digging, found the auction number in my old e-mails. I called them back, and they said they couldn't find the auction number. The guy put me on hold for about five minutes. He came back and said that since they couldn't find the auction number, they'd just assume it was a valid sale since I had a good serial number! I was really floored. That's service. After telling the first guy I got the speakers from eBay, he said that they had to make sure the reseller was reputable, like an eBay store or something. I told him I understood that, and he commented that it was nice that I was being honest about it.

So I'm guessing that the fact I was honest and forthright factored into their decision. After all, I got the speakers brand new and unopened a little over a year ago. So bottom line is that my warranty was valid. But since they no longer make the Z-680's, they said they'd just send me a set of "equivalent" Z-5500's (the new top-of-the-line). And I got the new set in less than a week!

Now, on to the speakers. Upon hearing I was getting them, I looked around for some reviews. All agreed that the sound quality was superb. That wasn't a surprise. My Z-680's were incredible, and the Z-5500's were an improvement on that design. But I was kind of disappointed to read that the Z-5500's used RCA cables for their speakers instead of standard lamp-wire. I guess Logitech received complaints about this, because my set does indeed use standard lamp-wire. And the lamp-wire shipped with the speakers are of a higher gauge than what I got with my Z-680's, which was a nice surprise.

The subwoofer is monstrous. The Z-680's sub looks positively tiny in comparison to this one.

The new control unit is a huge improvement. The LCD is actually readable from different angles, unlike the one on the Z-680's. As far as style goes, it looks a lot better. Plus the volume controller is easier to interpret. The volume knob is also a lot more responsive and accurate.

On the downside, the speakers are more difficult to mount. The Z-680's mounts could be repositioned by unscrewing a hex bolt and flipping the footrest around. The footrest had two feet, each with a hole at the end. The mounts, when positioned for mounting on a wall, covered the entire length of the speaker. So I could mount it on two tacks with minimal stress. This is not the case with the Z-5500's. The mounts are rotatable, so it's a lot easier to reposition them, but the feet on the rests only cover half the length of the speaker, so the stress is greater because the radius of rotation is smaller. I didn't want to risk using the tacks. So I got some screws and found that it was a complete pain in the ass to mount them because I couldn't get a screwdriver straight in there. But I eventually got them on the wall.

The speakers sound gorgeous. Not surprising, since they're merely an improvement over the already great Z-680's. The bass is noticeably richer because of the new, massive sub. That's the biggest difference I can detect. Overall, they're a nice improvement over the Z-680's without making any sacrifices in the sound quality. And hey, they were free.

So consider this my recommendation for Logitech. Not only for their quality but for their excellent customer service. I'm seriously stoked that they were so accommodating when they really did not have to be. I would've understood if they didn't honor my warranty.

Wow. That's really badass.

If you don't mind my asking, how much did you get the 680's for from eBay? I googled up the 5500 and found that Logitech lists it at $400.

Thats badass. How hard is it finding room for those speakers in a cramped room?

Uraniun235 wrote:Wow. That's really badass.

If you don't mind my asking, how much did you get the 680's for from eBay? I googled up the 5500 and found that Logitech lists it at $400.

I paid $242 less shipping. With shipping, the total came out to be around $270. The Z-680's were about $400 retail when I got them.

Ace Pace wrote:Thats badass. How hard is it finding room for those speakers in a cramped room?

The satellites themselves are pretty small, and they mount on the wall without too much trouble, as I mentioned before. So if you have free wall space and enough cable, they'll fit just fine. The sub is what you might run into problems with, but my desk's bottom shelf easily accommodated it.

Exactly the same case for me. The subwoofer on my 680's blew, or rather burned. I returned them to the store where I had bought them, and they sent them in to the company that imports Logitech stuff in Finland. Had to wait for three friggin months but then finally, I got the letter that I would be getting a brand spanking new set of Z-5500's. When you use optical input in these things and the Dolby Digital PLII Music Effect, the sound quality is pretty much out of this world.

Yep, my G5 has an optical output, so I use that input on my 5500's. I did some further listening last night with soundtracks and DVDs. I played some stuff from the Episode III soundtrack, which sounded incredible. (I use the straight Stereo x2 mode, not the ProLogic stuff.)

If you think of listening to music as having the ultimate goal of approximating the concert experience, these speakers perform amazingly. I was at half-volume, and I could actually get an auditory sense of where each instrument was coming from. The horn section was on my right, the string section in the middle with the woodwinds on the left.

The best part about the bass is that it's not obnoxious. It's deep and rich, balanced perfectly with the rest of the system. It's not like some retard's car stereo where the bass is so overpowering, it shakes the thing off its frame playing shitty rap music.