# Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans: Reviewed]



## RishiGuru (Nov 27, 2010)

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*INTRODUCTION*

*Logitech Z-2300 *
When Logitech introduced the Z-2300 way back in 2004, it was a THX certified premium quality top of the range product. The Logitech engineers in the lab where given a clear goal i.e. to create the best 2.1 multimedia speaker system for the computers. They were not concerned about the price, they were more concerned about the performance & quality which lead in using premium quality components, be it electronic components, speakers used, wooden casings of the subwoofers, plastic casings of the satellites and even the wires used to connect the components. Price was never an issue, performance was. This single mindedness of the engineers produced a unique product, and Z-2300 was born.

If you consider that way back in the year 2000 when Logitech was known as a cheap speaker manufacturer and could not even meet the standards of Altec Lancing let alone Klipsch computer audio products, they made a huge effort back then in order to make a big step forward and used better quality components for their THX certified audio system lineup than they have ever done before thus increasing cost. My "Price was never an issue, performance was" statement is in context of my above view. Today when we compare the Z-2300 from an el chepo manufacturer Logitech with the HiFi maker company like Klipsch producing Promedia 2.1 as a computer multimedia speaker system, you find both of them being in the same segment going head to head in terms of audio performance and in many occasions Z-2300 coming out as a clear winner. Atleast we have to give credit to Logitech that that could produce a multimedia speaker system that can meet the standards of a Klipsch product. I give full marks to Logitech only for this effort.

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*Logitech Z-623 *
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Logitech introduced Z-623 in 2010 six years after Z-2300 reign. Actually I cannot recall of a 2.1 PC speaker that remained at the top of the performance charts for straight six years. They had to make the successor not because Z-2300 was getting old and becoming incompetent, believe me it is still is the king, but because the rival manufactures like Altec Lansing, Edifier, Creative, Sony etc are producing cheaper sets of same wattage and same configuration and labeling them as their premium product. Also 2.1 speakers sets are no more the cash cows of audio manufactures, rather these companies makes a lot of profit from selling the 5.1 & 7.1 speakers sets. 

*Z-2300 Specifications *

Audio Quality Certification: *THX certified*
*Total RMS Power: 200W [FTC Rated Power]*
*System THD: Better than 0.05% before clipping *
Total Peak Power(RMS): 400W < 10% THD
Power distribution: 120 W (Subwoofer) + 2 X 40 W (Satellites)
Subwoofer: 120 W @ 8 ohms @ 10% THD @ 100Hz
Subwoofer Size (inch): 8
Subwoofer Type: Long throw
Satellites: 80 W (2 X 40 W) @ 8 ohms @ 10% THD @ 1kHz
Satellite Size (inch): 2.5
Satellite Type: Polished aluminum phase plug driver
Frequency response: 35 Hz - 20 kHz
*Signal to noise ratio(SNR): @ 1kHz > 100dB*
*Sound Pressure Level (SPL): 117db*
Subwoofer dimensions(HWD): 11" X 11" X 15"
Satellite dimensions(HWD): 6.75" X 3.5" X 6"
Total weight : 15 Kg

*UNPACKING* 

*The satellites & Control Pod neatly packaged in the box*
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*SUBWOOFER*

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The subwoofer is huge, in every sense of the word. The behemoth measures 11” (H) X 11” (W) X 15” (D), and its output could rattle the paint off your walls. 

To give a comparison of how big the subwoofer is, look at the picture below where the Z-2300 sub is kept aside Altec Lansing VS2421.

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*Subwoofer made of thick MDF*
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The wall of the sub is made of 16 mm thick medium density fiberboard (MDF) which is quite impressive. It has been further strengthened with internal clamps in the joints. This adds tremendous strength to the box in order to withstand the slamming, heavy duty sound waves produced by the bass driver. The subwoofer weighs 12 kilograms and is a back breaker for sure.

Actually, this subwoofer was designed for Z-560 way back in the year 2000. Z-560 was the first THX certified multimedia speaker system from Logitech and was a big gamble at that time. Nobody was quite sure how the market will react in accepting a high end computer speaker from this unknown brand. But it seems that the gamble finally paid off and ever since this *Holy Grail* subwoofer have been used in their THX certified speaker systems line up for the past decade  as below:
Z-560 [first THX certified 4.1 system, launched in the year 2000]
Z-680 [first THX certified 5.1 system, launched in the year 2002]
Z-2200 [first THX certified 2.1 system, launched in the year 2003]
Z-2300 [second THX certified 2.1 system, with minor updations on Z-2200 launched in the year 2004]

*Z-2300 Bass Driver*
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Z-2300 subwoofer has a front facing massive *8 inch long throw* bass driver. *It has a Rated Power Input of 80W and maximum power input capability of 160W.* 

This history of 8 inch bass drivers began when Logitech choose Tang Band as the OEM manufacturer for their first THX certified multimedia speaker system  Z-560 way back in the year 2000. It used direct off the shelf 8 inch Tang Band W8-670C with rated power input of 80W, maximum power input capability of 150W having a max excursion capability of 7mm. I guess at the time of release, Logitech was entering a new domain in computer audio, changing their image from relatively ordinary PC speaker manufacturer to a high end computer speaker manufacturer, and was themselves not quite sure about how many units of Z-560’s they will be able to sell. 

There is a department in Logitech that exclusively deals with audio products and are better known as *Logitech Sound Central*. The link to the website is provided here: Logitech Sound Central

They state: “*We don’t simply buy parts off the shelf. We laser tune different types of drivers. We modify the shapes, experiment with materials, and use digital components to improve sound quality. Our goal is to deliver fidelity as close to the original sound as possible.*”

*Logitech Sound Central testing the bass driver of Z-5500*
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When Z-560 successor, Z-680 was launched in the year 2002, they shifted to an *unknown speaker manufacturer* which *builds speakers in accordance to Logitech specifications.*

I personally own a Z-560 & Z-2300. After minutely inspecting both the drivers of Z-560 & Z-2300, I found out 

1) Both have same magnet size & weight thus having identical rated power handling capabilities.

2) Z-2300 bass driver have more excursion capability that that Z-560 ones, maybe 10mm [estimated] where Z-560 ones have only 7mm. This is evident since Z-2300 ones have slightly longer & elongated stamped steel basket section between the spider & the magnet compared to Z-560 ones, providing the space for more excursions capability.

3) The cooling efficiency of the Z-2300 bass driver with its bigger vented pole piece is significantly higher than Z-560 ones.

* The  bass driver of Z-2300 with even higher excursion capability than Z-560 ones will definitely offer better sensitivity & accuracy not to mention the ability to handle more power over its rated input power with better cooling efficiency.Later I found out that Z-2300, Z-2200 & Z-680 all used this new driver.*

Look below at the increase of the hole diameter of the vented pole piece:

*Tang Band Z-560 subwoofer with smaller vented pole piece *
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*Z-680 aka Z-2200 aka Z-2300 subwoofer with bigger vented pole piece*
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*Z-2300 Bass Driver * 
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Comparing Z-2300's aka Z-680 monstrous 8 inch bass driver on the left with the Onkyo's 8 inch bass driver on the right.

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*Note:  Normally people confuse this bass driver as used in Z-680, Z-2200 & Z-2300 with the Tang Band W8-670Q model. Though both units look near identical, Z-2300’s bass driver is different from the W8-670Q in the rear section. It became absolutely certain when my friend’s Z-2300 bass driver went dead and I have to personally contact TangBand via email to ask the model of the driver used in Z-2300 & its price. I also send them the above pictures of the driver to help them identify. To my surprise, they replied after inspecting the pictures sent to them, that this bass driver do not belong to them or in any way or represent any one of their models. But they did agree that they supplied W8-670C drivers for Z-560. So, you see Z-680, Z-2200 & Z-2300 are not TangBands. Prior, I was also the victim of this case.*

The subwoofer enclosure also houses a patented “U” shaped exponentially increasing bass reflex port to produce distortion free deep and rich bass experience. The enclosure is very deep, which is obviously good from an acoustical standpoint.

*Z-2300 Satellite*s

Z-2300 uses *2.5 inch polished aluminum phase plug drivers* in their satellites and are beautifully crafted to look like a piece of art. *The 12W satellite drivers that Z-2300 uses are again from an unknown speaker company and does not in any way relate to 3 inch Tang Band (W3-594SB) units.* I estimate a rated power of 10W & a max of 20W. But since these drivers get audio frequencies ranging from 150Hz to 20kHz, the power handling capability increases by at least two times. So these speakers can handle anything between 20W to 40W.  

*Satellite Drivers*

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With the polished aluminum phase plug drivers helping to reduce the path length differences about the cone surface, you get a smoothing and reinforcing the frequency response, particularly in terms of the highest frequencies the driver is capable of. There is some thermal dissipation one gives up by doing this, but the phase plug itself can serve as a heat sink for the voice coil and magnet pole.

*CONTROL POD*

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The control pod of the Z-2300 is quite simple and minimalistic, which I prefer. No fancy lights just a big volume knob, a bass control, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, power LED and a power button. You can keep the control pod on your desk where ever you like and the controls are very convenient.

Here are a picture of Z-2300 control pod innards

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*AMPLIFIER DETAILS *

Audio design has always been a subject that stirs the passions of most electronics engineers and a subject where the pursuit of perfection has many times comes before considerations of cost. That aside sometimes the simplest circuits can offer the best solutions in terms of cost and performance. Z-2300 houses the amplifier in their subwoofer assembly.

*Power Supply*

The power supply of an audio amplifier is of vital importance, since it provides all the juice required by power amplifiers to drive the big speakers. An underperforming power supply will seriously limit the performance of an amplifier.  

The power supply consist of:

i) A center tapped toroidal transformer manufactured by Ten Pao International. *This transformer is rated at 150.9VA with +/- 20.1VAC secondary, 3.75A.* 

ii)  A metal cased bridged rectifier to provide full-wave rectification from +/- 20.1 VAC to DC.

iii) A pair of *CapXon 10,000 uF, 35V* capacitors one for + 20.1 VDC and the another for – 20.1 VDC acting as ripple filters in order to smooth the DC output.

*Toroidal Transformer Details*

Manufacturer: Ten Pao International Ltd.
Part No: Z-2200 EU
Model No: TOG433028F0
*VA Rating: 150.9 VA [Confirmed by Ten Pao]*
Primary Input: AC 230V/50Hz
Secondary Output Voltage: AC 20.1V x 2 
Secondary Output Current: 3.75 A
Diameter: 95 mm
Height: 45 mm

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A toroidal transformer uses a doughnut shaped core & is much slimmer than a conventional (EI) transformer. It has numerous advantages over EI type such as low weight, low hum, low noise and also being smaller in size than an equivalent EI type. On the downside they are much more expensive than a conventional EI transformer. But it is worth the pay since you get better performance. A toroidal transformer has so many other performance advantages over EI type that it is hard to describe here other than to provide the performance ratio. *Toroidal : Conventional(EI) :: 158 : 5* . It you want to know more in details go to the link below: 
Bryston Transformers

*The Bridge Rectifier*
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*The Ripple Filter Capacitors*

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The transformer used here is rated to have an output of two times 20.1VAC *when it has its rated load*. So its resistance has already dropped the open circuit voltage and its peak will be 1.414 times higher which happens to be 28.4VAC. A single rectifier here drops it by 1VDC to 27.4VDC and smoothing the ripple by the power capacitors drops it by another 1.4VDC to 26VDC.

*So, DC voltage supplied by the power supply is +/- 26 VDC, the current being 3.75 A. *

*Amplifier Chips*

Z-2300 uses* four Class-AB power amplifiers* from *STMicrolectronics*.  STMicrolectronic is a very renowned name in audio amplifier market.

The amplifiers used are:

i) A *Japan Radio Corporation’s JRC-4565 operational amplifier*. JRC-4565 is a dual op-amp which means it has two op-amps inside it to handle stereo channels.

ii) *Two voltage regulators* a *78M18* and a *79M18* supplying +/- 18 VDC respectively to feed JRC-4565 op-amp from the +/- 26.4 VDC power rail.

iii) One *STMicroelectronics, Class-AB, 60W, TDA7296* power amplifier  for each of the two satellites while the other two *STMicroelectronics, Class-AB, 80W, TDA7295*  are bridged together powering the subwoofer.

* JRC-4565 operational amplifier *

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*78M18 and 79M18 voltage regulators*

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*Logitech Z-2300 Amplifier Innards*

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*Reasons for using Class-AB Power Amplifiers*

A quick look at many new low power speaker amplifiers on the market highlights the move to Class-D audio performance, but when it comes to low distortion and low noise and best sound quality, Class-AB still has the edge.

Class-AB architecture offers a signal to noise plus distortion ratio of up to 10 times better than its equivalent Class-D neighbour as well as providing a much simpler architecture which can be tweaked as required, without the need for reactive filter components on the output and the electromagnetic radiation resulting from an output stage switching at a few hundred kHz. Class-D amplification has inherent distortion in it and therefore is predominantly used in lower bandwidth amplification like in subwoofers. In other words it is quite impossible for a Class-D to achieve the level of linearity in frequency response produced by a Class-AB amplifier. 

Ultimately it comes down to what you want, for efficiency and cost effectiveness Class-D are best, but if you are ready to sacrifice some efficiency & increase cost for the sake of sound quality then Class-AB are the best. In other words Class-A amps sound the best, cost the most, and are the least practical. They waste power and return very clean signals. Class-AB amps dominate the market and rival the best Class-A amps in sound quality. They use less power than Class-A, and can be cheaper, smaller, cooler, and lighter. Class-D amps are even smaller than Class-AB amps and more efficient, because they use high-speed switching rather than linear control.

The most important reason behind which multimedia speaker manufactures are switching from Class-AB to Class-D is to increase profit margin. Class-D is very cheap to produce and does not need require a big extruded aluminum heat sink or expensive toroidal transformers. They are basically switching power supplies but utilize pulse width modulation so as to be able to reproduce and amplify an alternating current. There are ok for subwoofers, but I honestly think that it is ridiculous to use a Class-D amplifier in a high end studio monitor.

In short, Class-D amps are more efficient but are only good for low frequencies applications like subwoofer amplification. Class-AB amps can be used full range amplification i.e from 20Hz – 20kHz. Class-D amps cannot be used on highs frequency response because they only produce square waves because of the technology involved, so they will make your highs sound lifeless and tinny. Class-AB amplifiers produce full variable signals and can capture subtle nuances better, sound warmer and generally have more depth in their sound.

*Principles of Amplifier Operation in Z-2300:*

1) A stereo audio signal comes in through the green 3.5mm audio connector with the control pod.

2) In the control pod, the signal passes through the *main volume* logarithmic potentiometer for attenuation.

3) This attenuated audio signal is then send down from the control pod to the subwoofer enclosure through a D-Sub connecter where the amplifier module exists. A *JRC-4565* operational amplifier first receives this audio signal. The JRC-4565 having stereo handling capability distributes the audio signal into two places:
a) To the left and right satellite *TDA7296* power amplifiers and then subsequently to the 2 satellite speakers.
b) Back up to the remote through the D-Sub connector.

4) Inside the remote, the stereo audio signal is split again:
a) To the headphone jack
b) To the subwoofer bass volume potentiometer (where it is combined to mono at this point)

5) Audio signal output from the subwoofer bass potentiometer finally gets fed back into the subwoofer enclosure through the D-Sub connector to the *bridged TDA7295* subwoofer power amplifiers and then to the bass driver.

*The four power amplifier chips operate at 8 ohms load in Z-2300 amplifier module.*

*Technical analysis of Class-AB, STMicroelectronics of TDA7295 & TDA7296 DMOS Audio Amplifiers *

The TDA7295 & TDA7296 are both monolithic integrated circuit in Multiwatt15 package, intended for use as audio class AB amplifier in Hi-Fi field applications (Home Stereo, self powered loudspeakers, Topclass TV). Thanks to the wide voltage range and to the high out current capability it is able to supply the highest power into both 4 & 8 ohm loads even in presence of poor supply regulation, with high Supply Voltage Rejection. The built in muting function with turn on delay simplifies the remote operation avoiding switching on off noises. TDA7295 have a maximum output capacity of 80W while TDA7296 has 60W.

Remembering that the power supply of Z-2300 is +/- 26 VDC, the current being 3.75 A. 

*TDA7296*

*Output Power vs. Supply Voltage @ 8 ohms*

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Looking at the Output Power vs. Supply Voltage graph of TDA7296 above, we see it can produce 38W of power at 26 VDC at a respectable 0.5% THD.

*So, at +/- 26 VDC --> 38W @ 0.5% THD @ 8 ohms *

*Distortion vs. Output Power @ 8 ohms*

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Distortion vs. Output Power graph of TDA7296 shows that at 38W @ 0.5% THD @ 8 ohms @ 26 VDC it starts to clip & distort. So in order to produce distortion free sounds this id the effective maximum of the chip.

*Effective maximum of TDA7296: 38W @ 0.5% THD @ 8 ohms @ 26 VDC*

*Power Dissipation vs. Output Power @ 8 ohms*

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The Power Dissipation vs. Output Power graph of TDA7296 shows it as a very efficient Class-AB amplifier.  At 38W @ 0.5% THD @ 8 ohms @ 26 VDC, the power dissipation is just 12W. This means if 50W is fed by the power supply to this TDA7296, it will deliver an output of 38W to the speaker whereas only 12W will be lost as heat.

*So, this TDA7296 have an efficiency of 76% when it is producing 38W @ 0.5% THD @ 8 ohms @ 26 VDC.* The power dissipation increases when the output power is reduced to half.

*TDA7295 *

Two TDA7295 are bridged together into an 8 ohm load to power the subwoofer. Each of these TDA7295 sees effectively a 4 ohm load when bridged into an 8 ohm load. If you bridge an amplifier, the available power is the power of a single channel into half the load impedance multiplied by two.

*Output Power vs. Supply Voltage of a single TDA7295@ 4 ohms *

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Looking at the Output Power vs. Supply Voltage graph of a single TDA7295 above, we see it can produce 65W of power at 26 VDC at a respectable 0.5% THD. 

*So, at +/- 26 VDC --> 65W @ 0.5% THD @ 4 ohms *

Now if we bridge a pair of TDA7295, the available power is the power of a single channel into half the load impedance multiplied by two. Since TDA7295 produces 65W into 4 ohms, bridged it will produce 65 X 2 = 130W into 8 ohms.

*So, at +/- 26 VDC a pair of bridged TDA7295 will produce --> 130W @ 8 ohms *

*Distortion vs. Output Power of a pair of bridged TDA7295@ 8 ohms *

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Distortion vs. Output Power graph of TDA7295 shows a pair of bridged TDA7295 after 100W starts to clip & distort. So in order to produce distortion free sounds this 100W is the effective maximum of the bridged TDA7295.

*Power Dissipation vs. Output Power of a single TDA7295@ 4 ohms *

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The Power Dissipation vs. Output Power graph of TDA7295 shows it as an efficient Class-AB amplifier.  At 65W @ 4 ohms @ 26 VDC, the power dissipation is 30W. This means if 95W is fed by the power supply to this TDA7295, it will deliver an output of 65W @ 4 ohms to the speaker whereas 30W will be lost as heat. In a bridged format it will deliver an output of 130W @ 8 ohms to the speaker whereas 60W will be lost as heat.

*So, a pair of bridged TDA7295 have an efficiency of 68% when it is producing 130W @ 8 ohms @ 26 VDC.* The power dissipation increases when the output power is reduced to half.

Looking at the above figures its seems that Logitech’s claim of 200W is true, since each satellites will have 38W while the subwoofer will get 130W which sums up to: 38 + 38 + 130 = 206 W @ 8 ohms @ 26 VDC

But, unfortunately that is not the case.

* Z-2300 amplifier’s continuous power output capability *

In order to produce 200W of *continuous power*, an amplifier will need a transformer that is capable of to deliver *a minimum of 1.27 times* the claimed wattage. Since Watt is volts multiplied by ampere, 200W of output requires 254 watts or 254VA transformer as a minimum requirement.

*So, Z-2300’s supplied 150.9VA will produce a maximum of: 150.9/1.27 = 119W =~ 120W of continuous power @ 8 ohms @ 26 VDC*

Since the ratio of power distribution between the subwoofer and the satellites are in the order of 1.71:1, the subwoofer will get 76W of *continuous power* while each satellite gets 22W of *continuous power*.

This becomes even more evident from the fact that the bass driver has a rated input power 80W, while the satellite speakers can handle anything between 20 to 40 watts. 

The *Total RMS Continuous Output Power of the four amplifier chips* = 50(TDA7295) + 50(TDA7295) + 30(TDA7296) + 30(TDA7296) = *160W* whereas the *Total RMS Continuous Output Power of these four amplifier chips is 120W for Z-2300* since the the power supply limits the maximum power output. 

Also these amplifiers will produce a lot of distortion & noise at the peak 160W power output. So, in order to produce distortion free, linear sound the amplifiers generally needs to reduce its output peak power by 25% or more. Using an amplifier with some extra “headroom” will help assure that only clean, undistorted power gets to your speakers. Reducing the maximum power from 160W to 120W *Z-2300 creates a 25% headroom and justifies the stated system THD of better than 0.05% before clipping & signal to noise ratio of > 100dB.*

* Discrepancies about Power Output Figures *

*Remember that most audio amplifiers do not have power supplies capable of driving their rated power continuously. This holds absolutely true for all computer multimedia speakers systems & consumer home audio products. Only HiFi systems costing a lot of money have power supplies that can match the continuous power rating of the amplifiers.*

This is because music is not like a continuous sine wave. It has peaks of intensity, then relatively quiet periods. If music has a 20dB dynamic range then if the peaks are 200W, the average power is probably around 5W. 

A transformer can sometimes go well beyond its rated power output for small amount of time to handle these peaks of intensity. For example the 150.9VA transformer of Z-2300 can go up to 180VA to handle the peaks & produce 140W power for that moment. 

If even further power is required to handle this peaks of intensity, say 200W, then the additional 60W is supplied by the two large 10,000uF, 35V power supply filter capacitors of Z-2300 for this short period of time. The filter capacitors can charge back up during the relatively quiet periods.

So the 150.9 VA transformer of Z-2300 is perfectly capable to deliver 120W of continuous power & can easily handle peaks reaching 200W. 

*That is the reason why Logitech states that Z-2300 have a Total RMS Power of 200W. Look at the absence of the “continuous” word.* Except HiFi systems, you will always find these consumer audio companies talking about “*FTC Rated Power*”,“*Total RMS Power*”, “*Power*”, “*Total Peak Power*”, “*System Power*”, “*Music Power*”, “*Peak Music Power Output (PMPO)*”,…………….. and the list goes on. But you will never find them talking about “*Continuous Power*” which happens to be the actual power of the amplifier.

* Why Z-2300 is still the king of all 2.1 Multimedia Speaker System*

Z-2300 is capable to produce 120 watts of continuous power which is a lot of power for a 2.1 PC speaker. Also, it is way more powerful than any of its competitors. 

Look at the two shots of the Logitech Z-Cinema 2.1 speaker system power supply.

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Take at even closer look at the main component of the Z-Cinema's *switching power supply* :

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It is clearly stated, *MAX TOTAL OUTPUT POWER 83.3W*

Z-cinema’s switching power supply is capable to deliver a maximum of 83.3 watts which equates to 75 watts of continuous power from the amplifier. Also switching power supply cannot be overloaded the same way as transformers. In comparison, Z-2300 toroidal transformer alone is capable to produce 150.9 watts of power, not to mention it can even go up to 200W with the help of its internal capacitance & power supply filter capacitors to handle transient peaks on demand. *So, on an average Z-2300 have 45W more than Z-Cinema. Same theory goes for the Z-2300 successor Z-623 which I believe is down by 40 watts or so.*

*Another famous example is Sony, notoriously known for their power out figures.* Consider the case of Sony SRS DB-500 with 300W power output claim. A very famous website did a complete tear up of this DB-500 only to find out that the power supply can produce a mere 65 watts. *So how does a 65W switching power supply produce 300W? Well even Sony is unable to answer this question.*

*So, the more you dig, the more you find out these power figures are marketing jargon, rather than true figures on which one can measure the performance of an audio system. *

*THX CERTIFICATION*

THX stands for Tomlinson Holman’s eXperiment. A THX Certified Multimedia Speaker system is designed for those who crave the power and performance of home theater and studio sound at the desktop.THX certification recreates peak, Reference Level quality at your desktop listening position.

What is Reference Level? THX Reference Level, a setting designed to mirror the exact volume level used by movie makers and sound artists in the studio. When you are watching a movie on a THX Certified Multimedia Speaker System, you experience every sound element exactly like it was produced by the filmmaker—with the same fidelity, detail and clarity.

Speakers that can achieve THX Reference Level is no simple task. It requires a tremendous amount of power to drive an audio system effortlessly without clipping or distorting. THX Certified Multimedia Speaker Systems are designed to recreate Reference Level with minimal distortion.

THX worked closely with Logitech during product development, ensuring the two-satellite and subwoofer Z-2300 & Z-623 speaker system was meticulously mapped to THX design standards. Then, THX performed more than 400 bench tests, including frequency response, noise, distortion and power. The result is a THX Certified Multimedia Speaker system that delivers THX Reference Level sound pressure and fidelity – letting you hear every bass note, sound effect and dialogue as it was created in the studio.

*Performance Benefits:*
*400 Bench Tests:* THX acoustic and electrical bench tests ensure accurate and powerful audio performance.
*THX Reference Level*: Designed to mirror the performance characteristics of professional studio speakers, recreating peak, THX Reference Level quality.
*Wide Bandwidth*: Low frequency extension of satellite speakers ensures a smooth and balanced audio experience when sound pans from satellites to subwoofer.
*Desktop Engineered*: The Logitech Z-2300 or Z-623 are perfect for PC gaming, podcast production, audio and video editing, and enjoying music and movie applications on your desktop.

*PERFORMENCE*

*1) QUOTES FROM DIFFERENT WEBSITES*

*i)Tomshardware*

"*Pump Up The Volume With 117 DB SPL*

The response showed good balance and remarkable regularity in the midrange of up to 10 kHz. After that, performance slipped a little, which is to be expected from full-range drivers. Obviously the low end was nice and deep, which is normal for an enclosure of this size equipped with a good woofer and amplification. The 2300 isn't open to much criticism in this department."

*SPL Figure Graphs *

Satellites
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/c7f3adad17.jpg

"Response was remarkable in the upper part of the spectrum, even if the third-octave weighting linearized it somewhat. The hiccups in the lower end of the spectrum were largely due to the room where the measurements were made and should be ignored."

Subwoofer
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/efa338994d.jpg

"The 2300 handles the entire lower register. Like its predecessor, it can reproduce very low frequencies without weakening.

The Z-2300, based on Logitech's 2200, will serve as a reference point in the world of high-performance 2.1 speakers. While we would have preferred to see the satellites offer two-way drivers, the final result is that the speakers are at the high end of the quality spectrum. The 2300 thus represents one of the rare possible choices in this product sector for those who seek the best in the category."

*ii) Tech-Labs (Russian)*

*Frequency Response*
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/c8e9f1059e.jpg
"Subwoofer little nedotyagivaet to lower the declared value, although both show a great result - 45 Hz. However, his characterization is not perfect, we can state a clear peak and the absence of a "shelf". The satellites, show a fantastic uniformity. Over the entire operating range it does not exceed ± 2.5 dB. For full range satellite speakers in the multimedia speakers category, such a result can be considered the supreme achievement."

*Harmonic Distortion*

*THD Subwoofer*
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/87fb3e0436.jpg
"THD of the subwoofer is very low even at high volume, they do not exceed 10%."

*THD Satellites*
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/644db48461.jpg
"The tiny full range drivers perfectly wins back a wide frequency range, it develops impressive power too."

*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/563202cf8c.jpg

Fs = 42.95 Hz
Re = 7.80 ohms [dc]
Le = 7328.42 uH
L2 = 3120.63 uH
R2 = 52.25 ohms
Qt = 0.52
Qes = 0.57
Qms = 6.49
Mms = 50.81 grams
Rms = 2.112233 kg / s
Cms = 0.000270 m / N
Vas = 10.35 liters
Sd = 165.13 cm ^ 2
Bl = 13.755757 Tm
ETA = 0.14%
Lp (2.83V/1m) = 83.66 dB 

"The resonant frequency is quite low, only 42 Hz. In sum, with a low Q factor is comparable to the use of acoustic design. Also, thanks to a massive system of magnetic head has a truly outstanding power factor."

*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/ee73e577f8.png

*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/b7af816e7d.jpg

"On set of indicators above, our assessment of today will be strictly positive. Z-2300 has an excellent manufacturing quality and very easy to use because of the remote volume control. The sound quality which i am not afraid to say, the highest. Massive subwoofer reproduces deep & rich bass that perfectly complemented by bright sounding satellites. Despite the relatively small size, power acoustics really high, we can say is very high. *According to test results Logitech Z-2300 receives the award "Editor's Choice" in its class.*

*iii)CNET*

"Editor's Rating: 4/5 
 Design : 9/10
 Features : 9/10
 Performance : 9/10

*The Good: *Outstanding audio quality; streamlined, efficient design; adapter for game consoles.

*The Bad*: Upward-firing satellites not adjustable; hardwired cables.

*The Bottom Line*: Logitech's Z-2300s have been on the market for more than half a decade, but these PC speakers still pack a sonic wallop."

*iv) 3DXtreme*

"A set of Speakers is hard to review, because there is no way to present comparisons, charts and graphs. Here is what we can say – for about $110 I have not heard a better set of speakers at this price point. We’ve reviewed a few budget sets of speakers that just fell short in the sound category lacking clarity and bass. When this set came along it was like a breath of fresh air. It may not have the volume or the power of the Z-6800 (which I also have) but on their own they sound amazing. Watching movies, listening to music and gaming is all a great experience with these speakers. Keep in mind they are only 2.1 channel speakers however this set of speakers has the Lucas THX certification – I’ve found that speakers with this certification to be a notch above the rest of the other products found on the market. Maybe I’m spoiled by Logitech and their speakers but to me this would be a worthwhile $100 purchase for anyone looking to get the most for their money. Logitech even throws in an adaptor that will allow the user to connect these speakers directly to a DVD player or game console.

*Pros*
  Great sound.
  Incredible bass.
  SoundTouch with headphone jack.
  Logitech quality.
*Cons*
  Short wires on the satellite speakers
"
*v) Bildochljud.se*

"*Sound Quality [Translated using Google Translate]*
Here we are really surprised. Logitech's holding is not so much from the crowd in a negative sense as we feared. The sound will not be near the B & W's or Harman / Kardon, but it actually costs Z-2300 just a fraction too. If we compare with Altec Lansing, we are actually prepared to say that Logitech do better. The balance between the satellites and subwoofer is better here. You can almost play as loud as you want and the subwoofer has a great rumbling that matches the satellites well. We heard no distortion when the volume was turned up properly and balance, like I said very good.Logitech handle sensitive music and hard rock in the same fine manner. This is simply a cheap alternative that provides excellent value for money. No one style icon, but in short, a good sound for a small amount. We like the Z-2300."

*vi) pocketnow.com *

"*OVERALL IMPRESSION*
I've always been partial to offerings from Klipsch - I've owned many of their products, and to me they represent a very high level of quality. I expected the ProMedia 2.1 THX system to remain the king on the block even with, but as indicated by the ratings above, Logitech has brought to the market the next champion in high-end 2.1 multimedia audio namely the Z-2300."

*2) MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS*

*Music:* Throughout my 2 years with Z-2300, one thing became very clear; these are very neutral sounding speakers. What is produced by these speakers is very smooth, and very pleasant to listen to. The one thing that does come to mind when listening though is power. Z-2300 is capable of producing 117 dB which is a world record for a 2.1 multimedia speaker system. The subwoofer lets itself be known with its slamming tight & precise bass which at times are powerful enough to knock the wind out of your lungs. The satellites feature a nice, natural sound with excellent representation. If the user wants, they can boost the subwoofer levels through the roof though my ears will be bleeding by then.

I am dealing with one of the best solutions for pure listening pleasure, with a clean sound devoid of any colorings, embellishment or ornamentation in the sound, commonly found in Altec Lansing and Creative speaker systems. Now I can easily hear many of the previously obscure details in the compositions of a complicated music composition, and can clearly set apart all the instruments used in the music composition, thus I am able to focus not only on the primary instrument, which is audible, but also on the fact that what instrument I want to hear.

Even though these are not two way satellites, the phase plug allows the 2.5” driver to more accurately reproduce the high end of the frequency spectrum. There is no background noise with these speakers, and definitely none of the hiss that my Altec Lansing MX-5021 suffered from. The analog input was very clean, and it was able to reproduce the sound with great accuracy.

*Movies:* These speakers are exceptionally clear at reproducing dialogue, as well as action, in a wide variety of movies. Even when there is a lot of action and music on screen, dialogue is never drowned out, nor does it get muddy or indistinct. The lack of any kind of hiss also helps in playback, as the softer, more subtle scenes draw the viewer into the movie. The satellites do an outstanding job of reproduction.

When the action gets heavy, the subwoofer really kicks in. The bass is tight and strong, and it will make a user’s chest thump if the content calls for it. Low end effects can really help to heighten the tension of a scene, as well as help to expand the overall environment. The subwoofer on these speakers is able to handle nearly every explosive scene thrown at it. Never once did it sound like the subwoofer bottomed out, or sound strained, or even chuffed. The ported design is surprisingly quiet, considering in other designs I have heard quite clearly the air moving in and out. Overall, for a 2.1 set of speakers, these turned out to be quite good for movie reproduction.

*Games:* This is probably the area where these speakers excel the most. The satellites are very clear in gaming, and their mid-bass is very present, but not overpowering. High frequency sounds are usually not present in most games, so the lack of a tweeter here does not affect gaming performance one bit. The satellites are able to provide excellent sound in a variety of gaming situations, and the ability to accurately reproduce the HRTF effects makes for a very immersive experience.

The subwoofer really gets a workout from many of the new action games, and it keeps asking for more. In titles such as Need for Speed Undercover, the subwoofer plays a very large part in the action. 

*VERDICT*

Z-2300 is hitting the end of the production cycle. It is the last of the titans which is finally going to take slumber. It has definitely the upper hand over its opponents namely Logitech Z-623, Altec Lansing MX-6021, Sony SRS DB-500, Edifier S530, Klipsch Promedia 2.1 & Creative Gigaworks T3 in terms of performance. Also Z-2300 is the clear winner in terms of performance/ price ratio. 

When you put the Z-2300 in the above equation, everything falls loose. Z-2300 is like a lion among a herd of cattle’s named Z-623, DB-500, S530, Promedia & T3.

1) None of the above sets have the power output capability of Z-2300. Z-2300 is the loudest of the lot and makes the opposition eat the dust.

2) Z-2300 has wonderful power reserve in the amplifier & thus do not distort even at full volume. Z-623 & all the other sets distorts at full volume.

3) In terms of music representation Z-2300 is second to none. Since Z-2300 uses Class-AB amplifiers, the sound produced by Z-2300 is more natural, very well defined & represents the true analog nature of the human voice. Both male & female voices are excellently represented in Z-2300. In contrast Z-623’s Class-D amplifier lacks a little bit of the natural feel & warmth in the sound as found in Z-2300 and represents more that of MX-6021 & DB-500 in their sound characteristics. The subwoofer has tight bass but the overall bass of the Z-623 is not well defined. A system with Class-AB amplifiers (as in Z-2300) will produce bass which is a little less deeper than a Class-D of Z-623, but the bass will be much more defined & accurate and also feel more natural & real.

*For example, playing the track "Chant" of the band Foreplay, I noticed that the kick drums of that track produce "boom boom boom" on the Z-623. Playing the same track on Z-2300, the kick drums sounded "booouuumm booouuumm booouuumm" which happens to be the actual sound of kick drums. In contrast, Z-623 bass goes a little deeper but is less natural & neutral.*

If you really need a high end 2.1 THX certified multimedia speaker system don’t waste any more time and get a Z-2300 while it is still available. If it not available then only greet the new champ of the block, Logitech Z-623.


----------



## desiibond (Nov 27, 2010)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*

nice review. just a thought:



> Default Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]
> 
> 
> Music: Throughout my 2 years with Z-2300, one thing became very clear; these are very neutral sounding speakers. What is produced by these speakers is very smooth, and very pleasant to listen to. The one thing that does come to mind when listening though is power. Z-2300 is capable of producing 117 dB which is a world record for a 2.1 multimedia speaker system. The subwoofer lets itself be known with its slamming tight & precise bass which at times are powerful enough to knock the wind out of your lungs. The satellites feature a nice, natural sound with excellent representation. If the user wants, they can boost the subwoofer levels through the roof though my ears will be bleeding by then.
> ...



Isn't Z-2300 ignored by many due to the too much bass? I tested Z-2300 and MX-5021 and went with 5021 as it's sub never overpowered satellites and is lot more neutral than z-2300. just my two cents. 

PS: Did you really rip those speakers apart?


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## RishiGuru (Nov 27, 2010)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



desiibond said:


> nice review. just a thought:
> 
> Isn't Z-2300 ignored by many due to the too much bass? I tested Z-2300 and MX-5021 and went with 5021 as it's sub never overpowered satellites and is lot more neutral than z-2300. just my two cents.
> 
> PS: Did you really rip those speakers apart?



*Misconceptions about the Z-2300's bass heavy sound characteristic:*

One misconception about Z-2300 is that it has no midbass i.e. 150 - 200 Hz frequency range is absent as well as all of the high frequencies are also missing. 

The day i bought the Z-2300 and plugged it into my computer, i immediately noticed a kind of mushy sound from the satellites and was sorely disappointed. Then i gave a call to Logitech, and they told me that drivers are not properly run in, or more precisely this drivers need to be 'burned out'. Then i played Basstronics songs which have ultra low & high frequency sounds at half volume and 100% bass volume and shook every window of my house.

The bass driver was moving like hell & demonstrated their prodigious power. The satellite drivers cones were also moving a lot & the heat sink became as hot as furnace!!! So, after this initial burn in the satellites amazingly became so sweet and produced immaculate mid & high frequencies.

Z-2300 uses a very special type of driver in the satellites namely, polished aluminium phase plug full range drivers which focuses the acoustic energy or sound emitting from the drivers and project it to the listeners ears. It is like a very highly focused projectile of sound waves hitting your ears. This is done so that the user can hear every minute detail of the sound.

So even at very low volume i being seated in front of the computer desk, really feel immersed in the sound and also able to hear every minute detail of a complicated music composition. Also the angle of the satellites cannot be changed since THX states that all the finer details of the sound must reach the listeners ears. In other words, the Z-2300's satellites have unidirectional characteristics and is absolutely opposite to surround sound. Theoretically this is perfect since a 2.1 is not designed to produce surround sound.  

Later, i discovered it was because my ears was habituated in hearing the high frequency bacon frying, shrilly sounds or over exaggerated high frequency sound of my Altec Lansing MX-6021. People normally perceive this bacon frying or shrilly kind of sounds as the clarity of the sound system which in reality, i am sorry to say in not the case because they over exaggerated and not the real sound. And also in the quest of perceived clarity as in the case of MX-6021 my ears are not able to pick up some finer details of a complicated music. 

After using the Z-2300 for about a week my ears got settled to its sound characteristics and i was able to hear much more finer detailing in the upper ranges of the frequency spectrum that my MX-6021 was not able to produce with its perceived unreal clarity. I was amazed and thoroughly thanked the Logitech engineers in my mind who did not go after unreal sound which have perceived clarity but after real sound. Remember though both units costs the same.

So you have to decide, do you want to go for real sound or sound with perceived clarity. Audiophile's always go out for real sound, so i got the Z-2300 and i rate it way above my MX-6021.


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## desiibond (Nov 27, 2010)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



RishiGuru said:


> *Misconceptions about the Z-2300's bass heavy sound characteristic:*.



yes. I read this part of the review. And there is a difference between misconception (theory) and experience. And I never liked 6021. It's quality is nowhere near to what 5021 has. Z-2300 does a very good job in gaming but when it comes to music and movies, I felt that 5021 and other 2.1's like (GMX, A5 etc are much better). Am not saying this because I own 5021. I went to the shop to buy Z-2300 and after taking a demo of both, I ended up buying 5021. 

Logitech z-2300 - Head-Fi.org Community
Just went from AL MX5021's to Logitech Z-2300's: *shocked* by the difference! - [H]ard|Forum
MX 5021 vs Z2300

I am not an audiophile or as good as you in knowing the technical side of audio gear but ears have always been faithful and I can understand the difference between tin sounding speaker set, boomy speaker set and balanced speaker set. Yes, Z-2300 is among the best, yes it is a great set but felt that Z-2300 was exaggerated a bit in this review. 

PS: Also, one thing that I learned (after a fight with audiophiles in TE) that THX doesn't always mean 'among the best'.


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## RishiGuru (Nov 27, 2010)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



desiibond said:


> yes. I read this part of the review. And there is a difference between misconception (theory) and experience. And I never liked 6021. It's quality is nowhere near to what 5021 has. Z-2300 does a very good job in gaming but when it comes to music and movies, I felt that 5021 and other 2.1's like (GMX, A5 etc are much better). Am not saying this because I own 5021. I went to the shop to buy Z-2300 and after taking a demo of both, I ended up buying 5021.
> 
> Logitech z-2300 - Head-Fi.org Community
> Just went from AL MX5021's to Logitech Z-2300's: *shocked* by the difference! - [H]ard|Forum
> ...



The truth is, sound quality preference is an extremely personal matter. What shows good in graph of different sound quality tests does not always equate to the sound tone you personally prefer.

Be happy with AL MX-5021.


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## sourjadip (Nov 28, 2010)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*

@Rishiguru...
i've explored many forums and read reviews of many people who call themselves audiophiles...but i never found anyone speaking out with solid statistics like you....
its a great way of proving point rather than putting up some links & personal opinions...
people have complain that z2300 sub overpowers the satellites..surely they didn't notice or used the bass volume knob...
i planned to get the mx5021 after i heard it in apple store then i read your review in the logitech forums & took an audition for z2300...& simply i was amazed..specially at this price point..yes you can get better speakers if you pay more but @150$ its really a bang for the buck...and as far as i know in history of fast evolving IT hardware industry no product reigned for so long...
I got my z2300 all the way flown from mumbai...as it's out of stock in my city...
I'm perfectly happy with its performance and thanks to you for guiding me in right path...keep on posting like this..


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## RishiGuru (Nov 28, 2010)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



sourjadip said:


> @Rishiguru...
> i've explored many forums and read reviews of many people who call themselves audiophiles...but i never found anyone speaking out with solid statistics like you....
> its a great way of proving point rather than putting up some links & personal opinions...
> people have complain that z2300 sub overpowers the satellites..surely they didn't notice or used the bass volume knob...
> ...



Thanks sourjadip. At least someone understands me. Personally, I also found in many forums that at around 50% of members do not understand what sound quality really is and have no idea of what is going inside the box from the technical side.

The rest 35% understands what sound quality really is, but do not have the technical knowhow.

The rest 15% are very special, they have both technical knowhow & have excellent perception of sound and have the ability to bridge the technical part of the audio system with what he is listening through his/her ears.



In my next few installments I will be reviewing various multimedia speaker systems and also compare them with Logitech Z-2300. I will try to provide both objective & my subjective view of the systems so than the reader have a much more clear view.

*Definition of Objective and Subjective*

*Objective* – is a statement that is completely unbiased. It is not touched by the speaker’s previous experiences or tastes. It is verifiable by looking up facts or performing mathematical calculations.

*Subjective* – is a statement that has been colored by the character of the speaker or writer. It often has a basis in reality, but reflects the perspective through with the speaker views reality. It cannot be verified using concrete facts and figures.

*When to Be Objective and Subjective*

*Objective* – it is important to be objective when you are making any kind of a rational decision. It might involve purchasing something or deciding which job offer to take. You should also be objective when you are reading, especially news sources. Being objective when you are meeting and having discussions with new people helps you to keep your concentration focused on your goal, rather than on any emotions your meeting might trigger.

*Subjective* – can be used when nothing tangible is at stake. When you are watching a movie or reading a book for pleasure, being subjective and getting caught up in the world of the characters makes your experience more enjoyable. If you are discussing any type of art, you have to keep in mind that everyone’s opinions on a particular piece are subjective.

*Examples of Objective and Subjective*

*Objective* – scientific facts are objective as are mathematical proofs; essentially anything that can be backed up with solid data.

*Subjective* – opinions, interpretations, and any type of marketing presentation are all subjective.

In audio systems review both objective & subjective views are important, objective more so. For me the ratio *Objective:Subjective::3:1 *


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## RishiGuru (Dec 17, 2010)

*Review of Creative Gigaworks T3 & comparative analysis with Logitech Z-2300*

Most of you may be aware of the Gigaworks line up of speakers from Creative.
Recently, I checked out the Gigaworks T3. 

Specs

*Logitech Z-2300 (Rs. 6800)*
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/736df29fa2.jpg

*Total Continuous Power(RMS): 200 W*
Satellites(RMS): 80 W (40 W x 2) @8 ohm
Subwoofer(RMS): 120 W @8 ohm
Frequency response: 35 Hz–20 kHz
*Signal-to-noise ratio(SNR): >100 dB*
Satellite Drivers: 2.5-inch polished aluminum phase plug driver
Subwoofer Driver: 8-inch long-throw driver

*Creative Gigaworks T3 (Rs. 13,800)*
 *www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/07214b227f.jpg

*Total Continuous Power(RMS): 80 W*
Satellites(RMS): 30 W (15 W x 2) @8 ohm
Subwoofer(RMS): 50 W @4 ohm
Response Bandwidth 30–20 kHz
*Signal-to-noise ratio(SNR): >90dB*
Satellite Driver: 2 inch, metal diaphragm driver
Subwoofer Driver: 1 x active subwoofer driver 6.5 inch + 2 X passive 6.5 inch

*Design & Build*

Gigaworks are known for their compact speaker systems. The T3 is a 2.1 Gigaworks system and gets the same treatment.

*Satellite*
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/0af7f1938b.jpg

The satellites houses two tiny drivers, much smaller than Z-2300 satellites and have a cube-like design, perched on slim stands. The cube houses a 2 inch full range driver. They are not phase plug driver type as found on Z-2300 but are of metal diaphragm type. The driver is hidden behind a fabric mesh to prevent dust collection. But they seem better without them on, more like the aggressive performance system that Gigaworks is meant to deliver.

The stand on which these drivers sit isn't the adjustable kind.The stands have good rubber feet for a firm grip. Thought the speakers are small and compact the attached metal stand makes it quite heavy.

Now coming to the subwoofer of the T3, which is the main and most unique component of the system. It is a three-way firing subwoofer, so we get three 6.5 inch drivers. But all three are not active drivers. The passive drivers take up the two sides while the front one only being active. There is no bass reflex port which means the subwoofer is airtight. It is a good means to produce bass that has a deeper feeling, but that comes at the expense of loudness of the subwoofer.

At the rear of the subwoofer are the connectors for both left and right speakers. This includes the volume control and the connectors for the control pod/wired remote. The audio input RCA type and the bass level of the acoustic module are also present here. The bass can be set to a neutral level or increased and decreased. The placement of the bass level knob at the rear is really not the best idea and it would have been better placed in the control pod, like the Z-2300.

I found control pod of the T3 is a very simple unit. It is wired and with no wireless remote provided. I feel that the whole "premiumness" of the T3 is more or less lost here. The Control Pod looks neat with the use of chrome rings present on it. The wire is long enough to reach up to most desks. There is a headphone jack and a line-In or AUX jack present on it as well making it simple to connect MP3 players or other external sources. In between these two jacks there is a purple LED which lights up stating that its drawing power or the speakers are powered. The LED stops glowing when the speakers are not being used thus sending the T3 into standby. The pod has a neat rubber base to hold onto most surfaces it's placed on.

*Features*

Gigaworks has always packed something special in all its speakers, and the T3 is no different. While we have seen almost every Gigaworks speaker feature BassXPort, the T3 has a new technology for providing better sound - SLAM. Let's now take a closer look at this new feature.

SLAM is the acronym to 'Symmetrically Loaded Acoustic Module'. This technology, just like BassXPort, is meant to provide better bass. The difference between the two is that BassXPort is meant for standalone speakers that don't have a subwoofer or woofer. SLAM on the other hand is a more enhanced subwoofer. It incorporates one active and two passive drivers into a single subwoofer in the quest to produce over double the bass from a single subwoofer, instead of using two subwoofers. This turns it into a three-way firing subwoofer. The front facing subwoofer is the master driver, while the other two help in creating a pressure barrier to contain the low frequency, so that the thump is deeper in feeling.

*Drivers*

*Satellite Driver*
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/e4c7f91689.jpg

I found that the drivers are quite small at just 2 inches and also the satellite box that holds the driver being small to. The problem with this is, though small full range drivers in small boxes deliver excellent high frequency response, what they will definitely lack is midrange, simply because you need bigger diaphragm (more than 2 inches) & much larger air volume inside the satellite box to produce a decent midrange. 

Since T3 uses metal diaphragm drivers which are fast and light, and have very high resolving power, they obviously provide incredible detailed high-frequency response in expense of midrange. *This kind of "crispy boom" sound, is a rave among young people who think it as the clarity of the system. But for more experienced audio people, it is not the accurate or real sound.*

The Z-2300 on the other hand have drivers that are 2.5 inches (3 inches would have been even better) and they are fitted in a satellite box that is twice the size of T3. So from a technical point Z-2300 satellites will have better midrange. *My personal view is that the satellites of the Z-2300 produce the most accurate sound of any 2.1 multimedia speaker system available today within its price range. Remember i said "accurate" which means just as the sound was meant to be heard, not the more clear "crispy boom" type with perceived clarity.* 

I seems T3 have gone the BOSE way.

*Subwoofer*
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/2bec8d95e1.jpg

The bass driver is 6.5 inches and are just okay for me. Actually any person with decent knowledge about sound systems will consider drivers of 8 inches & more in size as real bass drivers that are suitable for subwoofers. Z-2300 uses a 8 inch bass driver, so for me Z-2300's has a real subwoofer.

The theory is that in order to produce low frequencies of the sound spectrum, you need prodigious power (watts of power) in order to move huge volumes of air. To do so you need a driver with big diaphragm (thus 8 inches or more in size) and lots of watts from the amplifier powering the driver. Also the size of the subwoofer also counts, since the bigger the bass driver size the bigger the subwoofer assembly gets and thus can produce more defined, more powerful & more accurate bass than a smaller subwoofer.

Z-2300 subwoofer is twice the size of T3's. No question, Z-2300 wins in the subwoofer department hands down. 

*Amplifier module of T3*

*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/92e9767307.jpg

The amplifier unit is at the back of the subwoofer. The quality of craftsmanship, the PCB layout of the amplifier is top notch & the best i have seen among multimedia speakers. It is even better than Z-2300. But this praise goes for craftsmanship & design, not for the components used in the amplifier assembly. 

The thing that spoils this party is the rather lame *EI type* power transformer that is used to power the amplifier. If you look at the picture showing the subwoofer internals as above you will find that the EI type transformer is sitting in the middle. At Rs. 13,800 I expected at least a *toroidal transformer* as found in Z-2300. The toroid is way superior than any EI type, but generally cost 50% more than a similar EI one.

*The biggest disappointment for me is that T3 uses a rather chepo Class-D Texas Instruments TAS5142 power amplifier*. I personally believe a Class-AB amplifier would have produced far superior sound. But that would have increased their cost of building this system & a dent in profit margin. 

*On the other hand, I am quite pleased to find that Z-2300 uses four Class-AB power amplifiers. Also doing a gross oversimplification of the price of the components as found on the amplifier modules of both T3 & Z-2300, Z-2300's amp module cost nearly two times that of T3's.* 

TAS5142 is a 2 × 100 W digital amplifier chip, to achieve output of 100W per channel, need to BTL (bridge) mode. In fact, it is a 4-channel amplifier chip, 4 ohms impedance, to achieve 4 × 30 W output. The chip, being Class-D have high efficiency, over 90%, that is, most energy is converted into sound, only 10% of the electrical energy is converted into heat energy.

*Texas Instruments TAS5142 [Stereo Digital Amplifier 2 X 100 W]*
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/652d295665.jpg

*REASON FOR USING CLASS-AB AMPLIFIERS*

A quick look at many new low power speaker amplifiers on the market highlights the move to class D audio performance, but when it comes to low distortion and low noise and best sound quality, class AB still has the edge.

Class AB architecture offers a signal to noise plus distortion ratio of up to 10 times better than its equivalent Class D neighbour as well as providing a much simpler architecture which can be tweaked as required, without the need for reactive filter components on the output and the electromagnetic radiation resulting from an output stage switching at a few hundred kHz.

Class D amplification has inherent distortion in it and therefore is predominantly used in lower bandwidth amplification like in subwoofers. In other words it is quite impossible for a Class D to achieve the level of linearity in frequency response produced by a Class AB amplifier. Class D achieves about 90% power efficiency compared to about 60% respectively for Class AB. 

Ultimately it comes down to what you want, for efficiency and cost effectiveness Class D is best, but if you can sacrifice some efficiency & increase cost for the sake of sound quality then Class AB is the best.

In other words Class A amps sound the best, cost the most, and are the least practical. They waste power and return very clean signals. Class AB amps dominate the market and rival the best Class A amps in sound quality. They use less power than Class A, and can be cheaper, smaller, cooler, and lighter. Class D amps are even smaller than Class AB amps and more efficient, because they use high-speed switching rather than linear control.

The most important reason behind which multimedia speaker manufactures are switching from Class AB to Class D is to increase profit margin for the company. Class D is very cheap to produce and does not need require a big extruded aluminum heat sink or expensive toroidal transformers. They are basically switching power supplies but utilize pulse width modulation so as to be able to reproduce and amplify an alternating current. There ok for subwoofers, but I honestly think that it is ridiculous to use a class D amplifier in a high end studio monitor.

In short, Class D amps are more efficient but are only good for low frequencies applications like subwoofer amplification. Class AB amps are generally 30% less efficient but can be used full range amplification i.e from 20Hz – 20kHz.

Class D amps cannot be used on highs frequency response because of the way they work. They only produce square waves because of the technology involved, so they will make your highs sound lifeless and tinny. Class AB amplifiers produce full variable signals and can capture subtle nuances better and sound more warm and generally have more depth in sound.

Since T3 uses Class-D amplifies which emit little or no heat, it has a tiny heat sink as shown below:

*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/fb9e432e78.jpg

*Performance*

Pushing it through the music, movies & game tests the T3 performed quite well. The highs from the satellites are sharp and there was no distortion even at max volume. The mids are present and but are not quite defined as predicted, though the satellites seems to get a bit too sharp at higher volumes. The mids die out as it gets a bit overshadowed by the characteristic shrilly highs of the Creative speakers. They are present but you can make out the difference.

The T3 is crystal clear up to 60% of the volume but after that point it goes off balance and the shrill from the satellites take over. On the other hand the Z-2300 remains superbly composed even at full volumes. The T3 system overall is balanced but you need to keep the volume between 10-60% (under 10% it's soft and over 60% it fades a bit with increase in volume).

*Note that the upper midrange is a bit overdone, which may be a little flattering and the extreme treble is little bit attenuated to provide the "crispy boom" effect. That is the reason why women voices performed better than male voices, since for male voices needs better midrange.*

The Z-2300 satellites are more powerful at 80W RMS (instead of 30W RMS of T3) and produce a far superior natural, soothing & smooth sound with clear detailing on every note which is so pleasant to hear. *Both male & female voices are excellently represented on the Z-2300.*

*The 50W RMS subwoofer of T3 was able to deliver quite a thump. I dare say that I am seriously impressed with this thump. It's a unique thump though it still needed tuning.*The subwoofer has tight bass but the overall bass of the T3 is is not well defined. This is a normal "techno" bass character of Class-D amplifiers. A similar Class-AB amplifier(as in Z-2300) will produce bass which is a little less deeper than a Class-D, but the bass will be much more defined & accurate and also feel more natural & real.

For example, playing the track "Chant" of the band Foreplay, i noticed that the kick drums of that track produce *"boom boom boom"* on the T3. Playing the same track on Z-2300, the kick drums sounded *"booouuumm booouuumm booouuumm"* which is the actual sound of kick drums.

Z-2300 successor Z-623 also sound "boom boom boom" as it uses Class-D amplifiers. More of it in the next post.

Since the satellites are very small and uses very small full range drivers, they affect the overall bass produced by giving it a rough edge. It can't be noticed at lower volumes but is noticeable as soon as you turn up the volume even with the subwoofer set to neutral. With the bass pumped to a higher level the roughness in the bass gets more profound. On reducing the bass level and going below neutral, the bass seems poor. Overall SLAM has potential and can deliver but it needs to get better. *But, all said and done the bass of T3 is good for the size of the subwoofer.*

Comparing it with the benchmark 120W RMS subwoofer of the Z-2300, I was amazed that it completely matched the Z-2300 up to 50% of Z-2300’s volume and produced the same slamming & chest thumping response Z-2300 is so famous for. But after that it was as always Z-2300’s territory. I am very impressed with the T3’s bass i would have loved the use of more expensive Class-AB amplifiers.   

The performance of the T3 isn't all it's cracked up to be, with good 2.1 systems like Logitech Z-2300 around. It has a slight edge but only at certain volumes, but still loses out on the whole. Its small & compact size is the main factor that limits its performance.

*GRAPH*
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/37e8524abb.jpg

As you see above, T3 is nicely balanced & provides a wide response through out the frequency range. It is important to note that T3 is way superior than Altec Lansing MX-6021 in terms of balanced frequency response.

*Verdict*

The Creative Gigaworks T3 costs a whopping Rs.13,800 in Kolkata with a one-year warranty. In comparison Logitech Z-2300 is available at Rs.6,800. 

Buying the T3 is like paying double the price of Z-2300 to buy half of its performance. This is a ultra steep price just like any other product from the Gigaworks line up. At this price you'd expect something like near studio quality, which sadly is not the case. Actually if Audio Engine have made a bookshelf between A2(Rs.11,000) & A5(Rs. 20,000) say the A3, T3 would have made circles around A3 all day long. 

I have the Altec Lansing MX-5021 and the Z-2300 from Logitech. Both of them are THX certified. The Z-2300 being the better of the two, and a much better buy over the Gigaworks T3 in the price to performance ratio.

Ask me and I'll repeatedly choose the Z-2300 for the performance it offers at that price. It actually provide much superior performance than T3 at half of its price. *As for the Gigaworks T3 all I have to say is that the SLAM technology still has to prove its mettle. I won't pay the premium for a technology that can, as of now, only deliver a 0% better performance over a system(Z-2300) that costs less than half of its price.*


----------



## RishiGuru (Jan 8, 2011)

*Revamped the main review*

Completely revamped the main review of this thread. Take a look as many new views, insights & technical aspects have been added while complete measures have been taken to trim the excessive fat. Still I admit, it is quite lengthy.

Views & remarks will be highly appreciated.

Regards, Rishiguru


----------



## The Sorcerer (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*

What are the "minimum requirements" a manufacturer must put up inorder to get the THX certification? Last time I checked, THX didn't put this up in public website inorder to show some credibility and/or let people know what to expect (properly).

An example- psu certification- "80 plus" certification. Its not a fool proof certification of reliability (Rebranded Power Supplies Aren’t Retested so no way of telling whether they are the same/reliable or not- like the newer versions of corsair power supplies...yet they come with 80 plus stickers) but its there to give a somewhat basic idea. 
The difference is that 80 plus made clear of their certification/testing methodology (well...most of it anyways) but not THX. Till now THX looks more like speaker tweakers who happen to give a flashy tag.

Saying "THX Certified Multimedia Speaker system is designed for those who crave the power and performance of home theater and studio sound at the desktop.THX certification recreates peak, Reference Level quality at your desktop listening position" is just plain vague. So far, THX seems to be just another shiny sticker.
--
But correct me if I am wrong about THX so far


----------



## RishiGuru (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



The Sorcerer said:


> What are the "minimum requirements" a manufacturer must put up inorder to get the THX certification? Last time I checked, THX didn't put this up in public website inorder to show some credibility and/or let people know what to expect (properly).
> 
> An example- psu certification- "80 plus" certification. Its not a fool proof certification of reliability (Rebranded Power Supplies Aren’t Retested so no way of telling whether they are the same/reliable or not- like the newer versions of corsair power supplies...yet they come with 80 plus stickers) but its there to give a somewhat basic idea.
> The difference is that 80 plus made clear of their certification/testing methodology (well...most of it anyways) but not THX. Till now THX looks more like speaker tweakers who happen to give a flashy tag.
> ...



For sure THX Multimedia Certification is no THX Ultra 2 Certification. And you are also partially right since "THX" now seems to be a name to be included into the marketing agenda of these companies in order to boost sales.

But still "THX" logo do not come for free & they have some performance aspects that one speaker manufacturer have to go through in order to claim the THX logo. So, definitely from this point THX can be considered as a good thing.


----------



## The Sorcerer (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*

^^ Whether THX (Multimedia/ Ultra 2-> Both) certification is free or not is irrelevant to users/buyers/readers. 

What matters is the testing metholody. You did say that "...its designed for those who crave the power and performance of home theater and studio sound at the desktop" (although we've seen THX targetting in games as well) so its obvious there is a standard which THX believes that it is for those who want HT and studio class/whatever at the desktop. 

Try to understand where I come from: PR and manufacturers will obviously emphasize on certifications. But if a writer/reviewer does it, its obvious he has/should have some credible info/research that THX is the real thing with proper testing methodolgy. I was lil' bit "suprised" to see the testing setup but also gained some confidence that you would most likely be in a place to explain what are the minimum requirement of THX (although I've seen that some contributors have a habit of putting up lot of "complex setup" pics to impress others just to distract the people to identify vague information- like how some people do it in xs and in such forums.)

If not, then one will have to question that sentence.


----------



## RishiGuru (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



The Sorcerer said:


> ^^ Whether THX (Multimedia/ Ultra 2-> Both) certification is free or not is irrelevant to users/buyers/readers.
> 
> What matters is the testing metholody. You did say that "...its designed for those who crave the power and performance of home theater and studio sound at the desktop" (although we've seen THX targetting in games as well) so its obvious there is a standard which THX believes that it is for those who want HT and studio class/whatever at the desktop.
> 
> ...



A THX-certified audio system meets or exceeds specific levels of audio performance. as specified by THX Ltd. The THX specifications are proprietary and aren’t publicized, but I do know they include things like signal-to-noise ratio and distortion level requirements. Keep in mind that the THX certification isn’t free and, in fact, can be very expensive. This is why many speaker manufacturers do not opt to get the certification, even if their products might meet the standard. There are also four tiers of THX certification, and the “THX-certified multimedia product” is the easiest to achieve.


----------



## The Sorcerer (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*

In a nutshell, are you saying THX is just a certificate but doesn't have any weight to the claim that one makes with it? If its not publicized, then one will doubt anything which praises THX certifications. Unless one has some credible information, why would one do such a thing. 

BTW, I have heard cases and even seen where the older speakers' components are better and slightly superior to the newer makes of the same model, which also affects the sound. But still it comes with a THX certification. 

You said it yourself- it meets/exceeds "specific" level, which also means that one cannot just claim that its specifically made for those who crave the power and performance. Besides, if the THX certification is THAT expensive, one will have to question the quality of the sound from THX certified speakers priced (let's per say) 8-15k.


----------



## RishiGuru (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



The Sorcerer said:


> In a nutshell, are you saying THX is just a certificate but doesn't have any weight to the claim that one makes with it? If its not publicized, then one will doubt anything which praises THX certifications. Unless one has some credible information, why would one do such a thing.
> 
> BTW, I have heard cases and even seen where the older speakers' components are better and slightly superior to the newer makes of the same model, which also affects the sound. But still it comes with a THX certification.
> 
> You said it yourself- it meets/exceeds "specific" level, which also means that one cannot just claim that its specifically made for those who crave the power and performance. Besides, if the THX certification is THAT expensive, one will have to question the quality of the sound from THX certified speakers priced (let's per say) 8-15k.



Logitech’s Z-2300 has been the product to beat for years, and the new Z-623 has taken its place as Logitech’s premier 2.1-channel offering with THX certification. With a Z-2300 on hand, I can compare these systems to each other & always Z-2300 comes back as the winner. You have to understand back in 2004 when Z-2300 was launched there was no "THX Multimedia Certification". It is only been a year or two that "THX Multimedia Certification" was born. 

And it seems there is a little bit of difference between  Z-2300 "THX Certification" & Z-623 "THX Multimedia Certification". Z-623 when compared to the rest of the current playing field, certainly holds its own. It boasts a flat frequency response with gobs of bass available for games and music at your command. There’s even a bit of brilliance on the high end.

At 8500 INR, I can’t think of anything bad to say about the Logitech Z-623 except that the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 is priced a little bit higher. Picking a clear winner between these two is almost impossible, as it comes down to personal taste. If you’re interested in either one, I heartily suggest you take both of them for a spin at your local electronics outlet.


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## The Sorcerer (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*

Its easy to get away with things by saying "personal taste", especially after boosting THX. 


I've read the comments put in your thread in multiple forums so I am pretty sure one has to question the credibility of the content. There have been some sources telling me that there is most likely a group of people or an agency who write paid reviews (read: ads) and post in Ezine articles, blogs, forums,etc. I am not saying that's necessarily you, but you're simply not providing any facts at all. Posting in forums is not as same as posting in owned blogs. Community power is far stronger than you think and there are those who protect it without actively participating the forums- but sadly when such blokes post in International forums, people start nitpicking and in the process a mindset is created that Indian writers= payola or half knowledge blokes. For your sanity and mine, first get your facts right. If you don't know about something, don't talk about it. 
I mean...COME ON....this is the reply that i've read in Hi-fi vision:
*img10.imageshack.us/img10/9126/captureacx.jpg


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## RishiGuru (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



The Sorcerer said:


> Its easy to get away with things by saying "personal taste", especially after boosting THX.
> 
> 
> I've read the comments put in your thread in multiple forums so I am pretty sure one has to question the credibility of the content. There have been some sources telling me that there is most likely a group of people or an agency who write paid reviews (read: ads) and post in Ezine articles, blogs, forums,etc. I am not saying that's necessarily you, but you're simply not providing any facts at all. Posting in forums is not as same as posting in owned blogs. Community power is far stronger than you think and there are those who protect it without actively participating the forums- but sadly when such blokes post in International forums, people start nitpicking and in the process a mindset is created that Indian writers= payola or half knowledge blokes. For your sanity and mine, first get your facts right. If you don't know about something, don't talk about it.
> ...



It seems after reading your comments that you really know what THX stands for. So think me as one of the "payola or half knowledge blokes" and define what THX really stands for. Also I want to know what you think of "THX Multimedia Certification". Is it real, unreal or hoax?

Lastly, I am very curious to what makes you think that I am a paid reviewer? Do the detailing of my review bother you? Or do you think I have sub par knowledge?


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## The Sorcerer (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



RishiGuru said:


> It seems after reading your comments that you really know what THX stands for.


I know that its vaguely put up and gives no clue about its certification process, therefore questioning/doubting the certificate itself. Check any certifications- EU , ROHS, 80 plus, ISO/IEC 17025 certifiations- they all give relevant information available to the mass so that people can know what their certifications stands for. The test report itself comes with detailed information- temps, conditions- even the test setup pics.

Suprised, for a guy who did rip every component he can with a screwdriver you're the one asking me. 


RishiGuru said:


> Also I want to know what you think of "THX Multimedia Certification". Is it real, unreal or hoax?


So you do admit that you do not know about THX certifications and yet you say that THX Certified Multimedia Speaker system is designed for those who crave the power and performance of home theater and studio sound(?). There ya go- marketing script from line 1.


RishiGuru said:


> Lastly, I am very curious to what makes you think that I am a paid reviewer?


I didn't say that. Read the comment below- slowly.


> I am not saying that's necessarily you, but you're simply not providing any facts at all.


Still no facts btw. I did ask you nicely couple of times but you did not give a proper reply.


RishiGuru said:


> Do the detailing of my review bother you? Or do you think I have sub par knowledge?


Here's the thing, a previewer did something like what you did- and a lot more. I was impressed but then some people proved him wrong on many fronts. He also did make some indirect remarks against a company. The fact is- there's no real proof which is better on mobos- digital VRMs or Analog. It mostly depends on the execution of it and the quality of the board overall. This happened in the international forums. He's just like you. 

Reviews are supposed to be toned down so that people can understand but not to the level that it degrades the review. Another case where a writer said that there's a special coating on the MOSFETs that was specially designed to protect from rust. Then he said it was written in the marketing material and as most readers know- you can't just trust marketing material handed out to you.


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## RishiGuru (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



The Sorcerer said:


> I know that its vaguely put up and gives no clue about its certification process, therefore questioning/doubting the certificate itself. Check any certifications- EU , ROHS, 80 plus, ISO/IEC 17025 certifiations- they all give relevant information available to the mass so that people can know what their certifications stands for. The test report itself comes with detailed information- temps, conditions- even the test setup pics.
> 
> Suprised, for a guy who did rip every component he can with a screwdriver you're the one asking me.
> 
> ...



Thanks, for defining (or better put not defining) what THX stands for. You have little or no knowledge regarding THX certification and what it truly stands for. 

I asked you the above questions to order to measure the depth of your knowledge regarding audio systems. I think you are very good for analyzing motherboards but not for audio products.

Your comparison between "THX" and  "EU , ROHS, 80 plus, ISO/IEC 17025" is the biggest proof of that. Can you tell me, from when THX or Dolby Laboratories had provided specifications to the common people? 

If "THX" provides the specifications or standards to the public that it perfected over the years, spending millions of dollars, then I can get those and open a company named "XHT" and follow the same specification as them. 

Then Logitech will not go to THX but better come to me, since I will provide the certification at 1/10 the price of THX and Logitech will claim that both "THX" & "XHT" have identical performance, so both are same. 

And remember audio quality is no hardware

Have you ever reviewed any audio product or any product for that matter?
Please provide the link to the review that you believe to be your best. I want to read that review? 

*cache.gawker.com/assets/images/jezebel/2010/10/mjpopcorn.gif


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## The Sorcerer (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*

Meh and lol!!
I taken ROHS and other certifications as an example that certification methodology is supposed to be available to common mass. I didn't mention Dobly- that's the similar story with another spin . Poor attempt from your end to deviate from the point that you talked a lot about THX, but you just don't anything about it- other than the marketing/PR lines. Remember/google what "Mr. T" says .

Nothing more to add further.


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## RishiGuru (Jan 9, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



The Sorcerer said:


> Meh and lol!!
> I taken ROHS and other certifications as an example that certification methodology is supposed to be available to common mass. I didn't mention Dobly- that's the similar story with another spin . Poor attempt from your end to deviate from the point that you talked a lot about THX, but you just don't anything about it- other than the marketing/PR lines. Remember/google what "Mr. T" says .
> 
> Nothing more to add further.



What happened? Matter getting out of hand? Giving up so quickly?  

*cache.gawker.com/assets/images/jezebel/2010/10/mjpopcorn.gif

Ok, consider this scenario: You have taken part in a contest and won a speaker system. Now when you go to collect the prize you are given the option between two speaker systems costing the same & both calming to have the same audio performance. Both are in sealed packages and the only difference that you can notice is that one is THX certified and another is not. Which one will you take?

Tips: Remember your answer will have huge implications. If you have limited or no knowledge about how audio system work, I suggest not to answer the question at all. Your silence will speak for itself.

Have you ever reviewed any audio product or any product for that matter?
Please provide the link to the review that you believe to be your best. I want to read that review?


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## heflys20 (Jan 10, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



The Sorcerer said:


> Meh and lol!!
> I taken ROHS and other certifications as an example that certification methodology is supposed to be available to common mass. I didn't mention Dobly- that's the similar story with another spin . Poor attempt from your end to deviate from the point that you talked a lot about THX, but you just don't anything about it- other than the marketing/PR lines. Remember/google what "Mr. T" says .
> 
> Nothing more to add further.



I'd take anything that dude says with a big grain-of-salt. Whenever he's questioned or shown to contradict himself, he demands that the dissenting party post some of their own reviews; which proves, refutes nothing.

As exemplified in this discussion (he's posted this review on 10-15 different sites):

Logitech Z-2300 : The Last of the Titans - [H]ard|Forum

He also steals lines from other reviews to back up his points about other products. I discovered this:

[H]ard|Forum - View Single Post - Logitech Z-2300 : The Last of the Titans


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## The Sorcerer (Jan 10, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



heflys20 said:


> I'd take anything that dude says with a big grain-of-salt.


Cant make horse out of donkeys, can we now?  .

Its even more sad that such people are posting on international forums like a mad man with a box (which is not bigger on the inside), giving bad names to Indian based forum contributors. Tch tch tch. 

If people wondered why Indian reviewers don't usually brag/tell it in public if they write/review content for international sites/forums/magazines- there ya go. Reviews like this make genuine contributors look like one group of idiots.


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## RishiGuru (Jan 10, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



heflys20 said:


> I'd take anything that dude says with a big grain-of-salt. Whenever he's questioned or shown to contradict himself, he demands that the dissenting party post some of their own reviews; which proves, refutes nothing.
> 
> As exemplified in this discussion (he's posted this review on 10-15 different sites):
> 
> ...



You talk about stealing contents. There is nothing wrong in coping a sentence from a review, if it completely expresses your view & thoughts about the product. What becomes irritating is when a person copies your *entire review* and claims to be his own.

My reviews are now good enough that other people simply copies and paste them as their own. I take pride of that

As an example:

This is the review I wrote about Z-2300 & Z-623 on Logitech blog as on October 9th, 2010 at 3:38 am

Blog Logitech

A person named *sourjadip* who is also a member of this forum made a blog of his name and made a ditto copy of the entire content rather than a line or two:

sourjadip.blogspot.com-is-logitech-z623-worthy-successor-of

He never mentioned the true author who actually wrote this review when he made a ditto copy.

Here is an example of how an entire review needs to be copied:

*shibemei* a member of Malayasia's "lowyat forum" did mention my name

Is Logitech Z623 the true successor of Z2300?


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## desiibond (Jan 10, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



RishiGuru said:


> What happened? Matter getting out of hand? Giving up so quickly?
> 
> *cache.gawker.com/assets/images/jezebel/2010/10/mjpopcorn.gif
> 
> ...



I would take out my phone, call an audiophile who is not biased towards THX or brand and ask for inputs. My question for you:

You have taken part in a contest and won a speaker system. Now when you go to collect the prize you are given the option between two speaker systems. One is Creative Gigaworks G500 THX certified surround system and the other is Logitech Z-506. which one would you pick?

and another scenario:

You have taken part in a contest and won a speaker system. Now when you go to collect the prize you are given the option between two speaker systems. One is Logitech Z-2300 THX certified surround system and the other is M-Audio AV40. which one would you pick.



The Sorcerer said:


> I know that its vaguely put up and gives no clue about its certification process, therefore questioning/doubting the certificate itself. Check any certifications- EU , ROHS, 80 plus, ISO/IEC 17025 certifiations- they all give relevant information available to the mass so that people can know what their certifications stands for. The test report itself comes with detailed information- temps, conditions- even the test setup pics.



buddy, remember the fight that I had with "REAL" unbiased audiophiles at TE about THX vs non-THX? well, I think they have another guy to educate about the extent of trust one can put on THX. 

There are many who stress on the lack of mids and our OP thinks that it is general misconception. Or in Steve Jobs's words, "You are listening it wrong". 

PS: I did lot of digging later and found that THX can be used to filter products to an extent but no to be entirely used for quality or supeiority and G500 is one great example that THX doesn't mean everything 

a bit more digging and what I thought is very much true about the OP. He is a Bass freak and here's is why I think so: 



> I have a Audio Engine 5. It sound like the voice of an angel while playing music.But I still rate my Z-2300 over AE5 in movies & games, Z-2300 have that THX imprinted thunderous effect which is so much required while watching Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen or playing Need For Speed : Hot Pursiut. And I will never compare between this two since AE5 costs three times the Z-2300. When you pay more you deserve to get more. It is comon & natural.



and from bass freak's point of view, this review makes sense coz Z-2300 is all about bass. 

source: [H]ard|Forum - View Single Post - Logitech Z-2300 : The Last of the Titans


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## RishiGuru (Jan 10, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



desiibond said:


> I would take out my phone, call an audiophile who is not biased towards THX or brand and ask for inputs. .......... The Last of the Titans[/url]



My question : "You have taken part in a contest and won a speaker system. Now when you go to collect the prize you are given the option between two speaker systems costing the same & both calming to have the same audio performance. Both are in sealed packages and the only difference that you can notice is that one is THX certified and another is not. Which one will you take?"

Your answer : "*I would take out my phone, call an audiophile who is not biased towards THX or brand and ask for inputs.* "

That is were everything ends.

* Firstly, according to your answer you are not an audiophile. 

Secondly, you are a person who does not even have the personal ability to judge between two audio products form an objective point or even have the technical now how in order to differentiate between the two, rather depending on third party inputs to decide. 

Then being a non audiophile with non technical background you do not posses the skill set required to measure the worth of "THX".   *

Between : Creative Gigaworks G500 & Logitech Z-506

Definitely Creative Gigaworks G500 [THX Certified]

Between : Logitech Z-2300 & M-Audio AV40

Since I already have a Z-2300, I will pick the M-Audio AV40

Steve Jobs's words, "You are listening it wrong" --> Your comments regarding the CEO of Apple is disgusting. That man sold more that 100 million iPods & made more money for his company than you can ever think of. *Respect the man of what he is.*


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## desiibond (Jan 10, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



RishiGuru said:


> My question : "You have taken part in a contest and won a speaker system. Now when you go to collect the prize you are given the option between two speaker systems costing the same & both calming to have the same audio performance. Both are in sealed packages and the only difference that you can notice is that one is THX certified and another is not. Which one will you take?"
> 
> Your answer : "*I would take out my phone, call an audiophile who is not biased towards THX or brand and ask for inputs.* "
> 
> ...



Got ya! Making a phone call to an audiophile to enquire about a speaker makes me a n00b or non-audiophile and not worth talking about or reviewing an  audio product, then what about you making decision by  not checking about the product and blindly going after THX logo? A supreme audiophile?

Do you know that G500 is underperforming speaker even with it's THX certification. This is the reason why, if I come across a new or product that I am not that aware of, I prefer checking it myself or checking with someone who is well aware of the product. And trust me, the last person I would contact is someone exuberant with over-confidence. 

So, how can you consider youself an expert? If you think that just having a THX certification is enough to pick one, you are

1. Relying on someone else to make your purchase decision.
2. Definitely not an audiophile

Have you even noticed the amount of criticism that you have got on numerous forums on this attitude of yours. The next time you post the same thing on another forum, Please for God's sake, shed that biased thinking of yours and post a review that gets +ve response from "AUDIOPHILES".

Finally, here is an offer of advice for you. Stop treating anyone who opposes you as non-audiophile and non-techie. And start listening to what others try to explain to you. If you are not interested in doing this, then you better stick to your own blog or domain or whatever you can create on your own. Or you can stick to Logitech Forums. You will be considered as Lord there.

I have no respect for Apple/SJ for same reason. Portraying themselves as almighty and ridiculing others.


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## RishiGuru (Jan 11, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



desiibond said:


> Got ya! Making a phone call to an audiophile to enquire about a speaker makes me a n00b or non-audiophile and not worth talking about or reviewing an  audio product, then what about you making decision by  not checking about the product and blindly going after THX logo? A supreme audiophile?
> 
> Do you know that G500 is underperforming speaker even with it's THX certification. This is the reason why, if I come across a new or product that I am not that aware of, I prefer checking it myself or checking with someone who is well aware of the product. And trust me, the last person I would contact is someone exuberant with over-confidence.
> 
> ...



Let us stop this mindless fight desibond. This is becoming counter productive for both of us. It seems you do not trust "THX" the way that I do. Different persons have different perspectives in life & the way he judges each product. It should be better if we respect each others.

Now, let us both be more productive. So, here is my question, why do you prefer Z-506 over G500?
What is G500 lacking that you criticize it so much?

Kindly reply.


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## amit.chaddha (Jan 16, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*

Hi Rishi, 

I need your help. I checked with Logitech dealer in Mumbai he mentioned that Logitech Z2300 production is stopped around the world is it true should i go for Z623 or is it somehow u can get me Z2300 but will i get complete support from logitech team for any issues or not. Apart from Logitech Z 623 which one is best speakers in India with service support i can get? Edifier or Klipsh Promedia or Corsa but only if i can get warrant and support both. i am ready to put in around 8,500 max Rs but it should be 1 time quality need your help Rishi please

******************************
Cell number and personal mail ID removed
-asingh
******************************


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## RishiGuru (Jan 17, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*



amit.chaddha said:


> Hi Rishi,
> 
> I need your help. I checked with Logitech dealer in Mumbai he mentioned that Logitech Z2300 production is stopped around the world is it true should i go for Z623 or is it somehow u can get me Z2300 but will i get complete support from logitech team for any issues or not. Apart from Logitech Z 623 which one is best speakers in India with service support i can get? Edifier or Klipsh Promedia or Corsa but only if i can get warrant and support both. i am ready to put in around 8,500 max Rs but it should be 1 time quality need your help Rishi please



Logitech have stopped the production of Z-2300 since the launch of its successor Z-623.

Tom'sHarware[a very respected website] did a comprehensive review & comparison regarding five 2.1 speaker sets.

1) Corsair SP2500
2) Creative Gigaworks T3
3) Klipsch Promedia 2.1
4) Logitech Z623
5) Soundscience Rockus 3D

Tom'sHardware link : 2.1-Channel Speaker Roundup

Corsair SP2500
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/e3a2444ea6.jpg

Klipsch Promedia 
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/96a4393b7d.jpg

Logitech Z-623
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/394b7a4007.jpg

I really liked the SP2500. Points to note though:

1) SP2500 have 232W while Z-623 has 200W
2) SP2500 costs $260 while Z-623 costs $140 (amazon.com).
3) Z-623 have THX certification 

According to Tom'sHardware sound quality wise SP2500 & Z-623 are identical. Both have the same sonic feel & character in their sound. SP2500 have more options in the wired remote that Z-623 lacks. On the other hand Z-623 is a good $120 cheaper.

Say, I will get the the Z-623 for sure since it gives me same sound quality & sonic feel of SP2500 at $120 less. Or I can spend $20 over SP2500 to get two Z-623. Now I have 400W instead of SP2500's 232W. Just Kidding!!!!!!!!!

Tom'sHarware comments on: 

SP2500: "The Corsair SP2500 sounds good to my ear, whether playing back hard-hitting games or all sorts of music. *I did notice a kind of hollowness in the mid-range—with vocals particularly—and this does reflect the valley we saw in the frequency response at 3.5 kHz.*"

Klipsch Promedia : "It rarely shows the highest or lowest response in our tests, and has no obvious weaknesses except *a drop-off in the 10 kHz+ range, which is a little surprising when you consider that these speakers are equipped with dedicated tweeters.*"

Z-623 : "*Logitech’s Z-2300 has been the product to beat for years*, and the new Z623 has taken its place as Logitech’s premier 2.1-channel offering with THX certification. Without a Z-2300 on hand, I can’t compare these systems to each other, but compared to the rest of the current playing field, the Logitech Z623 certainly holds its own. It boasts* a flat frequency response* with *gobs of bass* available for games and music at your command. *There’s even a bit of brilliance on the high end*."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*It seems having separate midrange drivers & tweeters as in SP2500 & Promedia does not always gives you excellent top end in the frequency spectrum as a single aluminium phase plug full range driver of Z-623 does a much better job.*

The audio frequency graph of the five speaker sets:
*www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/e09a53c4a5.png

Note that SP2500 with a separate midrange driver & tweeter takes a dip at 500Hz and also creates a valley between 2-5kHz range where cows can graze. Z-623 with a single full range driver have much better frequency response that SP2500 between 200Hz to 20kHz hands down.

Also after looking at the above graph I cannot find a single place where the Promedia's with separate midrange & tweeters had an advantage over Z-623 in high frequencies. *Actually Z-623 is superior to Promedia in producing mids & highs in every respect*. Can anybody help me here? 

After looking at the graph it gives me some relief as the Z-623 & its predecessor Z-2300 is not that bad after all. *And also that THX have some dent on the sound quality of the product it adorns*. I can live with the Z-623 having 32W less power at the top & also without the options in the control pod of SP2500.


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## RishiGuru (Jan 30, 2011)

*Re: Logitech Z-2300 [ The Last of the Titans : Reviewed]*

Guys this is no personal advertisement, just wanted all of you to know that my review of Logitech Z-2300 was considered good enough for the front page of neowin.net.

neowin-member-reviews-logitech-z-2300-mega-review

This review started as a fun concept & I never thought in my deepest dreams to receive so many well wishes. Thanks to all the members of this forum for the support.

Quote from their neowin.net administrators:



Anaron said:


> This has to be the most in-depth review I've read for a speaker system. Great job, RishiGuru. (Y) I think you'll be pleased to know that your review made it to the front page: Neowin.net - Neowin Member Reviews: Logitech Z-2300 Mega Review



They are also asking me, if I am professionally interested to do this kind of reviews. I am yet to think about an answer.


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