Top of its class

Let's be honest here -- there are two types of computer speakers: cheap and tinny, and pricey and clear. Unfortunately, most of us know computer speakers only as the lousy little $30 systems that came bundled with the computer. Electronics retailers seem to stock far too many of the low-end models, forcing us into missing a great deal of the audio experience computers can offer.

Logitech, however, has decided to change things for the better and make great sound affordable. The Z-2300 system is how they accomplished this.

The Z-2300 is a THX-certified 2.1 speaker system. You get two medium-sized desktop speakers and a big subwoofer.

First, the satellites. The satellite speakers are set in a simple and high-tech silver/black color scheme. Logitech avoided going with any sort of crazy or outrageous designs and stuck with something simple and classic. The Z-2300 satellites look at home with just about any computer: an old laptop, a new custom-built desktop, a Mac, etc. If you want something a bit more flashy, pop off the felt speaker grilles to see the aluminum speaker cones.

The subwoofer matches the satellites with a clean silver/black color scheme. It is a big unit, measuring about 10x10x12. There is a desktop "control unit" with a big volume and subwoofer knob, and a headphone jack. It too is a simple silver and black, looking right at home on any desk.

But on to what really counts: the sonic experience. As I stated above, the Z-2300 really has closed the gap and brought good sound to the masses.

The best way to describe the sound produced is "full". Everyone's ears are different so it is somewhat subjective, but the Z-2300 feels like a well-designed system. The satellites produce decent midrange and treble, and are matched up well with the appropriate subwoofer. Cheaper systems tend to have satellites that are too small with a subwoofer that is too big, leading to inaccurate midrange (vocal & guitar) reproduction. The Z-2300 does not have this dreaded midrange gap.

Sound quality is very precise and tight for just about every use. Rock and pop music sounds much more clean and has more emphasized and accurate vocals than the cheaper speakers, with rich bass that doesn't overwhelm. Video games and movies are also much improved thanks to the subwoofer that is correctly sized and tuned to accent the audio, not overpower it.

I do encourage you to not fiddle with the bass control knob on the control box -- it's easy to turn the bass up too loud and ruin the sound. Leave the bass knob at the default location. You may get better results by tweaking your equalizer settings on the computer.

The speakers hold their clarity to very high volume levels, making them ideal for larger rooms or even as a jukebox for parties. The system is rated at 200W RMS -- quite a lot given that most people are seated only a foot or two away from the source.

It's really hard to find fault with the Z-2300. For $150 or so you get very accurate and clean sound from speakers that fit right in on any desk.