The office
consumes the back end of what would otherwise be known as a family room. Ok, not
quite true – it consumes the entire room, if one considers all the electronics
crammed into the room are for the purpose of game reviews. So the task was how
to create a full sound without overwhelming the rest of the house. Logitech
stepped up to the plate and delivered with the X-540 speaker system.
Logitech, one
of the leaders when it comes to speaker systems, created the X-540 with value
and quality in mind. The six-speaker set, which includes front and back rights,
front and back lefts, a center speaker that can be mounted onto a flat-panel
monitor, and a subwoofer for those floor-vibrating pulses, retails for about
$100, can crank out 70 watts of RMS power and 140 watts of peak power of 5.1
sound is geared for use with a PC, GameCube, PlayStation, Xbox, DVD player, CD
player or MP3 player.
The speakers
come compactly packed in a box that is just about 13” all around. There is an
adapter in the box for multi-system connectivity. Set-up is a breeze with the
color-coded cables. The speaker stands also serve as mounts for placing the
speakers on a wall. However, if there was a drawback there, it would be that
while the speaker system is capable of producing a surround-sound environment,
the length of wires prohibit placement totally around a fair-sized room. As
mentioned, the center speaker has a modified clip to all it to sit atop a
flat-panel monitor. While perhaps not as solid as a real clip, still the way the
base tips back and then puts enough pressure on the back of the monitor,
creating a solid foundation with extended lip that hooks over the top of the
monitor, was very nicely done. It seems so simple and yet works well.
You want
specs? …
Ok, here are
the specs of the speakers:
-
Total FTC
power: 70 watts RMS: Sub-woofer: 25 watts RMS (into 4 ohms, @ 100Hz, @ 10% THD)
-
Satellites:
Left/Right: 7.4 watts RMS x 2 (into 4 ohms, @ 1khz, @ 10% THD); Center: 15.4
watts RMS (into 4 ohms, @ 1kHz, @ 10% THD); Rear Left & Right: 7.4 watts RMS x
2 (into 4 ohms, @ 1kHz, @ 10% THD -
Total Peak
power: 140 watts -
Frequency
response: 40 Hz – 20 kHz -
Drivers:
Satellites: (2) 2" drivers per satellite -
Subwoofer:
5.25" ported driver
But what
does it all mean?
…
The speaker set
comes with Logitech’s FDD dual-driver technology that is a fancy moniker for
drivers that ensure a uniform sound from the speakers. The controller has a
total of four buttons on it – one for overall volume, one for bass output
volume, the power button and the Matrix button, which uses the drivers to
automatically create a 5.1 surround sound from even two-channel sources. And
there is a headphone jack on the controller to take the sound into headphones.
The sound this
system delivers is excellent, though those who have a refined ear will likely
want to push the sound to the speakers through a pre-amp board so they can
refine the mid-range, treble and bass sounds a bit to their individual liking.
The system was
used on a PC, with a Creative Labs audio console driving the effects. Winamp was
used for the CDs played and whether driving the cleaner sounds of a band like
The Wallflowers or the pure power of a rock band like the Scorpions, or even
live albums like U2’s Rattle and Hum, the system delivered crisp audio that
filled the room.
In games that
allowed for surround sound, there were environmental noises dancing from the
appropriate speakers. One thing that seems prevalent in terms of how I like good
audio is that it must be loud. The cleaner the sound, the better rendered the
nuances of game environments, the louder the volume seems to ease up. Fill that
work room? Sure, the X-540 speakers did that, but even in the garage, the
vibrations of the bass subwoofer was evident.
The X-540
speakers delivered great sound and when one considers the price point, this is a
great value. If you are using stereo speakers on your PC or a game console, you
may think about upgrading to a full-bodied surround sound.
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Pros:
Clean, crisp sound
that delivers both when it comes to game sounds, dialogue, or music. The sound
is even through all the speakers, whether you compact the array or spread out
the speakers to create a full-room sound.
Cons:
The speaker cables
for the rear speakers were not long enough to track around walls very fall. It’s
minor and petty.
Verdict: 9.2
The X-540 is
value-priced and Logitech has packed a lot into this price point. The sound is
great, from games to music. Crank it, baby, these speakers can handle it and
still deliver clean sound.
