Logitech Z-5500 THX-Certified 5.1 Digital Surround Sound Speaker System

I just received my Z-5500 speaker system on Thursday and wanted to give my first impressions. It may be a little too soon but if my impression changes over time I wanted an initial record.The box arrived by UPS two days after my order, one day after it was shipped. I think it came from PA so it wasn't a long trip. The large box arrived without external damage though it looked re-taped. Inside, the packaging seemed to be intact so I don't think this was a return.I brought the heavy box upstairs and started the hookup. The most difficult part was figuring out what connections to make to my sound card. I have an optical cable on the way - I hope it is the right one. The controller says Effect: 6 Ch Direct 96/24 so I think it is the best connection I can make until the optical cable arrives. The computer is a Dell XPS-410. I didn't realize the XPS-410's sound card supports 7.1. The connections I made to the Dell are:Logitech FRONT to DELL line-out/headphone. Use the (green) line-out connector to attach headphones and most speakers with integrated amplifiers.Logitech REAR to Dell surround sound connector. Use the (black) surround sound connector to attach multichannel-capable speakers.Logitech CENTER/SUB to Dell center/subwoofer LFE connector. Use the (orange) center/subwoofer connector to attach a center speaker or single subwoofer. NOTE: The LFE (Low Frequency Effects) Audio channel, found in digital surround sound audio schemes, carries only low frequency information of 80 Hz and below. The LFE channel drives a subwoofer to provide extemely low bass extension.The switch on the back of the controller is set to 6 CH. DIRECT. The controller says:Input: Direct 96--24Effect: 6 Ch DirectI think this is the correct setup but once the optical cable arrives I shouldn't need to be concerned about it.For the first couple of days I used the speakers just for music. I have a pretty good collection of MP3s recorded at 256 Kbps (Amazon) and 320 Kbps (recorded from CDs). Today I'm watching some DVDs I've recorded onto my hard drive. I'm not sure what format the audio is (simple stereo, Dolby, etc.).Music: I think my recordings are pretty high quality. Until now I've been using earphones (Shure) and the sound has been great. The sound from the speakers is better than I could have hoped for. While these are fairly expensive computer speakers, they certainly don't cost the same as high quality stereo speakers so I wasn't sure what to expect from them. The bass is punchy but balances well with the the rest of the music. At higher levels, I have to back off the bass a little so the house doesn't thump so much. I can get much more audio out of these speakers than I can ever use in this house. Bottom-line... I'm extreemly pleased with how these speakers sound for the music I listen to (Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, Nickelback, Nine Inch Nails).Movies: I can't remember the audio settings I selected when I did my recording but I assume it wasn't the highest quality settings. It is probably all stereo. Because of this, I can't really comment on how surround sound sounds. Besides, my current speaker setup is much less than optimal. However, the sound quality is pleasant to listen to. The voices are crisp. I'm watching "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" right now. There's a lot of bass in the background music but it doesn't overpower the rest of the audio. Bottom-line: Without an optimal setup I'm quite pleased with the performance of these speakers.The speaker components appear well built. The controller is a lot bigger than I expected. Something else I'm impressed with is the fact the remote controller controls every function of the speakers with the addition of a "Test" function. I'm not much into plastic but I guess that's the way computer components are built today. I miss the look of my old Cerwin Vega AT-12's or Bose 901's. Fortunately, I'm not missing the sound from those speakers.I've read some of the other reviews, the forums and the FAQ on the Logitech site. I'm aware that these speaker have (or had) a tendency to pop. Logitech seem to have a program to replace those popping speakers for free (see their FAQ). These speakers don't show signs of popping yet. I also understand that after two years some of these speakers have failed. I don't think I push speakers to their limits so I don't expect this to be a problem. But, considering their relatively low price compared to what I was used to paying for speakers, I don't think I would be too disappointed with 2 good years of service.After a few months, I may update this early review but I suspect my impressions won't change too much. I'm very pleased with the quality of the speakers and service from Amazon.

I waited several years before I purchased these. My Klipsch Promedia 5.1's bit the dust about 2 years ago, the infamous amp problem. I didn't really want to spend $300 on another set of computer speakers at the time, so I bought the Logitech G51's. They were pretty good speakers for the money. After owning them for 23 months, the rears stopped working. Logitech made good on their warranty, and I have a check coming for what I paid for those speakers, being that they don't make this model any longer. Figured now was the time to go ahead and get what I really wanted. I consider the refund a down payment for the 5500's. I saw the price here and at another retailers rise and fall, rise and fall again. One day, C*****t C**y puts these on sale here using the marketplace for a pretty good price, and even after the shipping costs, they were still cheaper than I have seen in years.One thing I do not understand is why all of the high end sound cards for 5.1 and 7.1 speakers, when there are very few 5.1 computer speakers on the market anymore. These are the best 5.1 computers on the market now. These are not as good as my Klipsch were, but they are close. From most of the reviews that I have read, the longevity of these speakers is much better than the Klipsch ever were.Now when these things land at your house, I hope you are strong, as the box is very large and heavy. As I was unpacking the box, I was very impressed by the quality of the speakers and the size of the sub. Holy cow, that sub is huge!! They give you a lot of speaker wire, doesn't appear to be the best quality wire, but it will work for now. Setting them up was pretty easy. I am using the RCA analog connection to my PC for now, as I am all out of optical cables at the moment.Now for the good stuff. I have listened to these speakers at low volume listening to classical guitar, Phil Keaggy and the like to be exact. Now I am sure there are better speakers out there, but I am satisfied with the highs and the clarity of the music. I have had to turn the bass way down, and let me tell you, there is plenty of it. I love having the 5.1 speakers and being able to hear the sound all around you. I haven't had the chance to play any games on it yet, but I am looking forward to hearing things creep up behind me and raising the hair on the back of my neck just like my Klipsch used to do for me. Are they as good as the Klipsch, no, but they are pretty good.I am not sure why more speaker manufacturers don't make 5.1's anymore. Once you have them, you don't go back to anything else.Face it, you buy your speakers for the experience that they give you, and I believe these are the best 5.1's on the market right now. I know the price is high, and it waivers all the time. If you are on the fence, and you have the money and need quality computer speakers, wait for the right price point and jump in and get these. You will not be disappointed.