Logitech rolls omnidirectional PC speakers
updated 08:10 am EDT, Tue July 14, 2009
Logitech Z523 and Z323
Logitech this morning put out four computer speaker sets that all promise truly wide-area sound. The 2.1-channel Z523 and Z323, as well as the 2.0-only Z520 and Z320 (links active soon), all have drivers that face both the front and back and fill a room with sound more effectively. The change creates a significantly larger sweet spot and lets listeners leave the computer seat without as much of a drop-off in performance.
The Z523 and Z323 both have a downward-firing subwoofer and put out 40W and 30W respectively of total sustained power; they also have RCA audio inputs in addition to an extra 3.5mm jack and can take traditional home theater devices along with computer and media player sources. Removing the dedicated bass scales the power on the Z520 and Z320 down to 26W and 10W each; they also limit input to both the main and secondary 3.5mm connectors.
Of the new line, the highest-end models ship first and will arrive this month at prices of $100 for the Z520 and $130 for the Z523. The Z320 arrives in August for $70, and the Z323 will ship last, coming in September for the same price as the feature-reduced model.
Z523
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Bipole or Dipole
More correctly, these should be considered bipolar or dipolar speakers, depending upon the relative phase of the front and rear drivers. Given the short depth of the cabinet, it may approximate an omnidirectional speaker at distance, but a near field listener would likely not be far enough away for the approximation to hold.