Sound quality, but not as you know it. (Soundman SR-30)

Member Name: geoffcampos

Product:	Soundman SR-30
Date:	24/01/01 (178 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Physically plug into 2 stereo outputs

Disadvantages: They will make you unhappy for a time

I bought these speakers because the Logitech X2 speakers were discontinued, and the S-30's seemed to be the replacement. Two channel outputs sounded interesting as I have a 5.1 surround sound-capable DVD player. I use PC speakers (X2's) currently for playing MP3 music from my computer and CD's from my playstation (it has a remote control) and they negate my need to purchase another stereo (my ex-girlfriend has my old one!). I thought I'd try the same trick with the DVD player with the S-30's. Wow, was I wrong.
There are 4 satellite speakers, a small woofer and a remote control of sorts - it is cabled and has a volume control for the front and back pair as well as power. The quality of the sound is amazingly bad, anything louder than the speakers on the television and there's distortion. It sounds like music playing in headphones - on someone else's head. The tinny-ness of the satellites is nothing however, to the pain of the base response from the woofer. In fact, there is no bass - because anything again, beyond the television speakers and it begins to drop and crackle. The sound is generally only stable at a hushed volume - that which cannot be heard through a closed door in a small room. When attached to the computer during game playing, there seems almost no point it having them plugged it as headphones would be far clearer and engaging.
Generally, I am extremely disappointed in Logitech. They discontinued an excellent pair of speakers (X2) and brought out (on a similar price point) seriously dire ones without press releases - i.e. 'these speakers are not the replacement for the X series - so do not expect similar sound quality. Or quality.'
I couldn't possible recommend these speakers for any purpose at all. The remote control is redundant and gets in the way adding to the despair that is cabling. The sound quality is c.1973 and the Bass only works if you can stand the painful crackling. I was embarras
sed for Logitech when I used them. I have now taken them back to the shop (with the usual draining struggle to get my money back but now I am at a loss. I rather fancy the idea that the X2's were a mistake - they were too good and were not manufactured with enough obsolescence.

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