Logitech Z623 vs M-Audio AV40?

I just sold my Logitech X-530 speakers and now am looking for an upgrade. There were 2 reasons why I sold them,

- never had comfortable space for a 5.1 setup with the desktop

- was simply never satisfied with the sound quality

So looking into the future I am absolutely not looking into a surround system right now. Its either gonna be 2.0 or 2.1. Now I know the M-Audio is supposed to be better but the problem is the price. In my country they cost $230 with no warranty where as the Logitech is $160 with 1 year warranty. Do you suppose the difference is worth it? The 2 systems are actually supposed to be the same price if I am not wrong.

Does the Z623 suffer from the same issues as lower end Logitech speakers? The X530 had terrible muddy bass and non existent mids. They also had the infamous dialogue coming from the sub-woofer problem. I don't particularly like over powering bass but if its good bass then it can be somewhat acceptable. The Z623 is Logitech's flagship 2.1 system so I would assume it won't disappoint someone coming from the 530?

My main usage would be games and music. Movies I watch with headphones and would likely continue to do that. I live in a small apartment and won't always be able to use the Z623 to their full potential so that's a turn off. I have an ASUS Xonar DG sound card if it matters.

Microlab SOLO series

The M-Audio AV40's are excellent... I would HIGHLY recommend them. I have had mine for 3 years now. Here's a old image I found on my PC of them, please ignore the alcohol.

Can't buy that or petty much anything else you might recommend due to availability.

Can you send a link to where you can buy from? To be honest I wouldn't buy either.

The Logitech isn't bad for what it is a all in one 2.1 system provides clear loud powerful sound with plenty of bass that doesn't break the bank especially at the discounted price you can get it for online. You can get higher quality sound for sure but cost more or you will have to sacrifice low end. I will recommend going for a bookshelf speaker instead of a pair of monitor speakers as its easier to incorporate a sub later down the line if you want to fill in the low end that will be lacking on smaller bookshelf speakers compared to the Logitechs.

the Micca MB42X are a fantastic pair its what I personally use at my desk and sound fantastic very spacious open sound with great imaging and has a surprising amount of bass for such a small speaker but defiantly want a sub if you really want to have a solid low end punch below 80hz-100hz or so. There also pretty damn flat at stock but you can EQ them for an even flatter smoother sound with less peaks and dips in the frequency response. CLick the link below and you can read a review of the Micca along with a bunch of other bookshelf speakers he post his impression on alot of different speakers primarily for nearfield listening at a desk which is how most people will listen to pc speakers. Also gives EQ corrections for all the diffrent speakers so you can apply them if you like to improve the sound quality further.

http://noaudiophile.com/Micca_MB42x_Bookshelf_Speakers/

so your looking at $110 for the Amp + the micca and also need some speaker wire and 3.5mm to 3.5mm/rca cable to connect it to your computer. The Sub you can add later all the dyaton sub are great I would get as pick as big as you can afford and fit in your room but its better to get smaller dual subs then just one big one smoother bass response throughout the room and you get louder bass with less volume gain on the subs for additional headroom on the subs so less chance of distorting or clipping. so for example 2 12" Subs > 1 15" Sub hell even 2 10" or 8" Subs will be better depending on what your audio goals are if your looking to get a deep bass extension as possible go for the bigger sub if you want want solid bass that doesn't extend quite as deep but get a smoother bass response with less peaks and valley go for the dual subs. You want to have your cake and eat all of it to? Go for the Dual Hell even Quad 15" Subs! if you want to although the diminishing returns set in after going dual subs there is improvement from additional subs in a properly setup room but not as big as that improvement first additional sub! for this price point I would go for two higher quality subs though instead of 4 lower quality ones.

Micca MB42X $90 + Lepai 2020A+ Amplifer $20 + Dayton Audio Sub $75-$180

+1 for M-Audio

Then I'd go with M-Audio since I know those Logitech speakers - looked bunch of reviews and all were pointing at the same problem with the mids as I remember that are not so clear (not sure if the mids or not but something wasn't right)

I know Logitech Sub woofer is excellent, I'd give them that, but the speakers aren't that great.

Logitech makes crap IMO. Their audio products are as low-end PC audio can possibly get these days. So unless you want to scrape the bottom of the barrel, avoid Logitech. The sound on their speakers isn't only bad - their speakers typically break down after a few years (I've gone through a couple sets). Logitech is also famous for re-releasing their speaker systems with cheaper and cheaper parts so they can save money (at the expense of the consumer). Even their $300+ systems are bad. But to be fair, they provide a lot of value, it's not easy to find decent 5.1 sound for $300 or under. But all of their speaker's sound is incredibly bad. Like, not even the ballpark of what I'd consider "decent sound".

M-Audio AV40s should be WAY better, but for the money I'm pretty sure you could do even better.

Thanks everyone for the responses. I'll like to add that I live in Pakistan thus its difficult for me to get exactly what you might recommend. The reason the M-Audio monitors are expensive is because they are imported privately by retailers and they charge hefty premium since high end audio is an extremely niche market in Pakistan so its high risk for the businesses to import such products. Logitech officially sells its products thus they are same price as worldwide. If the M-Audio were same price as Logitech then I wouldn't have even given this a second thought.

@KHAndAnime I won't agree on Logitech speakers failing as I sold my X530 after a whopping 7 years of usage. Not once has a Logitech product failed me so far so as far as part quality is concerned I have full trust in Logitech.

@DJ_Headshot I have read that I can add a sub later on with the M-Audio can't I??

@kraken2109 Here are links to two premium audio retailers in my country. My max budget is 25k local currency. Ignore those products where it says "call" instead of the price since those are not in stock and take a long time to import.

http://musicguide.com.pk/index.php?route=common/home

http://m1.com.pk/

As far as PC speakers are concerned Logitech Z623 is the only option available among all the popular 2.1 systems.

How is the Samson Mediaone 5a compared to the M-Audio AV40?

Since I highly doubt you'll find anyone who has actually heard both and compared them. Between the two I would personally go for the Samson bigger woofer along with a larger enclosure and has a double bass port design vs single bass port. All this means it will be able to extend more deeply into the lower bass ranges before rolling off which without a sub is pretty important. I think you'll be pretty happy with either as both should win against the Logitech in every way except for bass extension and volume.

The Samsons I think will provide enough maybe EQ them a bit to help with it the bass as long as your not expecting wall shaking gut punching bass to come out of them the rest of the sound spectrum including the bass they do have should be very well reproduced on them. As for adding a sub to monitor speakers you can but it gets a little tricky to add a sub later and get them level matched up compared to bookshelf speakers but it can be done if you choice to just post here if your ever looking to add the sub and I can help getting it setup for you.

Both my Z-2300s and 5300's failed within a couple of years use. Their forums are absolutely loaded with people who've had failing speaker systems after brief periods of ownership. Thankfully they were covered by warranty - they sent me new ones and I sold them for full price and bought different speakers with them instead (AudioEngine A5s), I've had them nearly 5 years and use them at work (30+ hours a week) and they still work perfect to this day. I also owned X-530s but I sold them with a used computer awhile back to make the deal more enticing, I think it's the more expensive Logitech speakers that seem more likely to break down.

I'd be still going with M-Audio since they actually tell you the specs compared to the Samson.

All I know from Samson they've got a 25mm Tweeter and a 5' driver

While the M-Audio got 1' tweeter and 4' driver < better lows and mids - theoretically

IMO from paper only the M-Audio got a better balance.

Those shops offer very little in your price range. I'd pick samson over the m-audio simply because the're bigger and I know the AV40 have crap bass. You should also consider these JBLs

If I was you i'd look on the second hand market.

I can't find professional reviews on the Samson. :S

There is no such thing as returning a non faulty product here so I can't return once I buy. Heck I can't even try these sort of products since they are not on display anywhere. I am not comfortable buying second hand. I am not expecting wall shaking bass from a 2.0 system, the reviews of the AV 40 don't suggest that the bass is crap but obviously a 4" woofer can only do so much. The JBL is certainly out of my budget right now.

@DJ_Headshot You have heard both the M-Audio and Samson?

I was all set on the M-Audio AV40 but it seems like a general consensus with user reviews pretty much everywhere that these things only last an average of 1.5-2 years which is pretty pathetic for something that costs this much. I generally don't pay much attention to such reviews since every product will have those issues but with the M-Audio it just seems too much of a problem to ignore. I mean I have also read countless reviews of the Logitech Z623 and I don't encounter complains of the product failing anyway near as much. I don't know what to do anymore. Despite this I am still a little tempted to get the AV 40 because of the exceptionally good reviews its audio quality has gotten.

I either get the AV 40 and just take the gamble. Or I save more for a more reliable system but that's gonna take some time and in the meanwhile I would need something to get me going as I have already sold my current speakers. Relying solely on headphones has turned out to be quite annoying.

How do you even break audio speakers if they sit quietly on a desk or shelf? I have speakers from my audio systems dating back to the mid-90's and they still work.

Even my Z-2300 2.1 set from spring 2005 still works fine and has survived two stateside moves.

They don't break the amp fails. And yes speakers are supposed to last a very long time and that's why it's all the more perplexing. If a product has a high DOA rate even that is fine but this doesn't seem to be the case with the AV40. Most of the complains are after a few months usage. I won't even be getting the 1 year warranty so that makes my situation worse.

I can see where you coming from anything that has so many complaints of failing so soon I'd be hesitant to buy especially at such a high price and not having any warranty! Are there are no bookshelf speakers where you live? You could get a pair of those plus a separate amp less likely for anything to break and if the amp or speaker does break would be easier to replace and repair it. Look into the used market as well as audio gear last a long time and you can find some great deal on used audio equipment that still sounds great.

Although to be honest if you just need some speakers right now the logitech would not be bad for a cheap all in one 2.1 system especially since it would not be marked up alot compared to other audio equipment where you live and the warranty would still apply there or am I wrong in assuming that? People on here love to exaggerate on how things sound like crap or garbage sometimes to a very large degree just see the FLAC vs MP3 thread on this very forum! Compared to the speakers you used to have I'm sure you'll be pretty happy with them!

Then you can save up later and buy some higher quality speakers later down the line if you want to no need to rush and make a purchase you regret a few months from now!

Unfortunately only higher end bookshelf speakers are available here which are way beyond my budget right now. The second hand market is pretty much non existent for niche audio products.

Yes that's right the Logitech are priced more in line with their international price and yes they come with 1 year warranty.

This is exactly what I have been thinking as well. The Logitech Z623 are a massive upgrade over X530 and seem decent value for money in my situation so this will have to do for now. I eventually want to own audiophile level speakers but clearly I'll need to save a lot more money for that.

Btw I am reading that studio monitors are very directional. Now that's a big problem with music as I don't just sit in one place listening to music. So which sort of speakers are considered best for a room filling music experience??

All speakers are directional. High end frequencies (the sound that comes from the tweeters) are extremely directional. There aren't speakers that are immune to this. You either have your speakers set up for proper soundstage or you don't. Logitech speakers might be less effected perhaps because their sound is so unbalanced and their highs are so bad that it literally doesn't matter where they're coming from because there'd be no sense of soundstage anyways (satellite speakers aren't big enough to produce the illusion of the instruments actually being there, AKA "soundstage"). The idea is that for the best sound, the tweeters must be facing your ears, preferably eye level. If the tweeters aren't reaching your ears directly, then they're bouncing off other surfaces before reaching your ears, causing the sound to be diminished. They'll sound fine if you aren't in the ideal spot (you can listen to them from anywhere), they just distinctly won't sound as good if you were sitting right in front of them, and this pretty much applies to 99% of the speakers out there.

Sticking to Logitech isn't an awful idea if you don't have money to get anything truly decent (because any good speakers are pricier), I'd just avoid auditioning different speakers, otherwise you'll get a more complete idea of the sound you're missing. The sound quality difference between a good pair of bookshelf speakers and Logitech-satellite-type speakers couldn't be any bigger IMO. It's like listening to music through cheap iPod earbuds and then going to decent Sennheiser headphones. Once you hear the latter, you'll wonder how the hell you've ever grown any appreciation for the former. If you understood the science behind sound, you'd realize there's no great-sounding satellite/subwoofer setup. Satellites don't have big enough woofers to produce proper mids and subwoofers aren't supposed to be producing mid-frequencies. Essentially there's going to be a huge gap in the sound (lack of mids) in any non-bookshelf setup you work with because you have the subwoofer trying to do double-duty. Subwoofers shouldn't be producing any mids, but only bass of 80hz or lower, where sound frequencies become directionless - but you'll never find a Logitech with properly used subwoofers AFAIK. Logitech's strengths are price and convenience, which they do well on, but if you care about SQ even the slightest, then Logitech isn't really even worth considering. Logitech really isn't an audio brand though. They sell general electronics. They're great for mice, keyboards, etc. but absolutely awful for sound. If you want good sound, it should be an absolute no-brainer to avoid the "general consumer" brands (like Logitech) and go for brands that actually have a reputation for making worthwhile speakers and headphones. It's common sense, really.

It's interesting to me how many gamers in these parts care so much about their graphics and monitors (even to go as far as 3-monitor setups), but most people on this forum scrape the bottom of the barrel as far as sound goes. Aren't you people aware of how important sound is to immersion? It's half the equation. Pretend immersion is a PBJ sandwhich. If this were the case, the majority of the users here will go out of their way to get some ridiculous $100 jam and bread for their sandwhich, but when it comes to the peanut butter, they're perfectly content with the $1 generic grocery-store kind. Doesn't necessarily make a ton of sense, does it? Despite the lack of sense, most people here prefer lopsided setups. If you're spending $300+ on your monitor(s), you should be spending at least $300 to match it in the audio department, otherwise you'll end up with a lopsided setup. IMO anyone rocking Logitech with their expensive gaming rigs is playing a practical joke on themselves - and it's not a funny one.

I completely understand what you are talking about and very much agree that its ridiculous that people would purchase multiple high end graphic cards and not have high end audio but I am not one of those people. I don't even have a high end PC by today's standards. As far as audio is concerned I am not exactly using bottom of the barrel setup. My main setup for gaming is an ASUS Xonar DG and Bose AE1 Headphones which do a pretty admirable job with gaming combined with Dolby Headphone.

The reason I have resisted spending money on speakers is because I live in an apartment with my parents and always felt I won't be able to utilize a powerful set of speakers. But now I feel I should get something good for the times that I am alone at home which is happening more and more these days. I was very much going to buy the M-Audio but the reliability proved to be a deal breaker.

I have decided to wait a little while to see what my financial situation would be next month. I am eyeing a pair of JBL LSR305 which just seem like the perfect setup for me both sound and reliability wise. If I am unable to purchase these next month then I'll just buy the Logitech for the time being.

Alternatively I might buy a Sennheiser HD 558 or 598 to replace the Bose headphones(which I had planned for the future anyways) and go headphone only until I can afford the JBL monitors.

My main gripe with the Z623 is the lack of a tweeter which I would expect at that price. Trust me I don't willfully purchase a Logitech or Bose product but circumstances of living in the third world often end up with them being the best options. The "real" audio companies just don't have a good distribution channel and there is nothing I can do about it.

Hey guys I have decided to buy the JBL LSR305 and I want to know a few things.

These are supposed to be mono speakers purchased individually so how do I connect them together for stereo? And how is it determined what would be the right and left speaker?

Having done that how do I connect them to the PC after that?

You'll need a reciver

those cheap monitor speakers like M-Audio are nice and all, but i'd recommend 2.1 for gaming. the subwoofer even in modest models, like in some Logitechs or Creatives really pack a punch compared to small stereo speakers. balance-wise they are not as accurate, but believe me, you want to opt for fuller sound instead. just don't get the cheapest possible 2.1 set... Battlefield sounds much more epic on my 2.1 set compared to a pair of small KRK Rokit 5 speakers (wich are way better than AV40 set).

ideally, you'd want to get small(ish) 2.1 monitor speak set for desktop use, but that ain't cheap...

I have 2 sets of Logitech Z-5500 and they have served me well for many years. They are a great bang for your buck. It is a shame they no longer make them and replaced them with a downgraded model. They are good for movies and games and alright for music. If you really like music, I would recommend spending more and getting a pair of studio monitors. I personally have M-Audio BX8 D2 and they sound fantastic. I use a hybrid of the BX8 D2 (FL, FR) and Z-5500 (Sub, C, LR, RR) for my desktop setup. I have good experiences with both Logitech and M-Audio.

You mean a USB audio interface? Can you recommend me something cheap?

Actually to think of that, I'm not sure a reciver would be enough to do that, you'll need a mixer and a medium/good one enough to have that option.

Amazon 60$ mixer

Am I correct in assuming that if I am using such a device I would no longer be able to use my keyboard volume buttons to change volume??

Actually to think of that, I'm not sure a reciver would be enough to do that, you'll need a mixer and a medium/good one enough to have that option.

Amazon 60$ mixer

You may try a reciver as well, best thing to do is to ask pro musician or at some local music shop or if you have a friend who owns a music mixer or a reciver via home theater

I don't know much about audio, sorry.

Most people just use Stereo, it's the most common thing nowdays, also I've learned from some reading that you'll have to place them perfectly in the right location and to play a bit with an equalizer to separate the voices from the music sounds.

Just get stereo speaker IMO and save yourself the trouble of messing around with stuff, Unless you're into learning new stuff and making everything perfect the way you want it to be sound like.

To connect active studio-type monitors to a PC, you need a DAC. Here's one for $25, or this one might be better for $22, you probably need these cables to hook them up. You don't need to play with any equalizers - that's just silly. And in fact the only way you will be able to adjust volume using your volume keyboard buttons. Only thing I'd keep in mind about this sort of setup is that if you ever accidentally crank up your Windows volume, you will be blasted out. :p

I honestly don't think it's much trouble at all - just about anyone who requires accurate audio (anyone who does sound mixing) uses a setup similar to this, though likely more expensive. It might take an extra minute to set up compared to some speaker systems, but there's no inherent disadvantages to the setup - nor is it complicated. Even though I'm using a completely different type of set up now, I had studio monitors with a DAC (a much more expensive one) and I was extremely satisfied. I did scare myself by blasting the volume accidentally once or twice because I was reliant on Window's volume.

@Grey_Eyed_Elf: I'll take the Hennessy.

Me too. Hennessey Venom GT

Guys I have read that studio monitors can in fact be used with a PC sound card using XLR to 3.5mm adapter with a dual splitter. Is this not recommended or what?? I mean a $30 DAC doesn't cut it for me because I NEED a headphone amp so I will then need to purchase a DAC with a headphone amp which just further increases the costs.

I understand what you are saying but my problem is that I live in an apartment with my parents who really don't tolerate thumping bass so that's the biggest turn off with it comes to 2.1. I could of course turn down the bass but I have read that PC 2.1 speakers really sound quite awful when the sub is off and this was true of the cheap Logitech system I had.

I mean I love some deep bass but other limitations have to be taken into consideration. With a 5" studio monitor I know I can crank it up a bit and it won't shake the walls but will provide respectable bass nevertheless. I would have actually gone for the Corsair SP2500 but its not available over here and asking someone to bring along a 15kg item from abroad is not practical.

You should try using your sound card first IMO. I remember using my KRK Rokit 8's with my Auzentech Forte and I remember there being something wrong (was picking up EMI, sound was a little flat), but that might've been a special case. It might work for you - the splitters and cables are pretty cheap.

oh ok, so in your case monitor speakers will definetly be a better option. using splitter from 3.5mm to XLR is perfectly fine.

Those JBLs are well regarded, ideally you'd use them with a proper audio interface with XLR, but in your case you will probably have to use a couple of adapters and not have balanced cables. You will probably need to adjust the input sensitivity on the back of them (the switch) depending on which input you use.

These will sound infinitely better than any 'PC speakers' and will also have better bass, they're fairly flat to ~43Hz.

In future I would recommend getting audio advice from a forum other than gamespot, as it seems most users here aren't very experienced or knowledgeable about audio, and in some cases while trying to help have been confusing you more with incorrect information.

I hope you enjoy them, let us know what you think.

Hey guys I ended up getting the Logitech Z623 as I simply was not able to afford the JBL and I was just desperate to get some speakers. They are far from perfect for music but they truly are an excellent system for games and movies. And its much much better than the X530 I had previously.

Getting the JBL is still on my plan but I don't know how long I'll have to wait for them. Selling the Logitech won't be much of a problem since I have 1 year warranty on it.

@kraken2109 Can you tell me what exactly is the benefit of connecting a studio monitor through XLR instead of getting a splitter cable and running from PC sound card? I want to know because if it truly makes a difference then I'll save for an audio interface as well alongside the price of the JBL.

XLR is a balanced connection, googling that should explain. In your situation it's unlikely to make a difference though.

So just an update I have been fairly satisfied with the Z623 so I am not getting the JBL speakers.

But instead I decided to give myself audiophile treatment in headphones. This is what I got.

Apart from bass it is much better than the Bose and I am really enjoying it so far. :)

HD598?

Thumbs up!

Yup HD 598. :)

@Gambler_3: sorry all for resurrecting this old thread. But Gambler_3, I'm looking to buy the Logitech Z623 in Pakistan, and I wanted to know how have they been for you? Still using these? Any negatives? And have you really pushed them hard anytime? Maxed bass and volume? One thing I've noted on the web is that some people say the voice coil starts to smell after listening to heavy music for some time? Have you ever experienced something similar? Would you recommend these?

Also, I don't quite know where to buy these in warranty, could you point me in the right direction / send me the link to them? The one place I know is selling them without warranty.

Hey mate sorry I don't check this site as often anymore hence the late reply. I have been fairly happy with them and they are still the best you can get in this price range. Whether you will like them or not really depends on what you are currently using, if you are using something crappy you will love them.

Yes I have used them on very high volume and bass plenty of times. There has been no issue for a year now. Which city are you in? I got them in Karachi and can guide you where to buy from in warranty. If you are not from Karachi I'll guide you to the relevant forum for assistance.