13. Logitech Z-680, Continued

As regards quality, the Z-680 has a slight defect, which nevertheless ought to be mentioned. You will notice it immediately once you attach the speakers to the sector. The central channel has a fairly noticeable continuous hiss that does not change in relation to the volume, not even when the Mute function is activated. The hiss is irritating, since it means you can't leave the Z-680 on permanently when using the PC, or you will have to put up with a permanent accompaniment of "white noise." The hiss is heard faintly when listening to music or a DVD, and in some cases, it can reduce the general quality of the reproduction. This is a real pity because although this detail is not really a deterrent, it tarnishes the image, which would otherwise have been absolutely brilliant. In fact, apart from the hiss, the overall quality is very good, even excellent, in relation to the price and functionality of the Z-680 speakers. The bass is very deep and percussive, slightly saturated at high volume, but only a little more than the MegaWorks 550. The medium range is very strong and benefits from excellent attack. In fact, the sound may be slightly too strong, causing a slight distortion of the bandwidth on occasion. The treble is quite good, clear and accurate, on condition that the volume is not too high, or the saturation becomes excessive. The stereo image is pretty accurate, although not nearly as good as that of the MegaWorks 550. The Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 decoding on the Z-680 works out very well. Tests performed using Star Wars Episode II and The Lord of the Rings proved to be very lifelike. The positioning of the sounds is very accurate, and the amplification power is fully justified when playing video DVDs. The Z-680 doesn't have to be used exclusively with a PC; it would be just fine in your living room, used in conjunction with a DVD player. Thanks to the Dolby Digital decoder, the Z-680 is also an ideal companion for motherboards based on nForce 2 with SoundStorm (MCP-T). The system is also able to handle 5.1 analog sound, thanks to the three minijack inputs.