15. Labtec Arena 530

The Labtec company has been part of Logitech for a bit more than a year now. The brand used this as an occasion to overhaul its range of sound systems and take it into the gaming world. The Arena 530 is the result of this. The speaker design, the same for both sets, is really original. It consists of little spheres with a metallic gray grid mounted on rounded feet. The 15-watt subwoofers are also the same in both systems. They are more classical and resemble earlier Labtecs like the LCS-2514. Speaker power is fairly unassuming at 4 watts per unit. Labtec has not progressed much with regard to connections. There is the same interdependent cabling system which makes installation hard work: on both systems, all the connections go from the right front speaker to the subwoofer, sound card and left speaker.

For sound quality, the subwoofer dispenses low frequencies quite well, but not outstandingly. The speakers only have one diaphragm, so you can't expect miracles from them. They do their job fairly with clear highs and medium frequencies marked enough for games. Instrument distribution is not wonderful so the Arena 530 cannot be recommended for music. It uses the M3D (Matrix Surround Sound) technology described in the Z-560 test. This system is not above reproach, but its price is honest enough for gamers who don't want to face financial ruin. Although, for a similar price you can find better systems, such as the Logitech Z-540.