Editors' note, April 30, 2010:The rating on this product has been lowered because of changes in the competitive marketplace.
The Logitech Z520 speaker system is the flagship product of the company's four most recent PC speakers and the first of which to include "360-degree sound." In noncorporate jargon, that means each speaker has two tweeters mounted on the front and back panels that project sound in all directions. The resulting sound is effective for blasting tunes or watching a movie in a small room, but $130 feels steep for a dual-speaker setup without a subwoofer.
We're inclined to recommend the Logitech Z520s if you can get them at a discounted price, but we prefer the $99 Logitech Z523 that includes a 4-inch subwoofer in addition to two satellite speakers for a richer aural experience.
The Z520 speakers break away from Logitech's traditional form factor and naturally curve upward toward your ears if put them on a desk at normal height, a small but incredibly useful upgrade. In terms of dimensions, the speakers measure 9.1 inches tall, 4.8 inches wide, and 6.5 inches deep and take up very little room with no subwoofer to get in the way.
