Cheap Computer Speakers

Summary: Great, cheap speakers with a convenient dock for your iPod (or any other MP3 player).

Disclaimer: Every user has a different setup and different expectations. Take their comments with a grain of salt and note that what they experience with the speakers do not apply to everyone.

Official Overview and Specifications

Professional Reviews (click links for more information)

¹ Recommended

² Good Value Award
 

Average User Reviews (click links for more information)

Good

"The Logitech X-240 speaker system performed very well during my tests and I am quite surprised at the quality of sound that can be achieved with such a small system.  When the volume was within the range capability of the speakers, the X-240 came together very well with crisp highs, deliberate midranges, and thumping low frequencies.  The system looks very attractive in basic black with its satellite speakers and control center leaning back at the same angle."

"To wrap up our review on the Logitech X-240 Speaker System I would say for the overall sound quality that I was quite impressed. Games sounded good and movies and music sounded pristine."

"My musical tastes are wide and varied: Smooth Jazz and R&B primarily, but also everything from classical to today’s rock, rap, and metal. These speakers will cover it all and adequately fill a 1000-sq-ft room with nice rich deep bass, decent midrange, and crystal-clear treble tones. No hiss, wobble, or distortion, even at higher volumes."

"This system produces rich sound with crystal clear highs, solid mid-bass, and decent lows. If you’re looking for a system that will rattle the windows, you may want to look elsewhere. The X-240 system provides a good balance between the high and low frequencies which blend together in nearly perfect harmony."

"At the store, I got to compare this system to a Bose, and it wiped the Bose away price wise and sound wise. The are perfect right out of the box. The subwoofer/bass speaker is so powerful that its almost unbelievable."

Bad

"Would I buy these speakers? I’m afraid the answer is no. They leave an unsightly tangle of wires on my desk, and despite the sub’s deep bass, they lack the crispness I love."

"Sometimes however it feels as though the bass actually overpowers however, this can be adjusted with the knob and yet still feels somewhat unbalanced. The bass itself only becomes an issue at high volume levels where it becomes quite muddy."

"The X-240 sounds like I’m just listening from a regular jukebox. It doesn’t sound terrible, but it just doesn’t have that rich dynamic feel and sounds a bit muffled."

"The sound of the X-240 system was lackluster, due in part to the insubstantial satellite speaker enclosures, whose sympathetic vibrations colored the sound unacceptably, and deprived the satellite speakers of their detail."

"They really sound lousy. They sound like you took a pair of decent speakers and smothered them with a pillow. The sound is very muffled. No highs, no punch or presence whatsoever. They are also very underpowered."

Personal Opinion

This is supposed to be an upgrade on the Logitech X-230 which has since gone out of production, as well as a companion release to the Logitech X-540. However, there are a number of people on Amazon.com who prefer the acclaimed X-230, and say that the X-240 doesn’t compare. This is of course all in the eye of the beholder, but it’s worth noting as they are built differently. Overall however, the sound seems a bit more equalized to the X-230’s bass-heavy setup, although that’s not to say its lower frequencies are weak either; the down-firing subwoofer provides more than adequate bass. Additionally, the addition of the iPod dock  that allows for charging and syncing(this product is apparently marketed as an "iPod Speaker System") is a nice touch, while providing convenient access to volume, power and the headphone jack. The bass adjustment is located behind the subwoofer which might be an annoyance to some, but at least it exists and you won’t really adjust it much once you find the sweet spot you like.

Complaints lie in the usual Logitech problem of over-complicated wiring, flimsy construction on the iPod dock, as well as an apparently muffled sound (note that many reviews say the complete opposite). Another problem some have complained about is a constant hum these speakers emit when they are turned on, although I’m not sure if it affects everyone as not all have mentioned this.

That said, these speakers are only $50 RRP (many online retailers have these for less) and certainly worth the cost of an upgrade.

Buy Now (click vendor to purchase)

Vendor	Price
Amazon.com	$32.35
mwave.com	$40.99
TheNerds.net	$46.99
TigerDirect	$44.99
OnSale	$43.99
B&H Photo Video	$39.95
Buy.com	$42.65
eBay	See Below