T
he most common problem with setting up a surround-sound speaker system
is that you have to string cables across the floor to the surround channels.
Logitech’s Z-5450 uses a frequency-hopping 2.4GHz transmitter to wirelessly
send audio to the surrounds, but this introduces a whole other problem: hiss.
We suspected this would be an issue, but we held out hope that
Logitech had achieved some technological breakthrough. THX certification
notwithstanding, that’s not the case. We tested the Z-5450 system with a
variety of games and DVD-Audio discs, and the speakers sounded good, but
not great. The hiss emanating from the wireless surround channels, however,
was intolerable.
Actually, describing the surround channels as “wireless” is not entirely
accurate, either. You still have to plug each speaker into an AC outlet, because it
wouldn’t be practical to use batteries to power the amps and wireless receivers
in each cabinet. The front channels andthe subwoofer are powered by the amp in the subwoofer.
Although the Z-5450 is $100 more expensive than Logitech’s top-of-
the-line Z-5500 Digital ($500 vs. $400), the speakers use drivers that are very
similar to the company’s $200 Z-5300e system. Unlike its cheaper stable mate,
however, the Z-5450 comes with a wireless remote and an elegant control cen-
ter with a digital LCD and a plethora of inputs and outputs.
The Z-5450 offers hardware decoding for a variety of digital audio formats,
including Dolby Digital, DTS, and DTS 96/24 (perfect for decoding DVD-Audio discs).
The decoder is redundant, however, if you’re hooking up this system to a PC outfit-
ted with a Sound Blaster Audigy, an X-Fi, or Intel’s HD Audio.
If you’re looking for a powerful surround-sound system with a built-in decod-
er, look at Logitech’s Z-5500: It’s cheaper and more powerful than the Z-5450. You’ll
have to put up with wires, but that’s better than tolerating hiss.
—MICHAEL BROWNLogitech Z-5450 Digital
This 5.1-channel system trades wires for noise
76 MA XIMUMPC JANUARY 2006
reviewsTESTED. REVIEWED. VERDICTIZED
Logitech’s Z-5450 Digital boasts wireless surround speakers that
spoil the audio experience by introducing background noise.6
LOGITECH Z-5450
$500, http://www.logitech.comF
rom the Antec Aria to the Aspire X-QPack, medium formfactor enclosures
have always had one fatal flaw: You can pack ‘em with a ton of hard-
ware, but not a standard ATX 12V PSU.
Silverstone’s Sugo SG-01 addresses that problem by letting you use
just about any standard PSU you want. Want to run a fanless PSU? You can.
What about a 550-watt jobbie? Not a problem. In fact, Silverstone shipped
our review unit with a modular 600-watt PSU. The SG-01, however, is usu-
ally sold sans power supply.
True to Silverstone’s heritage, the SG-01 features a beautiful brushed-
aluminum exterior that reminds us of Falcon Northwest’s FragBox 2. That’s
not surprising seeing as Silverstone manufactures the FragBox 2 enclosure
for Falcon. The SG-01 features some improvements, such as the ability to
mount two optical drives, but unlike the FragBox, the SG-01 is handle-less,
and a case window and lighting effects are also AWOL. And the SG-01 is
definitely not as striking as the FragBox 2; in fact, the former seems a bit
bland by Silverstone standards.
We like the extra 6cm fan mount that Silverstone added—it sits just
above the add-in cards. This fan could be used to either blow cool exterior air
directly onto hot videocards or exhaust the heat — if Silverstone provided a
fan, that is. Why the company skimped on a 50-cent fan we don’t know.
Of course, it’s a royal pain in the PS/2 port to access add-in cards.
Before you can remove or add a part, you have to remove the 6cm fanassembly. This is a minor quibble, however, as the SG-01 is easier to work
in than any other medium formfactor box we’ve tested. And unlike SFF
cases with an integrated mobo, which lock you into a particular CPU plat-
form, the SG-01 lets you build anything you want, provided you can find the
MicroATX motherboard that fits it.
That makes the SG-01 the most flexible medium formfactor
we’ve ever tested.
—GORDON MAH UNGSilverstone Sugo SG-01
This mid-size case offers far more flexibility and power than
any small formfactor machineThe Silverstone Sugo SG-01 is extremely easy to work in—
and on.9
SILVERSTONE SUGO
$150 , http://www. silverstonetek.comSATELLITE SPEAKERS 2.5-inch aluminum phase plug driver; magnetically shielded
SATELLITE POWER 38 watts to front left/right channels, 42 watts to center, and
40.5 watts to left/right surround channels
SUBWOOFER Mechanical band-pass design, with an electronic crossover
and a 6.5-inch high-excursion paper cone driver
SUBWOOFER POWER 116 watts
SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO Wired: 90dBa; wireless: 82dBaSPECS
16”
10.5”8.25 ”