The Logitech Z623 (see image) is built for sound quality, with a wide frequency response and a tight bass. They're up for any gaming scenario, no matter how intense or immersive.
Klipsch and Logitech are two of the most popular hi-fi audio and home theater names. Logitech Z623 speakers are built to produce powerful, dramatic sound, while Klipsch Promedia speakers are tuned to provide balanced, even sound.
In summary, the Logitech Z623 is a more performance-oriented speaker system, while the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 is a more neutral, even sounding speaker with less emphasis on bass. In addition to different sound characteristics, these two speakers also have different appearances and specifications.
Both have their pros and cons, but which speaker is right for you? Keep reading to find out.
Sound Quality
Have you ever noticed that there often tends to be quite the opposite opinions about a speaker?
I can understand this for more "personal taste" kinda products like clothing, for example.
But for engineering products like speakers? Personal tastes and preferences probably still play a role. But shouldn't it be less?
Why is it that we can't set a universal metric for sound quality?
First time I asked this question to myself has been a pivotal day.
Because it turns out that in the mid 90's, Electrical Engineer PhD Floyd Toole came up with a method called Spinorama. This is exactly what he accomplished with this. Turns out that his book Sound Reproduction is like the bible of audiophiles.
Put it simply, Spinorama is a set of measurements that gives a comprehensive overview of a speaker's performance from various angles.
It allows you to compare the performances of different speakers before even laying your ears hands on them.
Isn't that amazing?
This is why Spinorama was apparently groundbreaking news for audio industry. Hence in the mid-late 2010's, most brands and magazines began publishing Spinorama measurements, despite the challenges of making such measurements.
Fortunately, now we have the Spinorama data for a bunch of quite popular speakers. Pierre Aubert put all this untidy data together and put it into https://www.spinorama.org/. This is a stunning source. Pretty valuable stuff from him right there.
All good up to this point.
Now there comes a caveat.
Since the sound speakers propagate are in the form of omnidirectional waves, all measurements are obtained in anechoic or semi-anechoic chambers (a super-quiet room where soundwaves don't bounce back, here's how different that room sounds [a mind blowing time-adjusted video]).
This is a problem because it means that Spinorama alone, unfortunately, won't give us all we need. Placement and reflections play an equally important role there too.
This is why most A-class brands (like SVS, Bang & Olufsen, etc) often come up with room correction features, adjusted either manually or automatically. The EQ adapts itself to the placement (room, corner, center, etc) for a better (deeper and more accurate) sound. Which is great.
Additionally they often emphasize the importance of placement, here is an example: https://www.svsound.com/blogs/subwoofer-setup-and-tuning/75365187-the-art-of-subwoofer-placement
Anyways...
The source code under Pierre Aubert's work is licensed under GPL (General public license). He didn't perform any of the measurements himself, and instead he compiled all of them into one place, so that makes sense.
At this point, I thought that if there was a tool that combined both the Spinorama with the room acoustics data, it'd be extremely useful.
Unfortunately, it turns out that there wasn't any.
This is where I stepped in and partnered with an Acoustics and Audio Engineering PhD in order to achieve this.
We combined Spinorama data with room acoustics and came up with Soundton. A very simple, 2D online tool that allows you to:
- Reveal optimal speaker positions in a room,
- Test with real speakers from real brands,
- Compare different speakers and different positions in the room.
It can be very valuable for the vast majority.
The colormap provides you the locations with the best (green) and worst (red) listening experience.
It works the best with subwoofers since Soundton processes low frequency response waves only.
- Soundton is going to be, say, 80% accurate. Not 100%.
- Because, other parameters such as the age/materials of the building, furniture/windows in place also have an impact on room acoustics.
- If you want absolutely the most detailed room analysis, then what you need is an acoustics consultant. Mind you that's going to require deep pockets and patience though... assuming you find the right person and they get the job done.
Anyways...
Building on its reputation for producing high-quality audio, Klipsch Promedia 2.1 has a reputation as a high-performance speaker system. These speakers have a wide frequency range, and they deliver detailed, dynamic sound. In addition, their large-diameter woofer pumps out rich bass that is deep and powerful. They are also good at separating dialogue from the rest of the soundtrack, making them ideal for watching movies or TV shows.
Let’s just say these speakers deliver thumping bass and crisp treble with a balanced midrange. And did I mention they are both THX-certified?
However, their biggest difference is noticeable if you want a truly remarkable gaming experience. Logitech Z623s are built to provide 3D-quality, immersive gameplay, while the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 offers a more relaxed, at-home listening experience.
That's not to say that the Promedia 2.1 lacks sound quality. It lacks the depth of sound, and it makes up for its powerful bass and impressively tight frequency response. Using it for gaming is still acceptable but not as immersive or exhilarating as the Logitech Z623.
Overall, the Logitech Z623 takes the cake when it comes to sound performance if you want to focus on gaming. However, if you want to blast on powerful music, then the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 is the better way to go.
Here is the complete tech specs of Logitech Z623.
Design
These speakers are in no way new to the market, but they're still popular. Despite these speakers' outdated and clunky design, they still pack some major power for the price. When you look at these speakers side by side, they look pretty similar.
The only difference is that the Logitech looks a bit sleeker despite sporting the same early 2000s design everyone loved in the past decade. Taking on the same cues, the Klipsch speakers look more retro because the design is more clunky and bulky.
The biggest difference between these two is their satellites. While the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 sports a more retro rectangular shape propped on metal legs, the Logitech Z623 is triangular and uses rubber feet to stabilize it.
Either way, both speakers are quite large and clunky. That means they'll look much better hidden away behind a panel instead of right beside your modern gaming setup.
If you want a versatile speaker who can tackle music, movies, and even video games, all with equal success, then the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 (see image) is the one for you.
Bass
The Klipsch Promedia 2.1 is a powerful speaker system that uses a single passive subwoofer to pump out powerful bass. It's easy to tell that these speakers were built to deliver booming bass, which they do incredibly well. They can quickly fill up a large room with sound without requiring much power.
You may be thinking that the trade-off is that you'll end up hearing muddy sounds and an unpleasant rattling when you turn the volume up. That couldn't be further from the truth for both of these speakers.
Both are designed to pump out bass at tight frequencies to ensure smooth and powerful music. However, the main difference is that the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 beats out the Logitech Z623 by a tiny amount.
It's not quite noticeable unless you're an audiophile. Nevertheless, I have to give this win to Klipsch Promedia 2.1.
Check out the Klipsch Certified Refurbished Factory. These audio products have been tested, inspected, and approved for sale by a Klipsch quality assurance professional. They passed the same strict performance standards as the brand-new products and carried little or no blemishes or imperfections.
Price Range and Affordability
There's certainly nothing flashy between these two speakers, so there's no question when it comes to practicality. However, there are a few things to consider when it comes to price and affordability.
The Logitech Z623s aren't exactly the most affordable speakers on the market. However, they can be of great value depending on how you use them.
These speakers are fantastic for gaming if you want a more immersive sound experience. They don't necessarily reach the same levels of detail that audiophiles crave, but they certainly provide more than enough balance in sound quality for most people.
However, if your primary focus is sound quality, the Klipsch Promedia 2.1s are better. Their neutral sound profile gives you better clarity and detail. This can come in handy in a lot of situations.
In fact, you could pair up the Promedia 2.1 speakers with a home theater system or, better yet, a dedicated amp and get even more out of them.
However, suppose you're interested in gaming or just want a powerful speaker setup for dialing into your favorite music. In that case, the Logitech Z623s are an excellent choice no matter which way you look at them.
The Klipsch Promedia 2.1 is much more affordable at around $129 as of writing, while the Logitech Z623 costs around $170. It's not a huge difference, but if you really want a quality gaming experience, then you'll have to splurge on the extra 50 bucks. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with the Klipsch Promedia 2.1.
View the current prices of both Klipsch Promedia 2.1 and Logitech Z623.
Conclusion
Overall, both of these speakers have plenty of benefits. The Logitech Z623s are built for sound quality, with a wide frequency response and a tight bass. They're up for any gaming scenario, no matter how intense or immersive.
They can also be used as an audiophile speaker system as they provide clear sound quality at a competitive price. If you want a versatile speaker who can tackle music, movies, and even video games, all with equal success, then the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 is the one for you.