The new ZXR-550 is a direct upgrade, promising 'improved usability' and 'enhanced surround audio'.
Back in issue 20 we reviewed Videologic's ZXR-500 system, and we loved it. The new ZXR-550 is a direct upgrade, promising 'improved usability' and 'enhanced surround audio'.
We don't now about the improved usability -- after all, speakers are speakers when it comes to actual usage -- but the surround audio is spot on perfect. In fact, out of the many speaker products we've reviewed it's probably the most convincing positional audio we've heard.
The wooden subwoofer, sporting dual flared ports also provides the sound controls, namely a master volume and volume controls for centre, rear and sub channels. The satellites are identical to the ZXR-500's and come supplied with stands. As before, these can be removed and the speakers wall mounted.
With the 5in sub pumping out 25W RMS and the five 3in satellites giving 8W RMS each, this system is damn loud and closely matches the ratings of the 500s. However, the frequency response is not so wide at 35Hz - 20kHz.
During testing with a few MP3s, we were pleased to hear a thick, warm and responsive bass, comfortable and smooth mid tones, and crystal clear upper tones. However, as we said, these speakers are loud, so we pumped up the volume, all the way to 11.
Unfortunately the sound wasn't so pretty at higher volumes: the upper tones became harsh and a little distorted, the mid range lost some clarity and the bass kick seemed less responsive. To be fair, this was at volumes you're unlikely to need in the home environment. Music appreciation doesn't generally include bleeding eardrums.
The same couldn't be said for surround sound gaming, which has to be played at Earth-trembling volumes. These speakers certainly held their ground, with the sound of gunfire and rockets benefiting from the extreme volume and awesomely realistic 5.1 positional audio delivered by the well tuned satellites. The real power of these speakers was apparent watching Behind Enemy Lines on DVD. The rich, rumbling bass perfectly complementing the smooth and clear mid to upper tones, even during the most intense action sequences.
Once again, Videologic has delivered a very competent and very impressive sound system. Bung a Dolby Digital decoder into the mix, and it may even get 10 out of 10.
Issue: 137 | June, 2012