Flat screen TVs have dropped in price tremendously. I just picked up a nice HD one for about $100. Great picture, great streaming hub, absolutely horrible sound! And it’s not the only flat screen TV in my house suffering from the same crappy sound. The bass is pretty much nonexistent, it sounds tinny, and simply uninspiring, definitely quite there opposite of the picture. Luckily Logitech came to the rescue with some small, low-priced speakers that bring enjoyment back to viewing, listening, and even more! (*Disclosure below.)
I would be surprised if you didn’t have a similar situation at home. Sure, you could buy a pricey and high-end surround sound setup or an equally pricey sound bar. But would you really want to spend more on the speakers than you spent on the TV itself? Probably not. So I set out looking for some sort of power external speaker that wouldn’t cost much.
I checked the back of my TV and saw that there was an AUX out port. These are typically used for headphones or external speakers. I bought a Logitech Z50 and when it arrived, I plugged it into the back of the TV. And sound (richer and deeper) started blasting out. The problem was, it was set at one volume level – really loud. And the volume controls on the TV had no effect. I had failed in my first attempt. (No matter, I just used that speaker with an Echo Dot and that works perfectly!)
So I then reached out to Logitech for some ideas and advice on the best, inexpensive solution for my problem. After an overseas video conference call with some of their product managers (being a tech reviewer has a few nice privileges), they had some great recommendations for me, specifically the Logitech Z200 Stereo Speakers and the Logitech Z207 Bluetooth Stereo Speakers.
These two speakers are practically identical, with one exception. One has Bluetooth. But here are the core features I needed for this simple sound solution:
- Inexpensive
- Powered
- Volume control built-in
- AUX line out
- Good bass and highs
That’s it! As I mentioned, one of the models, the Logitech Z207’s specifically, has the option to also pair via Bluetooth. And both are reasonably prices with the Z200’s at $29.99 ($18.35 on Amazon) and the Z207’s at $49.99 (currently $39.99 on Amazon). Oh and the Logitech Z50 which I’m now using with the Amazon Dot is $19.99 (or $19.97 on Amazon).
Setup is incredibly easy. Just unpack, plug in, and connect the AUX cable to the back of the TV. And the nice thing is, both of these speakers have the 3.5mm AUX cable built right in so you don’t have to buy yet another thing.
And the sound? It’s great! The big physical button on both models allows you to get booming audio and crisp highs. The volume knob also turns the speaker on and off.
For best results, I now actually turn the volume on my TV all the way off and just use the Logitech speakers for everything audio. The only downside is that you have to physically adjust the volume as there is no remote. Oh well, getting up once and a while is good for the circulation!
As I mentioned, the Logitech Z207’s have one additional feature compared to the Z200’s, specifically Bluetooth. This is particularly nice for my girls who like playing music. They can pair up to two devices easily. To pair, just press and hold the Bluetooth button until the Z207 is discoverable and then just select and connect. Essentially, you can have 3 connections then, two Bluetooth and one via the physical AUX cable.
Both the Z200’s and the Z207’s boast 10W peak power (which is probably more than what is built into the flat screen TVs). And even if the wattage is the same, the bass is better with the Logitechs. There are two drivers on each speaker and the bass is driven by passive radiators. To switch between audio devices, just stop the playback on one device and start on another.
And if you are using either of these speakers within physical range of headphones, there is a front headphone jack. On the Z200’s there is also a tone toggle switch and the ability to connect two devices via a 3.5mm AUX connection (one connection on the front of the right speaker and then the included 3.5mm AUX cable in the back). Note: the Z207’s don’t have two AUX connections, just one via the connected cable in the back.
Funny thing, I recently heard a radio commercial talking about the paltry sound of new flat-screen TVs. So I guess that I’m not the only one to notice it. The difference is, the commercial was talking about larger and higher-end systems and they were suggesting an expensive sound bar or surround system. Well, if your flatscreen is cheap, I would recommend just getting one of these Logitech speakers instead. They seem to work just great!
Disclosure: I have a material connection because I received a sample of a product for consideration in preparing to review the product and write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item after my review period. All opinions within this article are my own and are typically not subject to the editorial review from any 3rd party. Also, some of the links in the post above may be “affiliate” or “advertising” links. These may be automatically created or placed by me manually. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item (sometimes but not necessarily the product or service being reviewed), I will receive a small affiliate or advertising commission. More information can be found on my About page.
HTD says: Remember to test out the video AND the sound when buying a new flatscreen TV. And, if you find that you just don’t want to spend much or you don’t have much space for a surround sound system, there are some pretty nice, inexpensive Logitech speakers to make viewing pleasurable again!
