SINGAPORE — Logitech today (Oct 2) announced a new range of multimedia speakers for home use, all priced below S$50 for the budget-conscious consumer. Named the Z200, Z150 and Z50, these speakers come in various sizes for home use, and Logitech Regional Director of Southeast Asia Prasenjit Sarkar calls them “perfect for people looking for clear stereo house around the home”.

Top of the new range is the Z200, which has two 2.5-inch drivers per satellite. The resulting sound is pretty powerful, best of which is the solid vocals, especially while gaming or watching movies. The speakers also come with a dial to adjust the bass levels, and even with the bass at its highest levels, the Z200 is polite enough to not overwhelm the other frequencies. Some sparkle in the highs or the presence of a dedicated subwoofer would have helped make this a complete package, but the Z200 cannot be faulted at this price.

Next up is the Z150, stereo speakers that come with a slightly-smaller 2-inch driver on each side. This results in thinner, mushier audio that sometimes lacks detail. When faced with games and movies, the Z150 does much better, and vocals come out clear without being overwhelmed. Still, with a S$20 price difference between this and the Z200, the Z200 is a better pick, unless you really need the space savings.

Finally, the runt of the litter is the Z50 which despite its small size comes with a 2.25-inch driver. The Z50 is a mono speaker, so while you won’t be getting any stereo sound, it can get rather loud despite its small size. Sadly, while Logitech touts the “freedom to move from room to room”, the Z50 needs an AC power source that tethers you close to the wall. With colours like “ocean blue”, “magenta” and “dolphin grey”, it appears that the Z50 might just work best in a kid’s room. Unlike the Z200 and Z150, the Z50 does not come with volume controls, so you have to control the volume on your audio source. Soundwise it actually falls between the Z200 and the Z150, but you will lack stereo sound — and the footprint of the Z50 is actually similar to a single Z150 speaker.

In summary, Logitech’s new trio of multimedia speakers for the home might not be the best out there, but at the prices they are offered at, they more than make up for the lack of quality. Not all of us need the best in audio quality, especially if you’re a road warrior who just needs to plug in these speakers at your desk when the need comes, they definitely are convenient enough at the price.

The Logitech Z200, Z150 and Z50 will be available from mid-October at the price of S$49, S$29 and S$24 respectively.