Logitech Z906 Review (5.1 Home Theater Speaker System)

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Logitech Z906

Product Name: Logitech Z906

Product Description: 5.1 Home Theater Speaker System

  • Design - 8.6/10
    8.6/10
  • Movies Performance - 8.8/10
    8.8/10
  • Music Performance - 8.8/10
    8.8/10
  • Inputs and Features - 8.2/10
    8.2/10
  • Price / Quality - 9.3/10
    9.3/10
8.7/10

Summary

Total Score

Pros

  • Good overall performance
  • Nice build quality
  • Easy to connect and setup
  • Good price for tight budgets

Cons

  • No Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD Master Audio support
  • No HDMI ports
  • Console LED lights can be distracting
  • Not suitable for big rooms

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Many of you when you hear the name Logitech mostly think of computer peripherals like keyboards, mice and web cameras but there are a couple more of product categories that have made them known to home theater fans also. One of them is their universal remotes with the Harmony series being considered one of the best someone can get while they have been known for their quality speakers also that may not be the best money can buy but they were always considered a step above most computer speakers in the market today.

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But while creating a home theater surround system for a computer is one thing making it ideal for both a computer desk but also the living room is another. With the Z906 Logitech wanted to create a more versatile system, one that would not only meet the criteria of PC gamers but that could also stand proud as a normal home theater system under a huge TV in a living room or entertainment area and combine this with a relatively low price and ease of use that would make it lucrative even to beginners.

So today we will put this little system to the test and see how good it can be in a pure home theater setup and if Logitech managed to create a compact design that combines versatility but also good audio performance. Because after all it’s not only a matter of being small and cheap. We demand the best audio quality possible for the price we pay. So let’s see what we will get in our Logitech Z906 review that follows.

Logitech Z906 Review

Design, Inputs and Features

Exterior

The Z906 is a THX rated 5.1 channels surround system with 500 watts of RMS power and as such in the package we get 4 identical satellite speakers, 1 horizontal center channel and 1 subwoofer. Also in the package we find the control console and the remote control.

Now let’s speak about the satellite speakers and center channel first. They are relatively small ones and have a very distinct PC type of design that may look great next to a gaming PC but some may dislike it for their home theater. It didn’t bother us but as this depends purely on taste we leave it at that. Logitech is known for their good quality so while the speakers have a plastic shell they feel pretty sturdy. They all feature a dark grey finish with meshed grilles and look distinctively upwards when placed on a furniture. You also have the option to wall mount them as they feature screw holes at the back.

Logitech Z906 Review

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One thing that we usually see in similar complete surround systems is the use of proprietary connections something that can be very frustrating if the included wire is not as long as you desire. In that case splicing the wires would be a necessity which is something that we definitely would like to avoid. Logitech seems to have taken notice and as such has included simple bare wires here in case you would like to replace the ones provided with longer ones. The wires included measure 4.6 meters for the fronts and 7.6 meters for the rears just for your information.

The included subwoofer comes with a cube shaped design and is a front firing type with a side bass port. It’s size is relatively small that can be useful when looking for a place to put it while in also features all the connections of the system as all speakers are connecting on it as well as the control console. It also has a dark grey color that fits with the rest of the speakers and in general will go unnoticed in a home theater room.

Logitech Z906 Review

And lastly we shouldn’t forget to mention the control unit which is connected on the subwoofer with a single cable and is responsible for providing various information like volume, active inputs and speakers configuration while also receive all the commands from the remote control. The unit is not very big so you can place it anywhere or even hide it if you want but one thing that did bother us a little was the LED lights it has at the front and can be a bit distracting in a dark room. We would definitely like if they had included a dimming function or turn off entirely after a while but unfortunately we get neither.

The console also features a dark grey plastic shell that fits with the rest of the speakers and has a big volume knob dead center with LED lights all around to have an idea of volume level. On the left we get a round power button while next to it there is the input selection button with the active input illuminating above it and next to it we find the processing effect button that you can use to turn stereo sound in 3D, 4.1 or 2.1 channels.

Logitech Z906 Review

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On the right side there is a mute button and a level button that you can press in order to change the volume of each speaker separately. Above that there 6 LED lights in order to show which speaker is selected by flashing the appropriate one and lastly there is one big IR sensor for the remote.

In general we are pretty happy with the kind of quality we find here and although it definitely has a PC-centric look we believe it will look just fine in any given space and home theater configuration.

Logitech Z906 Review

Internal Hardware

Let’s see now what makes these speakers tick. Logitech has put a lot of thought on making this system look good but how about what really matters?

The four satellites and the center channel seem to feature 3” polished aluminum phase plug drivers and are rated at 67 watts per channel (4 ohms at 3.85kHz, at 10% THD). The subwoofer on the other hand comes with a 8” high-excursion ported driver with a 6th-order bass reflex enclosure and 165 watts (6 ohms, at 52 Hz, at 10% THD) of power emitting from an ultra efficient Class D amplifier.

Logitech Z906 Review

The combination of the speakers with the subwoofer gives the whole system a rating of 500 watts of RMS power which is amazing for such a small factor system. It also has a frequency range of 35 Hz – 20 KHz, 110 dBC maximum SPL and 95dB of Signal to Noise ratio.

The Logitech Z906 is capable of decoding Dolby Digital and DTS signals through it’s included ports. Unfortunately it cannot do Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD Master Audio as it lacks any HDMI port that would be capable of transmitting the necessary information. Naturally this means also no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X but this was to be expected as it lacks any kind of overhead channels to recreate these sounds.

Logitech Z906 Review

Connectivity

As we mentioned earlier most connections are housed on the back of the subwoofer with a couple of them being placed on the control console of easy access.

We will mention them with numerical order as they are marked by Logitech and as such we get a six channels direct input through three 3.5mm ports that can be used to connect the corresponding three ports that we usually find in all desktop computers, an analogue stereo input, 2 digital optical and 1 coaxial input that you can use to connect streaming boxes, video games consoles, blu-ray players, TVs and media players, a port to connect the control console as well as 5 speaker terminals for the satellite and center speakers.

Logitech Z906 Review

There is also a headphones jack and another 3.5mm analogue audio input located at the right side of the control console for easy access. And that’s all.

If there is one thing that we are missing is definitely an HDMI port. Most home theater equipment nowadays are mostly using an HDMI port for audio transfer and since Logitech wants to promote the Z906 as both a PC audio system as well as a home theater one they should have included at least one such port. As it is right now it severely limits the options you get mostly when it comes to home theater connections as you have to use the digital inputs to pass surround audio to the Z906.

Control Options

Logitech Z906 Review

The control console may offer a few buttons for some basic functions like volume, input selection or stereo effect selection but for full control you will need to use the included remote which is a small and rather simple one. The system doesn’t have a lot of functions and this reflects on the remote as we basically get three round buttons at the top for powering the unit, input selection and mute while under it we get four buttons in a roundish configuration that are for volume, stereo effect selection and speakers level adjust.

The remote is rather small while the buttons are big enough with a nice rubber touch to them. The design is nothing special but it provides everything necessary and you will not have any trouble using it even in low light areas as the low number of buttons makes things easy even when you cannot see very good.

Extra Features and Services

The Logitech Z906 is a THX certified 5.1 channels surround system which is a bit impressive for such a little system. THX certified means that it has passed all the rigorous audio tests in order to provide the best quality possible according to THX standards.

Performance

Placement of the speakers and setup could not be easier with the Z906. There are instructions in the manual how you can place the speakers in your area and in combination with their relatively small footprint you will have them placed and ready in no time. The connections at the back of the subwoofer are very easy to understand and find what you need to connect.

What may take you a bit more time is to calibrate all speakers with the included audio test mode. Since the Z906 doesn’t have any kind of automated system you have to make calibration by yourself which may be a piece of cake if you have done it before but it could sound a big hustle if you are new to all this.

Logitech Z906 Review

But things are easier than they look. The Z906 will play an audible sound from each speaker individually so you can adjust all the speakers to have equal output. During that time on the control console the corresponding LED light of each speaker will blink so you know which one you are adjusting. When you feel all speakers are in balance you exit the calibration with a press of a button. That’s all.

Movies

The film we chose for this testing was the 4K UHD version of Saving Private Ryan. This version of course comes with a fantastic Dolby Atmos track but we would be able to only get the core Dolby Digital mix out of it due to the inability of the Z906 to decode anything else higher than Dolby Digital. All out tests were made after we connected our UHD player to the Logitech Z906 through the digital optical port.

The scenes we usually try with this film is the first one with the landing on Omaha beach as well as the finale with the battle of Ramelle.  During the Omaha beach landing we were surprised by how “full” the audio felt. Having such a small system can give you very false expectations so when we finally fired it up it provided our listening area with a nice overall soundstage.

Logitech Z906 Review

This scene is very heavy on the bass as the German artillery is pounding the beach while German machine guns are ripping through the Allied soldiers. Two things were immediately obvious. The subwoofer was a bit too loud compared to the rest of the speakers so we had to turn it down a couple of notches. The second was that the surround effects were not as strong as they should in order to create the necessary encompassing soundstage. So we had to up the surrounds a little to make them more alive.

When everything was said and done we felt that the Z906 managed to perform nicely as you could feel the bullets fly all over the place with relatively good precision while channels shifting was spot on. The dialogue was very clear in all this mayhem and was never overshadowed by the rest of the channels. The subwoofer was good in trying to give us all the pounding such a film has but keep in mind that it will not be able to handle bass as some more expensive units can.

Tank fire, explosions, projectiles, bullets flying around and debris all made you feel right in the action while the incoming German armor echoed through the ruble of Ramelle with an ominous tone.

Logitech Z906 Review

Lastly we felt that the system was lacking a bit in the high frequencies. Nothing overly major but it just felt like the sound had a more “plastic” and artificial sound than what we would like. This may have to do with the fact that the speakers have no dedicated tweeters but it’s a fact that we paid attention to and should be mentioned.

Music

Next we tried a few music tracks to see how the system can handle a few more rhythmic tones. The Logitech Z906 managed to give us some very nice tones in the mid-range while the subwoofer felt accurate and tight without overwhelming the rest of the frequencies. Once again we felt that the system was struggling a bit with the highs as they didn’t felt as bright as they should.

Vocals were reproduced with great clarity and precision while musical instruments could be easily distinguished through space. Overall we believe that if you are not an audiophile that has very high expectations from an audio system such as this then you will be pleasantly surprised by how nice it’s musical performance can be.

Logitech Z906 Review

Final Thoughts

The Logitech Z906 is a lovely little 5.1 channels audio system and it is very clear the target audience Logitech is aiming with this one. First of all we liked that it can be used either as a PC-centic audio system or as a full blown home theater surround system. This way they target such a bigger audience. It managed to perform admirably considering it’s small size while build quality was very good something that Logitech is known for.

It can be an excellent entry level home theater system as it is remarkably easy to connect and setup and you can have it running in minutes something that is extremely practical for all those that just don’t want to mess with connecting AV receivers, speakers and having to calibrate all these. Lastly the price is very good if you consider you are getting a full 5.1 channels system.

Logitech Z906 Review

On the other hand the unit has some very obvious limitations. It has no HDMI port which is a shame considering it has become the number one connection in today’s home theaters and also cannot decode anything above Dolby Digital or DTS which means no Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD Master Audio. Obviously there is also no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X as the system lacks any kind of overhead speakers. Also the LED lights on the control console can be a little distracting while it packs enough power for mostly small rooms and entertainment areas.

Logitech has created a THX certified system that for what it was made for it really excels. With good build quality, nice performance, ability to be used either as a PC audio system or a home theater one the Logitech Z906 will satisfy all those that don’t have the space and the money to go for anything more advanced and only care to have some good old 5.1 channels surround sound without any fancy latest tech. And in our opinion Logitech really nailed it with this one.

For more reviews you can check our dedicated Complete Home Cinema Speakers reviews list or even look at our Product Reviews Table where you can find the brand and specific product you are looking for.


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*We are a reader-supported website. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Home Media Entertainment does not accept money for reviews.*


Logitech Z906 Specifications

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40 thoughts on “Logitech Z906 Review (5.1 Home Theater Speaker System)”

  1. Excellent review you have up here concerning the Logitech z906. This seems very nice with some badass quality bass. This pass for a home theater system for me. Even with such a small size the kind of features on this model makes it very amazing to use. Also, the pricing is within range of my budget. Thanks so much for this. I was considering it but I’m definitely buying it now.

    Reply
    • Thank you for your comment. If you are looking for a basic home theater system then you will for sure enjoy this one.

      Reply
  2. Wow very detailed review of the Logitech Z906. Thank you for this article!

    We are actually moving out in a couple of months and we are in the market for a home theater. This is the first time I read about this model and it’s very interesting. I’m still doing my research but when I’m decided I’ll make sure to bookmark your page. What I don’t like about this is that it doesn’t have an HDMI port. Anyway, thank you once again! 

    All the best!

    Reply
    • Hey AJ. The omission of an HDMI is really hurting the value of the system but otherwise for an entry level one it’s very good. You will enjoy it for sure.

      Reply
  3. I got this amazing surround sound system last year, it delivers a very awesome and impressive sound with depth, punch and decent detail reproduction. I was absolutely blown away just by how good this surround sound system sounds. I thought it was going to be meh for being a cheap system but it actually does sounds amazing.

    Amazing review Stratos

    Reply
      • It turns out, some units of this system may need to be given a workout before you get the most out of its true potential. In my experience, while it sounded way beyond my expectation, at first it seem to be hesitant. Then I read somewhere that some units needs braking in. I left the house, and returned after 4 hours, the system sounded significantly better. Better highs, lows are extended, and I checked the levels, it sounded louder so I had to turn the volume knob a few notches lower to match the previous loudness.

        Reply
        • Hey Ian. This is something that you need to deal with all new speakers no matter if they are for PC, home theater or HiFi. All speakers need a certain break-in period when new so I am not surprised by what you wrote. It’s a fact and unfortunately no way around it.

          Reply
  4. Hello,

    thank you very much for the review. Regarding the “Not suitable for big rooms” point, I have a question. I have a 26 m² meter living room with a height of 3,3 meters. My projection screen is 2,5 meters wide and viewing distance is about 3,5 meters. I do niot not know if this is considered a big rom. How would the z906 fare with this setup?

    Reply
    • Hello John. Well, 26 square meters is not a very big room so for normal viewing you should be just fine. But obviously I don’t know your listening habits or what your expectations are but don’t expect to get a flooring performance out of such small speakers.

      Reply
  5. So, I have a Z906. And I’m going to buy a TV with Dobly Atmos.
    If I will connect them through optics, will I get 5.1 sound at all? I’m confused with those technologies…

    Thank You.

    Reply
    • Usually most TVs have an digital optical output that supports 5.1 sound pass-through. If you tell me which model you are planning to buy I can check.

      Reply
      • I’m going to buy Philips 50PUS6754/12. It has Optic output… but Dolby Atmos. So, I’m wondering if I will get a proper 5.1 in movies with Z906.

        Thank You.

        Reply
        • Normally when a device doesn’t support Dolby Atmos it will playback the core track. But one thing you have to keep in mind is that the Optical output cannot support the high bandwidth of the Dolby Atmos track so it will most certainly output only a Dolby Digital 5.1 signal that the Logitech Z906 can support.

          Only with the HDMI port you can get the full Dolby Atmos track.

          Reply
          • I don’t care about Dolby Atmos… I only need at least normal 5.1 in movies. So, I guess, I’ll be able to get it with this setup ?

  6. I got this device since 2011, it’s awesome and reliable, yes you don’t have Atmos, but the surround sound is full and the bass is good.
    Isn’t Atmos at first created for the Soundbars?
    This Logitech device, still gives better sound then the new 2020 Atmos oled tv can give me.

    Reply
    • Dolby Atmos was first established in cinema theaters in 2012. Home implementation of Atmos came later with many brands releasing Atmos enabled products.

      It’s only natural for the Logitech to give you better sound than what a TV can. I don’t know which OLED TV you have but Atmos or no Atmos any TV cannot offer much in terms of sound immersion and surround activity even compared to a simple system as the Z906 is. Don’t fall for all this marketing from manufacturers. A TV may support Atmos audio but this doesn’t mean that it can really do justice to it.

      Reply
  7. I’ve been looking an researching for this very type of surround system and your review sealed the deal for me. This review gave me all the details that I needed to press submit on the order. Thanks for the information.

    Reply
    • Of course it will. The Z906 is a surround system and as such it can provide a real surround performance something that the TV cannot do.

      Reply
          • Sometime on my TV youtube it doesn’t get sound output through all 5 speakers. Through which system I can get best 5 speaker sound output ?
            And it seems to me that sometime the subwoofer producing extra bass that’ts unnecessary, So how can I reduce the Bass into my Z906 ?

          • The subwoofer can be adjusted by pressing the level button until the subwoofer light flashes and then use the main volume knob to adjust it accordingly.

            As for the sound output it really depends on the content you watch on youtube. If for some content you get output through all 5 speakers then it is really a matter of the content. You can use the Stereo 3D option in order to get sound from all the speakers but there is really no best setting. Its what sounds better to you so you have to make some testing in all available modes to determine that.

  8. The sound from my TV is trash and i want something to replace that. I am hesitant if i should buy the logitech z906 or Soundbar SAMSUNG HW-R530 290 W because i dont have a lot of space but i value high quality sound so can you tell me which one is better?

    Reply
    • Hey there. I haven’t been able to test the SAMSUNG HW-R530 so I can give you more of a theoretical answer. First of all the Samsung soundbar doesn’t have surround speakers although it supports them. Is this important to you? If yes then the Logitech already have surround speakers while for the soundbar you will have to pay extra.

      In terms of specs the Logitech system is better with more power output, more sound modes and features and since it uses separate speakers it means better separation between the channels. Yes, you loose a bit on practicality as having a soundbar is always easier and less messy as you wont have to deal with the cables the Logitech system has you have to give something to get something.

      Reply
  9. Can these speakers provide good sound if mounted in the top 4 corners of a room (2.5m high) and pointing down where the viewing/sitting height is 50cm from the ground.

    Reply
    • Hello Ash. Obviously it depends on how big your room is but this is not the real problem. The speakers are meant to be at ear level to get correct sound. If you place them so high it will certainly sound strange how you will receive the sound from so high.

      Reply
  10. Hello! I’m planning to use this system with my pc with an integrated Realtek ALC887 soundcard. Do i have to upgrade it, or can it handle the z906 well enough for 5.1 movies, video games, and listening to music? Very nice review, thank you!

    Reply
    • Hello there. Although I am not familiar with the specific intergraded soundcard what is really important is what kind of outputs does it provide in order to connect it to the Z906. The Z906 has plenty of connecting options and you shouldn’t have a problem in theory. If you can tell me what outputs the soundcard has I may be able to suggest you the optimal one.

      Reply
      • Thank you for your answer!

        The ALC887 is a 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio Codec with two independent SPDIF outputs. Featuring eight channels of DAC support 7.1 sound playback, and integrates two stereo ADC that can support a stereo microphone. Supports 16/20/24-bit SPDIF input and output functions with sampling rate of up to 192kHz, offering easy connection of PCs to high quality consumer electronic products such as digital speakers.. In addition to the standard (primary) SPDIF output function, the ALC887 features another independent (secondary) SPDIF-OUT output and converters that transport digital audio to a High Definition Media Interface (HDMI) transmitter output to HDTV system or A/V receiver.

        That’s what I found here: https://manualzz.com/doc/8038894/realtek-alc887

        Tough I basically only see the typical green/blue/pink jack holes, and thats what i use now to connetc my pc to the amplifier.

        Reply
        • From what I see the three green/blue/pink jack outputs are the only way to connect it to the Z906. It doesn’t matter as even this way you still will get surround sound.

          Reply
          • Once again I must ask for your assistance. I’ve just bought the speaker but I have no sound at all. Not even test sound (not on pc just sound system) just whispering. As you saw I have only 3 coloured jacks on my MB. I used these (pink/blue/green), the black cable went in to blue slot, cos I dont have balck on my MB. On the sound system i used it as the instructions said. I tryed Realtek digital output softwer and Realtek speakers as well. Nothing works at all. It feels like, my sound system is faulty. I haven’t tryd RCA or other cables, I’m afraid they are not 5.1 sound.

  11. Ignore my previous post, I made progress, have to test it in games too. What bothers me, is that my speakers are all working, excpet, when I make Realtek HD 5.1 test, then the rear right speaker doesnt work. Sorry for my many posts. I will ask tech support. All best!

    Reply
    • Hello again. If one of your surrounds is not working while all other speakers work ok then there is probably some faulty speaker or cable. Also check if all the three plugs are fully inserted. Let me know how it goes with tech support and if you managed to fix the problem.

      Reply
  12. Hello Stratos, I enjoyed your review very much. Can you tell me if there is any definitive listening advantage to connecting via Toslink to a TV over using the 3 jack output from the PC motherboard? I am mainly using the system for a racing video simulator using Automobilista 2. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Hello Peter. In general this argument can go both ways and it really depends on the specific hardware being used. Each one has its own strengths and weaknesses but for the sake of keeping things simple I will tell you that if it was me I would go for the optical port as its digital signals are less prone to interference.

      Reply

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