Logitech Z205 Portable Computer Speaker - Black

The sound card in my Toshiba L755-S5167 laptop suddenly failed. The last time something went wrong with it, it cost over $150 to fix. I do not have lots of money to to put into my laptop for issues caused by shoddy workmanship or cheap parts. So, rather than throwing good money after bad, I decided on a cheaper solution: external speakers.I obviously wanted one that attached itself to the laptop, as the ones that don't cost extra desk space, and become a problem should you want the computer somewhere other than a desk or table; a situation I find myself in frequently.As my headphone jack still works, I also wanted one that uses the jack, rather than hogging a USB port. These do not exist.I also wanted a name brand. Having had good luck with Logitech dating back to a Cyberman mouse-like device that is still working some 20 years later, and seeing the price wasn't out of order, I decided on the Z205.It arrived in good time, wrapped in Amazon-standard packaging (those plastic pillows), as well as the shelf packaging (shattery formed plastic better than the sealed kind it takes garden shears to open). There isn't much documentation, but it isn't necessary. What was there I threw away without a glance. It's a speaker, what else could I possibly need to know? I plugged it in the USB port, and clipped it to the top of my monitor slightly to one side, as the webcam is in the center. Then I tried a program with sound.Nothing. I was LIVID. For all of 5 seconds.The old, broken, piece of cheap [expletive] sound card was still the default device. Changing that took all of 20 seconds. The procedure varies across operating systems, but even novices should find it simple to do.Should you have trouble with this product under Linux:The Toshiba has Sabayon Linux 13.04 installed on it, and the procedure for that OS is as follows:1. Open Rigo and type: pavucontrol2. Install Pavucontrol (if you can't manage this on your own, you need more assistance than I can provide in a product review)3. Run Pavucontrol by pressing [Alt + F2] and typing: pavucontrol [Enter]4. On the 'Configuration' tab, change 'Built-in Audio' to 'Analog Stereo Input' if you use a microphone, or 'off' if you don't.5. Change 'Logitech Z205' to 'Analog Stereo Output'6. Close PavucontrolThe procedure for other flavors of Linux will be the same for steps 2-6. Replace step 1 with your own software manager (Software Center for Ubuntu, YaST for openSUSE, and so on).This speaker, as well as being considerably louder than the original speakers, also has better quality of sound. Well worth the price.

I had purchased the Logitech Z305 soundbar speaker for my main computer which happens to be a laptop of the "desktop replacement" variety. The Z305 is excellent, but too long for the smaller 12 inch screen laptop I travel with, so I thought I'd try the Z205.Nice compact design. The Z205 has an easy to open clip that fits along the top edge of your screen. The unit is about 7 by 3 inches, weighs a bit more than I would have expected and comes with an inexpensive fabric pouch to carry the speaker and its USB cable. The USB cable has a micoUSB connector on the speaker side and conceivably could be troublesome down the road. Time will tell how durable the socket on the speaker housing is.There's a combination volume up/ power / volume down switch on the top.On my Windows 7 64-bit system, the speakers were recognized immediately and installed without problem.The big issues are, of course, how loud are the speakers and what kind of frequency response do they have?Well, the speaker volume at its maximum with my system pumping out everything it can is not "room filling". Not by a long shot. These speakers provide a considerable boost over the horribly inadequate speakers and audio output of my laptop, but I suspect that in a motel room with noisy air conditioning, you're not going to hear these well more than a few feet away. Too few feet, as a matter of fact.The Z205 is more than adequate for a "personal listening experience", that is when you are sitting at the computer, but beyond that, it becomes problematic. My laptop is cursed with both lousy, tinny speakers and inadequate audio output. I suspect that when used with a computer with a more capable audio amplifier, the Z205 would indeed fill the room with sound.As for response, they are vastly superior to my laptop speakers which could be bested by a piece of paper rolled into a megaphone shape. Bass response, as you would expect, is lacking, but overall the response is actually "sparkly". Pleasant listening indeed.Overall, these are excellent for pairing with the laptop you travel with. They're compact, come with a useful carrying case and provide good fidelity, if at a lower than really desirable volume.Jerry

(I paid less than 20, which definitely influences my rating.) The speaker is a nice design by Logitech, as instantly solvable and functional as their popular wireless mouse. It affords moderately better sound than the onboard stereo speakcers of my Macbook Air, so unless you're an audio amateur, ignore the claims about "incredible" or "awesome" sound that I'm seeing in some of the reviews. The sound is louder and, therefore, apt to make a good first impression, but upon closer listening it soon becomes apparent that low frequencies are extremely deficient. I would not recommend the speaker to a musician (especially a bass player) or for use with a new iMac (the built-in speakers are now clearly superior to many of the add-ons).Pros: It comes with a well-fitted carrying sack, a nice touch by Logitech. Also, the clamp is quite secure yet does not leave its mark on the computer screen. Also, the speaker has a base, so it can be used as a self-standing unit alongside the computer-user.Cons: Apart from the limited fidelity is the potentially problematic sacrifice of a precious USB port required by this speaker--the price of its not being battery-powered. Since some laptops (the 2008 Mac Air comes to mind) have only a single USB port, this configuration could require some tough choices (if I were selecting among a mouse, a hard drive, a CD burner, and an accessory speaker, I know which would be first to go.)