The Best of Both Phone, and TabletLogitech Z515
Manufacturer: SanDisk Part number: Z515
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- With its durable outer shell, multiple connectivity options, and wide range of sound, the Logitech Wireless Speaker Z515 makes a great sidekick for your next backyard barbecue or picnic party. However, if portability isn't your primary concern, you can trade size for sound quality with the Creative D100, another Bluetooth speaker that costs less than the Logitech.
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CNET editors' review
Logitech Z515 price range: $73.96 - $126.47
- Reviewed by: Justin Yu
- Edited by: Rich Brown
- Reviewed on: 09/29/2010
The good: Includes wireless USB adapter and Bluetooth connectivity; durable case; moderate sound quality; 10-hour rechargeable battery.
The bad: Lacks remote control; can't use it as a speakerphone; rechargeable battery only; Creative D100 has bigger drivers and four color options.
The bottom line: With its durable outer shell, multiple connectivity options, and wide range of sound, the Logitech Wireless Speaker Z515 makes a great sidekick for your next backyard barbecue or picnic party. However, if portability isn't your primary concern, you can trade size for sound quality with the Creative D100, another Bluetooth speaker that costs less than the Logitech.
The $100 Logitech Wireless Speaker Z515 is a simple solution for freeing your music from the aural prison of your computer and mobile audio player. We've reviewed portable Bluetooth speakers in the past, but most have to sacrifice price for size like the SoundMatters FoxL v2, a tiny Bluetooth speaker that'll set you back $200.
The Logitech Z515, on the other hand, offers decent audio quality, two ways to connect to the speaker, and a tough outer shell built to handle the rigors of portable play for $100, while still maintaining a small footprint. It lacks features like a remote control and the option to use alkaline batteries, but we still have no issue recommending the Z515. On the other hand, if you care more about sound quality than size, the Creative D100 comes with dual 3-inch drivers (the Z515 has dual 2-inch drivers) and a price tag $20 cheaper than the Logitech.
The Z515 is made of a tough black plastic and has two 2-inch drivers mounted on the front of the speaker, but they're hidden behind a solid mesh grille to protect them from the elements. We're not thrilled with the aesthetics of the speakers, and it feels clunky and boring next to the Creative D100's four color options and oval construction. The Z515 feels tough, though, and although the Creative D100 is actually a bit lighter, the Z515's overall footprint is still smaller and actually feels stronger thanks to the extra heft. Logitech also includes a zippered carrying case made of ballistic nylon to shield the device even further.
Aside from the two drivers, the front panel is almost bare, save for two small LEDs for battery power and connection status. A thick plastic foot pops out of the back for free-standing operation, and you can store the wireless USB dongle in a small yellow pocket underneath. The volume and power buttons live just above the foot, and although they're all lined up horizontally, each one is shaped differently, which makes it easy to distinguish them without looking. Finally, two rubber feet sit on the very bottom of the speaker to brace it against a tabletop while in action.
Unlike most portable speakers that can only connect through Bluetooth or an external 3.5mm auxiliary jack, the Z515 also includes a wireless 2.4GHz USB dongle for your laptop that can play wirelessly from around 50 feet away. This way, you don't have to deal with switching between Bluetooth on your computer and the same profile on your phone. Creative doesn't include a wireless transmitter with the D100, but instead sells a Bluetooth adapter separately for $40, which explains the $50 price break.
Like most Bluetooth speakers, connecting the Z515 via Bluetooth is simply a matter of holding down the two volume buttons for a couple seconds to put it in pairing mode, then connecting to the speaker on your music player. The process took us less than two minutes before we were blasting music out of our Apple iPhone 4, but you can use it with any player that supports the A2DP standard.
Sound quality from a Bluetooth-connected device will always come up short compared with a 3.5mm cable connection, but we're impressed with the Z515's ability to pump out myriad genres with zero distortion or fuzzy noise even at the highest volume--plus, the speaker gets fairly loud. The dual 2-inch drivers provide fairly balanced sound, but the lack of the bass tells us that the Z515 is better suited for a dinner party or a medium-size get-together--house parties need not apply; not to say that the Creative D100 is much better, but its 3-inch drivers are able to produce a better thump for hip-hop and techno songs. On the other hand, we were able to replicate the Creative's low-end on the Logitech Z515 by simply setting our iPhone EQ to "Bass Booster. It's not the most audiophilic solution, but it works.
Lastly, Logitech rates the rechargeable internal battery to 10 hours of continuous play using Bluetooth, but in the future we'd prefer the option to use alkaline batteries or even a USB-powered solution in the chance that a power outlet isn't around. Nevertheless, 10 hours should be more than enough to keep the party going well into the night.
User reviews
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Great Product!! Does what it says.
by Jimmynug21 on October 1, 2010
Pros: Bluetooth, Wireless for Laptops, Amazing Battery Life (10 hours), Wonderful and simple design. Travel bag is a plus. Doesn't kill my battery (iPhone 4 holds up well) but may be a problem for other devices.
Cons: Not Having a remote kinda sucks cause you have run to the speaker to put the volume down. Other than that control it from your iPod, iPhone, or other Bluetooth audio device. Kills battery, but there's a option for audio in if you have the cord.
Summary: Wireless parties! iPhone in Pocket, Wireless Speaker of table. Party started. It has awesome sound, loud enough to fill a normal room. Bass is incredible, not too overpowering. Bluetooth is ...
Summary: Wireless parties! iPhone in Pocket, Wireless Speaker of table. Party started. It has awesome sound, loud enough to fill a normal room. Bass is incredible, not too overpowering. Bluetooth is very simple and easy to setup. Connection through usb wireless is usually a good strong connection. I also use it to watch movies on my computer. Nice and loud sound.
I have a couple of alarm apps which I use now with this speaker system, to wake up to my favorite playlist with my phone in a wall socket. If you like the dock option try the Logitech S715i. I like having my phone in my pocket and DJing from 2 meters away.
Bottom Line is that you must go out and try this speaker system. All the music without the cords.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good connectivity, merely decent audio quality
by caponsacchi on December 22, 2010
Pros: Fairly compact with small footprint, it includes bass frequencies if not with exceptional depth or power. Rugged build quality. Flexible 3-way connectivity. Includes handy sack.
Cons: For music, the audio quality falls far short of some wired speaker units at half the price.
Summary: Frankly, I'm surprised--even a bit suspicious--of previous reviewers' hyperbolic claims that the sound of this Logitech is "awesome," or "incredible." That's absolute nonsense to anyone who's experienced ...
Summary: Frankly, I'm surprised--even a bit suspicious--of previous reviewers' hyperbolic claims that the sound of this Logitech is "awesome," or "incredible." That's absolute nonsense to anyone who's experienced full-frequencied sound from small speakers (a Tivoli Model One is leagues apart). But at least the bass frequencies are present (more than can be said for some small wireless units that make similar claims), and the convenience can't be beat for those moments when it's impractical to hook up a long cable or you don't feel like inserting earphones in your canals.
Manufacturers of small adjunct speakers are facing an ever-greater challenge because of the recent improvements of built-in speakers. Even the iPod Touch 4th generation sounds twice as loud and full as the model of two years ago, and the speakers in my new iMac make lower-end add-on speakers gratuitous. Nevertheless, Bluetooth can definitely be a desirable convenience. I've compared my Logitech Z515 with my son's Creative D100, and I must say that Cnet got it right. The D100 has more bass and more pleasing sound--and lately it's been selling for 25% less than the Z515 on Amazon. I'll give the Z515 the edge in form factor. It makes a nice traveling companion, especially with its included sack with two compartments--one for the speaker; the other for the transformer.
Updated on Dec 31, 20111 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I can't say enough how much I love this unit!
by proservauto on October 18, 2010
Pros: Built-in bluetooth, wireless usb adapter, excellent sound quality given the size, loud enough for a party, 3.5mm jack, battery charge lasts many hours, very portable, size excellent.
Cons: I'm not going to give this item any cons as they are EXACTLY what they are intended to be.......GREAT PORTABLE WIRELESS RECHARGEABLE SPEAKERS!!!
Summary: I am recommending these speakers for anyone who likes to listen to music or watch movies and owns a smartphone, netbook, laptop, mp3 player, or bluetooth enabled cell phone with ...
Summary: I am recommending these speakers for anyone who likes to listen to music or watch movies and owns a smartphone, netbook, laptop, mp3 player, or bluetooth enabled cell phone with a built-in mp3 player. Great entertainment, impress your friends!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good device for around the house.
by lusid1 on April 12, 2012
Pros: Sound quality is better than I expected after reading a lot of reviews. Feels well constructed. Good connectivity options (BT, wired, wireless dongle)
Cons: They missed it by a volt, which is the reason I am posting this review. While the 10 hour battery will get you through a picnic or a BBQ, for anything longer you need the 6volt(!) wall charger.
Summary: It really should have been designed around 5V USB charging. Worse still the 6v charger included is not a travel style charger. It fits in the bag, barely, but doesn'...
Summary: It really should have been designed around 5V USB charging. Worse still the 6v charger included is not a travel style charger. It fits in the bag, barely, but doesn't fold up. Power outlets in hotel rooms are usually pretty scarce, so even if a road warrior could use it for a presentation keeping it charged on the road seems unlikely. Forget taking it camping.
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Sound quality? Meh
by fnishi on April 3, 2012
Pros: Nice connectivity: bluetooth, wireless and 3.5mm jack. Really easy to set up. The design won't win any contest, but it has a considerable small footprint and it feels good holding it, it feels durable. And it's portable.
Cons: Really ok (to be generous) sound quality. The old V20 sounds way better! The Treble sounds extra crispy easily, just like if you'd put the Z515 in a potato chip bag. I must say that the sound quality was pretty disappoiting, it lacks depth.
Summary: After using it for less than a month, I really think the cons overcome the pros. If you just want portability, that's ok, the Z515 is a good choice. ...
Summary: After using it for less than a month, I really think the cons overcome the pros. If you just want portability, that's ok, the Z515 is a good choice. If you're not deaf, think twice! At least, that was my experience.
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Logitech Contest
by Lisa_CM on September 28, 2011
Pros: See summary.
Cons: See summary.
Summary: Helpful reviews! Not sure if you've seen a contest Logitech is running, basically if you tell them how you use your Logitech Wireless Speaker Z515 for business, you could ...
Summary: Helpful reviews! Not sure if you've seen a contest Logitech is running, basically if you tell them how you use your Logitech Wireless Speaker Z515 for business, you could win product or a trip for 2 to Hawaii. Check it out at http://www.logitech.com/en-us/682/tno-contest.
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Excellent sound. Compact design. Nice form factor
by gotee on January 11, 2011
Pros: The sound is full and rich streaming from an iPad. The sound was even better with all iPad equalization settings turned off. The battery seems to last a long time. The form factor is such that it travels easily.
Cons: A swappable battery would be nice. One iPad related hiccup. When streaming via Pandora on the iPad and connected to speakers via bluetooth, the wifi connection drops after 15 minutes. I solved the problem by connecting to my 5g signal (vs 2.4g).
Summary: You can't go wrong with these speakers. I use them all the time when traveling.
Summary: You can't go wrong with these speakers. I use them all the time when traveling.
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse SanDisk products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:SanDisk
- Address:
601 McCarthy Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035 - Phone: 1-866-726-3475
- Email: support@sandisk.com
