3DsoundSurge Reviews: Logitech Xtrusio DSR-1000

Logitech SoundMan Xtrusio DSR-100

Mark Muschett - Last updated June 7, 2001

Important Info:

Speakers By : Logitech
Price : $179.95 MSLP
Power Output: (100 watts RMS total)
Subwoofer: 52 watts RMS
Satellites: 12 watts RMS x 4
Frequency Response: 28Hz - 20kHz

Minimum/Recommended System Requirements

Sound card or other audio device with 4 or 4.1 analog channel outputs

Reviewer PC:

Mark
- Win98
- Celeron 333a o/c 416
- 128MB PC100 ram
- Creative TNT
- Creative Voodoo Blaster 12 M
- 6.1 and 13 GIG EIDE HD
- For headphones comparison testing I used a set of Sennheiser HD525s headphones. For sound card testing I used the following cards. A Sound Blaster Live, Sound Blaster Live 5.1, Hercules Game Theater XP, Turtle Beach Santa Cruz, Siren Audio 5.1, Philips Acoustic Edge and Digital Audio Labs Card Deluxe were used for testing. All my testing was done in Windows 98 on a BX motherboard.

Features

LIMAD technology with 100W power output
52W Xtrusio™ aluminum subwoofer
Digital and analog 4-channel audio input
Dolby Digital certified PowerDVD™ software
SoundTouch™ remote control
4-channel master volume, fade, power and EQ controls
Headphone jack on remote control
Excellent magnetic shielding
2-year product warranty

Specifications

Total power output: 100 watts RMS @<10% THD
Satellite power output: 12 watts RMS per channel
Subwoofer power output: 52 watts RMS
System frequency response: 28 Hz - 20 kHz
Crossover frequency: 160 Hz
Signal-to-noise ratio: > 80 dB
Input sensitivity: 130 mV max.
Input impedance: > 10 kW
Power supply: AC 90V-240V (built-in auto-switching transformer)

Introduction

It's hard to believe that over two and a half years has passed since I heard my first 4.1 multimedia system, it was the Cambridge SoundWorks FPS1000. I remember being excited about the relatively good quality sound that was packed into the diminutive $100 (at the time) system. Then came the FPS2000 and once again I was amazed at the quality jump. In the time since the release of those 4.1 multimedia systems a lot has changed. For example, four speaker sound cards are now the absolute mainstream, Aureal has left the market place they helped define, software DVD players have made huge strides in quality. The choices in quality 4.1 multimedia speakers have gone from few to many, with a bevy of manufacturers ranging from Altec Lansing to Zoltrix (not sure it that's true but I will use it if I can and if not VideoLogic) releasing products to meet the growing demand. These products have covered the full quality and price range with 4.1 systems available for $50 and for $450.00.

One thing that has remained constant through this exciting time in multimedia sound is the quality bar at any given price range has been raised on a regular basis. It's into this market that Logitech sends the Xtrusio DSR-100, the flagship of their 4.1 line and a system that has "great value" written all over it when you look at what Logitech claims to deliver for only $180.00. In their own words the Xtrusio DSR-100 is a "100W high-performance speaker system" that "delivers theater-quality surround sound for DVD movies and gaming realism. Patented Linear Magnetic Drive technology brings you high-fidelity sound reproduction. Xtrusio™ aluminum subwoofer provides deep, powerful bass."

On top of the hyped sound quality the Xtrusio DSR-100 brings something else to the table that gamers have been clamoring for, an amplified headphone output conveniently located at the end of a wired control module that has the power, volume and front/rear fader controls. The unit also has both front and rear PCM digital inputs making it fully compatible with the digital DIN output of Creative's Sound Blaster Live series as well as the front digital/rear analog out offered by some other sound cards. If that's not enough Logitech has bundled the very good PowerDVD software DVD player with the unit. Newer boxes should have the much-improved v.3.0 but some early units came with v.2.55. PowerDVD if purchased separately would cost around $50, so it's a great value added. The system also comes with some other software but nothing else that you can't get for free from the respective websites.

Of course we can't live and die by marketing words designed to grab attention in an ultra competitive market so in this review we will put the Xtrusio DSR-100 through the paces to see how it actually performs for music, games and movies. We will also briefly compare it to several systems in the $150 to $200 price range on paper and, in the case of the Cambridge SoundWorks FPS2000, MidiLand S4-7100 original, Polk AMR-150 and Boston Acoustics BA4800, in actual direct real world hands on performance. We will also compare the Xtrusio DSR-100 to one 4.1 system in the Boston Acoustics BA7500 that has hardware Dolby Digital decoding built to give an idea of Dolby Digital performance the Xtrusio DSR-100 delivers using the aforementioned PowerDVD for Dolby Digital decoding.

Logitech SoundMan Xtrusio DSR-100

Specifications