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(More customer reviews)A bit of history to let people know where I'm coming from.
Back in the 70's, I would have been considered an audiophile. The money I spent back then for high quality components and sound was ridiculous (well over 10 grand for my system -- I'd hate to even think about it in terms of today's dollars). But over the years, I began to realize that to get that extra bit of realism close to a live concert was far too costly to continue down that path. It was an impossible goal anyway. I also learned that if I were completely honest with myself, what I perceived to be near perfect, simply wasn't (and I've auditioned speaker systems in the 3K to 7k range).
Perhaps I shouldn't even be reviewing this product. But I feel differently today than I did all those years ago. I feel that I can now purchase any reasonably designed sound system and it would pretty much meet my present needs (my hearing, although not bad, is hardly that of my youth). So when I decided to add a sound system for my conventional TV (yes, I don't have a flat panel HD TV ... yet), the LAST thing that I wanted to do was hassle with a bunch of speakers and string wires all over my house (as I've indicated, I've been down that road). My son, who is probably pretty close to being an audiophile, but has a lot more common sense, was stunned that I was even considering a minimalist solution -- a reasonable sound system with the least amount of mess, effort and dollars. Looking for such a system may sound simple enough, but it's anything but.
Enter the Zvox 550 system. I purchased this system sight unseen (meaning, I never auditioned them), a dangerous practice, btw. Oh, I did my research -- listened to several HTIB (home theaters in a box) systems including the Bose. And I often listen to my son's impressive custom component 5.1 system. I also realized that Zvox isn't exactly the most widely known audio system (or company, but they should be). And because this is basically an internet speaker manufacturer (but with a solid pedigree), it would be difficult to find these in the normal stereo / television outlets. My decision rested in that Zvox has a 30-day return policy (they will even pay the return postage to their site) should the system not perform to my expectations. Add to that fact, this company's design philosophy is similar to my own, so I decided to buy it and try it out.
First, and foremost, this is not a component 5.1 system. Matter-of-fact, Zvox even explains on their site that if you want true surround sound, go to a 5.1 system, which they do not make (odd to find any company that honest). No standard stereo system (even with electronic enhancements) will give you actual movie theater surround sound. Yes, Bose 3-2-1 systems claim they do, and people seem to really like these fairly expensive, but very convenient systems. But if those people ever heard a well-engineered 5.1 system, they might have a change of heart. Still, a system that is simple and easy to set up and without a lot of wires strung about, is a pretty compelling reason for many people (it certainly was for me).
The Zvox 550 is an unusual and unique system in that it was designed specifically to hold your television (a maximum of 90 pounds of weight), making it unobtrusive. Oh, it's pretty large (about 3-1/2" high x 28" wide by 14-1/2" deep), but disappears when adding a conventional TV on top. It is also attractive enough to set your flat panel unit on top. It is solidly built from medium density fiberboard (not plastic) and is completely analog (including its PhaseCue circuitry). It powers everything via a 60 watt amplifier. It houses six speakers (five 2" main speakers and a 5-1/4" ported down-firing subwoofer). Two of the main speakers closest to the ends of the unit, perform the "wizardry" of spreading the sound field. Frequency response is rated 45 Hz - 20 kHz (but no plus/minus db range was given, nor watts with distortion numbers, which make those rating numbers pretty meaningless).
So what do I think of the Zvox 550? Personally, I think it does a fine job. No, I wasn't blown away by earth-shaking, window-rattling bass, or sun-crystal highs or gasping mid-range presence. Nor was I shocked by the electronic wizardry that expanded the sound stage before me (called PhaseCue). But don't run for the hills just yet, because I'm not really blown away or that impressed by ANY audio system (perhaps the audiophile in me has never quite left -- and one thing about audiophiles, they are rarely satisfied and generally hate everything).
What the Zvox 550 does give you is an accurate and balanced sound. The bass is clean, tight and solid (and may even surprise a few people), and doesn't bottom out or sound boomy or muddied. The highs don't sound the least bit strained and the mid-range has enough presence to keep me more than satisfied. Often, in movies, voices are lost over the music and sound effects. If this system surprised me at all, it's that I could hear voices much clearer than I thought I would or possibly could (no more lost dialogue for me). And to say it was an improvement over the TV speakers would be a gross understatement, and total injustice. It filled my average-sized room with solid bass, intricate highs, and natural mid-range with power to spare, and that's exactly what I thought it would and should do -- nothing more, nothing less. The sound stage did indeed expand, to the point where I could point 45 degrees or more on each side of me without noticing gaps or strange, unnatural effects (but one shouldn't go hog-wild with the PhaseCue settings).
However, not everything came up roses. As easy as this system was to set up (plug in the power cable, plug in the RCA cable, put the battery in the remote, turn it on), configuring the sound attributes is a different story. There are no visible cues when setting volume level, bass and treble levels, or even the PhaseCue level (other than blinking LEDs on the unit's enclosure as one adjusts the parameters), so one has to do this by ear. Be prepared to take a little time with this, especially fine tuning movies, then switching to music. I firmly believe this system (while not expensive, it isn't exactly cheap) should have given the user the ability to set several parameters, then bring them up with a touch of a button, so I'm pretty miffed that this wasn't incorporated. And not to have any visible cue (other than blinking lights) is stupid. To me it's a big omission in an otherwise sound ideology. They may be great speaker designers, but they need classes in human engineering. Added to that, they also use a cheap-looking remote that requires direct line of sight.
Rating this system is anything but easy. One shouldn't compare it with systems costing thousands of dollars. And one shouldn't compare any 2.1 system to carefully implemented component 5.1 (or above) sound systems. However, one can and should compare it with many of the HTIB systems within a few hundred dollars of its price range, and to sound bars, as well as to the Bose 3-2-1 system. The Zvox 550 is truly a niche product, and a unique one at that (part of its allure for me), and it does everything that the manufacturer says it will do. With that in mind, I rate this a solid 7 (out of 10), or a 4-star rating (actually a little bit better than 3-1/2 stars). Sound wise, I'm quite pleased (for an ex-audiophile, that's not easy to do). However, I know there are people who love deep, rumbling bass. Some will even sacrifice and opt for a bit heavy, booming bass over a naturally solid and tight bass, just to get that "feel". For people craving the deeper reaches, the Zvox is set up so they can add any powered subwoofer they choose (but please choose wisely or you might lose the natural sonic delight of this system if smothered by over-powering bass). For me, I like the sound just the way it is, so it's a keeper.
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ZVOX 550 Low-Profile Single-Cabinet Surround Sound SystemOnly 3.5-inch high, the ZVOX Z-Base 550 home theater system can be placed beneath your flat-panel TV -- so you can have surround sound without adding a lot of clutter to your room. Created by legendary speaker designer Winslow Burhoe (founder of EPI Loudspeakers and Burhoe Acoustics), the 550 sounds absolutely terrific, reproducing music and movie soundtracks with lifelike accuracy. Voices are crystal clear. Bass from the built-in subwoofer is tight and solid. And the ZVOX PhaseCue virtual surround system delivers incredible three-dimensional sound. The entire system-speakers, amplifier, virtual surround technology and powered subwoofer-fits into the super-slim cabinet. The 550 is a true single-cabinet surround sound system. It doesn't require anything else - no control console, no separate subwoofer cabinet, no other speakers, no speaker wires. With only one connecting cord and a one-page owner's manual, it is truly 'plug and play." The cabinet is robustly constructed using fully-braced MDF (medium density fiberboard) -- not plastic. Beautiful hand-lacquered high-gloss ebony end panels create a stylish look. Critics rave about the design and sound the Z-Base 550. "The best solution to date for simple home theater sound. The effect was more convincing than I've heard from two-speaker surround-emulation technologies such as SRS and Dolby Virtual Speaker. The Z-Base is as foolproof as a home theater audio system can get, and it delivers satisfying sound that won't leave you wishing you'd instead bought a home theater in a box." -Sound & Vision "The ZVOX 550 handles dialogue better than any soundbar speaker I've heard. If you want the simplest possible solution with the best sound, this is your ticket." -Home Theater A slam-dunk win." - CNET "An excellent one-cabinet system." - Gizmodo
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