Verdict: The awesome power and quality will leave you shaking

If one system came anywhere close to matching the entry-level setup at Graham's Hi-Fi, it's the Logitech Z-680s. The box is at least twice the size of everything else on test, and that's because the satellites and subwoofer are simply huge.

The subwoofer has an 8in driver like the Philips and Terratec sets, but has a power output of 188W - in other words, barn-stormingly loud. All five satellites have large 3in woofers, the centre simply having a slightly different design and slightly higher wattage - 69W to be precise. We like the centre speaker's reversible stand, which caters for high and low positions by angling the speaker either up or down depending on which way round you attach it.

One reason for the high price is the fact that the Z-680s include Dolby Digital and DTS decoding hardware. This is located in the 'Digital Sound Touch Control Centre', which looks like an over-sized remote control on a stand. It has a dual-line LCD display with a fetching blue backlight. With this, you can select the input - there are both coaxial and optical digital connections as well as six-channel analogue - and control all the volume levels.

Audio modes include Dolby Pro Logic II for music and movies, with all the usual options like panorama, centre width and surround delay. Audiophiles will appreciate that the standard stereo mode only outputs to the front speakers and subwoofer for music listening - other sets like the Altec Lansing 5100 default to 4.1 with no override control.

At this price, you'd expect amazing quality and the Z-680s don't disappoint. Whether you're using them for games, music or movies, the depth and realism is incredible. Watching the explosions in the canal chase in Terminator 2 had us ducking for cover, such was the force and clarity. For once, mid-range frequencies - such as Schwarzenegger's motorbike - were all present and correct. We can honestly say that blindfolded, you'd be hard pushed to tell that you weren't listening to an expensive Arcam/Miller & Kreisel setup. Dialogue was well defined from the centre channel and surround effects were perfectly balanced.

Music reproduction was also capably handled. No matter what genre we threw at them, the Z-680s didn't break a sweat. There could have been a saxophonist in the room with us, such was the bite of each note in the jazz track. Pianos, guitars and vocals had the depth and warmth of a live band while the synthesised pop track had punchy, powerful bass kicks and a measured - not harsh - brightness to the higher frequencies. Gaming proved an immersive experience with precise sound placement.

With all the power on tap, the Z-680s would have been happier in a room twice the size of ours. We had to be a little careful where we located the subwoofer as corners tended to make it slightly boomy. The huge rear heatsink can get rather warm, so a location with some airflow is a good idea.

Not everything came out smelling of roses though, as we have three minor niggles with the Z-680s. The first is the cable length. Even in our relatively small room, the rear cables were almost taut reaching the surround speakers. Thankfully, all satellites have banana-plug connectors and binding posts, so you can either extend the standard thin cables or replace them with some heavier-gauge wires. The second gripe is even more minor and concerns the rather cheap-looking remote. When you've spent this much money, a lightweight grey plastic offering with cheap rubber buttons doesn't cut it. It barely matches the colour scheme of the rest of the system, but at least it includes all the controls of the SoundTouch box. Finally, it's virtually impossible to read the LCD display from a distance, making it difficult to perform adjustments.

But these really are minor criticisms and the Z-680s beat everything else on test handsomely. Not only do they look the part - especially if you remove the covers - they simply trounce the rest on sheer sound quality. If you can afford the asking price - and it's a bargain compared with a 'proper' home cinema setup - this system will give your PC the audio capabilities it deserves.

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