We were a bit undecided on whether Logitech’s new MX Sound 2.0 Bluetooth Speakers should simply be featured in our iLounge + Mac section or whether they warranted a more comprehensive review. Despite being primarily designed as desktop computer speakers, however, MX Sound’s Bluetooth iPhone and iPad compatibility won out in the end, and we felt that these new speakers were worth a closer look.
MX Sound is part of Logitech’s new premium family of computer accessories, rounding out the company’s Craft Advanced Wireless Keyboard and MX Ergo Trackball. However, while MX Sound are clearly designed primarily to complement a desktop PC or Mac setup, the inclusion of Bluetooth support means that they can also easily double as a set of tabletop speakers for music listening.
The rounded design of MX Sound is also rather unique, giving them a more modern feel from the rectangular blocky speakers that so many PC and Mac users have become accustomed to. Small rear-firing passive bass ports on the outer edge of each speaker also double as a stand, and the speakers tilt at a slight ten degree upward angle. The package also includes a standard AC power adapter and 3.5mm audio cable; the cable that connects the speakers to each other is hardwired onto the rear of the left speaker, and features a standard RCA connector that plugs into the appropriate port on the right speaker, which also includes the power connector, 3.5mm ports for PC audio input, auxiliary audio input, and headphone output.
The front of each speaker is fully covered with a soft gray fabric. The volume and Bluetooth pairing buttons are actually hidden behind the fabric at the bottom of the right speaker, and like the backlighting on Logitech’s Craft Keyboard, there’s a motion sensor incorporated to make them magically appear once your hand it within a couple of inches of them. Note that they’re not motion-actuated, however — you’ll still have to actually press your finger against the speaker to adjust the volume, although only a light touch is required.
Bluetooth pairing is also relatively straightforward, and MX Sound can pair with two different Bluetooth devices at once and will seamlessly switch between them just by starting playback on the other device. As an added bonus, MX Sound will also continue to play audio from the 3.5mm input jack when receiving audio over Bluetooth, so you’ll still be able to hear alerts coming through from your Mac or PC, although the speakers also mirror the volume controls on your iPhone or iPad. It’s also worth mentioning that the speakers will go into a standby mode after 20 minutes of inactivity; they’ll wake up again as soon as you begin streaming audio over a wired connection, but you’ll need to reconnect your Bluetooth device manually through
In terms of audio quality, MX Sound packs in 24 watts of peak power (12 watt RMS) across the two drivers and rear-firing port tubes to extend the bass range. However, although Logitech promises balanced and accurate audio, we were somewhat disappointed in the actual experience. Although MX Sound has good stereo separation and a very good and rich sound stage they lean too far to the bass heavy side. While that’s not necessarily a problem for Mac/PC speakers — in fact gamers will probably appreciate the added bass — we found that for actual music listening the bass was not only heavy to the point of drowning out the higher end in certain songs, but also unrefined and a bit muddy, and in fact even rolled off with the kind of heavy bass hits common to house and techno music.
As a Mac or PC speaker that won’t be used primarily for music, MX Sound isn’t a bad choice, especially at this price, but taken as an iPhone speaker — where music listening is usually the priority — it falls short. If you’re looking for desktop speakers that can occasionally be paired with your iPhone or iPad for casual listening, MX Sound does a competent job, and as with most speakers how well it performs is going to be dependent on what kind of music you’re typically listening to. However, even at $100, MX Sound would not be our first choice for serious music listening.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: Logitech
Model: MX Sound 2.0
Price: $100
