Peripheral and accessory maker Logitech wants to add some thump and boom to your typical gaming session, announcing teoday its new G51 Surround Sound Speaker System, designed explicitly with gamers in mind. The system features 155 watts of power, a ported down-firing subwoofer, and the ability to convert standard stereo feeds into enveloping 5.1 surround experiences without losing sound quality.
The G51 system offers two “Matrix” modes, one tuned for games and the other for music. The gaming setup boosts the rear speakers and sub to rattle bones and let users feel submerged in a game, while the music modes delivers a natural, more transparent sound through all five speakers. The satellite speakers each feature two drivers with FDD2 technology designed to eliminate high-end cancellation common in dual-speaker setups.
“The G51 delivers an immersive surround-sound experience, but it goes far beyond that for gamers,” said Jef Holove, Logitech’s audio business VP and general manager, in a statement. “Surround sound is a competitive advantage in true 5.1 games, plus the system also offers two Matrix surround modes for classic stereo games or music.”
Of course, gamers traditionally love headphones for blocking out external sound, offering crisp detail…and maybe not waking the neighbors. The G51 offers a control pod with microphone and headphone jacks, plus dual mute controls which enables players to mute game audio and/or their microphone. The control pod also offers independent volume controls for the subwoofer, center channel, and satellite speakers. Gamers can also customize the G51 by adding their own artwork to the four satellite speakers—of course, artistic talent is not included in the package.
Logitech will begin offering the G51 speaker system in October at a suggested price of $199.99—just in time for the end-of-year holiday season.
