Logic3 TX101

The basics

From the producer of numerous iPod accessories comes the Logic3 TX101 SoundStage 5.1. TX101 SoundStage 5.1 is a surround sound speaker that comes in the same mould as Yamaha's YSP. It is quite large in size, which allows itself to align neatly under a usual 127 cm TV screen.

The good

Want surround sound without the wires or the speakers? Logic3 has managed to eke convincing multi-channel sounds from but a single bar of audio gold. You simply plug in your surround sound source (four digital inputs are provided - two optical, two coaxial), plug into a power socket and you're good to go. The solid wooden build and 150W of power means sonic performance is excellent with bass that's beefier than a slaughter house convention.

The bad

While it's definitely easier to live with than a standard five speaker, one subwoofer configuration it's still big, bulky and heavy. Also we didn't get much of a sense of convincing surround sound out of it. It's not particularly surprising, as these one-box speakers can never truly replicate a real multichannel set-up, but we were expecting a little more audio wizardry from this.

The bottom line

While it can't compete with a 5.1 system for pure ear-ticklingly good surround sound, it's still an affordable and effective way to give movies, TV and video games an extra bit of oomph.