In today`s ever changing world of gaming, it is almost mandatory that our gaming system (Console or PC) be decked out with the latest and greatest add-on peripherals. Without some upgrades, you probably aren`t getting the whole experience. One of the most important of these peripherals (that has taken center stage within the last several years) has been a good set of digital 5.1 surround speakers, which can make the difference between pulling off a surprise ambush, or becoming lunch for some unworldly creature. For those looking for decent surround system at a moderate price, the Logitech X-540 digital 5.1 speaker package for $99 is a good place to start.

Having played many years of PC gaming with just a stereo-speaker setup, I knew I was getting decent sound, but not the type of audio that would let me "feel" the game. After getting a Xbox 360 and piping it through my Home Theater system, I knew then and there that I needed to upgrade my PC audio package. When the request came to review the Logitech X-540, I jumped at the opportunity to put the system through the three primary uses: Audio Playback, DVD playback and Game Play.

A quick summary of the Logitech X-540 reveals a product full of user-friendly designs and good specs for the value. The system has 70 total watts, which includes a 25 watt sub with a 5.25" driver in a ported enclosure, five satellites with two 2" drivers with the following power ratings: Front and rear speakers have 7.4 watts each, and the center has 15.4 watts. The power is complimented by a good frequency response of 40 Hz - 20 kHz. The user friendliness stems from such features as a Center Channel LCD clip (allowing the speaker to be clipped to the top of virtually all LCD panels), innovative rotating speaker stands/mounts and wired control center for the ultimate desktop level control.

When the product arrived, I was immediately impressed with the design and quality of the packaging and the speaker components. As I pulled the system out of the box and started unwrapping and hooking it up, everything seemed to emit and an aura of the X-540 being a good product. However, I came across one small annoyance right away, which was the speaker stands/mounts were all oriented for wall mounting out of the box. Not sure if Logitech understands human nature, but when I get a new toy, I want to test it right away before I put it in its permanent location. After testing the connections with the speakers awkwardly leaning on their side or against the monitor, I took a few seconds with a Phillips screwdriver and fixed the issue thanks to the rotating system on the mounts. The reasoning (in my estimation) the orientation was set for wall mounting appears to be for packaging purposes. If the mounts were oriented for desk standing, it would have forced the use of a larger box due to the increased length of the speakers.

After installation and setup, I decided to start putting the X-540 through the paces with a little music . Whenever I demo new stereo speakers, I never go into a store without a copy of the `Last Action Hero Soundtrack`, which contains one of the single best songs I have ever used to push speakers to both ends of their extremes. After queuing up track 4, the familiar opening to "Real World" by Queensrÿche came streaming out of the front channels. For those unfamiliar with Real World, the song has characteristics of a rock ballad backed by a string orchestra, which eventually descends into some thunderous drumlines overlaid on some hardcore rock. If you aren`t sure what that means, it basically makes the tweeters sing and the sub boom.

When it came time to test them with a movie, I went a ...