At Crutchfield, you'll get detailed, accurate information that's hard to find elsewhere.
That's because we have our own in-house Product Research team — they open the box,
verify contents, check the owner's manual, and record dimensions, features and specs.
We stay on top of new products and technologies to help people make informed choices.
Features
Overview: The ZVOX Z-Base550 is a single-cabinet audio system
for use with TVs, iPods and other MP3 players, and PCs. It combines high-quality
speakers, a built-in amplifier, a built-in subwoofer, and ZVOX PhaseCue virtual surround
sound processing to give you an easy surround sound solution. Since there are no
speaker wires to deal with, you just need to connect the power and audio cables
to get started.
Placement: Most 32"-50" flat panel TVs can be placed directly on the
Z-Base550. The TV should be 90 pounds or less and the base should not exceed 27"
wide x 13" deep.
PhaseCue: The proprietary PhaseCue virtual surround sound system
manipulates the phase of the separate channels to fool the ear into believing
that sound is coming from a variety of sources throughout the room. You can
control the size of the sound stage and the amount of virtual surround effect
using the included remote control. Dynamic
soundtracks from movies and live recorded music programs provide a rich,
3-dimensional sound, while the surround effect is somewhat less with TV programs
and newscasts. Note: While the surround experience isn't the
same as high-quality 5.1-channel system, the performance is much more pleasing than
simply using the TV's built-in speakers.
Speaker Configuration: The ZVOX Z-Base550 uses five
Ferrofluid cooled 2" main speaker
drivers with neodymium magnets. The drivers use the Infinite
Compliance system, which connects the outer two speakers with an acoustic tube,
to create a big sound from a small cabinet. The speakers are magnetically
shielded, allowing the unit to be placed near a CRT TV or monitor.
Subwoofer: In addition to the five main speakers, the
Z-Base550 has a
down firing high-mass, long-throw 5-1/4" subwoofer in a ported enclosure. An
optional powered subwoofer can be connected via the single rear-panel RCA
output. The subwoofer output is full range.
Power Output: The ZVOX Z-Base550 has a built in 60 watt amplifier that drives
all of the speakers.
Cabinet: The ZVOX Z-Base550 has an MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard) wood
cabinet.
Auto Power: The Z-Base550 has an auto-on/off power circuit.
The power automatically turns
on when an audio signal is sensed (the power LED
changes from green to blue). When you turn off the audio source, the Z-Base550's power will
automatically turn off after approximately three minutes with no signal. There
is also a power button on the remote to override the auto power circuit and a
master power switch on the back panel.
Inputs/Outputs: The ZVOX Z-Base550 has two pair of RCA
inputs on the rear panel. Input 1
is for connecting your TV, PC, or other audio source; input 2 acts as a mixing input,
you'll hear both simultaneously. A single RCA output allows you to connect an optional powered
subwoofer.
Remote: The included remote
has controls for power, mute, volume, PhaseCue effect level, subwoofer output,
and treble level.
Connecting To Your TV: It is recommended that you connect the
Z-Base550 to the audio output of your TV. If your TV's audio outputs can be set to
Variable, you can use your TV's remote control to adjust the volume. If not, use the
Z-Base550's remote to control the volume.