Logitech Wireless DJ Music System

Logitech Wireless DJ Music System

Published August 25, 2008 at 01:15:53 PM, by Thai Tan

Music downloads are more popular than ever, with 40 percent of online households playing music on their PC, thanks in part to the iTunes/iPod revolution. Having thousands of songs stored on your PC's, what if you want to listen to them on your living room stereo system? There are a couple of ways - first, the old fashion and time consuming way: burn them on a CD-R/CD-RW disc and play it on your home stereo CD player. Stock up CD's first, as you can generally only fit a couple dozen songs on a regular audio CD. The new way: stream the music files wirelessly to a home stereo, anywhere in the home.

This is where the Logic Wireless DJ Music System comes in. We first reviewed the Linksys Music Bridge that functions the same way by streaming music files wirelessly but the Logitech DJ Music System is slightly different. The Wireless DJ Music System enables the user to be, well, a DJ - large and in charge of all your music files. Stream any music file from a PC to any stereo system or powered speakers system in the home, and control it all with the wireless DJ remote control. It doesn't matter where your home stereo or PC is located in the house. It streams it all wirelessly with Logitech's wireless technology dubbed 'Music Anywhere,' so no wireless network is required.

With an MSRP of $250, Logitech offers something different from other music systems out there - but is it worth the price? Lets dive more into this cool-looking gadget and find out how it really performs!

Design

Remote
Looking at the wireless remote control, you really get the impression that this is a high-end product. As the centerpiece of the entire wireless system, the DJ remote control is sleek & stylish, perfect to fit any modern decor.The remote measures approximately 8-inches long, 2.2-inches wide and less than half an inch thin, fitting comfortably in any hand. Grasping the remote, it feels very solid, thanks in part to the brush aluminum on the bottom section that wraps around the bottom side. The 1.5-inch backlit display illuminates with a blue tinted color that is perfect in dim or bright environments. It displays track information and lets you navigate songs, playlists, Internet radio stations, and even podcasts. It would have been nice if the display was full-color and high resolution, but I'm not complaining much. Wrapped around the display is a glossy black finish for added elegance.

Button Layout
The remote comes with the standard buttons you would find in most music-centric electronic devices: Previous track, Play/Pause, Next track, back, DJ list, Mute, Volume controls, and the clickable scroll wheel. All buttons illuminate in blue and white backlight so you can see in the dark

USB Transmitter
Also included in this package is a USB transmitter that plugs to a PC desktop or notebook computer so the DJ remote and the Music Receiver/Dock can sync up with your music files.

Music Receiver/Dock
The receiver / docking cradle serves two functions: recharges the DJ remote and receives music transmitted wirelessly from your PC to be played on a home stereo system or powered speakers. Just like how would you recharge your cordless phone, simply dock the remote in an upright position.

Features

Logitech Music Anywhere
With range up to 165 feet (50 meters), the Logitech DJ Music System uses Bluetooth 1.2 Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP). Logitech calls it Music Anywhere.There are a few advantages to using Bluetooth 1.2 wireless over Wi-Fi (802.11b/g). Setup is more simple, it works out of the box with no networking equipment (wireless router) required. Also, audio quality is said to be superior with Bluetooth 1.2 Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), as the technology relates solely to the transmission of high-quality audio signals.

Media Software Support
In order for the Wireless DJ MusicSystem to operate, one must install and run the included StreamPoint software on their PC. The software enables iTunes, Windows Media Player and Musicmatch to work with the DJ music system. It can also work with subscription services like Rhapsody and Yahoo! Music Unlimited. I'll dive more into the software in the Performance section.

Remote Control function
The remote comes with an active playlist feature called the DJ List, which allows users to add songs or albums to the queue without ever stopping the music. I'll explain more on how the remote performs in the next section.

Performance

Setup
In judging most computer or electronic devices, ease of setup and use is essential. To Logitech's credit, the Wireless DJ Music System is very easy to setup. The first step is to install the StreamPoint Software of course. Then just follow the step-by-step guide to setting up the remote and pairing it with the receiver. I plugged in the USB receiver to my Sony VAIO laptop and connected the receiver/dock to the stereo downstairs in my home. The first step is to install the StreamPoint Software of course. Then just follow the step-by-step guide to setting up the remote and pairing it with the receiver. I plugged in the USB receiver to my Sony VAIO laptop and connected the receiver/dock to the stereo downstairs in my home.

Real-World Usage
This is where the DJ Music System shines. First you can setup which room you plan to setup. You can even install additional dock/receivers ($79 each) in several different rooms and control them all with the StreamPoint software and DJ remote.

Next, let's talk about how the DJ remote performs. The key benefit of this remote is simplicity. Navigating through the menu can't be anymore intuitive than this. Using the scroll wheel, you can select from My Music, where you can browse through all songs stored on your PC and play them using the click button with your thumb. My Music is also organized by artist, playlist, genre, and album. The playback controls function as with any other remote, but you'll find the general interface much like an MP3 player.

The DJ list feature is a neat way to put your favorite songs in queue to play, without ever stopping what is already playing. Just browse through the song titles, highlight one, then press the DJ List Add button to add it to queue.

From approximately 20 feet from my PC, the music system performed flawlessly streaming music upstairs in my bedroom to downstairs in my living room. Sound quality was good, with no noticeable delays or hissing - just pure music. Wi-Fi 802.11g covers the entire house with no noticeable interference while streaming music or surfing the web on my computer. Logitech does warn however using other 2.4 GHz band devices may reduce maximum range of the system and recommends using the remote at least 3 feet from the Music Receiver/Dock and the USB transmitter be positioned at least 6.5 feet from a Wi-Fi router.

Recommendation
From the initial setup to its ease and flawless use, the Logitech DJ Music System is an excellent device to unleash music files stored on your PC to your living room. You can't get anymore intuitive than this. No router, no intensive searching thru the manual, and no mess it just works out of the box!

The DJ remote exemplifies modern gadgetry, matching any high-end entertainment system with its sleek glossy black finish and brushed aluminum finish. The remote's scroll wheel functions similar to an Apple iPod simply and quickly navigating and playing your favorite tunes. You can even add additional receivers to another room and control it using the one DJ remote.

For $250, this is an excellent product in all respects, from its ease of use to superb sound quality. While the blue backlight on the display is cool and legible, I would rather see it in true color and high resolution. Nevertheless, this device is highly recommended for anyone who wants to listen to music in the living room. Mac users, lets wait and hope Logitech enables Mac OS X support soon.

Availability/Warranty
Logitech Wireless DJ Music System is available in U.S. for $249.99 with 2-year limited warranty. You can add another receiver for $79.99 to connect to another room.

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Technical Specifications

No specifications are available.