Hacking the Logitech Z5500

Sure thing, I hope you're able to sort out your pod with those videos. I noticed that the LCD module is even still available. People like to talk junk about these Logitech units, but mine has been my ears' best friend for the past 12 years, so I think they're a solid design, and worth fixing.
 
Hi all,
Just wanted to report back to say that I replaced that burned rectifier, and got the amp reassembled. I flipped the power switch and nothing exploded, so I take that as a good sign. :)
Thanks to all who helped me out with tips and suggestions. I never would have had a chance of fixing it without your help!

At some point, I'll hook it back up to my control pod (running on my backup sub at the moment) and see if it's truly fixed. I'll try to remember to post a follow-up.
 
Z5500 Controller POD needed

Hello all, I seemed to have blown my controller (it may have been due to the fact that I turned the power off at the wall mains instead of on the sub :(

It's not the fuse (tried an original slow burn Logitech replacement fuse).

My PID is R 815.

Anyone got one for sale ?

Can these control PODs be repaired ?

Thanks.
 
Hello there
Recently I've noticed a buzzing sound coming out of my z5500
So I Unscrewed the woofer and i found out that it's the transformer that's causing the buzzing and somehow the buzz amplifies and can be heard through the surround satellites
Anyone knows how to fix this?
Has anyone had the same problem?
Is it even a problem or is it common issue?
 
hi folx
is there any simple solution to replace amp in Z5500 + power supply.
Amp with crossover and volume(bass) pot preferable.
The speakers and sub are good - but the POD and electronics inside the sub box are unstable.Buying an 5.1/7.1 receiver and make the sub active is my idea.


Some class D amp and SPS board like this
Geekcreit(R) 36V 180W AC-DC Switching Power Supply Board High Power Industrial Po - US$10.99
Any idea howto keep this this set alive?
 
Hello there
Recently I've noticed a buzzing sound coming out of my z5500
So I Unscrewed the woofer and i found out that it's the transformer that's causing the buzzing and somehow the buzz amplifies and can be heard through the surround satellites
Anyone knows how to fix this?
Has anyone had the same problem?
Is it even a problem or is it common issue?

I have that noise too!
It's a normal one in my opinion.
But it is not heard in the speakers.
Only he as a transformer has that noise!
 
It clearly makes the Z5500 into a Aktiv Subwoofer umbau, duh.

But really, the Z5500 is a 5.1 set of computer speakers, with the amplifier for all the channels integrated into the sub case, and all inputs coming from the control pod that uses a VGA connection with proprietary wiring and (IIRC) a digital signal. This hack allows you to hook up a standard coax input to the sub and use it as a standalone self-powered subwoofer without needing the control pod or the satellite speakers or anything else.
 
Problem with my z5500

Hello, i´m new here and i need some help.

After 12 years working fine with my logitech system, some days ago i move to a new house and i install the system but now doesn´t work. The system work for a minute and suddenly mute complete and the screen change to black.

Anyone know what could happen to my system? I loved it, i would like to fix it.

thanks to all
 
Z-5500 Cen/Sub not working

Hello guys,

I have managed to buy only sub for cheap without the pod and speakers. I tried to make a baypass cable from post 485 but i have a slight problem. When connecting it to my computer all of the channels work except sub and center. Ok for the center i have read that in some cases does not work without the pod but sub should. I dont kbow the PID number of this one but i attached two pictures if anyone could help me. Do i have to solder some wires on the amp it self to get the sub working?

Thank you for your help
 

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Hello, i´m new here and i need some help.

After 12 years working fine with my logitech system, some days ago i move to a new house and i install the system but now doesn´t work. The system work for a minute and suddenly mute complete and the screen change to black.

Anyone know what could happen to my system? I loved it, i would like to fix it.

thanks to all

You have a problem with one of the 2 power capacitors!
Watch this video. Logitech Z5500 Problem solving - YouTube
I saw that it looks something related to the three capacitors and their fixing.
Good luck!
 
Hi all - hip deep in Z5500, would love some advice...

Hi all - I've had a Z5500 (PID 546) for many years, and it's been a lovely addition to my computers, really good bang for the buck, you know? Recently had it start to get flaky - odd pops and crackles, at first only on optical, and then on direct too. I took apart and cleaned a lot of dust out of the control pod and it worked again for a while, but then started popping and cracking again, and I thought well maybe I should clean the sub too. I took the back off and cleaned it out, and put everything back together and it was still acting up and really not working at all.

I debated the z906s, but spending $300 on an inferior successor to the mighty Z5500 (for which I paid $244!) seemed disheartening. I thought about reusing the satellites and buying a low-end AV receiver (Denon avr-s540bt or yamaha rx-v385?)and a powered sub, but at $400ish to get started there it seemed like a lot of money.

I was very happy with the z5500 so I checked Craigslist here in L.A. and got lucky, and I was able to pick up a complete Z5500 set for $125! This set just happened to be a pre-636 PID, PID 510, so I was able to do some mix and match debugging, and I can say pretty assuredly that the 510 set is perfect, the 546 sub and satellites are fine, and the 546 control pod is bad.

So I have some questions, and I would be grateful for pointers to the correct answers. I can solder if told what to do, but after reviewing the whole thread, I'm a bit confused and would appreciate some guidance.

If I wanted to get my 546 unit useful again, I see that there are now available manufactured adapters on eBay and Amazon to bypass the control pod and use the pre-636 units, but that they sacrifice the center channel. In fact they say it's impossible on the pre-636 units to get the center channel working without soldering inside the sub. So what would I need to solder? I read through the whole thread and I must be thick because it's just not clear. Or am I just better off sourcing an appropriate control pod on eBay? It would be $80-100 more and have a pretty uncertain effective lifetime as all this stuff ages, so I'd be very interested in making the bypass work.

thanks for any help or pointers you can offer! keep z5500ing!
 
Dug out my old Z-5500s, I had purchased a bypass cable when my pod died several years ago. Got it all hooked up, worked fine for a while. Then I turned it on and only got sound out of the center speaker. Thought it was an issue with the TV, ruled that out. Thought maybe the bypass cable was not working, dug out the old pod and it actually worked (for a while) and had the same issue, only sound out of the center, no sub, no satellite speakers.

I took off the back and looked around, nothing really popped out to me.

How would I go about diagnosing this? Any idea of what's going on? I find it weird that the sub doesn't work even though the center channel does. I read through a large amount of posts and did a search but not finding any luck in my exact issue.

Thanks in advance.
 
I bought a faulty Z-5500 with the intention of using it with my AV receiver. It's a spring clip version, PID R918.

Currently the Control Pod powers on, but the display shows all black squares and there's no sound.

I bought a Z-5500 15 pin -> RCA adaptor from ebay (£15), but this hasn't worked. The adaptor grounds pins 6&7 to 13. Pin 8 is connected to pin 10 (8V) with a 10k ohm resistor. The RCA output is from pin 2 and 13 (ground). So that all seems fine, but no luck.

I started testing the subwoofer board, and found the 15 pin connector has +8V (pin 10) and -18V (pin 15). But pin 14 has -0.6V whereas it should be +18V.

On closer inspection of the board, I noticed some blackening around a 78M18A voltage regulator. The output is -0.6V, so this seems to be my problem. The other voltage regulator (79M18A) outputs -18V.

My question is this: Do in need to find the exact model number voltage regulator? Or would any 18V/1A regulator be fine? What should I be looking for?

Thank you all for this thread by the way, I've learned a lot reading through it!

Alex
 

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I was able to fix the issue with a new voltage regulator.

I couldn't find the exact model, so I bought a similar regulator with compatible specs.

Voltage regulators have a polarity (positive/negative) and input/output voltages.

I used a "L7818" positive 18V output regulator (ebay, £1). Input voltage is listed as 20 to 35V.

My soldering skills are pretty poor, so I ended up prising the old regulator off with pliers. Then I wired the new regulator on the opposite side of the board, and hot glued the cable safely away

I put it all back together with the 15-pin to RCA adaptor, and it now works with my AVR! Very pleased with myself.
 

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I bought a faulty Z-5500 with the intention of using it with my AV receiver

I bought a faulty Z-5500 with the intention of using it with my AV receiver. It's a spring clip version, PID R918.

Currently the Control Pod powers on, but the display shows all black squares and there's no sound.

I bought a Z-5500 15 pin -> RCA adaptor from ebay (£15), but this hasn't worked. The adaptor grounds pins 6&7 to 13. Pin 8 is connected to pin 10 (8V) with a 10k ohm resistor. The RCA output is from pin 2 and 13 (ground). So that all seems fine, but no luck.

I started testing the subwoofer board, and found the 15 pin connector has +8V (pin 10) and -18V (pin 15). But pin 14 has -0.6V whereas it should be +18V.

On closer inspection of the board, I noticed some blackening around a 78M18A voltage regulator. The output is -0.6V, so this seems to be my problem. The other voltage regulator (79M18A) outputs -18V.

My question is this: Do in need to find the exact model number voltage regulator? Or would any 18V/1A regulator be fine? What should I be looking for?

Thank you all for this thread by the way, I've learned a lot reading through it!

Alex

Unsolder the output pin of the 78M18A that is at -0.6V and lift it off the CB. Now measure the voltage at the lifted pin . If -18 then your problem is further down the circuit. If still 0.6 than replace the regulator with one of the same or larger current rating.
 
Thanks Stanley! Replacing the regulator worked, and I can now use the subwoofer with my AV receiver which was my original intention when I bought the system.

I guess my only outstanding question is what to do with the control pod. Having fixed the subwoofer, I think it's likely that the control pod wasn't faulty after all. But is there any risk that it was a separate fault with the control pod which caused the sub's voltage regulator to blow?
 
Besides the intermittent display failure on my control pod (haven't seen it for a couple months now) - mine is still going strong.

What I want to say is, that I think it's awesome that people are still looking to fix a speaker system that was released 16-17 years ago. If that is not a testament to how "right" Logitech got the Z-5500, I don't know what could be.

I still need to buy a backup set for when this explodes (eventually) ( :