ZVOX Speakers :: 315 Reviews :: High-Performance Single-Cabinet Surround Sound System

Reviews ZVOX 315

"The Zvox 315 hits the mark"
David Holloway, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age

This is a three-speaker audio system designed for anyone who wants to make that first step into home theatre audio or beef up their PC sound in a big way. Click here to see complete review | PDF 29KB

"Magic Box"
Rob Gillam, Smart House Magazine

Zvox probably is not a name you have seen before but, once Aussies have sampled this magic box, word about it should spread like wildfire. Click here to see complete review | PDF 118KB

"That's a big sound for a little box "
Smart House Magazine

The Zvox 315 is a convenient and clever one-box solution that provides a generous amount of sound quality for the asking price.
PDF 399KB

"Zvox 315, Speakers, Amp & Subwoofer in one box!"
Nic Tatham, Audio & Video Lifestyle Magazines

When asked what he thought of the sound, he was convinced it was coming from the main speakers either side of the screen. He only believed me when I showed him (with the music still playing) that the speaker leads weren't attached.
PDF 118KB

Note: Quotes/reviews below are from the US.

"The 315’s sound quality easily rivals that found in many expensive 5.1 bundles..."
Electronic Gaming Monthly

”If you’re tired of fishing behind the entertainment center for the right plug, maybe it’s time to down-size your A/V setup and nab something that’s easier to maintain. The 315’s sound quality easily rivals that found in many expensive 5.1 bundles, yet the unit costs under $200 and is a snap to get up and running.”

"...The best ones I’ve heard.”
Gary Krakow, MSNBC

“If you want to hear what your iPod really sounds like, I highly recommend ZVOX. They sound amazing and are well priced…knock-out sound. The bass coming out off these small boxes is quite impressive…The best ones I’ve heard.”

“Amazing....shockingly good."
Home Entertainment Magazine

“Hookup and operation could not be much simpler. Anyone who cannot install the ZVOX themselves should not be allowed to light matches without supervision. The sound that emerges from this little box is rather amazing. Despite its size, it produces the most spacious, enveloping sound of any all-in-one home theater system we have heard. And the basic quality of the sound is shockingly good. Dialogue in particular, sounds natural.”

"Remarkably ingenious."
Sound & Vision Reviewer's Choice Award Winner

"What's not to like about a small box not much larger than a typical center speaker that turns the audio from an iPod or DVD player into room-filling stereo sound and costs less than a dozen DVDs? It's a remarkably ingenious, affordable route to satisfying sound when there's no room - or money - for a full system." Click here to see complete review | PDF 269KB

"I'm hard-pressed to think of a better single-box solution."
Chris Chiarella, Home Theater, April 2005

"A definite cut above the ordinary...It took me less than two minutes to hook up the sound console…Explosions were deliciously juicy, with enough boom to give the entire room a little shake...the three speakers and sub provide an experience that virtually no onboard TV audio can match. For the setup to be any less complicated, the Sound Console would have to plug itself in. I would rate the experience as excellent...I'm hard-pressed to think of a better single-box solution."

"An audiophile-quality mini-audio system."
Michael Fremer, Stereophile

"The 315 is an audiophile-quality mini-audio system. Its synthesized surround-sound feature works really well if you're sitting directly in front of it…For $499, the compact ZVOX 315 makes a great musical traveling companion…just add iPOD."

"Impressive sound without the clutter..."
Joel Hutsko, TV Guide

"A single cable connects the ZVOX 315 ($499) to your TV or DVD player. Plug in the cable and pump up the volume. Audiophiles will smirk, but those who can't be bothered with complicated gear will smile."

"Blows away the sound built into your TV."
Corey Greenberg, NBC's Today Show

"This is a really innovative product. It's a virtual home theater. It has virtual surround sound. So when you close you eyes, it sounds like you're enveloped in surround sound. And it sounds like the speakers are actually much wider than the box itself. For $199 this blows away the sound that's built into your TV."

"Far ahead of competitors."
Steve Guttenberg, CNET

"We watched the film noir-ish thriller Angel Heart on DVD and enjoyed the 315's wonderfully full-bodied sound. It didn't take very long to realize the 315 was far ahead of competitors such as the Soundmatters Mainstage all-in-one speaker ($299). The DVD's ominous atmospheres were well served by the 315's room-filling bass; it sounds like a much larger set of speakers. Adjusting its Phase Cue knob spreads the faux surround sound forward and out, so we weren't aware of the speakers' close left to right proximity. Stereo imaging doesn't overtly betray its trim dimensions, and it surely sounds richer and more substantial than Bose's iPod-only SoundDock while listening to music. As one-box solutions go, the ZVOX 315 is the go-to budget champ." Click here to see complete review | PDF 519KB

"ZVOX belongs on the A-list"
Kevin Hunt, Chicago Tribune

"If you're talking about three speakers, a subwoofer and amplifier in a single little box that connects to anything from a TV or a PC to an iPod for an instant $199 sound system, then there's not much of a challenge to the ZVOX...the ZVOX can generate high volume levels despite its compact size...Burhoe coaxes big, wide sound out of the little box by using a technique ZVOX calls PhaseCue. The ZVOX, the one-box wonder, sounds a lot better than some collections of plastic speakers masquerading as home theaters these days. It's also more dynamic (translation: it rocks) than any PC speaker system I've heard. If you ask me, the ZVOX belongs on the A-list."

"One of the most genuinely clever products I've seen."
Jeff Fritz, SoundStage.com

"The 315 is just dang good. As a replacement for the internal speakers contained within my TV, the ZVOX 315 is what I'd prefer to listen to day in and day out…And surprisingly, the bass was much deeper than expected, and much tighter and more authoritative, too. In fact, the bass was so impressive that it caught me by surprise the first time I really cranked the 315...one of the most genuinely clever products I've seen or heard in some time. I can't wait to see what the next ZVOX product offering is. Heck, imagine what they could do with two boxes. Sonic alchemy?" Click here to see complete review | PDF 168KB

"Don't let its small size fool you."
Michael Fremer, Stereophile Ultimate AV

"ZVOX's 315 is a genuine audiophile-quality sound system in a single box. Don't let its size fool you…Connected to a TV, DVD player, iPod, computer, or video game system, this bland-looking $199 wonder will amaze you with its big, full, dynamic sound. It goes remarkably deep, and plays loud without strain. And turn up the PhaseCue and the sound appears to be coming from way outside the box. The perfect addition to a small bedroom system - or couple it with an iPod for a compact dorm-room system."

"Awesome sound."
Spike TV

"We recommend the ZVOX 315 Sound Console. This system delivers awesome sound without having to pay surround sound prices."

"The ZVOX 315 is a product that works, period."
Designtechnica.com

"The ZVOX 315 is a product that works, period. It is relatively small, easy to place, and simple to connect. Most importantly, it produces excellent sound with spacious and out-of-the-box quality. For a couple hundred bucks, it is a cost effective way to increase your enjoyment by replacing the function of mediocre speakers that come built-in to most consumer electronics. The ZVOX 315 is highly recommended." Click here to see complete review | PDF 504KB

"Impressive dynamic range...the stereo image amazed me. Good simple sound is no longer an oxymoron."
Rich Warren, Sound & Vision

"What can you get from a single box not much larger than a DVD player with three small drivers and a woofer? If the box is the ZVOX 315, you get more sound than you might think - full, wide stereo and a surprising amount of surround sound…Plain and simple, it works. The Model 315 Sound Console lives up to ZVOX's claims and then some....I watched my reference DVD, Moulin Rouge. The soundtrack explodes with musical fireworks, and not only did the ZVOX playback have impressive dynamic range, natural tonal balance, and ample volume, but it gave me far more than a stereo sound field. The sound spread behind the Console and far out to the sides, even wrapping a bit so that the side effects seemed to come from slightly in front of the screen as well. As the camera careened around the dance floor, the sonic illusion kept pace...Finally I turned to music....The stereo image amazed me...I was impressed by how well the ZVOX reproduced the room ambience...With the ZVOX 315 Sound Console, good simple sound is no longer an oxymoron. It's a bargain to boot." Click here to see complete review | PDF 347KB

"Great Sound for Everyone"
PC Magazine, October 5, 2004

"Great sound for everyone…spacious audio from one compact unit…make more sense than a home theater in a box."

"A single-box audio powerhouse."
Steve Morgenstern, Men's Journal

"The iPod (or any MP3 player) will sound its best when connected to the ZVOX 315 Sound Console, a single-box audio powerhouse combining three speakers and a hefty subwoofer to produce room-filling, well-rounded sound."

"I was wowed by the room-filling sound...a steal."
Michael Lasky, PC World

"The little ZVOX 315 Sound Console is deceptively simple for a device that yields such beautifully complex sound... easy to set up and install and greatly improves the audio from your television or PC...I was wowed by the room-filling sound that the plain black box produced, with a hearty bass that seemed as if it were coming from a separate subwoofer. The ZVOX certainly made my television sound better than it ever has. Considering its sound quality, versatility, and 60 second setup, the product is a steal." Click here to see complete review | PDF 179KB

"The best thing we've heard at the price."
Connected Magazine

"A great example of a one-box speaker array that instantly juices up sound. The 315's ability to handle two-channel audio is prodigious…For doing double duty as minimalist home-theater system and stereo, the ZVOX is the best thing we've heard at the price."

"Big, balanced sound…setup is gloriously easy."
Popular Mechanics Magazine

"A perfect complement to a flat-panel TV…big, balanced sound. The one-cable setup is gloriously easy. Hook it up to a DVD player, CD player, iPOD or any other audio source (even your gaming console).

"Great, rich sound at a relatively low cost. You can't lose."
Arts Weekly

"For the rest of us living in the real world, there's the ZVOX 315 Audio System, which through what I can only assume is magic, gives you quality, fully surround sound from a 11.5cm x 43cm box, made to fit conveniently under your TV or PC. For a paltry $499 you or your loved on can kick it in style without giving up too much shelf space. And it doesn't just work with a TV or computer. If it has a headphone jack, you can hook it up to the ZVOX 315. That means your iPod, your portable CD player, that old Walkman you refuse to get rid of; they can all have great, rich sound at a relatively low cost. The hookup is so easy, they don't even give you a manual, the box itself is attractive, and the sound is great. You can't lose."

"Sounds quite good…does its assigned job very well."
The Audiophile Voice Magazine

"ZVOX sounds quite good for the price. The sound field comes out and around the sides of the listener, giving a full half-sphere of decent sound. Quite cost-effective…it does its assigned job very well."

"Comparable to large systems with speakers 10-12 feet apart."
OnSat Magazine

"The ZVOX 315 is a compact, non-complicated all-in-one-box stereo/surround system that adds rich, lifelike sound to TV shows, DVD movies, PCs, CD players, iPods, MP3 players, radios and gaming consoles. The ZVOX soundstage is comparable to large systems with speakers 10-12 feet apart from each other and the ZVOX PhaseCue circuitry creates clearly audible "virtual surround sound" effects with many movie soundtracks. ZVOX's built-in powered subwoofer delivers terrific, realistic bass for movies."

"Packs surprisingly big sound into one small box."
New Jersey Star Ledger

"The ZVOX 315 packs surprisingly big sound into one small box at a compact price…Close your eyes, and you swear the speakers are feet apart instead off mere inches. There are no installation hassles or hefty manuals to slog through…The ZVOX 315 can double as the base for a PC monitor or small TV; it's dandy for amateur musicians who want to jam along with their computerized compositions."

"It was like somebody had just removed a blanket covering the TV speakers!"
LA Splash

"The little ZVOX 315 is deceptively simple for a device that yields such beautifully complex sound…easy to set up and install and greatly improves the audio from your television or PC. I was amazed by the room-filling sound that the plain silver box produced, with a hearty bass that seemed as if it were coming from a separate subwoofer…The ZVOX 315 worked wonderfully for channeling the sound from our TV. It eliminated the muddiness and anemic bass of our TV's built-in speakers, and replaced them with clear and open sound with good dynamics. The difference was just night and day. It was like somebody had just removed a blanket covering the TV speakers! When we watched the Yankees-Red Sox playoff game, we were able to hear the crowd noise coming from the sides and rear of our room…The ZVOX 315 produced room-filling sound that belied its size. Its bass response was surprisingly good…Perhaps the greatest attribute of the ZVOX 315 is its capability to produce out-of-the-box sound. This proved that the ZVOX's PhaseCue technology really worked….How else would you get such a sound improvement for $499?"

"…completely eliminating the need for multiple speakers."
Chicago Life Magazine

"The ZVOX is the answer to enjoying music and movies without complex components that require complicated wiring and way too many speakers to hear surround sound effects. This anti-complicated all-in-one-box stereo/surround system adds rich, lifelike sound to TV shows….completely eliminating the need for multiple speakers."

"All I can say is, 'Wow'."
Positive-Feedback.com

"All I can say is, "Wow." The 315 nearly equaled the sound quality (but not the volume) of the two-channel receiver and monitors I was previously using, a system that cost more than twice as much….the ZVOX 315 will give any entry-level mass-market home-theater-in-a-box a run for its money in terms of articulation and finesse. Music lovers will appreciate how faithfully it reproduces their favorite concert DVDs….Rather than compromise the 315's performance, its designers concentrated on producing the widest front soundstage possible, and they have succeeded….Fed a signal from my Sony CD Walkman, the ZVOX trounced my old Cambridge SoundWorks Model 88 table radio (which, unlike the ZVOX, is not magnetically shielded) in bass extension, soundstaging, and listenability. It is a must-audition if you're looking at high-priced table radios. Combine a ZVOX 315 with, say, Denon's $199 DCM-280, a nice five-disc changer with built-in digital volume control, and for less than $400 you will have a great system for the bedroom, basement, or cabin. If you are considering one of the new docking stations for your iPod and are more concerned with substance than style, this is also a must-audition. I can't imagine a better package for $499. The ZVOX 315 Sound Console does what it promises and then some. It's the easiest way I know to dramatically improve the sound of your TV, iPod, or portable music player without getting caught in a tangle of ugly wires. Click here to see complete review | PDF 117KB