Can I use any Control Pod on my Z-5500's, or is the subwoofer linked to the control pod?

[nsweet]

A good friend of mine was cleaning out his garage when I went over there the other day, and had his old Z-5500's out by the road so I asked to take them to have as a backup replacement for the ones I recently bought should I ever manage to blow any of the speakers or amp.

The system was pretty much intact, other than the control pod and remote which he lost ages ago. He quit using the system because the control pod got dropped onto a cement floor and died, and the system no longer powered on.

However I had the idea today of just replacing the control pod and having a whole new setup to use in another room of my house, or in my office. Or even better yet, a dual Z-5500 system!

I tried Googling to see if it was possible just to replace the control pod with one from another Z-5500 setup (I figured it shouldn't be too hard to find someone with some Z-5500's with a blown sub that would be willing to sell me the control & remote) however I didn't come up with much information in my searches, although I did see someone comment that they believed that control pods from one Z-5500 do not work if you try to connect them to another Z-5500 system.

This seems really weird to me, and doesn't make any sense to me why a manufacturer would increase production and warranty replacement costs by having to ship out an entire new system (this 5.1 speaker system is massively heavy, with a 10" subwoofer, 5lb control pod. and full 5x satellites weighing in at over 3lbs each) every time an under warranty control pod or remote control stops working for whatever reason.

This leads me to my question, can I replace the control pod with another control pod? Or is each system's subwoofer, control pod, and remote control linked together somehow making it so you can't replace one component without replacing the entire system? Has anyone successfully replaced a faulty control before?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

 

[Slick5150]

Sure, the control pod's aren't in any way tied to a particular sub/system. so if you buy a control pod on eBay or whatever and hook it up to your system, it'll work fine.

 

[nsweet]

Originally posted by: Slick5150
Sure, the control pod's aren't in any way tied to a particular sub/system. so if you buy a control pod on eBay or whatever and hook it up to your system, it'll work fine.

Hey, thanks for the response.

I was wondering if you had any first hand knowledge of this? Have you yourself ever tried this, or know anyone that's replaced a control pod on one of their Z-5500 setups?

The reason I ask is because I have seen people stating both that you can interchange them, and that you can not interchange them. And before I shell out the money for a control pod I want to be sure that it will work.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: nsweet
as a backup replacement for the ones I recently bought

Can't you just test it out with your own equipment?

I don't know why it wouldn't work, but since you already have a control pod that works with your current set, can't you just hook it up and test it?

EDIT:

As for your other question from crossposted thread, you could indeed hook up two of these systems to one computer, but I wouldn't recommend doing so.

 

[nsweet]

If the control pods are linked to particular subs I don't want to risk damaging my good control pod, I've read they are prone to overheating and are very delicate... and if there's something wrong with the sub that caused it to fry my friend's old control pod I don't want to risk it doing the same to my only working pod.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Could you link to info where someone had problems swapping out control pods?

EDIT: wow, you really cross-posted
Don't do that in the future.

From the thread that has info about control pods not working with other units, I don't know if that's an assumption made because logitech requests that you just cut the cord off of defective units and sends new whole sets... or if that's actually based off evidence of the control pods not working with other sets.

thelazyone22 claims to have never seen a z-5500 control pod being sold separately, but there are two on ebay right now.

If you can find first hand accounts of not being able to switch out control pods, please post them here so we can provide better help.

 

[nsweet]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

As for your other question from crossposted thread, you could indeed hook up two of these systems to one computer, but I wouldn't recommend doing so.

Can you tell me why you wouldn't recommend doing so? I figured I'd try it out if I can get these other Z-5500 working again, to see how it sounded compared to running one set, and if it sounded better.

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Could you link to info where someone had problems swapping out control pods?

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...id=45&threadid=2212904

(I also found a few other people hinting at this when searching google)

Also if it helps any I have the following sound card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16829102006

 

[BassBomb]

Originally posted by: nsweet

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

As for your other question from crossposted thread, you could indeed hook up two of these systems to one computer, but I wouldn't recommend doing so.

Can you tell me why you wouldn't recommend doing so? I figured I'd try it out if I can get these other Z-5500 working again, to see how it sounded compared to running one set, and if it sounded better.

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Could you link to info where someone had problems swapping out control pods?

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...id=45&threadid=2212904

Also if it helps any I have the following sound card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16829102006

Two won't sound better than One, it might be louder but it could make the acoustics worse

 

[nsweet]

Sorry about the cross post, I really wasn't sure where to post my question where people familiar with the hardware where most likely to see it.

What I am hoping is that someone sees this post and has experience replacing just a control pod on an out of warranty system before, and has first hand experience and has personally done it.

Or someone that has two working sets and can test to see if the control pods are interchangeable, so I don't risk hooking up a working control pod to a system that may for whatever reason cause damage to my only only working pod.

 

[Slick5150]

There is 0 chance of it damaging your control pod. The worst thing that could possibly happen is that it just wouldn't work, but there's no reason it wouldn't assuming the rest of that system is functioning properly.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I did find a couple accounts online saying that the control pods were coded to only work with certain sets. I agree that the worst that's going to happen is that it just doesn't work.

If a replacement control pod doesn't work, then you could reuse the satellite speakers with a receiver but I don't think the sub would be usable without modding it somehow to bypass the control pod input.

 

[nsweet]

Originally posted by: Slick5150
There is 0 chance of it damaging your control pod. The worst thing that could possibly happen is that it just wouldn't work, but there's no reason it wouldn't assuming the rest of that system is functioning properly.

I'm concerned that the system I got from my friend (that is missing the pod and remote) may have developed some kind of short sitting in his damp garage for the past 6+ months, and I am really worried about frying my control pod by hooking it up to iffy equipment (even if there's little to no chance of it causing damage I'd just rather be safe).

According to what I am reading from a couple posters on the logitech forums is that the pods each have a PID # on them, and that if you have pods with different PID #'s that they will not work.

Here is one post where someone suggest that this is the case: http://forums.logitech.com/log...eakers&thread.id=13945

However since you said you've done this before perhaps you can help me out and confirm if that's the truth or not, can you tell me if the PID #'s on the back of the pods that you swapped where the same, or if they where different?

If they are the same then I might have to look for a pod with a particular PID #, if yours have different PID #'s then that would lead me to believe that what people are posting on the Logitech forums is purely speculation.

I just don't want to risk ruining good equipment, and I don't want to waste money on a control pod if it has no chance of working, however at the same time I would hate to see this other Z-5500 set go to waste.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Logitech did have at least two versions of the z-5500s. Maybe control pods are not interchangeable between the two versions? I don't have any logitech products in the room with me right now, but is PID # a serial number, or a product type identification number?

 

[nsweet]

Interesting, I just called Logitech and the person I spoke with informed me that they the control pods are interchangeable between ALL of the Z-5500's.... regardless of the PID #.

 

[Soundmanred]

Originally posted by: nsweet
Interesting, I just called Logitech and the person I spoke with informed me that they the control pods are interchangeable between ALL of the Z-5500's.... regardless of the PID #.

Hey, you can't just go around negating the purpose of the forums by simply calling people who would know for sure!!
It's too easy that way...we enjoy speculation and guesswork!

 

[nsweet]

Hehe, yeah my apologies about that. But from the same standpoint I was still skeptical enough to call back and ask a different tech and see what they had to say, and they told me the same thing, and said that he's done it numerous times on Z-5500's sets that they had sitting around the office when a pod died. So hopefully this finding helps someone else out as much as it has help me out. Now to find a pod!

If anyone out there has one please get in touch with me, thanks!

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Looks like you can mod a VGA splitter cable (or something like that) to send the signal from one control pod to two sets if you like projects.

 

[nsweet]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Looks like you can mod a VGA splitter cable (or something like that) to send the signal from one control pod to two sets if you like projects.

Do you have any links on how I can go about doing that? While I have a feeling running 2 sets of satellites is going to give less than desirable results I think it would be fun to run two subs, to really make bassy music ridiculously loud for no apparent reason. I run two 10' subs in my car, and push 800w RMS to them and it sounds a lot nicer than the single 10" Z-5500 setup.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

This place has some links and info
http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/t248106.html
Looks like he may have had two different versions of the speakers which caused problems?

Adding another z-5500 sub probably wont get you the results you want unless more volume from the sub is the only thing you're looking for. You might get some positive benefit from the typical dual subwoofer placement benefits, but you're probably going to be pretty limited in your placement options due to the frequency range the subs cover and the localization of the sounds coming from them. I guess if it's a free sub though, might as well try it out if you're willing to experiment with trying to hook it up.

While I was feeling safe having you try out the control pod on the other speaker set, trying to get this double setup working in this manner would be far riskier.

On the other hand, if you had two control pods, you could easily hook both up to the same system.

FYI although the z-5500 sub is already overpowering, there are some "Easter Egg" settings on it that I believe allow you to boost the bass even further to drown out the satellites if that's the sound you're looking for

 

[nsweet]

I just wanted to post an update, found a control pod for sale on ebay, for $30 + $5 shipping. It came today, I plugged it in to the old set and it sounds nearly as strong as my brand new set. And out of curiosity I swapped the control pods between the two systems and they worked just fine. To make matters more interesting I found out that the pod came from a system with RCA connectors, and worked fine on both of my systems which where the speaker wire w/ clips style of the Z-5500's.

Hopefully if anyone else has a set of z-5500's with a missing or broken pod they will see this thread and be able to benefit from this information.

PS: I decided against running a dual sub configuration since I'd rather use the extra set of Z-5500's in my bedroom for movie watching.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I'm glad it worked for you

 

[nsweet]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I'm glad it worked for you

Thanks, as am I.

While the Z-5500's aren't top of the lines by any means they are well worth the price paid!

 

[Bad Dude]

Originally posted by: nsweet
I just wanted to post an update, found a control pod for sale on ebay, for $30 + $5 shipping. It came today, I plugged it in to the old set and it sounds nearly as strong as my brand new set. And out of curiosity I swapped the control pods between the two systems and they worked just fine. To make matters more interesting I found out that the pod came from a system with RCA connectors, and worked fine on both of my systems which where the speaker wire w/ clips style of the Z-5500's.

Hopefully if anyone else has a set of z-5500's with a missing or broken pod they will see this thread and be able to benefit from this information.

PS: I decided against running a dual sub configuration since I'd rather use the extra set of Z-5500's in my bedroom for movie watching.

Hi,
Did you get a Z-5500 control pod or just any control pod? How lucky are you? I have been looking forever and never found it. Could you give a link to your won bid?
Thanks.

 

[nsweet]

I bought a Z-5500 control pod, here's the auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...X:IT&item=320281527064

And I guess I was a bit off on the price that I posted earlier, I see now I paid $41 + $9 shipping.