JVC NX-PN7: His-and-hers iPod speaker
(Credit: JVC)Back in January, JVC unveiled the NX-PN7, an iPod speaker system with not one but two iPod docks. The company sent out a press release today to announce that the NX-PN7 is officially available. Otherwise, it looks like nothing's changed since the unit's coming-out party six months ago. Despite doubling down on the music players, the unit is just 13 inches wide. In addition to being able to toggle between "iPod A" and "iPod B," the NX-PN7 features a clock, an auxiliary line-in, and a horizontal light beneath each iPod dock that can be set to any one of nine colors. It has a sleep timer, but apparently no alarm. The list price is $150, but it looks like Amazon is already selling it for closer to $130.
If you think the JVC NX-PN7's dual iPod capacity is overkill, remember that Griffin offers PowerDock chargers that can juice up iPods and iPhones two or even four at a time. So, what do you think: are these multi-iPod accessories a good idea, or just more proof that some people have far too many iPods in their home?
(Credit:
Logitech)
My iPod spends more time in its speaker dock than it does anyplace else. The dock resides in the kitchen; the iPod serves up tunes when the Cheapskate clan is cooking, cleaning, eating, and so on. My only regret is that it doesn't have a radio, meaning we can't listen to NPR when the mood strikes.
That's why I'm seriously eyeballing the Logitech AudioStation, an iPod speaker dock that also has an AM/FM tuner. It's packed with other features, too, like a remote, an audio input jack (for connecting non-iPod players), and composite and S-Video outputs (for watching iPod videos on a TV). It also charges your iPod, of course, and cranks out 80 watts' worth of audio goodness.
The AudioStation sold for $300 (!) when CNET first reviewed it (and rated it 8/10), but now you can grab one for a mere $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate.
Note that TigerDirect won't let you return the item unless it's defective, and even then you can only exchange it for a replacement. On the plus side, it's backed by a 24-month Logitech warranty.
Consider the i765 a pint-sized home theater system
(Credit: Cambridge SoundWorks)When we first saw the Polk Audio I-Sonic, we dubbed it a "home theater in a shoebox." But now the all-in-one I-Sonic finally looks to have some competition in the form of the Cambridge SoundWorks i765. At first glance, the product looks like a doppelganger of the company's Radio CD 745i, but adds DVD playback and a top-mounted iPod dock to the AM/FM radio, CD player, and dual-alarm system found on that earlier model. The price is a hefty $500, but that's $100 less than that of the I-Sonic, which lacks the iPod dock but includes digital HD Radio and support (with an add-on antenna dongle and monthly subscription) for XM satellite radio.
... Read more
Could it be: wireless speakers that live up to the name?
(Credit: Griffin Technology)There are a lot of dubious claims in the world of consumer electronics. Some of my favorites are "DVD-quality video" and "CD-quality sound" (for digital media that is often anything but) and the always classic "installs in just minutes." But one of the biggest truth-benders in recent years has been "wireless speakers." As resident blogger Steve "The Audiophiliac" Guttenberg recently pointed out, many so-called wireless speaker systems actually introduce more wires into the equation. That's exactly why Griffin Technology's new Evolve Wireless Sound System looks so promising: The $300 iPod speaker system includes two speakers that look to be completely and totally free of cables.
How'd Griffin do it? ... Read more
Polk Audio has taken the wraps off the I-Sonic Entertainment System 2, the follow-up to the company's impressive 2006 tabletop AV system. The new ES2 model gets the iPod dock that was missing from the original I-Sonic, but it loses the Swiss-Army-knife luster of that all-in-one model: gone are CD/DVD player and XM satellite radio support (though an auxiliary line-in port lets you connect any external device of your choosing). Video output (for the increasingly burgeoning number of video-capable iPods) remains, as does the dual alarm clock and HD Radio tuner. And it's the interaction between the HD Radio and the iPod where the new I-Sonic debuts a first-of-its-kind feature called iTunes Tagging.
... Read more
The Chestnut Hill George: now cheaper (thanks to a price drop) and better (via firmware upgrades)
(Credit: Chestnut Hill Sound)Remember George? The iPod-friendly tabletop radio from audio start-up Chestnut Hill Sound garnered mostly positive reviews when it debuted earlier this year, thanks largely to its unique wireless remote control, but the $550 sticker price limited its appeal. Well, as of today, it's a decidedly better deal. Chestnut Hill has lowered the price to $500 and will bundle in the outboard remote charging stand--pretty much a must-have accessory--at no extra cost for units sold through the end of the year. To date, the charging stand cost an extra $50 as well, so the net savings on the new deal is a cool $100. Still pricey, to be sure, but right in line with plenty of other luxury label tabletop offerings from Bose, Tivoli Audio, and Boston Acoustics--none of which offer the George's cool remote.
In addition to the price drop, there's more good news for current and prospective George owners. The long-promised "skins" (side panels and speaker grilles available in different colors, as seen on Chestnut Hill's website) are now on track for October availability; they're expected to retail for $100 apiece. And the company has continued to make good on its pledge to keep updating the product, with the latest of several free firmware upgrades adding a variety of tweaks and improvements to the product. Meanwhile, the company is still planning to deliver the promised HD Radio add-on before the end of the year.
Sony's ICF-C1iP iPod clock radio
(Credit: Sony)Sony's taken the wraps off two more iPod-compatible home audio products: the ICF-C1iP clock radio, and the ZS-S2iP boom box. The ICF-C1iP clock radio is available in black or white and offers an adjustable backstop for accommodating various sizes of 'Pods in the built-in dock. Otherwise, it's a pretty standard feature set for the clock radio category--adjustable brightness control; AM/FM radio; wake to iPod, radio, or alarm; and wireless remote. Personally, i think the clock's digital display--along the bottom of the iPod dock--seems like it would be too easily obscured, but maybe I just have too many books on my nightstand.
... Read more- prev
- 1
- next
