Apple’siPod Hi - Fi speaker organization , unveiled at a Tuesday press upshot , mark the company ’s first foray into the big - ticket iPod supplement market . But in seek to carve out its own space with the iPod Hi - Fi , Apple could n’t help but draw comparisons to speaker offerings already useable .
That much was clear during Steve Jobs ’ presentation , which include picture of some of the current “ household ” speakers on the marketplace , including JBL ’s $ 180On Stageand Bose ’s $ 300SoundDock(whichPlaylistconsidersdesktoprather thanhomespeakers , by the bye ) . line of work ’ spot : Neither of the speakers really offers what he describes as “ home stereophony quality . ” job defined that as :
These gadget characteristic seem to advise a big subwoofer / satellite system of rules . rather , the $ 349iPod Hi - Figoes in a different direction . It ’s a one - art object speaker system 17 inches wide by 6.6 inch high by 6.9 column inch bass — more a competitor to Bose ’s SoundDock , Klipsch ’s $ 280iGroove , ZVOX ’s $ 200ZVOX mini , or XtremeMac ’s coming $ 200Tangothan to a real home stereoscopic picture organisation .
The basics
You might distinguish the iPod Hi - Fi as a “ expectant in every agency ” SoundDock . The Hi - Fi costs $ 50 more , is about 5 inches full , and provides a number of additional features . Like the SoundDock , the iPod Hi - Fi admit a dock that accommodates all dockable iPods ( although the Hi - Fi ’s bobtail is top - mounted and uses Apple ’s unexampled Universal purpose with 10 different adapters included ) . The Hi - Fi also include a remote control — in this caseful , Apple ’s soon - to - be - ubiquitous Apple Remote . in conclusion , like the SoundDock , the Hi - Fi does not let in a dock - connective port for touch base a docked iPod to your electronic computer for syncing ; since the system is clearly not designed to be used on your computing machine desk , this is to be carry .
But the Hi - Fi also include several unique lineament . For crank , the hello - Fi can run off either AC power or six D batteries , making it truly portable ( or , at most 17 pounds with batteries , “ transportable ” ) ; dual integrate handles help you lug it from way to board . The Hi - Fi also include a 1/8 - in ( 3.5 mm ) adjunct input jack that accepts either analogue or optical SPDIF input signal , allow you to link an iPod shuffling , a TV or DVD histrion , or even the optic yield of an AirPort Express for stream euphony from iTunes .
Also of notation is the new “ Speakers ” carte du jour that appears onfifth - generationandnanoiPods when you tail them with the Hi - Fi . This Speakers computer menu — really provided via iPod Software 1.1 back in former January — allows you to configure several selection specific to Hi - Fi - moorage . For example , you may choose unlike EQ ( Normal , Bass Boost , and double Boost ) and backlight setting when dock , as well as take to have record album art rest in full - silver screen mode during tail playback . Unfortunately , Apple told me that this new menu item and its context will not be available for older iPods . During demonstrations and conversation with Apple representatives , my colleague Christopher Breen and I also picked up a few other interesting bits of information about the Hi - Fi :
Other tidbits
How ’s the sound calibre of the Hi - Fi ? It was hard to do any serious listening , considering the acoustics of crowding 10 to 30 the great unwashed — all blab loud — into the various low rooms that Apple set up to prove the Hi - Fi . The units on presentation were also cranked up to much cheap levels than those at which I suspect most mass will hear . And while my workfellow and I ab initio assumed that we were listening to high - quality ( for example , Apple Lossless ) audio tracks — after all , would n’t Apple want to demonstrate the Hi - Fi ’s best possible playback performance?—it turn out that the birdsong used in the demos were all received iTunes Music Store cut encoded using AAC at 128kbps . This explicate some of the artifact we heard , for model , on a pianoforte track .
The sound
However , with those caveats note , my initial printing were that the Hi - Fi offers better bass reply and louder volume levels than Bose ’s SoundDock , the Hi - Fi ’s most similar challenger . This is n’t surprising consider the Hi - Fi ’s design , which uses two 80 millimeter midrange number one wood in sealed enclosure along with a 130 mm double - voice - coil , ported woofer in a orotund overall natural enclosure . Beyond that , I do n’t desire to make any judgments ; our upcoming full brushup will have a more thorough and controlled comparing between the Hi - Fi and the SoundDock , as well as comparisons with other systems in the same general price range , such as Klipsch ’s $ 400iFi , which features disjoined satellites and a sinewy subwoofer .
Apple ’s tag end job for the iPod Hi - Fi isHome stereo . Reinvented . A bit of merchandising exaggeration , to be sure — given that there are already several compact , one - piece iPod speaker scheme out there , there ’s little that has rightfully been reinvented here . Based on my ( brief ) metre with the how-do-you-do - Fi on Tuesday , perhaps a more precise tag line would beCompact stereo system . refine . : Take Bose ’s $ 300 SoundDock , give it a bit more “ oomph , ” add a few features , and enfold the package in an Apple design , and you get the Hi - Fi .
The initial reaction
What several Playlist staffers noted would have been a “ reinvention ” is ramp up - in wireless so that the Hi - Fi would automatically show up as a name and address stereo for AirTunes in iTunes . Also escape — hand that Apple is drive the how-do-you-do - Fi as part of your home entertainment system — is a television - out port that would allow you to view your iPod - hosted pic and video on your TV . But the Hi - Fi is still an interesting improver to the ever - widening worldly concern of iPod utterer , and one that will likely attract lots of fans , especially among those look for a compact organisation with “ cock-a-hoop ” auditory sensation .
Update 3/2/06 : Updated article to observe that the iPod ’s Speakers menu is allow via January ’s iPod Software 1.1 .
