Compare Ipod Speakers » Travel Speakers

JVC introduces the new SP-A130 iPod speakers

Chris — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:34:13 +0000

JVC SP-A130 iPod speaker

Its been a busy few months for JVC. It wasn’t long ago that they launched the new SP-SC3 and announced the SP-SC4 iPod speaker. Now just a couple of months later we hear that they’re launching the JVC SP-A130 iPod speaker.

Recently, we’ve seen a trend for manufacturers designing iPod speakers especially for iPhones and the Touch, like the Livespeakr, but the JVC SP-A130 has been designed especially with the new iPod Nano 5G in mind, or so JVC tell us.

The SP-A130 is available in 4 Nano 5G colours and there’s a 3.5mm input that you use to connect your iPod Nano or any other audio device of your choice.

The main feature of the SP-A130 is its ’slide’. The SP-A130 is very compact and perfect for taking with you wherever you want to go. To protect the speakers while you’re travelling , the SP-A130 has a sliding action that allows you to slide the 2 speaker drivers inside their compact case for easy transportation.

There’s also a built-in storage area for the connecting cord and the kick stand, so it packs away nice an small.

Another really useful feature is that you’ve got a number of choices for how you’d like to power the SP-A130. You can of course connect the device to a mains power supply, or run the device off 2 AA batteries, but you also have the choice of powering the speakers from the audio device that you’ve connected to it, which sounds like a good idea to me.

If you have a portable or travel speaker, you want it to be as flexible as possible and the power options on this new JVC iPod speaker offer you this, maybe giving it the edge on the likes of the Cygnett Micro.

Verdict – Funky looking travel speaker that looks fun and is easy to carry around.

The JVC SP-A130 has already been launched in Japan and should be available in the US in March 2010 priced at around $30. There is no news yet on when we’ll see it in the UK.

Leave a comment and let us know what you think of the SP-A130 and if you see it available in a UK store, please leave a comment and let is all know. Thanks.

Altec Lansing Compact IMT320

Chris — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:38:20 +0000

Altec Lansing Compact IMT320

Altec Lansing had a good year in 2009, bringing out some great new iPod speakers including the Boombox like IMT800.

Their first new Altec Lansing iPod speaker of 2010 is a compact, portable speaker called the Compact or to give it it’s full name – the Altec Lansing IMT320.

The design is simple and minimalist, perahps a little lack-lustre. Saying that the Altec Lansing IMT320 is going to be pitched at the lower end of the market. But in the sub £100 region there are some great speakers from the likes of Klipsch and Logitech that maybe beat the IMT320 in the looks race.

The IMT320 is very portable and does come with a soft cover to protect the speaker dock on your travels that doubles as a stand and the makers have put some extra effort in to the sound.

They say “Acoustically, the inMotion Compact portable design packs a big punch with its front firing ports for enhanced low frequency sound. Its dual drivers deliver a rich, well balanced sound for music on the go.”

The IMT320 has GSM shielding and is fully compatible with the the iPhone including the 3GS, so iPhone users won’t have to switch to Aeroplane Mode when their device is docked.

The Altec Lansing IMT320 should be available in the Spring of 2010.

Amazon’s Top 5 iPod Speakers for Christmas 2009

Chris — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:26:44 +0000

We’re all buying more and more online these days and there’s no disputing that one of the biggest online retailers is Amazon.

These days Amazon seem to sell everything, from Books to Barbie Dolls and DVD’s to PS3’s and because of the amount they sell and the breadth of their range, they are a pretty good barometer for what people are buying.

So with less than 4 weeks to go until Christmas we take a look at the Top 5 iPod speakers being sold on Amazon right now.

1. XMI X-mini II Mini iPod Speaker

The X-Mi X Mini II 2nd Generation Capsule iPod Speaker is a genuine travel speaker; small enough to sit in the palm of your hand.

The X Mini II’s 11 hour battery life means your can keep on enjoying your favourite tunes and the handy travel bag that’s included makes it really easy to take around with you, wherever you want to go.

The X Mini II’s best party trick is its buddy system, which lets you link up your X Mini II with your friend’s X Mini II’s to create an either bigger sound that will really get the party started.

Price: £13.89 at Amazon

2. Intempo IDS-01-N-S Silver Metallic iPod Speakers

The Intempo IDS-01 with its simple elegance, is one of the best looking travel speakers.

For a compact iPod speaker, the IDS-01 offers pretty good volume, able to serve up a 12 watts if power and is compatible with all iPods, including the Shufflle (although you can’t dock the shuffle, it has to be connected via a lead in to the headphone jack).

Surprisingly the IDS-01 comes with a handy remote control that lets you navigate through your iPod’s menus, but oddly doesn’t let you adjust the volume. This is controlled by 2 buttons on the device itself. If you’re out and about you can power this speaker dock with 4 x AA batteries that should give you 20 hours of playtime.

Price: £23.99 at Amazon

3. Klipsch iGroove iPod Speaker System

This is one of the best speakers there is – hands down. The Klipsch iGroove HG offers a lot more in performance than its price tag implies.

The iGroove plays your favourite tunes through 2 x 2.5″ Woofers and 2 x 1″ Tweeters, but this is only half the story.

The Tweeters are Klipsch much talked about MicroTractrix™ Horns. They are are shaped like a trumpet horn, which reproduce a wide range of frequencies equivalent to that of a larger speaker system, without the need for high-powered drivers and transformers.

Beautifully curvaceous with an black gloss finish, the Klipsch iGroove would definitely be on my Christmas list

Price £89.99 at Amazon

4. Intempo IDS-01B iPod speakers – Black

The fact that it appears twice in Amazon’s Top 5 is testament to the value that this compact iPod speaker offers the user.

The Black version of the IDS-01 is just the same as its Silver sibling, the only difference being its glossy black finish.

Personally I think I would prefer to see the Black Intempo IDS-01 in my Christmas stocking rather the Silver version, but the choice is up to you.

Price: £19.99 at Amazon

5. Sony SRSGU10IP iPod Speaker Dock

The Sony SRSGU10IP is an iPod speaker packed with clever features.

The tone and sound performance of the SRSGU10IP is very warm for a portable speakers and its Bass boost function offers full natural bass tones even at low volumes.

For iPhone users, the good news is that the SRSGU10IP is clever enough to know when you’re receiving a call and stops the music automatically so you never miss a beat of your favourite tunes.

The handy remote control offers you full control over your iPod or iPhone and its functions so no running across the room to change the playlist or choose the album you want to listen to. A good buy.

Price: £69.99 at Amazon

New Cygnett Micro iPod speaker launches

Chris — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:31:56 +0000

The Cygnett Micro iPod speaker

There are quite a few iPod speakers that you can class as travel speakers – speakers sized so you can fit them comfortably in a beach bag or a rucksack and take with you on a day out like the PureFi Anywhere. There are less that are genuinely pocket sized; speakers that you can really just pick up, put in your pocket and take where ever you want to go.

This is just the market that the new Cygnett Micro speaker is aimed at. Measuring 47mm high, 105mm wide with a depth of 23mm the Cygnett Micro could nearly be a pocket sized iPod speaker, it just depends on the size of your pocket. The 23mm depth just makes it a little bit awkward for true pocketability.

Saying that, it’s still pretty small and very handy.

What’s it got? Well there’s a built in re-chargeable built-in battery that you can re-charge using a USB connection and will give you 3 hours of play.

Sound wise, Cygnett claim its new Micro will produce a ‘Dynamic & rich audio quality (thanks to its) built-in amplifier.’ Apparently the new Cygnett Micro even produces a stereo sound, which is impressive for a unit that has speakers so close together.

You connect your iPod or iPhone to the speakers via the headphone jack on your device and the Micro is available in Black/Red, Black/Silver and Black/Pink; not quite a rainbow of choice, but not a Henry Ford choice either.

£23.99 at Amazon

What do you think of the Cygnett Micro? Leave a comment and let us all know.

Altec Lansing IM9 InMotion iPod Speaker

Chris — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:42:14 +0000

Gear4 inMotion iPod Speaker

Now the norm for a travel speaker is something small, light and dainty. The kind of thing that could easily fit in to a beach bag or a handbag. Smart, often glossy and compact are the other things that you’d expect from a travel iPod speaker.

Therefore it is somewhat of a surprise when to find out that the new Altec Lansing IM9 InMotion iPod speaker is, well, a bit on the big side. Rather than see Paris Hilton tuck this iPod speaker into her hadnbag as she heads off to the beach, you’re more likely to see Jean Claude Van Damme strap one to each of his muscly forerms and do bicep curls with this big boy of travel speakers.

It’s not enormous, you’re not going to need to start eating the breakfast of an England rugby player to own it, but it does way in at 4 pounds. So when you’re merrily exploring along with your favourite of Altec Lansing’s iPod speakers, you’re going to be dragging around the equivalent of 4 bags of sugar.

But I dont’t think that Altec Lansing intend the IM9 to be that kind of travel speaker. So much so that they’ve even provided a handy backpack for you to carry your not so dainty IM9 around in.

And that’s the point, it’s not so dainty and its not soooo portable, but it is portable. So rather than be a true travel speaker the Altec Lansing IM9 InMotion is a portable speaker; one that is just as suited to sitting in your kitchen or bedroom as well as being taken off with you on your overseas holiday or even your much anticipated camping trip.

In fairness to Altec Lansing, this is just what it’s designed to do – to provide consistently provide high quality sound and plenty of volume in the ideal and even less-than-ideal surroundings and that’s just what it does.

Everybody agrees that the IM9 has plenty of oomph and and great sound quality. Behind the protective grill are two tweeters and two midrange drivers that are supported by an Advanced Class D amplifier and Altec Lansing’s Superior Maxxbass technology. All this produces a very rich sound with plenty bass which sets the IM9 apart from other travel iPod speakers which in the past that have lacked a bit and been a bit weedy in their sound profile.

There aren’t any separate bass and treble controls on the IM9 so you have to be satisfied with the levels set up for you by the manufacturer, but in fairness these are pretty darn good so it shouldn’t be a concern.

The speaker itself measures just 280 mm x 76 mm x 198 mm, so the speakers are quite close together, which made me a bit sceptical about how good the stereo separation was going to be, but again by cynicism was unfounded and the Altec Lansing speaker proved me wrong.

There isn’t a remote control for the IM9 which is a bit disappointing if you’re primarily going to use the speaker in your kitchen or bedroom, but makes sense if you’re mostly going to use the speaker while out and about. In fairness, you can forgive the IM9 this little blemish as its sound quality and build quality make up for this in spades.

If you are using the IM9 on the move you won’t want to have it plugged in to its mains AC supply and you don’t have to. The IM9 will run off 4x C batteries for up to 24 hours, which for a speakers with this much sound potential is impressive.

The IM9 is compatible with the iPod Touch (1st Gen), iPod Classic, iPod nano (2nd gen), iPod with Video, iPod nano (1st gen), iPod with color display, and iPod mini and will charge all the iPods while their docked.

Many travel speakers in the market are only travel speakers because they’re small. As far as their build quality is concerned, they’re more often built to be cheap than durable, but the IM9 has taken a different route. The casing of the IM9 is a combination of strong steel and shock-resistant rubberized elements to give the speaker real durability and the stuff it needs to survive as a speaker on the move.

VERDICT – Good quality build, great sound quality and a good level of volume, but could have done with a remote control. Good value.

Price: AltecIM9inMotion£99 at Amazon

The Livespeakr travel iphone speaker

Chris — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:22:42 +0000

Livespeakr iPhone and iPod Touch speaker

The truth is that most iPod speakers aren’t always designed with the iPhone or iPod Touch in mind.

Most iPod speakers these days make the effort to be compatible with all iPod that have the docking ability – this seems to be the standard now. This is fine as it suits most speakers, apart from the Shuffle (sorry Shuffle owners), but also includes the iPhone and Touch.

What this doesn’t take in to consideration is the the portrait/landscape capabilities of the Touch and iPhone, make the most of all the extra capabilites that both devices benefit from or protect the speakers from the ‘rat-at-at-tat’ interference that many speakers suffer when a phone call comes in as they don’t have GSM shielding.

The Livespeakr is one of the first iPod speakers to really design itself around the Touch and the iPhone. This represents quite a risk, as the company is instantly cutting out a big proportion of the overall iPod market, but the risk could pay off if the speaker does the job.

The Livespeakr comes under the category of ultra-portable. When it’s in its storage mode it tucks the speakers in behind the dock itself, the kick-stand that supports the speaker in its upright mode folds up and make the speaker a really compact little package. You’d easily fit it in a daypack or beach bag and still have loads of room left for the other necessities.

Once you’ve arrived at your destination, you can set up the Livespeakr in one of two ways. You can sit your iPod Touch or iPhone in the dock in Portrait mode and the two 1.5inch speaker speaker drivers come out from behind the unit and sit neatly either side of your device. More importantly, you also have the option of orientating your Apple device in Landscape in the speaker dock to make the post of the navigation options that are available to you on you device in this mode, which could be useful if your watching a movie or flicking through your album covers.

The Livespeakr is GSM shielded so there aren’t any unexpected interruptions when listening to your favourite track and thanks to the 3.5mm audio cable that connects the speaker to your device, there’s no groping around for the right adaptor to fit your phone.

Sound wise, the Livespeakr has a bit more volume than you’d expect and puts on a decent performance for its size. Speakers of this size are always going to have their limitations but overall the Livespeakr definitely gives you a respectable sound experience.

There are travel speakers that are cheaper than this one, but it’s a definite plus that the Livespeakr has been designed with iPhone and iPod Touch in mind so is definitely worth a look.

Price: £50 at Amazon

Best iPod Speakers to give this Christmas 2009

Chris — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:12:49 +0000

These days many people are lucky enough to have an iPod. So with that option already gone, what do you give to a friend of loved one in your life this Christmas?

Bearing in mind the website you’re on, I guess it’s going to come as know suprise that’ll I’ll say…an iPod speaker of course.

It makes sense though. Everyone loves their iPod or iPhone and for the same sort of cost and in most cases less, you can give you’re friends or loved ones an iPod speaker so that they can not only enjoy their favourite music through their headphones, but in the comfort of their home or on their travels as well.

So what are the best iPod speakers to give to your loved ones this Christmas?

I thought about how best to define the best iPod speakers for this Christmas and the best I could come up with was the ones that I’d want someone to give me!

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Mini

2 years after the iconic Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin iPod speaker staggered the world with its concical design and impressice sonic performance those clever guys at B&W have brought us the Zeppelin Mini

The Zeppelin Mini carries on the Zeppelin’s tradition for design and excellence in a smaller package and at a better price.

This design goodie is going to take pride of place in anyone’s living room.

Price: £299 at John Lewis

Fatman iTube Valve Dock

The Fatman iTube Valve Dock’s appearance is best described as the result of an industrial accident involving your dad’s 1980’s Hi-fi separates and a skater boy with attitude.

The iTube’s sound experience though is where it excels. It combines cutting edge digital technology with refined analogue valves that produce a warmth and depth of sound that other purely digital iPod speakers find hard to compete with.

Price: £204.99 at Play.com

iHome IP1 Studio Series iPod Speaker

The new iHome IP1 is a great design statement and an iPod speaker you’d be proud to have on your bookshelf.

The sound elements on the IP1 are designed by Bongiovi Accoustics the best feature of which is the Digital Power Station processor. This little gizmo analyses the sound about to go through the speakers and dynamically adjusts the output so you get the best sound possible on every beat.

With 100 watts of power the IP1 is a serious bit of kit.

Price: £269.99 at Amazon.co.uk

Gear 4 Duo Portable iPod Speaker

Gear4’s Duo speaker was nominated in the Best iPod Accessory category at this year’s Macworld awards, was listed in their Buyers Guide 2009 as a ‘Gift to Hunt For’ and is one of the best selling iPod speaker docks on the market.

One of the best home/portable iPod speakers on the market with a removable faceplate that houses a rechargeable battery so that it transforms in to a travel speaker as well. Very Clever!

Price: £79.95 at John Lewis

Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere

The Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere is a true travel speaker.

Beautiful with its black gloss finish, the Anywhere is an attractive but highly portable iPod speaker.

The sound has clarity and the stereo separation feature is definitely a plus, pleasingly widening the sound field.

You’d definitely want to be packing the Pure-Fi Anywhere and its 10 hour rechargable battery in to your suitcase, wherever you were going.

Price: £74.00 at Pixmania

So there you have it. The iPod speakers I’d like as a gift this Christmas.

If you’d like to read more about these and other iPod speakers just click here.

The Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere reviewed

Chris — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:13:57 +0000

The Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere iPod speakers

Have a scout round on the internet for ‘best iPod speakers’ and you’ll find a raft of articles from all kinds of reviewers, from the likes of Ilounge, Cnet, Macworld and of course the likes of me.

We all have different opinions, that’s natural, but the main theme through many iPod speaker reviewers ‘best iPod speaker’ recommendations is that they’re a bit on the expensive side.

If we are to look purely at sound quality, wantability, style and design then of course the more you pay, the more you get. Who wouldn’t want to have a B&W Zeppelin Mini sat on their bookcase or a Fatman iTube Valve Dock blowing their socks off in the comfort of their livingroom.

In the company of high-end speakers like these it’s difficult for travel or portable speakers to compete on the same playing field, but there is one that manages to appear in many ‘top 10 iPod speakers’ articles – the Logic Pure-Fi Anywhere.

So what is it about the Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere that reviewers are liking?

Logitech's Pure-fi Anywhere iPod Speaker's and Case

First of all, it looks different. The Anywhere is a very geometric iPod speaker, boldly different from its many counterparts who follow the pack mentality of curves, curves, curves in one form or another. The gloss finish is also a nice touch, just giving it a little touch of understated bling that many other speakers in its range lack.

Size wise, it’s pushing the boundaries of what a travel speaker should be in terms of size, while remaining definitely portable, which is re-enforced by the smart branded travel case that Logitech provide.

Its size allows it to accommodate 4 speakers (two 2-inch Max-X active, high-excursion drivers and two 3-inch pressure drivers) each covered by its own circular grille. This little array of audio goodies allows the Pure-Fi anywhere to produce a more than satisfactory audio experience from what is still a travel Ipod speaker.

The sound has clarity and the stereo separation feature is definitely a plus, pleasingly widening the sound field. The sound is warm with a pleasing, if not staggering bass presence, that doesn’t really deteriorate as the volume is turned up.

A travel iPod speaker is never going to be able to fill a large room with orchestral like abundance, but the Pure-Fi anywhere does achieve what many of its travel counterparts don’t, which is to do your favourite tunes justice wherever you’d like to hear them.

If the sound quality starts to fool you that this is not, the 10-hour rechargeable built-in battery does the job of reminding us that this is a genuinely portable travel speaker. While the battery life is not the longest around, it is very respectable indeed especially because in many cases the Anywhere will charge your iPod or iPhone while it’s docked as well (as long as it has the required 30 pin connection).

Logitech throw in the 9 adapters with the Pure-Fi Anywhere so that most iPods (apart from the Shuffle) will be compatible, including the latest iPhones.

A great extra that comes with this Logitech dock is a handy remote control. Although you can’t be too far away from the Anywhere when you’re using it, the remote control is a nice to have, as along with the expected volume, play/pause, shuffle and power buttons the Pure-Fi Anywhere’s remote has a clever circular pad that lets you step in and out of your iPod’s controls. If only more iPod speaker manufacturers thought about giving us access to our iPod’s controls via a remote, the world would be a much happier place.

So decent sound for its size, small enough to be portable, a 10 hour battery life, handy remote, funky looks and a reasonable price I can see why the Pure-Fi Anywhere has become a favourite of people in the know.

Most importantly all this comes at a price that is not exorbitant or unreasonable, in fact far from it.

At the time of writing the best price that we found for Logitech’s Pure-Fi Anywhere was £67.83 from Currys.

Prices are always changing so if you want to see the best current price for the Anywhere, just click here.

Sharp announce the new DK-AP8P iPod Speaker

Chris — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:59:57 +0000

Sharp DK-AP8P Ipod Speakers

Sharp have just announced that they are entering the iPod travel speaker market with the introduction of the new DK-AP8P.

Instead of going for a ‘they can be disposable and cheap’ approach, Sharp have taken an innovative approach with this new speaker system, focusing on how to maximise sound quality, portability and sleek design at a price that sits comfortably in the iPod travel speaker market.

Let’s have a look at the DK-AP8P speaker system first as it seems to be the slightly better model that most people are going to have a look at first.

The DK-AP8P is the speaker system featured in the image to the left. Its most striking feature is the magnetic travel cover that protects the unit while in transit, but also doubles as a very funky remote control featuring 3 iPod touch wheels. The speaker will aparently be compatible with most iPods and the iPhone and will also charge the iPod or iPhone when docked, a feature that many speakers lack.

As well as the glossy black finish and the smart design, Sharp’s new iPod Speaker boasts a 6 hour battery life and an AC adapter in case you find somewhere to plug in, that supports a 2.1 cound system with built in sub-woofers.

Sean Mcbride the senior product marketing manager at Sharp said, “As the popularity of digital music devices continues to grow, so does the desire for consumers to share their vast digital music libraries, whether traveling, in their backyard or in the comfort of the home. The introduction of the DK-AP8P…strengthens Sharp’s lineup of portable iPod audio systems and gives users the ultimate ease and convenience of high-quality music on the go, with an extremely small footprint.”

Our opinion? On first glance he might just be right. If the unit sounds as good as it looks they may just be on to a winner.

The first units will be out in the states in the next few weeks priced around $189.99, so we should hopefull Sharp’s new iPod speaker in the UK sometime in the new year.