i-Pod iMprovement Month (17th December 2007 - 16th January 2008)
Below are our top i-Pod upgrade recommendations........
1. The i-Chord from Chord
Keeping in tune with the rapid increase in MP3 players and new media technology has resulted in the iChord. Designed to meet the increasing demand for high performance interconnects fitted with mini-jacks.
The iChord is available in a range of configurations that will allow you to connect your portable device sound card or media interface to your main system.
"...retaining all the fantastic sound characteristics of the Apple player. Cheaper cables are available but not better"
Available fitted with RCA plugs or DIN
2. Headphones from Sennheiser, Grado, Shure, i-Cans and more
Call in-store for a free demonstration of all the various headphones with prices starting from as little as £25.
3. Sonos Pack - Wireless Multi-Room Music System
Tap into your digital music collection from anywhere in your home. The Sonos Digital Music System lets you easily access the music stored on your PC, i-Pod, CD player along with a wealth of tunes available from the Internet. This bundle includes two digital music players - a Sonos ZonePlayer 80 and a ZonePlayer 100 - and one Sonos Controller. Like all Sonos systems, it's a breeze to set up and use, and it offers breakthrough playback flexibility. Best of all, it delivers your music in crisp, clear detail.
Connect one of the ZonePlayers to your PC, and place the other in a second room for wireless access to all your music. If you use the ZonePlayer 80 in your second room, connect it to a stereo, a pair of powered speakers, or a home theater system. The ZonePlayer 100 houses a built-in 50-watt stereo amplifier, so you won't need to connect it to a traditional audio system - simply hook up a pair of speakers for smooth stereo sound.
4. Geneva - i-Pod Docking Speaker
Geneva eliminates the multiple boxes, trailing cables and overly complicated remotes we often associate with home entertainment.
Within a single piano-lacquered cabinet, the design houses an entire music system. Simply insert a CD, select your favourite radio station or place your iPod® in the dock to experience a wide and exceptionally detailed soundstage with enough power to fill all but the largest of rooms.
Geneva’s engineers have worked with professional musicians, music producers and the best digital audio technology to re-create a sound system that’s faithful to the original recording but is also incredibly easy to live with.
A patented audio algorithm, known as EmbracingSound™ allows a multi-driver array within a single housing to reproduce the true scale and width of a stereo soundstage previously available only through separate left and right speakers.
What’s more Geneva’s system eliminates the typically narrow listening area normally associated with conventional stereo, effectively allowing every listener the best seat in the room.
Separate line level inputs enable TV audio, computers and even games consoles to be heard with equal precision and impact.
Each model is available in stunning black, white or red lacquered finishes, and the matching remote control is a lesson in clarity and simplicity. An optional 20” aluminium floor-pedestal expands the choice of installation possibilities.
5. The Porto - i-Pod Dock
With a well established reputation for innovation and design Audio Pro’s Porto is a unique portable / rechargeable / music system custom designed for any iPod or MP3 player.
The iPod is widely regarded as one of the finest personal portable music players and now, when linked with the Porto, an iPod is converted into the ultimate go-anywhere music system.
Audio Pro have a tremendous understanding of bass reproduction within a small cabinet and when combined with EmbracingSound™ technology the Porto delivers not only astonishing bass weight but also true stereo imaging, all from a single, portable, unit.
The Porto music system is ¨Made for iPod¨ and will allow you to easily fit your iPod® video, iPod photo, iPod mini or iPod Nano into the Porto’s built-in Universal Dock.
For all other source components, including the iPod Shuffle and other MP3 players, two 3.5mm stereo line level inputs are provided. Finally an FM RDS tuner completes the Porto’s extensive entertainment options.
Whilst the achievable sound quality from the Porto has to be heard to be believed it is possibly its genuine portability that truly makes the Porto unique. Integral to its design is a high power long-life chargeable battery that, once charged, can provide many hours of music enjoyment virtually anywhere!
Available in classic Black or striking Red leather cabinets Audio Pro’s Porto will find itself at home, wherever that may be!
6. Scandyna - Speaker / Dock
Minipod
We dare to be different. Our vision is to reproduce superb sound quality while redefining conventional speaker aesthetics.
The Minipod loudspeaker follows an organic design, where 'form follows function'. Each characteristic of the design has a precise acoustical justification. The Minipod is essentially an amalgamation of three spheres to form one pressure-vessel, minimizing cabinet vibration, sound radiation and distortion, allowing sound waves to move more freely.
Micropod SE Active
Even with a built in active amplifier, the Micropod SE Active are curvy, colorful and compact. The Micropod SE Active series are perfect speakers for your small MP3 stereo or as the perfect sound system for your computer.
A blasting amplifier supplies the kevlar bass/midrange unit and the soft dome tweeter the precise and crisp sound bringing you on stage with your favorite music - just as you always wanted it to be.
7. KEF Picoforte - i-Pod Dock / Speaker System
We’ve squeezed everything that we have learned in our 45 innovative years of award winning high-end Loudspeaker design into the new KEF picoforte™. The result is a compact component audio system with a “no compromise” sound output for the way we live today. Like all great ideas, the concept is simple. A complete stereo sound system that gives you everything you need to experience true digital sound.
Furthermore KEF Uni-Q® “sit anywhere” technology means that you can enjoy the same rich stereo image wherever you sit. The compact and flexible picoforte™ is designed to be simple to set up, whilst having the flexibility to adapt to your personal environment. The system is supplied with a more than generous supply of speaker cable, so that speakers can be positioned as far apart as you desire. The optional subwoofer connection means that lovers of “bass” have their dreams answered, and the S-Video connection means that you can use a TV screen to display song titles (in a wide range of supported languages) or even play movies (where supported).
8. Onkyo Sound Dock - i-Pod Dock
Simply connect the Sound Dock to your existing Hi Fi and experience your iPod music on your existing Hi-Fi system
Superb Audio and Video Playback - Not just for music, but video and photos, too
Control From Afar - Now with its own dedicated remote control
Charged and Ready to Go - Perfect as a charging station
Easier Viewing of Your Track Lists - Displays music track lists with information about artists, albums, songs and genres
Remote Interactive (RI) Capability - Enables Auto Selector, Time Play/Sleep Timer, Alarm functions
9. Acoustic Energy Aego M - Speaker System
Personal audio doesn’t have to be just personal anymore. The AE Music system brings big-scale high fidelity sound to MP3 players, PC's, Macs, multi-media phones and even hand held game devices with complete plug and play simplicity.
The Aego M-System builds on the strengths of the award winning Aego 2, offering a pair of heavy-alloy satellite speakers and a compact subwoofer for a full range sound that embodies AE’s sound quality principles. The sleekly styled satellites have smoother treble and a funky rounded design while potent amplifiers are built into the subwoofer to drive all three loudspeakers. The package gives room-filling sound from devices like the iPod™, PSP™ or MP3 mobile phones.
With just one cable the M-System turns any personal music device into the heart of a home entertainment system. In the living room, in the bedroom, away at college or simply for a spontaneous party, the M-System delivers a big sound form the smallest devices. Better still, the M-System’s gorgeous looks, high quality sound and plug and play simplicity won’t cost a fortune as it remains just as affordable as the best selling AE Aego 2.
"For both value and sound quality the Acoustic Energy Aego M System is almost beyond reproach" What Hi-Fi January 2006
10. Arcam Music Solo - CD/DAB System (Inc R-Dock)
Arcam i-Pod docking station. Designed to provide a high quality connection to a Hi-Fi system. The r-Dock will charge an i-Pod and also allow the charging facility to be switched off when playing music; i-Pods sound significantly better when being powered by their own battery.
It has left/right analogue outputs, S-Video and composite outputs. It can also be used in conjunction with the Arcam Solo Music or Movie, this will allow the i-Pod to be controlled remotely.
"Arcam has built a one-box hi-fi that performs like separates kit", "The Solo is an unbridled success".
