An iPod at the Station (1/2)
Logitech AudioStation iPod Speaker System
INTRODUCTION
iPods (and MP3 players in general) have changed the way we store, transport, share, and even listen to music. Given the falling price of memory, it is now possible to port an entire collection of music within a device that weighs only a few ounces. Being able to listen to music on the go is one advantage, however, not everybody has the opportunity to don earphones and zone out the rest of the world. Enter Logitech's Audio Station. This device will dock your iPod, charge it, and play the contents via two 80 watt (RMS) speakers. It also displays the time, has an AM/FM radio, and can broadcast to an auxiliary source. How did this unit perform? Read on as we put the AudioStation to the test!
WHAT'S HOT
It looks cool. The black exterior give the AudioStation a contemporary feel, and the low blue backlit display adds to the "futuristic feel". The specs speak for themselves. Here's a summary from the Logitech site:
- Total FTC power: 80 watts RMS
- Bi-amp design:
- Woofers, Left & Right: 32 watts RMS x 2 (into 4 ohms, @ 300Hz, @ 10% THD)
- Tweeters, Left & Right: 8 watts RMS x 2 (into 16 ohms, @ 5khz, @ 10% THD)
- Bi-amp design:
- Total Peak power: 160 watts
- Max SPL: 110 dB
- Frequency Response: 36Hz-23kHz +/- 3dB
SETUP
Quick and dirty. Plug the main A/C line into the power adapter, the adapter into mains power. Next, select the correct dock adapter for your iPod, insert iPod and go. Control of the iPod is either via the the device itself, or via the AudioStation remote. This part of the setup is simple and intuitive.
Setting radio stations is slightly more involved, and I relied on the manual for this particular feature. The "source" button is used to select the desired band (AM, FM1, FM2). Press and hold source for 1 sec, then arrow scroll through the band to search for a particular frequency. "Select" is then pressed to set.
Retrieving stations is a multi-tier process also: change the tuner mode to "preset" (123) then use the arrow scroll to select the station. Tuner mode is changed via pressing and hold "Select" for 1 second. One thing I noticed, I had to keep reminding myself to put the unit into preset, otherwise it would just scan rather than move to the next station. Mildly annoying.
PRODUCT FEATURES
IPod playback and charging, digital AM/FM radio, backlit display, to name the main features. Here are some more:
Design
- Tweeter amplifiers: (2) ultra-linear, Class AB
- Woofer amplifiers: (2) high-efficiency, Class D
- Sealed, tuned speaker enclosures
- Adjustable sound field (bass, treble, 3D stereo)
- Removable speaker grilles
Connections
- 3.5mm aux input jack
- Composite and S-Video output jacks
- Universal Doc
(all images link to higher resolution)
Here's an un-boxing shot. Included: the AudioStation, power adapter + cord, remote, multi-lingual manual, adapters, AM & FM antennae, warranty literature. Note, speaker grilles installed.
Side-long glance. Here's a shot of the AudioStation with speaker grilles removed, and iPod installed.
Here's a look at the depth of the unit. Not much to it, it fits comfortably on a coffee table or desk.
Here's the rear of the AudioStation. No tangled web of wires here.
A close-up of the rear. Note antennae ports plus video out and power. Aux allows you to use an item such as an external BlueTooth receiver (not included).
Here's a close up of the front panel. Select is used to store presets and change tuner mode, source switches between radio bands, aux and iPod.
Nice and sleek. The remote allows users to remotely control volume, change track/frequency, select source.
Sound was fairly decent, and although no EQ is present, the following attributes can be adjusted: bass, treble, 3D Stereo. Bass and treble tailor the respective sound qualities as desired, 3D Stereo consists of a proprietary feature that widens the sound, and can be toggled via the remote. I would recommend switching this on, it makes a BIG difference.
Other features: the backlit display brightness can be adjusted, as with the iPod backlight. Video pass-thru is also available, however, an S-video cable is not included. Purchase a cable separately and you are able to broadcast your iPod video or photos to a near-by TV screen.
