Apple iPod Hi-Fi hands on

We'll admit, there's not a huge amount to say about the Apple iPod Hi-Fi. We'd heard this was coming, and it's caught our attention namely because it's Apple's first true foray into the iPod accessories market, along with their new leather iPod cases. We did get a good listen in some of the rooms Apple set up on campus to demo the sound in a "real world" environment (our fav was the teenager's space, replete with dirty laundry strewn about), and yup, it sounds pretty good. You know how we wish it was, well, a little less iPod-centric for being a regular old piece of consumer electronics and all, but hey, you know how they play the game. So how's the thing feel? Well, let's be straight up, the Hi-Fi is heavy. Like, way too heavy to want to carry with you to the cabana or the beach, as they described you might despite its alternate six D-cell power source. Click on to see some more shots!

[Riz @ Feb 28th 2006 2:56PM]

ops...i think i left my jeans on the floor.

[js @ Feb 28th 2006 2:57PM]

Is that Steve's bedroom?

[DJ @ Feb 28th 2006 2:58PM]

Ahh, the hell with Apple, let's all go watch the Origami website for a while.....

http://www.origamiproject.com/1/

[khamel @ Feb 28th 2006 2:58PM]

so this is like one of those bose sound systems with a dock connector and probably worse sound? for 350 you can get, you know, like a real sound system. but i guess mp3s cant do 5.1 anyway so whats the point of even trying.

[Whiplash @ Feb 28th 2006 3:00PM]

This thing is the perfect replacement for the massive receiver and Infinity bookshelf speakers I have sitting on the kitchen counter... IF, it sounds good. My only complaint is that it's iPod white.

Personally I'm glad that it's "heavy" as the article says. The problem with most consumer electronics is that they just feel so chinsy and cheap. At least we can assume it's engineered well.

[BobbyW @ Feb 28th 2006 3:00PM]

I wasn't interested in the boombox angle from the beginning. I'd much rather have the fm tuner they released a while back, but it doesn't work with my ipod.

There better be some serious new gear coming in April.

[Dave Zatz @ Feb 28th 2006 3:02PM]

Lame and overpriced!

[TG @ Feb 28th 2006 3:03PM]

I wonder if they actually consult real audio engineers when these companies come out with stuff like this. A horizontally aligned D'Apolito array like this guarantees major off-axis imaging and frequency response issues. Plus, the lack of a true edge driven tweeter makes it look like something Bose would put out. Not a good thing.

[Mr Angry @ Feb 28th 2006 3:04PM]

Not buying this, very unimaginative. If it had a bigger screen so you don't have to squint to see the track info on the iPod and you could manage your music with it, great, but its no where near.

[vinegar @ Feb 28th 2006 3:05PM]

why even bother making something this small stereo? its speakers face forward, there's no stereo here. it's a $350 mono speaker. reminds me of stereo alarm clocks.

[Slacker @ Feb 28th 2006 3:05PM]

That's pretty hideous. I would've thought Apple would have put a little more thought into the design

[Matty @ Feb 28th 2006 3:06PM]

So does the ipod remote function any differently when using this thing??? Can we change playlists?

[invaderluj @ Feb 28th 2006 3:07PM]

i wonder how heavy it is with the 6 d batteries...my wild guess is 25-35lbs

[Steve Jobless @ Feb 28th 2006 3:08PM]

Where's the design here? Hello? Can someone tell me if this is really an Apple product? The people at Bose are having a good day. This just made them look even better.

[Dobba @ Feb 28th 2006 3:09PM]

Why the batteries? It's not something you can take out with you and use like a portable stereo for one simple reason...

IT HAS NO CENTRE HANDLE TO CARRY IT WITH!!!

It's a two handed job or it dangles on the floor when you carry it with one of the handles at the end.

It also has no stereo imaging withthe speakers so close together.

Pointless and waaaay too expensive.

[Tyler McPheeters @ Feb 28th 2006 3:09PM]

Today was horribly disappointing... A more expensive mini, a really expensive piece of leather, and something that's probably not as nice as the equally priced Bose iPod speaker system...

Maybe this is why Apple's stock is already down 3% on the day...

Boo-yah.

[clicclic @ Feb 28th 2006 3:10PM]

THANK YOU APPLE for including (finaf*ckingly) an audio in jack on a portable,one-piece boombox that plays mp3s.

How pathetic and sad we have to thank a computer company for building a one-piece, portable mp3 player that has AUDIO IN. In the early-mid 80's EVERY SINGLE PORTABLE, ONE-PIECE BOOMBOX had audio in. Now nothing does. Why is this so difficult in the 21st century?

[David @ Feb 28th 2006 3:11PM]

did someone say "jump the shark" ?

[BBOCK @ Feb 28th 2006 3:13PM]

Meh. I love Apple, but... Meh! Seems over-priced and under-featured. If it did that wonky surround sound thing and could be used with your Mac Mini media center for movies, it might be worth it. But it has one input (other than the iPod dock). And ug---leeee. But I'll bet it'll spark a cottage industry in replaceable grids.

Seems to me you'd be far better off waiting to get one of the next gen dock coming soon. They will let you view the menus and video on the TV and pipe the audio through your existing sound system.

Color me unimpressed.

[Bjorn Keizers @ Feb 28th 2006 3:15PM]

No way in hell would I even *consider* buying it. This is basically just a fancy set of speakers with the standard remote. Hell, I could buy that universal dock, the remote, buy a $200 set of speakers and *still* have money left over and a better feature set.

[Chris @ Feb 28th 2006 3:19PM]

i still don't know why i would choose this over the bose or the ihome......but i won't have to make that decision if the 6g ipods never come out....

(still waiting for the next ipod to buy a crapload of accesories for) and ill wait.........until i have to go away for college in september

[Discosis @ Feb 28th 2006 3:19PM]

Hmmm, nice but (pet peeve rant coming) ...

http://www.apple.com/ipodhifi/ipodintegration.html

... yep, looks like ANOTHER 50Mb ipod software upgrade in the works. Isn't it about time Apple broke the firmware updates into specific models? Some of us pay by the Mb.

[Steve Jobless @ Feb 28th 2006 3:19PM]

I am crying now. Doesn't anyone have any iTissues I can use? No wait, they'd be too expensive and ugly. I'll just wipe on them on my "steve" no I mean "sleeve." Thanks for a good cry. Now gimme my money back. Freakin' ugly man.

[Mr Angry @ Feb 28th 2006 3:19PM]

18 lolololololol

[John @ Feb 28th 2006 3:20PM]

The Klipsh iFi is now being discounted at $200 (orig $400), and some people were able to pick it up for $125. Granted it's probably not as portable, but I believe that would sound much better than this one.

[baby @ Feb 28th 2006 3:27PM]

I was looking forward to the keynote for a couple of weeks now. I was underwhelmed to say the leaast. My biggest complaint today was the impression im getting from Apple. Today seemed to me an attempt to test how far they can push their loyal fanbase/customers for their money. These products and their pricing are an insult!

[Chir @ Feb 28th 2006 3:29PM]

So this mono speaker is supposed to be Hi-Fi? Which decade did we just go back to?

Oh, and Steve, a speaker is either ported or sealed. It can't be both. Get it straight.

[Ward @ Feb 28th 2006 3:31PM]

Looks like it's better designed than the Bose version (wouldn't take much), but I'm not going to toss out my real Hi-Fi like Steve. Be interested to hear it, but I'm not in the market.

[BobbyW @ Feb 28th 2006 3:32PM]

It seems like there must be more. This can't be it! An event, featuring a leather case. And what boils down to speakers.

[burt @ Feb 28th 2006 3:32PM]

Hey guys the boombox was a joke..from apple..April fool day..ou poisson d'avril..lol

[oneighturbo @ Feb 28th 2006 3:33PM]

wow. what a let down. why is apple entering this market? If they were it should have been years ago. Bose, Belkin, Griffin, Radtech...

at first glance i thought it was a center channel speaker but then BAM its huge! It now where near as stealth as it needs to be. The shots of it on the dresser, ouch.

Think of all the ent. centers out there.. I would have liked to seen the iPod somehow on the center, maybe recessed in. The iPod on top adds another 4+ inches needed on your shelf to take in/out.

What is the compatibility with older gen's / models?

The handles look kinda brutal and not ergonomic. Obviously, if this things is a tank your not going to be moving it as much. I know my G5 handles are poor. They need and inner bevel.

TuneCenter from Griffin looks more inline with a new offering that rocks!

It an odd juxtaposition; the small mobile iPod and the honkin huge HI-FI..

[BobbyW @ Feb 28th 2006 3:33PM]

24:
you are exactly right.

[e @ Feb 28th 2006 3:34PM]

I can't imagine this would compete with my Klipsch at home, but it looks like it would be comfortable with my old high-school boom box and Motley Crue tapes. Blah. (Oh, and #18 you crack me up too!)

[drunk @ Feb 28th 2006 3:34PM]

so is this thing available in black?
it doesn't make sense to offer black ipods and then bring out accessories that are just white.
although, the black ipods only come with white headphones.
doesn't jobs realize that people who buy the black ipods don't want the white headphones?

[BobbyW @ Feb 28th 2006 3:35PM]

The weight is on the apple site. 14.5 lbs without batteries!

[Ward @ Feb 28th 2006 3:36PM]

25: Technically, it's stereo, though it certainly seems like the mid drivers aren't far enough to do decent imaging. It's a design more reminiscent of a center channel speaker.

And the mids are sealed/acoustic suspension, while the bass is ported. Yes, it can be both.

[KMc @ Feb 28th 2006 3:37PM]

"IT HAS NO CENTRE HANDLE TO CARRY IT WITH!!!"

Duh, they had to throw a bone to the third parties, which will soon be releasing the iHandle, a nylon strap that connects the two handles with a foam grip in the middle.

[Steve Jobs @ Feb 28th 2006 3:39PM]

hi, i'm a troll. spam me please: [e-mail]

[Rivendale286 @ Feb 28th 2006 3:40PM]

Yeah!!! Now we can all see the downfall and selling out of Apple!!! They have all this build-up (with everybody expecting video iPods, tablet Macs, a new Newton, etc) and the only two new products are ridiculously crappy and unbelievable expensive... $100 for a freaking case? $350 for a crappy, ugly speaker?... Apple is just trying to make money off their "iPods are sooo cool" market... And there better not be a single Apple fanboy trying to defend this, these products are horrible...

[Db @ Feb 28th 2006 3:40PM]

Boom box - more like Boom there goes my iPod when it falls out the cradle when you carry it on your shoulder! LOL
Why? Would you get this when you can use any speakers with a audio jack like pc speakers?

[RobERT @ Feb 28th 2006 3:40PM]

Why does this thing remind me of a toaster?

[David Johnson @ Feb 28th 2006 3:40PM]

Exaple of how the keynote went.
Trade Time: 3:19PM ET
Change: Down 2.75 (3.87%)

[Michael Wyszomierski @ Feb 28th 2006 3:43PM]

How does it feel to control the iPod? I have the Bose SoundDock and I don't like scrolling through the menus while the iPod is docked because of the small wiggling of the connection. I don't want something to come loose on the iPod or the SoundDock.

Hopefully Apple's docking is more secure, although I would have preferred a remote clickwheel or a clickwheel built into the Hi-Fi.

[Camperton @ Feb 28th 2006 3:43PM]

my first reaction was blah.

but I think people are missing the point. nowhere on the apple site do they use the word 'portable' to descibe this. this is not a boom box but a compact speaker system for home or yard. in that context I think it's okay, if not too pricey... but so what else is new.

can't help but wonder if they'll be selling these at IKEA.

[rich @ Feb 28th 2006 3:47PM]

a quote from the apple website

"Goodbye, big stereo. Hello, iPod Hi-Fi, a beautiful, compact sound system with an integrated Universal Dock for iPod that fills the room with rich, audiophile-quality sound. It's the home stereo -- reinvented."

i wonder if the person who wrote this actually saw the hifi because it sure ain't compact and it ain't going to reinvent the home stereo. i'm going out and getting the bose and an old mac mini

[Camperton @ Feb 28th 2006 3:50PM]

that being said, I'll never buy one of these. there are third party products I like more. but for the love of God, that's the idea, some you act like Jobs is pointing a gun at your head forcing you to buy this stuff.

[Chris @ Feb 28th 2006 3:51PM]

Disappointingly flawed, in the same way as the regular docks.
I want some support BEHIND the iPod so that I can walk up to it and use
the click wheel without worrying about breaking the dock.
Sure, if you know about the flaw you can put your fingers behind the iPod and
operate the wheel with your thumb, but what happens when a visitor spots it?
"Oh wow, an iPod! {POKE} {CRACK}"

[BRuiter @ Feb 28th 2006 3:52PM]

YAAAAWWWWWWWNNNNNNN!

This is worse than a Judge Judy episode. Damn it Steve, just stick with beautifully designed products, not something like the brick speaker.

And to think my excitement level even peaked this morning. Sooooo Disappointing.

[ipod sucks @ Feb 28th 2006 3:52PM]

Ipods suck LOL @ this piece of junk

[ipod sucks @ Feb 28th 2006 3:55PM]

Oh yeah and Zen Vision:M owns all ipods