Friedrich Nietzsche once said, "Without music, life would be a mistake." And the millions of iPods sold prove that Freddy was onto something. So it makes sense that after you’ve come home after a workout, a walk in the park, or your daily commute, you take out the earbuds - and you still want to listen. You need an iPod speaker rig to broadcast your music for all to hear. Because, you know, life does go on.

 

Along with the iPod's popularity, the iPod speaker market has exploded. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of speakers to pick and choose from. We've defined four common use scenarios and cherry-picked three speakers systems for each: a home-entertainment setup, a compact music player for the bedroom or den, a portable option for short day trips, and one for when you take longer journeys away from home. The devices all have docks to receive an audio feed from your iPod. And if you have a dockless iPod, the speakers have line-in jacks for connecting a cable from your player’s headphone jack.

 

As we found, not all iPod speakers offer the same set of features or provide the same audio quality. And they certainly don't fall in the same price range. Still, our findings will help you vastly narrow the field the next time you find yourself contemplating a wall of iPod speaker options.

 

Follow along over the next four pages to discover our top picks in four categories: Home Entertainment, Around the House, Out and About, and Travel.

 

 

 

---

HOME ENTERTAINMENT

 

While we'd stop short of recommending that you replace your "real" speakers with these iPod systems, this trio of sound boxes nicely complements your existing home-theater setup. Like you, we're looking forward to the day when everything in our home-entertainment system is seamlessly integrated. For now, these speakers can fill your living room or family room with your iPod tunes.

 

A good size for smaller living rooms.

 

M602

Just because you barely have room in your living room for a couch, a table or two, and your TV doesn’t mean you have to settle for a subpar iPod speaker stand. We're sure you can find room for Altec Lansing's 14-by-8.2-by-5.4-inch M602. And if you can't find shelf space, you can always hang it with the free (but available separately) wall-mounting kit. Just be sure to find a spot near your TV so you can use the device's video-out jack, or near your Mac so you can connect the M602 and sync your iPod with iTunes.

 

The M602 uses LED lights to indicate the volume, treble, and bass levels as you adjust them, either with the remote or via the controls on top of the unit. It's a good thing these controls are easy to access, because we found ourselves adjusting them frequently. Sometimes the high treble wasn't strong enough, and the bass was inconsistent. And you don't want to turn the M602 up too loud - that sends you into a world of distortion.

 

One last quibble: The M602 doesn't include iPod dock adapters. The dock conforms to the iPod Universal Dock specification, and you can dock your iPod sans adapter, but then your iPod leans against the M602's grill. You may want to invest $9 in a three-pack of adapters for your particular iPod from the online Apple Store (www.apple.com).

 

M602

Altec Lansing

www.alteclansing.com

$199.95

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

No frills, just great sound quality.

 

iGroove HG

Choose the Klipsch iGroove HG if you want superior sound quality - because that's pretty much all you get. (Not that we’re knocking it.)

 

The iGroove HG's sweet sound comes from its pair of 1-inch tweeters and dual 2.5-inch woofers. They create a balanced sound with clarity that isn't too bass heavy. The device doesn't have any controls to tweak the audio - you can control volume but that's it. The included remote has about a 20-foot range, good for most rooms, but you have to rely mostly on the iPod for control.

 

Your iPod charges while it's docked, but the iGroove HG doesn't have a video-out jack, USB or FireWire connectivity, or any other frills for that matter. Some may want more for $200, but for others, a device whose strength is its audio quality is worth that much.

 

iGroove HG

Klipsch

www.klipsch.com

$199.99

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Turns your iPod into a true entertainment center.

 

Model L The Geneva Labs Model L is a beast of an iPod speaker, but it’s also a CD player and FM radio. The 17.6-by-14.2-by-11.5-inch, nearly 40-pound box houses a pair of 1-inch tweeters and two 5.25-inch woofers. Whether you mount it on the optional aluminum stand ($119) or set it on the floor, it'll start conversations (or silence them) with its good looks and truly stunning sound quality.

 

Of all the speakers we tested, the Model L was the loudest, and it suffered no distortion. It can turn your family room into a veritable music venue. The Model L also offered the best stereo separation, which is difficult for all-in-one enclosures to do. The bass and treble controls give you an amazingly wide range, so you can always get the right mix. The Model L lacks a subwoofer, which could make the sound that much more complete—but that's a nitpick because the sound is quite satisfying.

 

An LED display shows volume, treble, and bass levels, as well as the audio source. The remote is on the hefty side, and it requires a line of sight to work well. There’s an RCA line-in jack for connecting additional audio sources, and the CD player can play back discs with MP3s.

 

At $600 - three times what other speakers cost - the Model L is a sizeable investment. But it seems fitting, since the Model L stands in a class all its own.

 

Model L

Geneva Labs

www.genevalab.com

$599

 

 

BONUS: More Home Entertainment Speakers

Apple's iPod Hi-Fi surprisingly lacks video and Mac connections, and its audio quality is best with popular music. Logitech's AudioStation has a 3D stereo feature that widens the sound field for better stereo separation. Bose's SoundDock was one of the first to popularize the speaker-grill-behind-the-iPod design, and few have come close to its sound quality.

 

---

AROUND THE HOUSE

 

We don't know about you, but we're sick of waking up to morning zoo radio. We went in search of a way to use our iPod to rise and shine to the music of our choice. The three speakers in this section all have radio alarm clocks, making them ideal bedside companions, but there's no reason why they can't tuck into a corner of the den, kitchen, or living room.

 

Your basic iPod alarm clock with a love-it-or-leave-it design.

 

iH4

Besides its Art Deco design, there's not much to the iHome iH4. You can use it as an alarm clock or have its sleep function send you to dreamland with your iPod's tunes. It also has a built-in tone alarm, a snooze button, a remote, and a line-in jack for connecting other players.

 

Fortunately, the iH4 doesn't take up much room, but then again, you either think the wedge-shaped design is hip or weird. If you're undecided, here's the tipping point: The two front corners and the LCD light up. Cool? Hokey? We can't decide. At least the lighting has three brightness settings, and you can turn it off. Another design nitpick is that the iH4 places the iPod dock in a prominent position, but when there's no iPod, the dock connector protrudes noticeably, distracting you from the speaker's overall appearance.

 

The iH4 uses a single speaker that produces a flat sound overall with limited range. iHome includes an Expanded Bass feature that gives your music more weight in the low range and improves the overall audio quality. For a small to medium-size bedroom, the speaker does its job. But it's not going to transform a room into a mini concert hall.

 

IH4

iHome

www.ihomeaudio.com

$49.99

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Decent sound, decent features, decent product.

 

iYiYi

iPod music played on Tivoli Audio's iYiYi (pronounced eye-yai-yai) sounds clear, with accurate midtone sounds. The audio is a bit clipped at the high and low ends, and while the bass is tangible, it doesn't drop heavily, which might disappoint some hip-hop fans. We also heard a tiny bit of distortion at louder volumes.

 

If radio is important to you, you'll appreciate the iYiYi's Radio Data System, which displays on the LCD the AM or FM radio station and artist/song info for songs played on the airwaves.

 

The iYiYi's remote control does something that only one of the other speakers in this roundup (the George, below) can: It lets you access your iPod's menus. The other speakers only have volume and track controls. The remote's buttons aren't as breezy as a clickwheel. Then again, we've found the clickwheel to be a bit clumsy to handle on a docked iPod.

 

Though we're not sure who'd use it, the iYiYi has a mix input to connect other audio sources and allow audio to play on top of what the iYiYi is playing. There's also a line-out jack so you can send the iYiYi's audio to another device for recording. Among the missing features: a snooze button for the alarm, video-out, and a Mac connection.

 

iYiYi

Tivoli Audio

www.tivoliaudio.com

$299.99

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

So good, you'll want one in every room in your house - if you can afford it.

 

George

Although it looks like an oversized alarm clock, Chestnut Hill Sound's George is much more. The front-docking remote uses an iPod-like software interface, and you use a dial and its surrounding set of buttons to swiftly navigate the controls. When your iPod is docked, you get the same controls on the remote as you would on your iPod - how cool is that? Better yet, the remote uses its eight FM preset buttons to divvy up your tunes alphabetically, so you don't have to spin the dial 'round and 'round to find a song. And the remote doesn't have to be docked for the alarm to go off, so you can place the main unit against the opposite wall, facing your bed (for the best audio position), and keep the remote in easy reach. (A separate charging stand for the remote is available for $50.)

 

The sound detail George can produce is quite impressive. It does well with all kinds of music, reproducing a wide range of sounds with clarity and warmth. One advantage George has over other iPod speakers in general is the ability to fine-tune bass and treble levels, which lets you tweak the sound for the type of music you're playing.

 

George has a couple of quirks, such as the remote's low battery life. It also overrides your docked iPod's controls. It's not quite a complete package, but it's very, very close.

 

George

Chestnut Hill Sound

www.chillsound.com

$549

 

 

BONUS: More Speakers for Other Corners of the House
iHome’s iH5 costs $50 more than the iH4, but it has more features and better sound. The artsy arch design of JBL’s On Time is a nice departure from your typical alarm clock radio. Rain Design’s iWoofer doesn’t have a clock, but it does have a radio tuner and won’t take up a lot of space.

 

---

OUT AND ABOUT

 

Your picnic in the park or day at the beach isn't complete without music. These three speaker systems all are battery operated for outdoor use. Play it loud and proud, but don't be rude. Not everyone wants to hear the greatest hits of Hall and Oates on full volume while they're trying to enjoy a day out.

 

Boomin' speaker that's built tough.

 

inMotion iM9

Altec Lansing's inMotion iM9 doesn’t look like a boom box, but you can't miss its clean, booming sound. It can't double as a set of high-quality home speakers, but offers a lot more than we expected from a portable system. Plus, the 4-pound, 11-by-7.8-by-3-inch speaker has a shock-resistant design that uses heavy-duty plastic parts to soften any blows.

 

While the iM9 excels in the audio department, it also has some severe limitations. For example, it lacks a remote and a handle, but it does come with a backpack that can hold extra batteries (the iM9 uses four C batteries), a small mobile phone, a can of Red Bull, and an issue of Mac|Life folded in thirds. Also, the volume buttons can be difficult to press.

 

And the iM9 has an odd quirk. When you turn it off, your iPod continues to play. In other speaker stands we tested, the docked iPod switched to charging-only mode when the speaker is powered down.

 

inMotion iM9

Altec Lansing

www.alteclansing.com

$199.95

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Affordable out-and-about boom box.

 

iH31

iHome's iH31 is an inexpensive boom box to pump out your iPod tunes at the beach or around the campfire. You probably won't use the iH31 as you ramble down your block - its handle is better designed for the short trip from your car to your picnic spot.

 

The 15.1-by-5.6-by-5.6-inch unit can use eight C batteries or the included 12-volt adapter. It also has an FM radio and can store six presets, though we wish it had an AM radio so we could listen to a ballgame.

 

Your iPod, including the first-gen shuffle, fits securely in a cradle, and a plastic shield protects it from stray Frisbees. The remote lets you control the volume, tracks, and FM presets, but there's no place on the iH31 for you to stash it. The speaker comes in black, silver, or white.

 

The iH31's speakers produce good midrange and bass. But for a boom box, it lacks serious boom. Still, if you like to turn it up, you'll like the iH31's ability to go full volume without distortion.

 

iH31

iHome

www.ihomeaudio.com

$99.99

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

With its cool looks and thumping sound, this boom box is sure to draw a crowd.

 

Go + Play

Harman Kardon's Go + Play has just what we want in a boom box: powerful sound and a design that’ll stop 'em in the streets. Its two front tweeters and pair of rear woofers are all encased in a black-and-silver arc of style and sophistication. The Go + Play produces such a complete, clean sound that you may want to use it as your main home speaker system.

 

Unlike speaker stands that display your iPod prominently, the Go + Play lays it flat, which makes accessing the clickwheel easier and adds a sense of security in public places. The basic remote can control the volume and tracks, and it tucks into a compartment on the main unit. Rubber caps cover the USB and S-Video ports when they're not in use. At 20 by 9.5 by 9 inches and weighing nearly 7 pounds with its eight D batteries, the Go + Play isn't the thing to take on a 20-mile hike. But for outdoor events where music is key to the fun, the Go + Play is your go-to speaker set.

 

Go + Play

Harman Kardon

www.harmankardon.com

$349.95

 

 

BONUS: More Out and About Speakers

MTX Audio's iThunder looks like a typical boom box. jWIN Electronics' iLuv i552 has an AM/FM radio. You probably have the tubular design of Altec Lansing's inMotion iM7 etched into your memory. But its handle is too uncomfortable for carrying long distances.

 

---

TRAVEL

 

Leaving on a jet plane? On the road to nowhere? Take your iPod with you and fill your hotel room with your favorite songs. Here are three sets of travel speakers that can fit in your luggage and ease your journey down any long and winding road.

 

Travel alarm clock with sleep functions and better-than-decent sound quality.

 

iBoom Travel

Available in black or white, the DLO iBoom Travel is not only a speaker rig, it's also an alarm clock. Instead of putting your faith in the clock on the hotel nightstand, you can pack your own alarm.

 

Measuring 8.75 by 4.75 by 2.25 inches and weighing about a pound, the iBoom Travel comes with a travel pouch and is small enough to stash in an overnight bag. It can run off four AA batteries or a power adapter, and it also has an FM radio. The sleep function lets you drift off to music for 15 to 120 minutes before it automatically shuts off.

 

Although the sound is quite clean, it lacks warmth and can't hit high notes. But the bass is decent and the midrange tones are good for such small speakers. You can find smaller travel speakers, but they won’t sound as good as the iBoom Travel. The only things missing are a port for connecting to a Mac, video-out for a TV connection, and a remote control.

 

iBoom Travel

DLO

www.dlo.com

$89.99

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Powerful portable speaker that’s priced right.

 

AudioStation Express

Of the three systems tested in this category, the Logitech AudioStation Express has the best sound. It can reach high volumes without distortion, its bass drops heavily, and it has excellent warmth. The only place where the audio falters is the high treble sound. But for most popular music, the AudioStation Express simply rocks.

 

You'll probably want to put the AudioStation Express in your checked luggage - at 11.75 by 4.75 by 3.31 inches, it may be a bit big to lug onto the plane. The speaker has a video-out jack, but no Mac connection. The remote lets you adjust the volume and change tracks, but it didn't work if we moved more than 45 degrees from the center of the speaker. The AudioStation Express lacks a clock and alarm, but you do have the option of using six AA batteries instead of a power adapter.

 

AudioStation Express

Logitech

www.logitech.com

$99.99

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Compact speaker system that's on the pricey side but sounds great.

 

i-Station 8

With its eight - that's right, we said eight - 1.25-inch speaker drivers and a built-in 2.5-inch subwoofer, the Logic3 i-Station 8 adds some panache to your room at the Holiday Inn. The drivers (2 watts each) and the 8-watt subwoofer fit inside a 7.8-by-8.5-by-3-inch box that you can pack inside a typical carry-on bag.

 

The i-Station 8 doesn't have a clock or a radio; it's strictly an iPod speaker and dock, complete with composite and S-Video connectors for a TV connection, and a 30-pin dock connector so you can use your iPod cable to connect to your Mac. Don't feel like packing the power adapter? Use six AA batteries instead. This li'l unit's speakers pack a lot of punch, with thumping bass response and good overall sound that'll fill a standard-size bedroom.

 

The i-Station 8's biggest downside is its status LCD. If you dock an iPod that's set to a song you want to hear, the i-Station 8 automatically sends you to the main iPod menu. Once you find your song again, however, the LCD displays your song's title, which is helpful from about 15 feet when you're using the remote control. But the LCD's pixelated display looks a bit cheap - and at $180, the i-Station 8 certainly isn't.

 

i-Station-8

Logic3

www.logic3usa.com

$179.99

 

 

BONUS: More Travel Speakers

Logic3's i-Station 3 is about half the size of the i-Station 8. ezGear's ezSound 2.1 Speaker System can fit in a cargo pants pocket. And Altec Lansing's inMotion iM3 can slip into the side pocket of a notebook case.