Apple iPod hi-fi

sticks-stones · 21 Jun 2006 at 14:07

Hi guys. I hope this is the right section. I was just wondering if anyone knows if Apple is likely to update their iPod hi-fi anytime soon? The retail price recently went down from £250(!) to £229 (not that much difference I know). It can be found for £200; was just wondering if its worth buying now, or waiting til a future update?

Raikiri · 21 Jun 2006 at 14:13

... buy a double ended 3.5mm jack cable thingy and plug it into the line in on your stereo. Hell of a lot cheaper

Gilly · 21 Jun 2006 at 14:35

It costs that much and you need an iPod as well?!?

sticks-stones · 21 Jun 2006 at 14:47

I def. see your point

But for those of us who already have an iPod, and who don't own a stereo, it does make some sense.

Grrrrr · 21 Jun 2006 at 14:51

£100 Amp + £129 speakers would sound about 10millions times better and louder i should think

Dr.EM · 21 Jun 2006 at 14:53

You could get a decent amplifier and speaker set for £200 though, especially second hand. This will give you better detail, volume, stereo seperation and frequency response.

pinkaardvark · 21 Jun 2006 at 15:48

Yep buying any of these products is madness. The only thing going for them is the dock. So get yourself a cheap dock with lineout and then spend the rest on a decent amp and speakers.

These companies are just coining in on the ipod phenomenon by offering sub standard or expensive options.

Hellsmk2 · 21 Jun 2006 at 15:51

Grrrrr said:
£100 Amp + £129 speakers would sound about 10millions times better and louder i should think

You should go this route. It really will sound infinately better than the ipod home stereo.

I can't see any circumstance if you already own a portable MP3 player to buy a seperate home MP3 stereo. Get a cheap amp (like a second hand NAD C320 Bee which can be had for next to nothing and is a powerful little beast) and some decent speakers and you'll be far more impressed and get more for your money.

sticks-stones · 21 Jun 2006 at 17:11

Hi guys. Thanks for all the input. Much appreciated. Does anyone have any particular recommendations as to what amp/speaker set up I should plump for?

Have scrolled through the 'So, you want a new Hi-Fi?' sticky. I know next to nothing about this stuff unfortunately. The Cambridge Audio A5 and Mission M71 stood out initially, although from what I gather, the M71's seem hard to get hold of?

Any specifics would be much appreciated. More bluntly, if I was to give you ~£200, what would you buy? Thank you

(Edit. Thought it worth mentioning that the room they are for is of small/moderate size.)

Dr.EM · 21 Jun 2006 at 18:33

Definately best to go the second hand route to get more for your money, but if you wanted first hand equiptment, a pair of Wharfedale diamond 9.0 or KEF Cresta 10's would cost a mere £100 and should have good sound in a small room like you mentioned. I used to use a Pioneer A109 amplifier, it can be had for around £120 and is suprisingly decent (build quality is not great and it is oddly not quite the full width). Doesn't have the most detail, but good tone and fair power. But yeah, if you can pick up any old NAD C320 amplifier cheap then they are very good. Its quite often possible to get older Rotel amps for bargain prices too and these are a good option (though best with less bright speakers).

ToLearn · 21 Jun 2006 at 19:37

how about a Cambridge Audio A5 with some KEF Cresta 10's can be had for under 200 pounds deliverd from a certain site so you get ya 12 months warrnty as well

fish99 · 21 Jun 2006 at 21:26

I'm no expert but I thought I'd add a few suggestions anyway. Definitely go used, you get a lot more for your money. A couple of capable amps to look at from Rotel - RA01/02 and RA971 Mk2. They'll still be able to cope just fine if you were to upgrade to better speakers in the future.

Speakers, well there's loads to look at. Mission are good value used. Wharfedale 9.1s can be had for £129 new and delivered on ebay. Monitor Audio Bronze B2 used, Mordaunt Short 902i £120 new and delivered from Forum Hi-fi, Tannoy Fusion 1/2, someone has already mentioned the Kef Crestas and there's also the Q Compacts used, Acoustic Energy Aegis Evo 1, Quad L-ites, B&W DM601 used etc.

You might have to stretch your budget a bit for some of those of course.

peter_hutson · 22 Jun 2006 at 04:49

Going back to the ipod hifi unit for a mo, I have personally tried it. IMHO it's a lovely piece of kit, very elegant and sounds great. BUT, it is way over priced. If it had either airtunes or video out built in with menu replication on screen it would be a must have accessory for the ipod. As it is I'd give it a miss until Apple release an updated model and then have another look.

EDIT
ohhhh, Just found a product by DLO, called the sound dock. Have a google, it would be a nice addon to a set of speakers/amp when apired with the TV. Again a bit pricety thoough