The Geneva Sound System: 600 watts made for iPod
posted Nov 15th 2005 8:30AM
Can we let you in on a secret…we're tired of all those wimpy iPod sound accessories pushing tin-speakers with single-digits of wattage which get cranked out by anyone with access to a machine press, a roll of plastic, and some white paint. So when a 600 watt RMS "made for iPod" rumbler shows up…well, we just start salivating like one of Pavlov's pets. Oh sure, they don't have any actual product shots up yet (just renderings) and you can only pre-order, but there is no doubt that the Geneva Sound System designs are hot. These puppies come in L or XL models slammin' 100 to 600 watts-o-tie-flapping-power respectively. Each unit features an iPod Universal Dock connector, a built-in slot-loading CD, and FM radio all controllable by included remote. An LED display under the front cover shows input and track playing which is a good start. But if they could just scroll the now playing artist and track all Holzer-truism-like across the entire face then we might be willing to throw down the $1,075 for the XL model or $599 for the L. Said to be available this "fall"... hopefully meaning the northern hemisphere. More pics after the break.
[Thanks, Johanna]
Montage of products
Top-down view
Those aren't even _good_ photoshops.
I have a great idea for a product: it's a base station that you can put your iPod in and attach to ANY home stereo with a cable (included!). It could sit there all the time, y'know, leaning back at a casual angle perfect for reading the screen from above. And it could be white to match the iPod. And it could act as a charger too!
With such a device I'd be able to spend my money on really quality audio components instead of paying some stupid company that got a license to the iPod docking port to make a mediocre or overpriced speaker system.
Would somebody please make that product? Puuuuhleeeeezzzeee?
If the actual product ends up looking good, I might be in for one of the smaller ones. Not that one should pick audio products based on looks alone, but it would go work really well in a modern-furnished room.
that things a freakin' box...ive seen smaller computer speakers with just good of specs.
MP3 is compressed, of course, so the sound quality is pretty mediocre. It can't be improved by running amplifying and playing through big speakers.
It never ceases to amaze me how many of these iPod docks are released for the home audio market. Why? The iPod DAC's are crappy, and who wants to listen to compressed mp3 and aac on audiophile quality speakers anyway?
The only way one of these products make sense is if you use lossless or at least 328kbps, and the unit you use simply reads the iPod's HDD and uses it's own, higher quality, DAC's.
The Geneva Labs iPod speaker system is nice looking unit. Too bad my order of the L model took over 4 months to ship, then I received a product with a hardware issue. It took me a little while to notice it and report - 36 days after the ship date. Now I have to pay up to send it back and be repaired. Hard to believe some of these companies will admit to shipping a DOA, but then shield themselves with their warranty agreement. Sure, legally they might be in the right, but that doesn't make for a satisfied customer.
As long as I'm venting, I'd also like to point out some of what I see are the unit's shortcomings - other than the fact that mine doesn't work properly. It can only be operated by a remote control, which does not have any way to navigate the iPod itself. You need to operated the iPod itself, while it is loaded in the unit's dock, which seems a bit precarious.
.
um, #1
why don't you just find a
1/8" (3.5mm) stereo miniplug
to
L/R RCA plug
adapter
hook up iPod to
nice amp/receiver and speakers
and you're done
something like this
http://www.cablesforless.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=889
costs $2.99
cheaper than you could make one
.
on your own with the power though
.
re: #1 -- such a device exists... it's called the universal dock.. it doesn't come with the cable to hook up to your stereo but come on... $7 at radioshack and you're money.
>> I have a great idea for a product: it's a base station that you can put your iPod in and attach to ANY home stereo with a cable (included!). ..Would somebody please make that product? <<
They already do. It's called the HomeDock, and comes from Digital Lifestyle Outfitters:
www.dlo.com
If you have a photo or video iPod, it also lets you send the visuals to your TV or home theater receiver using a component video cable (included) or an S-video cable (optional).
OK, it's black instead of white, but it works great.
I'm not sure I like the idea of large megnetic devices adjacent to magnetic recordable media! It would be nice to simply have Wi-Fi based active spealers, or just use an Airport Express. The controls could be integrated nicely.
Put stereo speakers in one box so that you can't place them optimally and get good sereo sepparation? Brilliant idea.
You can do better for the money. You're paying for fashion, or a photoshopped facsimile thereof.
4: Actually, the sound of mp3s can be improved by playing them over a more expensive system. They sound better over my home stereo than they would on a boombox. There's a logical limit, but odds are you aren't there yet.
Do you think maybe #1 was using a little sarcasm? Maybe just a little bit? A teensy-weensy bit of sarcasm. What do you think Einstein? Just a tidbit maybe. Huh, what about you Sherlock? What do your awesome deductive powers tell you?
(I would put a smiley wink emoticon thing here if I did that sort of thing)
Make the entire closure waterproof (speaker and ipod compartment). Sell it as outdoor audio equipment.
Be great for people who entertain on their patios and backyards.
What's so great about this announcement is someone will hack together a version of this by next tuesday. And we'll all laugh.
Okay maybe not.
Wow! You could double the number of songs on your iPod after you convert them to mono for this POS!
And, it's perfect for all those people with little common sense and too much money who practically live in the Apple store or the adjacent Brookstone.
Are you guys stupid? MP3 is a compressed format. But then again, if you knew what Im talking about, no idiot would base their sound system on an iPod.
Here's a tip - only use the iPod in the train - travelling to and from work. BTW, I've seen idiots playing mp3s in their laptop in the train so the world is full of 'em.