http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
Simmer down, it's ok.

However, audiophiles don't source their music from an iPod...]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
...are you serious?
It's the NEWS, deal with it.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
Who decides what is newsworthy then. Alabama farm news about missing pigs is news. For some. ]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/What. You mean that Apple did not invent music and that ir may be possible to obtain music from other sources than from an Apple product?

That is truly amazing.

]]>Jul 23rd 2010 4:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 4:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
Certainly. And any audiophile worth their salt knows that and how to accomplish it. They also have all of their music ripped in Apple Lossless or Wav.

That said those audiophiles would be looking at a Wadia 171 iTransport with a 151 PowerDAC mini. Then pair it with a pair of B & W CM 5s and you have yourself a nice little bookshelf system for the office.

Either that or just get a B & W Zeppelin or MicroMega WM-10 Airstream. Both with their own advantages and price points.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 11:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/This was my first thought. iPods have some of the worst sound I've ever heard.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/ALAC is lossless.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/If what you meant by "good" sound is highly distorted sound with special effects like BBE, xxxBass, over-inflated EQ, then yes, the iPods don't sound "good." But if one wants a neutral sound, iPods are some of the best sounding ones out there. Not to mention gapless support.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
LOL.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 4:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 4:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
They say "Audiophile" because of the Onkyo brand; evidently they have NO IDEA of who are the big ones in the Audiophile and high-end multimedia world. Engadget likes making fun of its own editors. Still if the connection is USB then there's no real problem. If the docked one uses the analog outputs of the iPod then meh.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 5:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
true, but you can always use Apple Lossless format]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
Which is not really Lossless either]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
Nice, but still lacking a bit in the low end...

(cue silly comment about someone's rear end).]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/I guess you fail at understanding the world lossless.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 4:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
Onkyo - High end in EU, Makes cheap products for US market
Jeep - Luxury in EU - Average in US
Bose - Crap in EU - THE sound brand in the US
Klipsch - Who? EU - Epic in the US
Nokia - Cool in EU (still), Not so cool in US
]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
Onkyo... not exactly high end, but quite high. Like Marantz I'd say.
BOSE isn't considered crap in the EU, it's considered crap by those who know about audio. Though the average consumer might not care as much about BOSE.
Klipsch... heard of them, but yeah, they are not that well known.
Nokia... not cool anymore (IMHO). Perhaps to the average non-gadget-nerd.

I think it has a lot to do with availability. In the EU we don't get crappy picture frames from Onkyo (AFAIK) or Klipsch speakers (though that is starting to change).]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Bose?! Talk about perceptions being skewed. Bose stands for buy other sound equipment.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 3:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 4:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
I would say brand perception varies greatly from person to person. Onkyo used to be thought of as higher end but like all brands trying to survive, the price generally gives way like Denon and Marantz. There are only a select few that need or even know what to do with a $5k stereo and I am certainly not one of them.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 4:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
Brand perception in the US and the EU depends on who you talk to in either country. ]]>Jul 23rd 2010 7:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
You forgot about Polk.]]>Jul 24th 2010 10:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 24th 2010 11:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 3:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
Nicely put. Although Klipsch is known more in some countries. In Italy it's a fairly known brand, in nordic countries never heard-of.

In most HI-FI review magazines that I've seen Onkyo usually either wins or comes close. And they are competing against Denon, Maranz, NAD etc. So - no high end, but consumer high end definitely.

And a side note: BOSE is excellent for professional (disco disco disco) where you need the maximum BASS. So if you're a disco freak, BOSE is for you. Definitely.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 4:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 4:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 4:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Just because you own an iPod doesn't disqualify you as an audiophile. IMO - an audiophile is someone who listens to music for the pure enjoyment of the music as a singular focus. When you want to do that away from your home rig, what are you gonna do? Lug around a cart with a full hi-fi setup?]]>Jul 23rd 2010 4:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 5:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
A pretty typical Apple-user comment. "There's no other product in the world that can play music on the go!"

There are other ways to do it. First, you get good headphones. Then you get pretty much anything but an Apple player. Then you get a portable amp. Then you load your non-Apple player up with FLAC songs and you're set.

Audiophile, from Wikipedia:
"An audiophile is a hobbyist who seeks high-quality audio reproduction via the use of specialized high-end audio electronics."]]>Jul 23rd 2010 5:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 10:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
I somewhat agree with what you said, except for that whole "iphone users are people too" part.

My point is, if you're really an audiophile an iPod should not be your first choice. Apparently this Onkyo thing can bypass the crapiness but still, if you're an audiophile you likely don't have an iPod and already have something else. Sure, people can spend a lot of money to get an iPod, that's great, but it seems irrelevant to me.]]>Jul 24th 2010 6:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
The journalists definition of the area is also lacking, leaving us wonder where on Earth is "Onkyo, known in these parts for everything from digiframes to a rather wild selection of PCs". Where? In Alaska? Uganda? Your parts of the globe is not the same as other parts of the globe. Without having a good listen to the set, you've made your opinion known - which is ignorance is bliss???

Engadget is known throughout the world of it's insightful reporting, and quite often ironic and witty commenting. I love this site, but for some odd reason, this news peace didn't quite sit well with me. You still are reporting globally. Not only in Alaska!]]>Jul 23rd 2010 4:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 4:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
If you want true lossless, you'd have to listen to nothing but live music - a bit inconvenient.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 5:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Jul 23rd 2010 5:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/
The bookshelf system has been completely abandoned in recent years. I've been cranking a Denon that's been discontinued for years and has very few goodies on it. This is great.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 5:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/home-audio-shocker-onkyo-aims-new-compact-systems-at-audiophil/Onkyo and audiophile should also not be used in the same sentence.

They do make good consumer equipment for the money though.]]>Jul 23rd 2010 5:13PM