Altec Lansing inMotion Speaker Dock with FM Radio for Zune (Black)

by Altec Lansing

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 11.8 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B002USUMPI
• Item model number: IM414V2
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Crank up the volume of your Zune HD or Zune player with the Altec Lansing inMotion IM414v2, a powerful portable stereo system that delivers anytime-anywhere listening enjoyment. Featuring twin bass-enhanced neodymium speakers and Audio Alignment technology, the IM414v2 delivers bold, crystal-clear sound. With a built-in FM radio, HD radio technology, and input jacks for CD, DVD, and MP3 players, the IM414v2 is a versatile must-have for your active audio lifestyle.

The inMotion IM414v2 At a Glance: Full-range stereo sound for Zune and Zune HD Neodymium speakers and Audio Alignment technology for outstanding full-bodied sound Included wireless remote and universal input jack Built-in FM radio

Powerful, Amplified Zune Playback
Your Zune HD or Zune player is cradled securely as the inMotion IM414v2 delivers a full range of crystal-clear sound. Utilizing Altec Lansing's proprietary Audio Alignment craftsmanship, the IM414v2 delivers a natural, balanced audio performance that lets you hear music the way artists intended. The system's twin neodymium speakers combine with surround effect and bass-enhanced technology to widen the stereo image and boost the bass without the need for a subwoofer. The inMotion IM414v2 immerses you in full-bodied sound--the way your Zune was meant to be heard.

Listen to your Zune and Zune HD in full-range stereo sound. View larger.

FM and HD Radio Technology
The "Designed for Zune" stamp means that the IM414v2 is engineered to enable the enhanced capabilities of the Zune HD player, including its HD radio. This allows you to enjoy the crisp, powerful sound of many local HD radio stations at no extra cost with Zune HD. And the IM414v2's built-in digital FM radio provides entertainment even when your Zune player is not handy.

Compatibile with All Zune HD and Zune Players
The inMotion IM414v2 is compatible with the 4, 8, and 16 GB Scorpion, the 30 GB, the 80 and 120 GB Dragon, and the 16 and 32 GB Zune HD. The IM414v2's sleek black design features a docking station at its center, which securely cradles your Zune and recharges its battery. No additional setup or software is necessary--simply plug in your Zune, and it's ready to play.

A Multipurpose Home Audio System
In addition to its Zune playback capabilities, the inMotion IM414v2 features an onboard FM radio with a built-in antenna. An included wireless remote gives you the freedom to listen to Zune or radio playback from anywhere in the house.

The inMotion features a universal input jack that makes it compatible with a range of other media. Use the system to amplify the sound of your MP3 or CD player, or connect it to your DVD player to watch movies with pristine audio.

The Altec Lansing inMotion IM414v2 is backed by a one-year manufacturer's limited warranty.

About Audio Alignment
Whether it's the tiniest of earbuds or the most imposing of subwoofers, Altec Lansing has refined every detail of its speakers to provide you with the most accurate sound reproduction and quality. Audio Alignment ensures that the key audio components work together to deliver your music the way it is meant to be heard, offering the perfect balance of your speaker system's drivers, enclosure, and electronics. For 70 years, Altec Lansing has been refining this process, bringing your speakers to life with advanced technologies that make them sing.

What's in the Box
IM414v2 digital speaker system, wireless remote, power supply, international plug set (international box only), user's guide, and quick connect instructions.

The inMotion IM414v2 is great whether you have guests over or you're relaxing by yourself.

Product Description

Portable Speaker with FM Tuner for Zune and Zune HD. Drivers, enclosure and electronics are balanced for optimum sound. Full-range custom-designed speakers and surround effect technology combine to widen the audio image. Bass enhancement technology delivers quality bass without a subwoofer. Its the perfect music companion around the kitchen, bedroom, or workshop. Built-in dock recharges your Zune or Zune HD player when powered on. FM radio with convenient remote controls and station presets, LCD display, and antenna. Enjoy the crystal-clear sound of many local HD Radio stations at no extra cost with Zune HD. Battery life - 8 x D (LR20) batteries provide up to 30 hours of continuous playing time 7-band graphic equalizer Multiple EQ modes let you select your sound Digital FM radio -Tune in to clean reception with antenna Infra-red (IR) remote control and onboard unit controls Automatically pauses music when a call is received on the iPhone Convenient side grab handles Unique design is immune to mobile phone interference; no need to switch to airplane mode Plug in or lose the wires with up to 30 hours of play using 8 D batteries Charges docked iPod/iPhone Unit Dimensions - 19.7 (W) x 9.3 (D) x 7.7 (H)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent Sound, But Left Wanting More, December 21, 2009

By 

techdad review (San Francisco Bay Area) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Altec Lansing inMotion Speaker Dock with FM Radio for Zune (Black) (Electronics)

(What's this?)

The Altec Lansing inMotion iM414v2 is an updated version of the iM414, which had a some fans and nearly as many detractors. Did Altec Lansing, a Plantronics company, get it right this time?

PROS:
- Good sound
- Easy to read LCD display
- FM tuner w/3 presets
- Aux-in
- Remote included
- Bass boost option helps
- Nice build quality
- AC or battery-operated (3xAA)
- Supports HD radio from Zune HD
- Now includes 3 adapters for multiple Zune support

CONS:
- Sound quality not as good as others, including other Altec Lansings
- Wire FM antenna difficult to tune and messy
- No clock function
- Mediocre value

Altec Lansing markets this as being for the home and office. I would have no problem using the iM414v2 in either location. Is it small enough to share space on my desks and provides good enough sound to be a compliment to any desk or shelf space. It does not however, take the place of my desktop multimedia system, which is not what the iM414v2 is intended for anyways.

SOUND QUALITY
For the size of the unit, I was quite impressed with the sound quality. The bass boost really does add some thump to the music, though the surround effect had very little effect. The high's were reasonably good but I found the mids to be rather bland. Again, these are portable speakers, so overall, the sound quality is good. The volume setting only goes to 30, but if you turn up the volume to max on your player, the speakers will present major distortion at 30.

FM TUNER
I found the tuning capabilities of the iM414v2 to be somewhat poor. The wire antenna is extremely long and not very effective just dangling towards the ground. I had to tape the antenna to the wall in order to get the best reception. I would have preferred a telescoping antenna like the MIX iMT800. You get 3 FM presets as well.

MISC
The build quality on the all plastic unit feels solid. The auxiliary line-in is a nice to have. Altec Lansing has now also included 3 different dock adapters for those with the Zune HD and older Zune's. The Zune will charge if the iM414v2 is on AC power but not on battery power, which is rated at 24 hour run-time. The LCD display is nice and clean but why not include a clock? Also, the warranty is just 1 year but if you register the speakers at Altec Lansing's website, they will extend your warranty to 2 years. Given some of the build issues from the original iM414, I would highly recommend everyone to register to get their free extended warranty.

SUMMARY
Overall, the Altec Lansing inMotion iM414v2 is a good speaker dock for the Zune. Time will tell if firmware changes improved on the older iM414. MSRP is rather high for such a basic speaker dock, but Zune users do not have many options other than using pre-existing AV equipment. If you've been getting by on your current configuration, I'd probably stick to that. If however, you didn't have your Zune connected to anything or would like something for the office, the iM414v2 is a decent option.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice unit with surprisingly good bass and rich overall sound, December 29, 2009

By 

K. Salinger "MBA, RN, RRT, sFNP" (Bay Area, California) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Altec Lansing inMotion Speaker Dock with FM Radio for Zune (Black) (Electronics)

(What's this?)

I wasn't sure what to expect from this Altec Lansing unit as I hadn't really heard of the brand before. However, I was very pleasantly surprised and pleased. The unit runs on a wall plug but also has batteries for portable use (box says 24 hours on battery - did not test battery length). It is very lightweight and compact with most controls on the unit, but also a remote control which has two additional buttons for bass boost and surround sound mode. Doesn't really have instructions other than some Ikea style pictorials on one small sheet of paper. However, the controls are quite intuitive and not hard to figure out at all.

I'm often hard to please with speakers because I like A LOT of bass....very deep and rich. I have the JBL on tour JBL On Tour Portable Speaker System ( Black ) which does not have rich bass and which I found very disappointing, so I didn't really expect too much from this Altec Lansing unit. JBL is supposed to be so great afterall, so how could this unknown brand possibly be better, right? Well it is better - significantly so!

The Altec Lansing unit offers nice deep rich bass and overall rich tones. The volume range is great - it gets quite loud w/o distortion or loss of highs or lows. Initially I didn't realize this, but when my zune is attached it charges it as well - quite handy. You still operate your zune and the speaker unit seperately (turn on zune, turn on speakers - it does not function as one unit when attached). Volume can be adjusted on your zune and/or on your speaker unit. The speaker unit also has an am/fm radio, but as I don't listen to the radio and don't really get good reception in the valley where I live I didn't bother trying this out.

I tend to listen to a mix of music styles: a lot of acid jazz, ambient house, chill type stuff (morcheeba, theivery conspiracy, greyboy, etc.), reggae, jam bands (Grateful dead et. al., sky cries mary, widespread panic...), and coffee house rock type stuff. Most all of what I listen to benefits from heavy bass except for the Grateful dead type stuff & some of the coffee house style. With this unit I kept the bass boost and surround sound mode on except for the Grateful dead/jam band style which seemed to benefit from taking off the bass boost but leaving on the surround sound mode. All had great sound with this unit except for some of my Grateful dead at low volume. Some of the vocals and background sound was lost on low volume although this was primarily on live recordings - the studio sets were fine. This isn't necessarily the fault of the speaker set though, as I've noticed this with other speakers as well.

The speakers I had used as my primaries before obtaining this unit were the soundsticks Harman/kardon SoundSticks II - 2.1-channel PC multimedia speaker system - 40 Watt (total)which have wonderful sound, but look like sci fi jellyfish or something otherworldly. They weren't my first choice for aesthetics in my living room, but the sound quality is great and after disappointments with the JBL on tour and other units I decided that aesthetics were worth giving up in favor of a nice rich sound. However, now that I have this Altec Lansing unit and have used it for about a week I've decided to keep the Altec Lansing unit in the living room and move the soundsticks elsewhere. This has worked out great, as the Altec Lansing unit takes up very little space (footprint is less than two paperback fiction novels placed side by side) yet still fills my livingroom/den/kitchen with great, rich sound.

One consideration: Upon opening the box there was a note that the Zune unit may need an update to the latest firmware in order to work with the speakers and to do that first before trying out the speaker unit. Well, my Zune is less than a year old 120 gb Zune 120 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) so I decided to give it a try w/o checking the firmware to see if it needed an upgrade or not. For me everything worked fine right out of the box w/o any firmware upgrade. So if you have an older unit this might be something to consider (or at least know about).

In summary - Give this nice little unit a try. It has a small footprint, is lightweight, has rich bass and great overall sound, plus a good volume range w/o distortion. I not disappointed with it at all - I love it. Absolutely buy it over the JBL on tour. That unit does not get very loud, the sound quality is sub par, and the mechanics of how you plug everything in sets it up for damage. This unit is far better.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Misses the mark on important features, March 9, 2010

By 

Dean! (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Altec Lansing inMotion Speaker Dock with FM Radio for Zune (Black) (Electronics)

(What's this?)

This Zune sound dock was an unfortunate disappointment, severely lacking in basic functionality. A sound dock of any kind should be good in sound, features and convenience. I'll break down my experiences:

The Sound
-------------
1. Volume adjusts from 1 to 30, but is barely audible under 11. In fact, 18 seems like a quiet whisper volume. Over volume 24, I could tell there was sound distortion and at 30 well, it was overpowering the speakers I thought I would break it. I'm relistening to it at volume 22 and it's not very loud and you can almost hear a static sound reproduction on a new Lady Gaga MP3. I chose various Genres of music (classical to hip hop to pop to rock) with different songs to determine the "loudness" acceptable levels.
2. Bass was a bit "poppy" sounding as if there was no real bass, I'm not expecting a subwoofer thump, but for a company who specializes in sound, I wasn't impressed. I have Altec computer speakers that sound FAR better.

The Features
--------------
1. It says it has HD Radio, but in fine print, it doesn't have HD radio, the Zune HD has HD radio and you happen to hear the sound from the Zune
2. It DOES have FM radio, which is actually a useless feature, because all Zunes (1st to 3rd generation) have FM radios
3. I was shocked to find it has no clock function at all like other sound docks do. I mean, let's think about this, you can get a simple LED clock with alarm from Walmart for a few dollars - they couldn't have at least put a clock and alarm in this so I could put this on my nightstand and wake up to my Zune music, etc ?
4. Most people's nightstands aren't all that big in size, there's no room for this sound dock, plus my current clock radio.
5. The included remote and "integrated remote-holder" works for volume but won't control the Zune! See convenience section:

The Convenience
-----------------
1. This is the dumbest part of this sound dock. The included remote won't control any of the music functions of the Zune beyond Next, Previous and Pause. So let's say you've taken this to the patio and your friends complain they don't like the playlist you're on, well you have to undock the Zune, choose your playlist manually, and re-dock it. For people like me, I like diverse genres of music plus some audiobooks, so simply putting your *entire* collection on shuffle is not an option (unless you're prepared to hit "Next" after every other song). So this sound dock really scores bad on convenience.

2. Here's the next dumb part of this sound dock - it doesn't even transmit signals using the original Zune remote! So fine, maybe the included remote doesn't control the Zune, but at least allow it to use the Zune remote, nope won't work.

Summary and Areas for Improvement
-----------------------------------
1. No clock radio/alarm - this would be a huge improvement!
2. Shuffle your Entire Music Collection or nothing - the included remote nor the Zune remote won't control any music functions beyond Play/Pause or Next/Previous - that's it...no remote control choosing of playlists or other music, etc. (Ie. Lets say you put this on the deck for a party, having a remote in your lawn chair to control different music sure would be nice, wouldn't it?)
3. Volume is barely audible under 11 on a scale of 1 to 30 and 18 is a casual whisper, yet volume 24 to 30 the sound already distorts
4. Bass is "poppy" at times
5. A sound dock needs good sound, common-sense features, and to be convenient - it severely lacks in these areas as described above.